PC vs MAC

[Pugwash]

Let's turn the tables here for a bit, disregarding the other post about the >$1000 PC - How about finding a Macbook/MBP with these specs for less than $1,888 [shipped]:[...]

Good luck!

Can't be done.

Try finding an Aston Martin with good gas mileage.

[guanaco]

Can't be done.

Try finding an Aston Martin with good gas mileage.

[DocRaph]

Just to throw something else into the mix folks;

For a lot of years at work I managed the network and PC's in my labs - built all the 'control' PC's, installed software, drivers, etc and fixed them when they went wrong - quite often.

When I left that particular job (of 28 years) I got a little bit of money - bought a few things, including a Macintosh Powerbook G4 - that was in Feb of 2004 - guess what I'm still using at home now (in fact this very second) ........ the same machine.

In all this time, I've upgraded every second issue of OSX, added a 1TB external drive for storage, and had abso-piggin-lutely not one problem with it!!!!!

It's a nice rest when I get home after the frustration of using PC's at my new job - luckily I don't have the responsibility these days of keeping the work PC's running.

Now I'm not a dyed in the wool raving Mac-ite - I'll use any tool at hand irrespective of make or system - Windows, OSX, Unix, Linux what have you.

It's just that I've managed to find a tool that works for me at home with no problems.

If Microsoft made the hardware as well as the operating system, then you would have the same sort of stability as Mac has.

There is nothing specifically wrong with Microsoft Windows - it's just that it is expected to work on every Tom, [censored] and Harry's hardware - and considering that, it actually doesn't do that bad a job.

Have fun... whatever you are using...

Cheers, DR

[DocRaph]

Hum... since when has the shortened version of the name Richard been a censored word.

I grieve for all of you on this Forum stuck with that name.....

DR

[robertk]

I've observed this thread and figured I'd jump in. My business was a dyed in the wool Microsoft world for 12 years. We have 16 workstations. Last year, our people kept saying, we gotta get macs, we're spending too much time with problems (everything was up to date on ours at the time). We relented and got a couple of macs to try. Desktop and a 15" Mac book pro. After a few weeks our people were screaming to get macs for themselves. We did and too a person everyone prefers Macs, whether it is accounting, development, WP, whatever. There simple and TROUBLE FREE.

I couldn't believe how much less issues we endured and can't believe we waited this long.

I'm now a dyed in the wool Mac user.

[jchurch]

I like mac and PC but for the discussion about a cheaper PC matching those specs I figured why not up the ante and instead of looking for random ones you can pick up at bestbuy or something why not go with a a fancy builder and see what all one can get for less then a base run of the mill macbook pro.

voodoo envy (now HP) comes packed with a snazy quadcore i7 720, 6GB memory, 500GB hard drive, 1gb ATI 5830 video card with HDMI output, but its only a 15inch display 1920 by 1080 (can't even get one of those from apple). Now for the bad news... upgraded battery so it only gets 6 hours of battery life and weighs only 5.17 lbs and its only upgradable to 16gb of ram and comes in just at 1912.00. If one stuck to the highest dual core i5 processor you could drop 200 off and 150 off if you went back to 4GB of memory or about 1000 off but only a 15 inch. So with that 1000 bucks buy yourself a snazzy new watch.

Or Dell Studio xps 16. Again not a snazzy 17 inch. But comes with the same processor same memory an ATI 512 mb video card, HDMI output and a 16 inch 1920x1080. All the other jazz but battery only lasts 4.5 hours although extra batteries run 150 to 180 which would net another 4 hours or so and put you right at the macbook battery life. And at a slick price point of 1400 bucks it is about a grand cheaper than the macbook pro.

But lets not forget those shady sony people. People are always talking about how they are over priced. So lets see how it compares to a macbook pro... Well rats again no 17 inch option but lets go with the biggest thing we can. Looks like an F series its 16.4 inches display. So what do we get well we get a quad core hmm well go with the base quadcore i7-720 for now. 1920 by 1080 display, check, 1GB video card, check, backlit keyboard, check, 4gb ddr3 memory, again check, 500 gb hard drive, yep. Oh damn bluray burner better check that option also. Now for the bad news... its 6.9 lbs and only 3 hours of battery life. but at 1450 with all the options it could be a good deal.

So what does one get for 2400 bucks in the PC world...

