Do you prefer a Mac or a PC?

Mac.

Mac. It can run windows, it gets updated more faster. Its more easy on the eyes, fast and doesnt freeze often. Viruses are…almost never.

I prefer things I can afford. Unless your going to be using it to it’s potential there’s really no reason to spend twice as much for the Mac.

PC, and I must stop following this before I get flamebaited into a war over which is better and why.

Ladies and Gentlemen if you will direct your attention to this Mactastic deal

PC (Windows). I’ve used both; I have access to both. But I prefer Windows.

Well, if you don’t know anything about computers, then a Mac is definitely for you. That is, if you don’t mind spending $500 more for a computer than you should ever have to.

PCs are kinda like that crude stone wheel :)

So yes, I’m a Mac….. zealously….

Mac, spend more now to save headache and money later.

@TheDeadWake Or you could just download Linux. Spend nothing now and save headache and money forever.

@Ivan the reason I prefer mac is because they make the machine as well as the operating system and softwares. If you have an issue with their stuff there’s no “it’s not our fault, it’s a software thing” or vice versa. One stop when and if you have any problems.

Mac. Welcome to Fluther! For more opinions, search your question! :-)

Everyone is different. I like my iMac because it’s a snap to make a home movie, do some reports for school, play some games. I saw this chart comparing operating systems (because basically that is what this is about).

Linux: Ugly & Functional
Windows: Ugly & Not Functional
OS X: Pretty & Functional

(Also the use of “PC” is a misnomer. PC stands for “personal computer” and there are many different kinds of personal computers: some run windows, some run OS X, some run linux, some run nothing and collect dust in the closet.

It seems people call computer that run Windows “PC”‘s because in the 90’s software used to have requirements such as “IBM compatible PC”)

I’m all about the mac… having owned many many windows based pc’s in the past… once i got my first mac i never looked back.

I have a PC but not by choice. I’ll get a MAC when I’m able.

I tried Mac once, but I can’t really say I know it. I upgrade my PC, or get a new one periodically. Have no incentive to get a Mac, since I play a lot of games.

@btko

Linux does what the user wants
Mac OS does what Apple wants
Windows does whatever the hell it wants

Mac.

@Dr_C, I’m exactly the same way. In my opinion, Mac is the way to go. Anything Apple is going to be costly but in all my experiences, it’s worth it.

Windows PC did you know that the Mac is still just a PC ( they are crap )

@Randy you sir are a great american and i salute you!

This is so boring.

I’m a Mac Zealot, but even I know it’s stupid to flame PCs as there are obvious cost advantages and there’s a wider choice of hardware.

There are so many people across the web who don’t have nearly enough experience on both platforms to make any kind of judgement as to which is better. I have used both PCs and Macs for about eight years, I’ve done hardware and software repairs to both and one thing I’ll tell you is this: go with what you prefer and don’t bitch at the other lot. There are too many stupid replies to this thread to even bother responding to them individually.

The things that make Windows machines crap is not the hardware, nor the software, but the users not understanding how to use or maintain them properly. The thing that makes Mac machines crap is not the hardware, nor the software, but the users not understanding how to use or maintain them properly. Do you see the similarity?

People who bitch about the cost of a Mac should compare the build qualities of the major PC manufacturers to the build quality of a Mac machine. You get what you pay for in that department, and no one can honestly argue with that. If the price is a problem then obviously you need to go for a PC.

People who don’t have a shitting clue what they’re talking about need to stop trying to weigh in on an comparison they only know one side of. And that goes for both sides.

If you place a value on your time and sanity, Apple hardware is a great value. Highest customer satisfaction ratings, less frequent down time, more productivity right out of the box. Integrated media creation and productivity applications, no current virus threats, highly intuitive interface, and the ability to run Windows, all make the extra few hundred dollars well worth it.

If you are satisfied with and comfortable using a Mac, then get another one. If you are more comfortable and satisfied with Windows, then get a Windows PC. That’s really all there is to it.

@purephase: the myth that Macs are more expensive then PCs is just that: A myth. You get what you pay for no matter what you buy. If you want a system that will die in a year or two and frustrate you to no end with its security vulnerabilities, go with a Windows box. If you get a $300 HP, it is more than likely going to take a crap sooner than later. And how much does Vista cost compared to OS X?

Myth.

I use both. I use apps in PC that are not ported for Mac and I think that they are far better than anything that has been developed for Mac. I can say the same thing for Mac.

But what I can say about the Mac that I cannot say about Winblowz is that I can run OS X, Winblowz, Linux, and anything else that will run on an Intel platform on a Mac. Try that with your Dell. Ain’t gonna happen.

@maccmann – You raise some solid points, and then dash your own credibility by using the term ‘Winblowz’. How are you ever going to get a valid point across to someone if you use childish flamer insults in the process?

@benseven

You gotta admit though, Vista is a smack in the face of even the most savvy Windows users.

I lurve you for your first answer, but my only prop to Vista is “Thanks, you made me go Mac”.

I’d say, go with a mac if you are already familiar with them and you can afford one. Personally I don’t really have a preference. With no additional programs and tweaks I would prefer the Mac since OS X has virtual desktops and feels more visually ergonomic to me than windows XP and Vista.

