What should i buy a mac or pc?

Question

I'm looking for a laptop and wanted to know which computer would be better, I'm a student and I've never had a mac before, always a PC, but i have heard that macs are better. So, Mac or PC?

Answer 1

That was the most retarded/biased statement I've read today Mr top contributor. They are for different audiences. Just like Horror and Comedy movies. Macs are for graphics and web designers as well as movie and audio makers. They are expensive, Non compatible with a very large amount of software, non upgradeable, (yes you can bootcamp, but why not just buy a pc then? It's going to cost 1/4 the money) They are prone to viruses as well. Pcs are more mainstream, relatively cheap, virus free in the hands of a knowledgeable person, compatible with most software, they may not be as stylish as a mac but for programming, gaming, general computing, and coding, they are better.



It comes down to, What are you expecting out of your Computer?



Graphics design

Audio/Movie editing

Composing?



Pick mac



Gaming

General Computing

Programming

Workplace?



Pick PC.

Answer 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wimDQ7EbJN4



I bet all the people answering questions here have never used a mac. macs are totally worth money.



most PC Upgraded to the Mac level will cost about the same price. the pc's u see at the shops are mainstream pc and made for family use. macs are upgraded to the max, with the latest in technology.



yeh your rite macs r soo much better, ive been a PC user for about 20 years and had the same problem, crashing, viruses, rebooting. and in the throwing it in the bin. then i decided to go mac since my freind had one and didnt ahve any problems. All i can say is that i will never go back to PC ever again. the best thing about PC is that fact that there are soo many programs. im also a student and needed a laptop that is light and sleek and would last me about 4 to 5 yrs.



in the end if you want a mac that is reliable wont shut down on your and wont become useless in a year then go for a MAC

Answer 3

PCs are first-class however MACs are larger. I paintings from dwelling and feature each Operating Systems however with my MAC I have neaver and I real imply certainly not had a deadly disease on it so at the same time the rate would fee just a little extra for a MAC I might such a lot defiantly purchase a MAC So I vote for the Mac. a) I consider the Mac is less complicated to make use of b) the Mac has a tendency to be extra cozy than the PC. c) The Mac hardware has a tendency to be larger (for those who suppose Consumer Reports and relying at the maker) d) Mac tech aid has a tendency to be larger (for those who suppose Consumer Reports and relying at the maker) I might argue that the in advance rate is not that central, due to the fact you can also turn out to be paying cash for help to repair your PC or paying together with your time to repair your PC. I've heard of humans's PC's so badly inflamed with adware and viruses, that they have got simply junked the laptop and purchased a brand new one. By the best way, do not evaluate Macs to PC situated on Clock pace. The Clockspeeds don't seem to be instantly similar.

Answer 4

MAC

well all i have a pc and i think mac is better

well first mac runs with windows so that means a mac is both a pc and a mac

seconed the macs look way better than pc

but the price isnt worth it

the cheapst mac u could get is $999







PC

is a good machine but it doest look as good as a mac

it doesn't have a good look like a mac but it looks good with windows vista

u could download more stuff on a pc than a mac

i have a pc and i like it















FINAL WINNER MAC

Answer 5

It matters what you do with your computer, like if you just go online all the time I recommend a PC because it can save you some money. If your gamer or makes videos on youtube I recommend Mac because it comes with Ilife software so it's good for editing and gaming and stuff. I recommend Mac because if you want a laptop the battery last up to 1000 charges and that's good rate. I would pay a little bit more for a mac if you doing hardcore stuff like video editing and things like that. Well that is my prospective.(:

Answer 6

A lot of people will reccommend you Windows, and there's also a lot of people that will reccommend you a Mac. The fact is, it depends what's right for you.



Windows Pros:

Lots of applications

Lots of support

More people use it



Windows Cons:

More prone to viruses

Some things can be more technical



Mac Pros:

Tech newbies find it easier to use

Comes with lots of free multimedia stuff



Mac Cons:

Much more expensive

Not as many people use it (lots of compatability problems)

Huge downloads to update



I've personally always been a windows person, but I know a lot of people that use macs. Since you've already been using windows and you're a student (which means you may need to interact with others via a computer), I'd reccommend sticking with windows. Windows 7 is out now, so you can't complain about vista issues!!

Answer 7

NO

Macs suck SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!

I dont know much about them but my brother is a comp wiz and trust him, pc's are probably 10 to 20 times better.

I go to two schools and one of my schools use pc's and the other uses mac. The pc laptops are pretty good, they actually are easy to use and they will actually load in your lifetime. BUT, the mac's at my other school take about 30 minutes just to log in to my school account and their setup is totally weird as hell (Why the hell is their internet called safari?).

Answer 8

I would much much rather go pc any day. Macs cost 2x as much for the same performance. As for the macs cant get any viruses, thats long gone, they are just as vulnerable as pcs.

Answer 9

If macs are so hot why do they need emulate pc's.