Well at dell you can get a fully loaded 15inch with 8gb memory, T9900 processor, Edge-to-Edge FHD Widescreen 15.6 inch WLED LCD (1920x1080) W/2.0 MP, additional battery putting your in the 8 to 9 hour battery life area and still have 300 to spare.

At the HP store you can pick up an envy get top of the line quad core i7-820 processor, 8GB DDR3 System Memory (4 Dimm), 500GB hard drive, 1GB video card, 15.6" diagonal Full High Definition LED HP Ultra Brightview Widescreen Display (1920x1080), Bluray reader, wireless N with bluetooth, standard battery with additional larger battery overing 6 hours of battery life, and you get it for just under 2500 (2497)

Price for price you get more with a PC. However I really enjoy the mac they are great and I have had no problems with mine and still looking to pick up a decent macbook pro 13.

[mjmj]

I switched to MAC reluctantly about 3 years ago and I am glad I was forced to do so. I have not looked back and cannot seem to see any point in using a non MAC. Its fast, reliable and sexy.

[Danny Boy]

MAC! They just work....

[guanaco]

So PC's don't work? Well I'll be dammed, lol

[chronoluvvv]

isn't this debate is as universal as which is the best motor oil or the best weed killer for that matter ?

i've been using PCs since time immemorial ... and while i see myself moving onto ubuntu or its variants its purely for curiosity & little else. Windoze has always worked for me and always will

[guanaco]

isn't this debate is as universal as which is the best motor oil or the best weed killer for that matter ?

i've been using PCs since time immemorial ... and while i see myself moving onto ubuntu or its variants its purely for curiosity & little else. Windoze has always worked for me and always will

Bingo! However the Mac fans think their precious Macs came down from heaven meanwhile us PC users like to tease the Mac fans and these sort of threads begin, lol. Oh and Macs are overpriced for what they are, so there.

InB4 angry Mac lover says No U!

[wat44]

ive got both - I find the pc easier!

[Dani]

Quality is mac, bang for your buck pc? your loss about 60% more in value loss on a pc compare to a mac and chance is you need to buy a new pc long before the mac user

Easy..

[guanaco]

Quality is mac, chance is you need to buy a new pc long before the mac user

Easy..

Keep lying to yourself.

[Dani]

Keep lying to yourself.

i think you need to wake up to facts.

I can sell my macbook pro 17" that cost me about 3500$ for 3000$ after 7months, try sell a pc costing 3500$ for 3000$ after 7months not going to happen..

[guanaco]

i think you need to wake up to facts.

I can sell my macbook pro 17" that cost me about 3500$ for 3000$ after 7months, try sell a pc costing 3500$ for 3000$ after 7months not going to happen..

Notice I blanked out the part regarding the resale value, anyways, I just give my old Laptops away when I need to upgrade; my $1,500 17" Laptop will EASILY beat the specs of your $3,500 white brick, lol, overprice a pretty laptop with a fruit as their logo and the masses will buy.

Move it, coming through!

[Dani]

Notice I blanked out the part regarding the resale value, anyways, I just give my old Laptops away when I need to upgrade; my $1,500 17" Laptop will EASILY beat the specs of your $3,500 white brick, lol, overprice a pretty laptop with a fruit as their logo and the masses will buy.

Move it, coming through!

I hated mac's just like you before.

You aint paying for just specs whit a mac, you get so much more alu body,great multi touch on macbook,great program pack,very nice keyboard whit lights.

I do still use pc's and have no problem whit it, i just see mac's as better so that is my main work station.

[PowerShot]

For me the 1st reason I've bought a MAC it's the simple fact that

With a MAC you got two computers in ONE as you can run windows & OS X on the same computer. (I'm currently running Windows 7 and OS X on the same session)

2sc main reason is the software & assistance coming with.

After it's a lot of things like the long battery, the aluminium look, light keyboard, multi touch trackpad, screen.

When you close the Laptop he go's immediately to sleep (Hard drive & everything)

Compared to my old PC a Sony VAIO, the MAC is much faster also!

After I think you got some advantage using a PC as you can have some using a MAC.

The main fault I will claim on the MAC (but it's maybe only because I'm a new mac user ) is I found the PC a bit more easier to use.

For me PC or MAC is like IPhone or BlackBerry an endless discussion

Best regards.