@btko Hehe.. Linux is ugly? I really beg to differ. You can customize the look of all 3 OSes much to your liking. If you know how you can even change how the GUI works. And with Linux you can change it to your liking to the greatest degree.

@maccmann Actually you can run all three OSes on some Dells, you have to be a little computer savvy though.

@TaoSan ftw!

As always occurs in two sided arguments tempers can flare, is there no way to agree to disagree on this? chalk it up to personal prefference? does one system really have to be better than the other or can it just be better for the individual user?

We need to stop bickering about dumb shit like “my laptop is better than your laptop” and start focusing on the real issues… which one is more likely to get me laid?

Otherwise, the terrorists have won.

fin

BTW… this was my morning “pre-coffee” rant. Thanx much.

would someone please give the Doc a Grande Latte Enema? :)

Mac.

@TaoSan Vista has been a huge PR disaster, but again I’ve got a number of ‘savvy’ friends who run and maintain it well, and they’ve had no problems and consider it a great upgrade from XP. It depends so much on the end user.

mac it is

I would recommend a mac because that is what your used to. Just remember to back up your important stuff, everyone I know who has a mac has had the HD crash at least once. Its a big downer to wake up one morning to then learn that your laptop is a useless brick. Thank god its a laptop given to me by my school so they gave me a loaner while they fixed the other one. So yea I love my PC lap top for gaming, music, photos, and web browsing. My mac is for word and fire fox. My mac is slow as hell, yet my PC has the occasional issue and its always entertaining for me to fix it. So if you are low on cash and seeking adventure then I would get a PC, but if you just want to play it safe (kinda) then get a mac and an external drive. Also be ready for the insult that apple calls a keyboard. I <3 my PC ;)

Both and I have both.
Mac unibody & a HP Tablet

@tehrani625

I’m intrigued by your ‘everyone I know who has a Mac has had the HD crash at least once’. That seems like an unlikely statistic! It does happen, but no more than it does with PC machines.

A harddrive is a harddrive and it will crash eventually, no matter if you put it in a Mac or a PC. SSD on another hand.

That’s why you should always have all important data stored two different places.

@benseven I disagree, the techs at my school say that along with people cracking screens the HD’s die most often. And everyone that I know who has owned a mac has had the HD die. I know of it happening on two occasions for PC’s one was an old laptop of mine and it happened to my friend. My mac is also really slow in general use when compared to my PC.

I will say that my PC is not perfect, it has software issues all the time. But they are usually easy to fix with freeware or just going through some settings. Its also really fun to find a solution for whatever goes wrong. Macs have a lot of hardware related issues and that is not free to fix.

@tehrani625 i’ve had very few hardware issues with my mac.. but apple care has taken care of all of them for free. (minus the one time fee to get the applecare of course) well worth the price.

@Dr_C I am at this point just splitting hairs, I love my PC and will defend it as I please. So yes I own a mac and a PC I love my PC and use my mac for work. I am extremely biased, but my mac has been good for the most part.

@tehrani625 It’s a bit short-sighted of you to cite that Macs have a lot of hardware related issues when that’s based on people you know – and my experience not only as a primary Mac user but as someone partly responsible for Mac maintenance and repair at work, is that your examples are not a common occurence. For example, a reserved guess at the number of people I know who own a Mac (that I’ve usually helped them out with at some point or another) is around 40 – and I know only 3 of those machines have had Hard disk problems. That, in my (also quite extensive) experience with PCs and users I know is about average. So I’m not saying the facts are Macs crash out less, or that you’re wrong about your sample group (who sound like a remarkably unlucky bunch, though perhaps they’re all using older machines that come to the end of the HD’s working life more often than newer models, simply down to age). I’m saying please don’t paint a picture of Macs failing more often than Windows machines when it’s simply not the case.

@benseven to be honest the group I am talking about is a bunch of high school juniors, our school gives us macbooks and they are really cool for the most part but its kinda slow and the HD crashed about 2 months ago and I lost some assignments so it affected my grade in that class. Any HD would love to kill itself after being tortured by teens, its more a reflection of the users and not the hardware.

@tehrani625 In which case, we probably shouldn’t be swaying the opinion of someone looking to purchase a Mac with statements that portray the situation as a lot worse than the reality – it does happen, and I’m sorry to hear about your work – you need to put more of an ‘in my experience’ slant on it so that it doesn’t incite geeks like me to try and disprove you!

@tehrani625. Let me guess, your class uses white macbooks from 2006/2007 with a serial number starting with 4H? There were a few hardware isssues with those ones.
I work at a Authorised Service Provider and i’d say ~40% of all computers we repair is White MacBooks with serial number 4H********

@wilhel1812 – I’m using one of those – invertor board has gone twice. Applecare runs out in September, then it’s a shiny new Macbook Pro for me!

@wilhel1812 wow, that is correct sir. Oh and I tried to put an “In my experience slant on it”. But I guess it was not enough. I still like PC’s better, I love playing real video games and never having to use virtual memory.