Mac's suck. Thery cost fortunes and the bulk of the software comes from microsoft. So they can't even make software for themselves. You got to buy microsoft made for mac software.



There is a lousy upgrade path... and besides they need to emulate a pc to get anything meaningful (besides graphics work) from them.



Oceans read what justin says about mac users lol....

Answer 10

well i l havnt had a mac but i think that pc's are just fine so id stick with what i know a pc but thats just my opinion.

Answer 11

Macs are not better.. I would get another PC for the following...



PC=Variety of specs, options, quality, prices, vendors, support

Mac=One vendor, limited options, still more expensive. Look below for more information..



Today, Macs use a subset of PC hardware. Why spend extra to get the same CPU chips, graphics cards and OS X isn't as secure as you think..



Don't believe the lies that Macs are better than PCs at graphics/animation.. Dreamworks Animation http://www.dreamworksanimation.com/ under studio click on Technology of Animation, an independent film maker I know uses PCs, a graphic artist I used to know uses PCs also.



A number of PCs can also run OS X (Mac OS) http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=os+x+on+pc&btnG=Google+Search&aq=0&oq=os+x+on+ as well just that Apple makes it illegal in order to get Market share.. The reason why Mac can run native Windows is because it is using a subset of PC hardware,



If you decide to buy a Mac for running Windows, you will still have to get the same virus/spyware protection, and run into the same issues as a regular PC.





Now is a Mac worth buying for OS X?



I say: NO... for the following reasons...



ADVANTAGES WINDOWS :

Aprox 90% of the market is Windows and most PCs have windows already pre-installed.

1) Some websites require Internet Explorer, to run IE on Mac you really get ies4osx which is the Windows version of IE running really buggy and illegal if you don't have a legitimate copy of Windows.

2) Supports more devices (printers and other things you hook into the computer).

3) More business software/games

4) Want the dock on OS X (Mac)? google/yahoo rocketdock, objectdoc.

5) Used by businesses.



ADVANTAGES LINUX :

1) FREE (most versions are)

2) Install software by either 1) Synaptic Package Manager, 2) Add/Remove 3) Opening a .deb or .rpm file (depending on distribution)

2) Like the Mac OS X effects? go yahoo/google COMPIZ FUSION which can do any cool effect a Mac can do and many ore....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Fbk52Mk1w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3gkX9HDfEE (there is no flickering when you use it like on the video, not sure why the person has the flicker)

3) Mac OS X Doc? google/yahoo Avant Window Navigator.Cairo Dock, http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3rf5q_cairo-dock-mac-os-x-leopard-dock-on_tech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0hzi22g2DE

4) It is FASTER/MORE SECURE to surf on the internet

5) Some Windows programs work with Wnehq/Crossover (also avail on Mac, but why pay $$$)



Instructions how to download, burn and boot http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/use-ubuntu-live-cd-to-backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/

Dual Boot Instructions http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_windows_xp_and_linux_xp_installed_first.htm



SECURITY

Mac OS X was hacked in 2006 less than 30 minutes, and within 2 minutes in a contest in 2008, and within 10 seconds in 2009. In 2008, Linux and Vista were not hacked until another day when restrictions were lowered. Vista was next, and then Linux. In 2009 Windows 7 fell shortly after the Mac but Linux was unscathed.

Macs are standardized with Cameras, if your Mac gets hacked, the hacker can turn on your camera with more ease.

Please Note: All OS's have vulnerabilities.

http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Mac-OS-X-hacked-under-30-minutes/0,130061744,139241748,00.htm

http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/03/27/Gone-in-2-minutes-Mac-gets-hacked-first-in-contest_1.html

http://www.infoworld.com/article/09/03/19/Researcher_cracks_Mac_in_10_seconds_1.html

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Finds-Irony-in-Mac-OS-X-Getting-Hacked-Before-Vista-SP1-82135.shtml



VIRUSES

Mac OS X has viruses (and significantly on the rise), a friend of mine has a virused Mac. As more users use Macs, more viruses will come out for it. Especially when users think "they are safe".

http://infosecurity.us/?p=4005

http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/archives/2008/07/malware_authors_take_aim_at_growing_number_of_1.html

http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/poll_have_you_noticed_an_increase_in_malware_viruses_etc_on_your_mac/



QUALITY/PROBLEMS

Contrary to belief, Macs are not better quality. Apple also has been changing suppliers to try to "lower the price" and thus lowering quality. Even with the lower prices, Macs still cost more, they spend a higher percent of budget trying to make it look pretty, and marketing.



Sample of problems: Deleting your Data (Snow Leopard), Overheating Macbooks, OS X- not responding to keyboard, some units with 16bit screens, etc. Apple statistics are misleading since Mac users with problem machines are more likely to go out and buy a new computer than PC users. Apple is lowering prices which means you can expect lower quality than in the past. Apple had switched the manufacturers producing parts. OS X also has problems slowing down.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=5006

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10020263-17.html

http://www.tuaw.com/2008/08/01/apples-quality-dwindling-my-macbook-pro-sob-story/

http://www.appledefects.com/

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/os-x-operating-system/107748-mac-os-leopard-running-slow.html

http://cybernetnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/reliable-laptops.jpg



Repairs are more expensive than PCs since the IMac, Mac Mini are compact units, and Apple charges a premium for their services. Some repairs can be done by another repair service but the compact design of the computer causes problems.