PS

[chronoluvvv]

Keep lying to yourself.

x 2

aren't all computers & their components made by the same 3 factories somewhere in Taiwan anyway ?

[vafarmer70]

Go Linux It will run just fine on either of them.

[capice]

Bought 27" IMacs for the business after seeing the 24" Imac at a friend's house, wow, it still is getting used to the way it works, but I now use both Mac and PC. After being a nonMac fan for a lot of years, I am slowly flipping the coin.........now getting all the software for my Imacs thatI have on my pc's

[Tribal]

So Macs are great for shure,OSX is really a great platform,but they are expensive....

So for me I find a nice solution.

I want a small Netbook powered by OSX,the smallest Macbook is 13" and to big to carry up.

While surfing the Net I saw some Hackingtosh Threads....

Now I have a 10,2" Lenovo Ideapad S10E powered by OSX Snow Leopard

Way easy to do.....

Buy a S10E for about 250$

You need a 8GB USB Stick

Buy latest OSX snow leopard about 30$

Download latest S10 Enabler from the Net.

Make a bootable OSX USB Stick and install The enabler on it...

Put the Usb Stick in the Netbook,boot and install OSX Snow Leopard

Thats it

All works fine on the S10 also the multitouch Keypad....

Works great on the Atom Platform

[Drulee]

Just my 5 cents worth ...

My first computer was an Apple ][+, my first real 'proffesion' was as a Systems Consultant, where I spent way too much time troubleshooting problems caused by Windows, and teaching 'execs' how to use Windows software.My first exposure to the Mac, as a Systems Consultant, was when making a purchasing decision for one of Toronto's largest community service organizations (100+ employees, even more volunteers), and at that time using a Mac was not the right way to go for them. The Mac was geared to be a Desktop Publishing and/or Graphics Design platform, but not much else - no matter what they claimed. If you had to deal with and/or share data with PC users, you had to buy a PC.

After 10 years in a seemingly futile profession, I moved on to a more lucrative career that required very little computer usage.

About three years ago, I began an early retirement (I'm in my early forties). After realizing that I wasn't cut-out for the 'simple life', I've started up a few pet projects and began to use computers again. As a result, I also located these rep fora and started my first ever hobby However, I also became quite fed up with dealing with MicroSoft bloatware and having to take into account that my system will probably crash/freeze a few times a month (something I knew to be a common occurrence from my tech days, and found to be even worse with the introduction of Windows Vista).

So I bought MacBook Pro, to see how OSX would suit my needs - now that I'm looking for a computer to increase my productivity and help turn ideas into business models, not simply to be compatible with the rest of the computer using sector. I was blown away, the quality of the software available for it was just so much better in design and implementation. The stability of the operating system is amazing as well. I have yet to have a program freeze on me, or have the system enter a kernel panic (what windows users call the 'blue screen of death'/BSD). In fact I really only know about KPs, because I decided to turn my existing home PCs into Hackint0shes, and while tweaking OSX to run on these systems, designed specifically to run Windows (but still have it crash all the time), I would experience the occasional KP until getting everything just right. I have been running OSX 10.5.8 on one system, that I use for sharing media files among my other Macs, for nearly two years now with one crash (and I am not exaggerating or BS'ing you). In fact the only time the system has been down, was when the neighborhood had a blackout, but when the power was restored OSX booted up without problems or hard drive corruption (another Windows headache).

The simple fact that I could get OSX running in a much more stable manner than Windows, on a system designed specifically to run Windows, has made me a bit of a Mac enthusiast - but definitely not a fanboy

As for Guanaco's post containing a link to some asinine site giving the existence of "MacFixIt" as proof that Mac are just as prone to problems as Windows ... get real Yes there is a great site, actually a few, where you can get quick answers to what may be the cause of a particular glitch or crash, nobody should expect any computer to run problem free all the time, even though you may start to believe they do if you've been using a Mac for a while. But you may have noticed the 'FixIt' part of that site name, unlike a lot of Windows problems, Mac problems are easily fixed by everyday users, not Tech Support. I do understand though why a lot of people who have made a career out of providing tech support for MicroSoft based systems, would be anti-Mac though But for those wanting your computer to help you, and not hinder you, in your day-to-day life, swallow your pride and give OSX a test drive for a couple of months (don't worry, you start off by using the majority of Windows programs you already use, then slowly migrate over to more productive software).