I hugely doubt your computer doesn’t use virtual memory – I think you probably mean virtualisation of the OS, which is something not necessary on Intel-based Mac hardware to run Windows and play games, due to the easy-to-setup and Apple-provided ‘Boot Camp’ solution.

@benseven My PC has 4GB of ram, it normally uses about 32% of that and when I am running a few fire fox windows, iTunes, and I always have something else open it uses almost 50% of the ram. My mac on the other hand, decides to lag at random for giggles. A HD light or indicator of some kind would help greatly, least tell me to take a step back and a deep breath instead of freaking out and deciding to force a shut down and use my PC instead. I have Parallels and that’s the end of the story:( Also Intel integrated graphics in the macbooks can’t run some Apple software, so keep dreaming about playing games other then WOW.

Oh and good link but I have never had those kind of issues:p

OK…

1. Your comparison between your Mac and your PC are unfair, because your Mac clearly a) has software issues causing the OS to ‘freak out’, or not enough memory, and b) is clearly lower spec. You can only fairly compare the experiences with similar spec machines. I could pick a crap PC in this office and compare it to the high-benchmarking iMac on my desk but it would hardly be a fair fight, would it?

2. With regards to playing games, you’re stating the integrated graphics of certain laptop models can’t run certain games. This is also true of a plethora of Windows-based laptops and is the case with any machine with integrated graphics. Were you to take one of the new Macbooks with switchable dedicated graphics, or indeed the Mac Pro, they’d compare quite favourably to PC gaming. And I know this not just because I’m a Mac fan, but because I’ve been a PC Gamer for years and still game occasionally on the Mac. But you know what I did? What any truly sensible gamer should be doing instead of chasing high enough spec creeping ever upwards for gaming hardware. I bought an Xbox 360 and use that! A dedicated games console with an OS designed for gaming and playing online, and great graphics output (not to mention, in my opinion, a better hardware interface for input than the traditional keyboard and mouse).

So many people bring video games into the Mac vs. PC debate. So few people actually still play video games on a PC instead of a console*.

* I base this on a rough estimate of 30 or so gamers that I know – most have switched from PC to console in the last 5 years or so. I’m aware this may not be the case for everyone.

I’ve been a PC gamer for years and years and am a lover of Macs and own a 360 and Wii but I just don’t enjoy most games on consoles. I think the consoles are for games and PCs/Macs are for work is a bit of a cop-out often used in these arguments. I can’t stand playing first person shooters with a gaming controller. It’s too slow and inaccurate. The keyboard and mouse are still vastly superior in First Person Shooters, strategy games, most RPGs, etc. The best argument I think is that with Boot Camp you can have a fully functioning Windows PC for gaming only a reboot away from the Mac which is superior for everything else. With the Mac Pro you can even buy a PC video card and put it in there as long as you are booting into Windows. Or, build a cheap-o gaming rig for $800 to game on and get a DVI KVM switch. $800 is not much for most gamer budgets, but it’ll easily build a system that will play any modern game just fine.

All fair points – I’ll take advice on this, as I say, my friends the trend is towards consoles. The keyboard / mouse accuracy argument is an interesting one, because I find though it’s harder to get used to, you’re playing against folk also using the same control system too so it’s just what you’re able to do with it with regards to speed and accuracy.

@benseven I have a Nividia 512MB 8800M GTS in my laptop that was $1,100 with 4GB of ram, and your telling me that a $2,000+ MBP is a better for gaming? And yes my MacBook is low spec but most PC’s for MacBook money have 4GB of ram and better integrated graphics if they don’t have a dedicated graphics card. I also have a Xbox 360 but because we only have one TV in the house, and other people use it (and its much easier to pirate PC games), I don’t play it all that often. I also think paying $50 a year for online gaming vs Free for gaming online on a PC is another reason to play on my laptop. Oh and the Xbox 360 controller will work with a vista PC so its up to personal preference on that point.

being a greedy business graphics professional, I can make more money off my MAC, thus the small extra cost and ease of use make it a logical business purchase over a PC. But were I just using my laptop for accounting, word processing and internet usage, a quality PC would suffice. Thus . it depends…analyze your needs, and budget, and go crazy.

Since the adage “you get what you pay for” has never been proved to be untrue, the answer is obvious.

Are you saying that a $60,000 hummer is better/faster/more reliable/better looking/more comfortable then my $25,000 Tundra? And most definitely not a problem ridden chevy pickup truck in drag, that will be worth less then the metal it’s made out of in a few years?

I will take a PC any day. Linux is just as robust and with the right tweaks—can be as pretty as Mac OS X, and run most Windows stuff via WINE. If you need 100% Windows compatibility then you can get a PC to dual-boot Linux and Windows. Sure, you can get a Mac to dual-boot Windoze as well, but you can’t get a new Mac for under $1000, not can you get one with an overclocked Core i7.

Apple; charging cutting edge prices for last year’s specs. Don’t get me wrong, Macs are pretty and well-built, but it takes more than that to justify doubling the price tag. I might pay 20–50% more for that sort of quality, but not 100+% more for something that runs an older CPU.