Which one would you choose?

There is no way around it really It's either a Mac or PC so you need to put them against each other, so it's a Mac VS PC but hopefully not the typical indeed.

Since all the programs I've are windows based I need to use the bootcamp like you said to get most basic things running but I don't need Mac (I think?) so I've a choice.

I do have my hopes on the Macbook, battery life is just amazing and the specs are good enough. On Mac OS I would run Lightroom and Photoshop, I believe that Mac OS is faster certainly if I keep it purely for those programs but I'm worried that mac OS doesn't make enough difference compared to the better hardware in the DELL

The basic Intel maybe - but the 6300 will be a step up.

The Dell insurance is worth considering - especially when you drop the battery at 33 months old - one call and a new one arrives. No forms, no hassle.

It's the intel® Wireless LAN 6200 2x2 802.11a/b/g/n card that they offer for the Studio 15, i'm not really in the networks so don't know which is better

About the insurance, for 3 years it would cost me €200, might indeed be worth it.
How is DELL with their support?

They have a action now till the 31th so want to decide before that time what to get.

the service does make it more expensive though €1.828

Stefan, if you're not sure, then you need to spend a few hours with a Mac.

In your position, I would arrange a Personal Shopping appointment at your local Apple store, whilst there, spend some time talking to some of their photo guys (they might even have a pro on staff too if you're lucky).

We found this absolutely invaluable when buying our Mac Pro, the advice available was quite extraordinary for a high street store.

Educational discounts are available as well, which I think run at about 10%

Thank you Danny.
Just looked at the side and there is a student section and there is some discount, it now cost €1.771,91

There isn't really an Apple store nearby so hard to go to one and try out

Just dug out the Studio specs - hidden in Home users not Small Business. Looks as though the Intel 6200 and Dell 1520 are similar in performance and you are right the 6300 is not an option - but if you look at alternatives get the 6300.

The Memory upgrade is £300 from 4GB to 8GB - why not spec it with 4GB (2x2GB) and buy 2x4GB from Crucial - £220. A significant saving and sell the 2x2GB. You could raise another £40-£50.

I go for 4 year NBD support from Dell (next business day) and provided the fault is reported by 16:30 (or thereabouts) they are on site the following day. Accidental damage - dealt with in the same time frame. €200 may sound high, (£120here) but what would it cost on your household policy? And will that be hassle free? Have a look at all the options and combinations. Save £80 on memory and it will pay for the AD cover!

Trust me, it's worth a day trip. If your gonna drop £1500 on a laptop, £50 on the train is nothing.

Just remember that when buying an Apple device there is always a premium added to everything.

Memory for example.

2x4GB DDR3 SODIMM

Standard "run of the mill" devices £180 to £200

Top flight manufacturers/assemblers (Kingston, Crucial &c) £220 with Lifetime Warranty

Dell £300 - just to upgrade from the 4GB, so the real cost is over £400

Apple £320 - even more than Dell.

I know Danny but you also need to have the time for it
Will try to see what I can do.

Thank you Andrew, I've look at Sony now and the F series is very nice. I wonder how good the screen is though compared to the rest.
Also the upgrades cost less, difference between 4GB to 8GB RAM is only €150 so that's a better price.

Dell has a new a special offer, the 3 year warranty for the price of the 2 year so that's interesting, the 4 year is just too much of a difference it will add around the €300 over the 3 year

We already know about the prices off Apple but it's a premium product after all.

So just buy elsewhere like you recommended for the Dell, they are charging a premium too!

I know, that can be hard, but it's an expensive decision you are making. Again, trust me, make time. And remember to book that Personal Shopping appointment before you go.

Even if after a day you come to the conclusion that a Mac is not for you, at least you can then cross it off the list and concentrate on getting the best laptop for your cash.

Memory is just one example - there are other components that cannot be easily swapped. I did not say Dell were not charging a premium but that charged by Apple is significantly more - whether graphics, hdd, optical &c.

The warranty offer is a good deal.

As for premium? Who says? just because Apple say so ... of all the Mac and Mac book owners I regularly deal with over 50% have had to return theirs within the first month or two.

Andrew cool down okay
I just did the Sony laptop and every upgrade on it so far I could tell was cheaper than with Dell so yes you also pay a premium there it seems.
With premium with Apple I meant that it is a product for the masses and that you pay for the design, name and such things as well but that's nothing new or shocking that happens everywhere.

The MBP does seem to run better as laptops with similar specs the only problem is the price difference and when you compare them at the same price class the MBP isn't king any more but they still have an amazing battery life though.
Also the problem is most of my software is windows based so I need to have windows on the MBP but since the specs are less than others it would mean I would have less performance or I need to switch/exchange all software to Mac OS. I totally forgot about that

The point there was, that in the example you have given, less than 10% is not 'significantly more'.

Not going to disagree with you that the Apple premium on some items is too much though, as there was no way I was going to pay their prices for 4x 1TB HDs and 8GB extra RAM that we put in our Mac Pro, but this also applies to other manufacturers as well, as you have noted.

The issue was only replied to by me because in this example, an extra £20 in a near £2k laptop if the 8GB upgrade was to be done, would be around 1% of the price, so not really a deal breaker, and not really worth mentioning for this specific example.

Again Stefan, stop thinking about it, and go try it. There are some things you just cannot appreciate by looking at pictures on the internet.

Just one example, you just will not appreciate the trackpad, how it integrates with expose & spaces, multi touch, inertial scrolling etc. without actually trying one.

You will not be able to make an informed decision without trying one, and trying one properly. Go try one, if it's not for you, don't buy one!