I was a long-time PC user, and only dabbled on a Mac here and there for a course I took a few years back in high school. Since then I've gone to university for music and have developed a fondness for photography and videography. I think it goes without saying that my latest computer is a 27" iMac, which was purchased in September of 2010. Let me tell you, the thing is sweet - but, that being said, I don't game on a computer. If anyone had a passion for PC gaming, well the choice is obvious, you need a PC. But for what I use it for, Mac is great. It's beyond great - it's perfect. The only thing that is a mild annoyance to me is that the Mac OS is obviously not as tweak-able as Windows. I won't be able to tweak the OS to get the computer to run faster, for example, or at least, I wouldn't be able to within my abilities with computers. I love my Mac. I love how it's constructed, how it looks, how it feels. There's no way I would give this machine up for an equivalent Windows machine - not even a Windows machine worth the same amount as what I paid for my baby Mac.
Poll: Mac versus PC: Let's be nice about it
- Thread starter Faladorian
- Start date
That's kinda my pointMister Eff said:You can get Microsoft Office itself for Mac btw. And the laptop cost me nothing. I got it free with my Disabled Student Allowance. Worth every damn pennyWicky_42 said:
Well, grats on the free shiney laptop. That's fair enough, lol.
OP: You seem to be mixing hardware and software, while Apple likes to tell you it's all the same there is quite a difference.
PC's can range in hardware however you want them, Mac's do not (but they are aimed at the customer that doesn't want to know so it's alright with me).
As for software you can get any OS on any platform, altho Macs tend to be iffy because Apple doesn't want you to desecrate their pwety machines!
On the whole I view it as Mac for the casual user(my grandma, mom, sisters,...) and PC for the hardcore users who are tech savvy(if you aren't it's really a steep hill to climb).
I don't care much for Mac's because they are extremely limiting (hardware and software), you even haveto double-check if extra hardware will work with them.
PC's can range in hardware however you want them, Mac's do not (but they are aimed at the customer that doesn't want to know so it's alright with me).
As for software you can get any OS on any platform, altho Macs tend to be iffy because Apple doesn't want you to desecrate their pwety machines!
On the whole I view it as Mac for the casual user(my grandma, mom, sisters,...) and PC for the hardcore users who are tech savvy(if you aren't it's really a steep hill to climb).
I don't care much for Mac's because they are extremely limiting (hardware and software), you even haveto double-check if extra hardware will work with them.
Let it be clear once and for all:
[HEADING=1]Macs are extremely expensive, branded and pre-built PC's with a different OS.[/HEADING]
There. People have fallen for Apple's marketing for ages, it's quite insane really. They ask insane amounts of money for something that many companies do (and often also ask lots of money for, none so insanely much as Apple) with one twist; they add their own OS.
And that's exactly where the real comparison can be made, between the OS's. Underneath the hood a Mac isn't better or worse than a Windows PC running the same specs. They both have the same guts. You can't just do a Macs vs PC's, it just makes no sense.
As for the shell, I bet a Mac's shell is pretty good, but that's not a pro over a PC. You can build a PC with any shell you like, extremely good ones or cheaper ones. Aesthetics isn't a clear pro either. I for one don't like my tech to be white.
And the master of nanotechnology? Where did that come from?
As for your PC cons:
The hardware isn't per definition more fragile either, hell as I said before, under the hood Macs are PC's. As for the outer skin, that all depends on what you buy. Same counts for the tendency to overheat. I've heard about Macs overheating too, especially their notebooks. I've worked with Windows PC's all my life and none I ever used has overheated.
Now, mind you, I have nothing against Macs and MacBooks as machines. I'd love to try one out myself and I'm quite curious to OSX. However, I can't ignore the fact that they're extremely expensive, and what you usually get for those hundreds of extra euros is, well, barely anything that offers a clear, technical advantage over a wide variety of Windows-operated machines. It mostly comes down to things like useability and prettiness, and that's often very subjective.
That's why this comparison makes so little sense, what I put into big letters at the top of my post; there's a pletora of different Windows operated computers out there. You can't just do a "PC vs Mac", what PC would you compare a Mac (which essentially is a PC) with?