With an IMac, if the problem is with the monitor, the whole computer would have to be brought in.

IMac and Mac mini lack expansion.



PRICE

A similar equipped PC is much cheaper to purchase than Mac. Lets use Dell (but you can compare with another PC Brand if you like)



**(LAPTOP)

Dell Inspiron Laptop Starting Price: $500

Ending Price: $500

15" Screen

CPU: 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo [5% slower]

Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD [Not as good/fine for general use[

Memory: 3GB DDR2 SDRAM [75% of ram)

Hard Drive: 320GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm (same)

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dndozm4&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&kc=laptop-inspiron-1545



Cybperpower Notebook Xplorer X5-2900 Starting Price: $755

Ending Price After upgrades (not including 5% rebate): $860

15" Screen

CPU: (upgrade to) 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (+$100) [FASTER]

Graphics: Nvidia GFORCE 9600-GT 512MB [MUCH FASTER/BETTER CARD]

Memory: 4GB DDR2 SDRAM [MORE MEMORY]

Hard Drive: (upgrade to) 320GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm (+$5) [LARGER HARD DRIVE]

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Xplorer_X5-2900_Notebook/detail



Macbook Starting laptop Price: $1000

Ending Price After Upgrades: $1200

13" Screen (SMALLER)

CPU: 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (SLOWER)

Graphics: Nvidia GFORCE 9400 256MB

Memory: (upgrade to) 4GB DDR2 SDRAM (SAME)

Hard Drive (upgrade to) 320B Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm (SAME)

http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MC240LL/A?mco=NjcxMTQ3Ng





**(DESKTOP)



PLEASE NOTE: I compare Apple Mac's vs Dells best deal. If you really want an all-in one the Dell all-in-one has more ram, wireless keyboard and mouse and equivalent to $400 for free making the Imac still more expensive when you matching specs. Personally I don't think the All-in-Ones are a good choice, and consider them overpriced, lack expandability and repairs both more expensive and require the entire computer.



PS: Apple knows that they need to make Macintosh look different than PC so all Macs except the Mac Pro will not have a tower option. Apple's low end lacks expandability but it makes the Mac "look different", if Mac had a tower for low-end, more people would realize the similarities between the two.



Dell: ($700)

CPU: 2.33 GHZ Dell Inspiron QUAD (4 Processor) CORE

SCREEN: 20inch Screen

MEMORY: 4GB Ram

HARD DRIVE: 500 GB hard Drive

OPTICAL DRIVE: 16x DVD/CD Read/Writer

GRAPHICS: ATI Radeon HD 512MB

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dddwra4&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&kc=desktop-inspiron-537s



The Mac Mini since it has no monitor, keyboard, mouse, very skimpy on options and setup and is not the best deal... The IMac is better price than the Mac Mini.



IMac ($1300)

CPU: 2.4 GHZ DUAL (2 Processor) CORE (SLOWER CPU)

SCREEN: 20inch Screen

MEMORY: (upgrade to) 4GB Ram (SAME)

HARD DRIVE: (upgrade to ) 320 GB hard Drive (LESS HARD DRIVE)

OPTICAL DRIVE: 8x DVD Reader/Writer (1/2 speed)

GRAPHICS: Nvidia Geforce 9400M (APPROX SAME BUT LESS MEMORY GAPHICS)

http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MB417LL/A?mco=NDE4Mzg3Ng



Equivalents to ILife

http://www.jakeludington.com/ask_jake/20070830_ilife_for_windows.html

http://www.xsellize.com/showthread.php?t=20518



FREE Windows Stuff

http://www.comodo.com/products/free_products.html

http://www.iobit.com/

http://www.ccleaner.com/

ANTI-VIRUS

Avira Antivir (FREE) for 2009 personal edition is free (there is a paid version) the free version was rated the best by onsumer reports 2009 and here http://www.freewaregenius.com/2009/04/07/the-best-free-antivirus-a-comparison/

http://www.free-av.com/



Avast (Free- Click under Free Software and download Avast Home Edition) http://www.avast.com/



ANTI-MALWARE

Windows Defender (FREE)

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx

Malware Bytes (FREE) Limitation - No Realtime protection on free version.

http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?tag=mncol

Super Anti-Spyware (FREE)

http://download.cnet.com/SuperAntiSpyware-Free-Edition/3000-8022_4-10523889.html?tag=mncol



LINUX INFO:

http://distrowatch.com/

http://polishlinux.org/

http://www.desktoplinux.com/

http://polishlinux.org/

http://www.ubuntu.com/