That said, a large part of the 'fancy new-technology feel' Apple offers is bogus. It's their design that makes it appear as such, but under the hood they're not all that woopy-doo. Apple does that very well, strike you in the gut, makes you feel something. A very clever business strategy that lets them rip people off for years and probably years to come. It makes me very very sad.
And what does this computer cost you? Almost five-thousand euros. That, sir, is absolutely laughable. Compare it with this [http://computers.toptenreviews.com/gaming/cyberpower/cyperpower-pc-black-pearl-review.html] computer, and even that is already over-priced and not as optimised as it could be (a lot of pre-built systems are like that as a lot of manufacturers are guilty of what Apple does), yet it's still a lot better suited for gaming than that Mac Pro for about a fifth of the price; two graphical cards both a lot more advanced than the one Mac is offering, a way faster CPU, etc etc. Laughable.
I bet they're fine machines, but the best gaming computer? Especially for that price? No way in hell.
[HEADING=1]Macs are extremely expensive, branded and pre-built PC's with a different OS.[/HEADING]
There. People have fallen for Apple's marketing for ages, it's quite insane really. They ask insane amounts of money for something that many companies do (and often also ask lots of money for, none so insanely much as Apple) with one twist; they add their own OS.
And that's exactly where the real comparison can be made, between the OS's. Underneath the hood a Mac isn't better or worse than a Windows PC running the same specs. They both have the same guts. You can't just do a Macs vs PC's, it just makes no sense.
Where do the bolded ones come from? Exceptional hardware that's one foot ahead? They only offer 5-series Radeon graphics cards on their iMacs! They call NVIDIA's intergrated 320M graphical chip, which they use in the MacBook, cutting edge and praise like it's the best thing evah. A quick browse reveals Windows laptops of the same price with; i7 or i5 Intel CPU's, a dedicated and sometimes high-end graphical card, a lot more harddrive space and a way higher screen resolution. I've even found a laptop half the price of a MacBook that's more powerful in many regards.Faladorian said:
As for the shell, I bet a Mac's shell is pretty good, but that's not a pro over a PC. You can build a PC with any shell you like, extremely good ones or cheaper ones. Aesthetics isn't a clear pro either. I for one don't like my tech to be white.
And the master of nanotechnology? Where did that come from?
As for your PC cons:
First and foremost, with a few simple measures a PC isn't more unsafe than any Mac, especially nowadays now that it's "low virus charter" argument is loosing ground; Macs are becoming more popular and thus a more tasty target for viruses.
The hardware isn't per definition more fragile either, hell as I said before, under the hood Macs are PC's. As for the outer skin, that all depends on what you buy. Same counts for the tendency to overheat. I've heard about Macs overheating too, especially their notebooks. I've worked with Windows PC's all my life and none I ever used has overheated.
Now, mind you, I have nothing against Macs and MacBooks as machines. I'd love to try one out myself and I'm quite curious to OSX. However, I can't ignore the fact that they're extremely expensive, and what you usually get for those hundreds of extra euros is, well, barely anything that offers a clear, technical advantage over a wide variety of Windows-operated machines. It mostly comes down to things like useability and prettiness, and that's often very subjective.
That's why this comparison makes so little sense, what I put into big letters at the top of my post; there's a pletora of different Windows operated computers out there. You can't just do a "PC vs Mac", what PC would you compare a Mac (which essentially is a PC) with?
You should explain that one because I'm not seeing it at all. What I'm seeing is minor technical improvements, often related to size and design, being hyped up and sold for a lot of money.
And again, it makes no sense to say that. There's a plethora of PC's you can choose from. I've seen laptops that use fingerprint identification locks, laptops with secondary displays you can slide out of the main display, that sort of thing. Extreme examples of course, but it all depends on what you buy.
That said, a large part of the 'fancy new-technology feel' Apple offers is bogus. It's their design that makes it appear as such, but under the hood they're not all that woopy-doo. Apple does that very well, strike you in the gut, makes you feel something. A very clever business strategy that lets them rip people off for years and probably years to come. It makes me very very sad.
Nonsense. First of all, and I got this from the Mac website, the best Mac Pro has 12 cores. Now mind you, this is absolutely worthless for gaming. Even 6 cores is overdoing it nowadays. Second, with that same Mac Pro you get a ATI Radeon HD 5770, a decent, mid-segment gaming graphical card. Just one of them, mind youFlac00 said:
And what does this computer cost you? Almost five-thousand euros. That, sir, is absolutely laughable. Compare it with this [http://computers.toptenreviews.com/gaming/cyberpower/cyperpower-pc-black-pearl-review.html] computer, and even that is already over-priced and not as optimised as it could be (a lot of pre-built systems are like that as a lot of manufacturers are guilty of what Apple does), yet it's still a lot better suited for gaming than that Mac Pro for about a fifth of the price; two graphical cards both a lot more advanced than the one Mac is offering, a way faster CPU, etc etc. Laughable.
I bet they're fine machines, but the best gaming computer? Especially for that price? No way in hell.
Kinda interesting thing about this poll; one hell of a lot of people build their own pc's, just under half, thats pretty damn impressive. Anyone willing to give a completely clueless guy help getting started with a desktop build?
Not quite, PC focuses on nothing, it is a clean slate which you use how you want (crime, work or fun).TheTaco007 said:
Macs come with out of the box usability, but a limited use, tho the people who buy them don't really care.
I'm going on a hunch and saying you are not pursuing a career in film and have used Final Cut Pro and compared it to your personal experience of using Sony Vegas or Premier Pro.Wicky_42 said:
I also got a Macbook Pro for Soundtrack and Final Cut for film. Final Cut Pro is the leading industry standard for film editing for multiple reasons: it's seamless in use, has extremely powerful capabilities, and it's an incredible reliable program. The Final Cut Pro Studio costs $999 and Adobe Premier Pro Production Premium (the Windows equivalent program bundle) costs $1,699.
Also when going to reach higher education in this field, most Universities and Colleges use Final Cut Pro as well as the majority of film studios. It's crucial to learn how to use the tools that are currently being used in this industry so when you go to get X job you got your shit together.
Here's some major films edited in Final Cut.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Cut_Pro#Major_films_edited_with_Final_Cut_Pro
* The Rules of Attraction (2002)[6]
* Full Frontal (2002)[6]
* The Ring (2002)
* Cold Mountain (2003) (Academy Award nominee for Best Editing ? Walter Murch)[6]
* Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
* Open Water (2003)
* Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
* The Ladykillers (2004)
* Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
* Super Size Me (2004)
* Corpse Bride (2005)
* Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (2005)
* Happy Endings (2005)
* Jarhead (2005)
* Little Manhattan (2005)
* Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)
* 300 (2007)[6]
* Black Snake Moan (2006)
* Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
* Happy Feet (2006)
* Zodiac (2007)
* The Simpsons Movie (2007)
* No Country for Old Men (2007) (Academy Award nominee for Best Editing ? Roderick Jaynes)
* Reign Over Me (2007)
* Youth Without Youth (2007)
* Balls of Fury (2007)
* Enchanted (2007)
* Traitor (2008)
* Burn After Reading (2008)
* The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008)
* The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
* X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
* (500) Days of Summer (2009)
* Where the Wild Things Are (2009)[6]
* A Serious Man (2009)
* Tetro (2009)
* Eat, Pray, Love (2010)
* The Social Network (2010)
* True Grit (2010)
* I Am... World Tour (2010)
* The Rules of Attraction (2002)[6]
* Full Frontal (2002)[6]
* The Ring (2002)
* Cold Mountain (2003) (Academy Award nominee for Best Editing ? Walter Murch)[6]
* Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
* Open Water (2003)
* Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
* The Ladykillers (2004)
* Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
* Super Size Me (2004)
* Corpse Bride (2005)
* Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (2005)
* Happy Endings (2005)
* Jarhead (2005)
* Little Manhattan (2005)
* Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)
* 300 (2007)[6]
* Black Snake Moan (2006)
* Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
* Happy Feet (2006)
* Zodiac (2007)
* The Simpsons Movie (2007)
* No Country for Old Men (2007) (Academy Award nominee for Best Editing ? Roderick Jaynes)
* Reign Over Me (2007)
* Youth Without Youth (2007)
* Balls of Fury (2007)
* Enchanted (2007)
* Traitor (2008)
* Burn After Reading (2008)
* The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008)
* The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
* X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
* (500) Days of Summer (2009)
* Where the Wild Things Are (2009)[6]
* A Serious Man (2009)
* Tetro (2009)
* Eat, Pray, Love (2010)
* The Social Network (2010)
* True Grit (2010)
* I Am... World Tour (2010)
Just my two cents.
http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af150/The_FalconO6/CurrentLogicalPCBuyingGuide/Guide.pngShakyFiend said:
Pick the row that fits your budget (as noted by the ***, if you can afford the high end stuff, wait until the problems with the Sandy Bridge motherboards are ironed out in two months, that sort of delay is uncommon but it's what's happening now), buy the stuff, plug it in and boot it up. There isn't much more than that.*
Three years ago when my wife gave me the pc of my choosing for a wedding gift, I picked out the items in a similar fashion from Newegg.com (God bless Newegg), put it together and haven't had a problem since (other than the fact that I put waay too much power in a cheaper case and thus can't keep the lid on it). If you have a question about how to plug the video card in, I guarantee if you search for video card installation on youtube there'll be a video that calms your fears.
*Well, and the OS, hah.
Well, there are less viruses. And it's not only because they're less popular, it's also not an open-source operating system, so making viruses is more difficult and not really worth it.Nemesis729 said:
Now that difference makes a MacBook worth it's money. Sure a comparable laptop to a MacBook is about 300-400 euros cheaper, but if the program you need is 700 euros more expensive...yeah, not a difficult sum to make.Nearing9 said:
I wonder though, why the hell are both programs so horribly expensive? Seriously, it's...insane! You can buy a state-of-the-art gaming pPC for that price or some other high-tech toy.
You created a list of pros and cons containing a lot of points that have been highlighted not just by me but quite a few of the respondants in this post as being seriously WTF is that doing there? You provide no qualifer or explanation as to why each point is where it is but think an all encompassing statement about how you use a Mac with Windows automatically means your list is totally impartial.
I listed the points that in my experience I felt where incorrect. I however am not going to use an all encompassing statement in a veiled attempt to make it seem like my thoughts and opinions are totally impartial.
If you are going to create a post like this and then go ahead and list pros and cons provide reasons for why you have placed the items where you have. This adds more weight to your opinions than a single statement of self proclaimed impartially does, it also gives us more of an insight in to what you were thinking when you posted things such as the Mac having 'Exceptional hardware' or being 'One foot ahead'.
Not only film but also other programs like Rhino and Maya for graphics are just as expensive. What you're essentially doing is buying a license to use the program in addition the actual program itself. I still agree with you though, since the market for this stuff is so exclusive (like Premier Pro dominating Windows and Final Cut being king on Mac) these companies know they have little competition and can over charge.Cowabungaa said:
Macs are prettier, but I generally prefer Windows OS's because that's what I'm used to and I know how everything works. Similarly, I use PCs for hardware because I'm more familiar with them.
Main machine - modded Gateway dual-booting Win7 and Ubuntu 10
wife's lappy - standard Dell, Win7
Media server - custom built "cloud" setup running a modified version of Ubuntu (what can I say, I like the taste of Debian).
I've even got a couple of custom single purpose machines. (HAM radio controller, homemade CNC controller, etc.) - all PC's running one flavor of Linux or another.
The modded Gateway is definitely the workhorse, as I use it daily for everything from audio production (ASIO drivers only work with Windows) to hardcore gaming... 3 years on and it only BSOD'ed once, because of something stupid I did.
I have always wanted to try a Mac for my audio production, but I'm not spending upwards of $1000-2000 just for the "privilege" of deciding whether or not I would use the damn thing.
Not to mention Apple's draconian user agreements - only a desperate fool would pay twice what the same hardware would cost in a PC, only to be locked out of their equipment because they used it in a way the manufacturer doesn't agree with. Basically, the way I understand Apples EULA, you don't so much own that machine as rent it from Apple. I do admit that I may be misinterpreting the information, but it sure seems that way to me.
wife's lappy - standard Dell, Win7
Media server - custom built "cloud" setup running a modified version of Ubuntu (what can I say, I like the taste of Debian).
I've even got a couple of custom single purpose machines. (HAM radio controller, homemade CNC controller, etc.) - all PC's running one flavor of Linux or another.
The modded Gateway is definitely the workhorse, as I use it daily for everything from audio production (ASIO drivers only work with Windows) to hardcore gaming... 3 years on and it only BSOD'ed once, because of something stupid I did.
I have always wanted to try a Mac for my audio production, but I'm not spending upwards of $1000-2000 just for the "privilege" of deciding whether or not I would use the damn thing.
Not to mention Apple's draconian user agreements - only a desperate fool would pay twice what the same hardware would cost in a PC, only to be locked out of their equipment because they used it in a way the manufacturer doesn't agree with. Basically, the way I understand Apples EULA, you don't so much own that machine as rent it from Apple. I do admit that I may be misinterpreting the information, but it sure seems that way to me.
Self built or more accurately built for me with the parts of my choosing, also macs being technologically ahead is complete bs since a new mac is released once a year or a bit more often but new parts are released much more often and you can be 100% sure that as soon as a new part ( graphics card, processor or whatever) is released someone with a pc's gonna buy it and put it in his computer.
I have a MacBook, and it serves its purpose well enough.
Still, the best way I can describe it is that I feel like I'm in a padded cell when I use a mac. It's great at protecting people from their own stupidity, but it's frustrating when you know what you're doing.
Still, the best way I can describe it is that I feel like I'm in a padded cell when I use a mac. It's great at protecting people from their own stupidity, but it's frustrating when you know what you're doing.
I use both mac and my self-made PC.
While PC is better at performance and doing advanced tasks, for browsing web and listening to music i pick mac. Though i PC can do these Mac tasks, while Mac cannot do PC tasks.
Mac myths busted:
-Security: It's system and main browser are the most vulnerable ones on the market. Only thing that "protects" mac is it's little-to-none popularity, as more than 90% of computers are running Windows. Also, both Safari and OSX are constantly the first pieces of software that are broken on hacker contests. Windows is a safe system, with high quality security, but viruses are evolving just as fast as Windows security does, because virtually every cracker in the world tries to find holes in it.
-Stability and reliability: Unluckily not as good as windows 7. Problems with handling external drives, bad java and flash support, generally most programs that have versions both on mac and windows are bit more buggy on mac. Finder sometimes crashes, and it's not possible to bring it back any other way than just restarting mac. Also, while there is no "bluescreen", there is colorful spinning wheel, that is worse, because, if mac freezes, it won't quit by itself and restart gently, you have to push the power button for a long time for it to turn off.
-"Fun": Well, in mac vs pc commercials it's stated that PCs are for spreadsheets, and mac are for fun, but that's a retarded statement, because PCs have games, while all you can do on mac is organize your photos, make website for your goldfish and listen to music.
While PC is better at performance and doing advanced tasks, for browsing web and listening to music i pick mac. Though i PC can do these Mac tasks, while Mac cannot do PC tasks.
Mac myths busted:
-Security: It's system and main browser are the most vulnerable ones on the market. Only thing that "protects" mac is it's little-to-none popularity, as more than 90% of computers are running Windows. Also, both Safari and OSX are constantly the first pieces of software that are broken on hacker contests. Windows is a safe system, with high quality security, but viruses are evolving just as fast as Windows security does, because virtually every cracker in the world tries to find holes in it.
-Stability and reliability: Unluckily not as good as windows 7. Problems with handling external drives, bad java and flash support, generally most programs that have versions both on mac and windows are bit more buggy on mac. Finder sometimes crashes, and it's not possible to bring it back any other way than just restarting mac. Also, while there is no "bluescreen", there is colorful spinning wheel, that is worse, because, if mac freezes, it won't quit by itself and restart gently, you have to push the power button for a long time for it to turn off.
-"Fun": Well, in mac vs pc commercials it's stated that PCs are for spreadsheets, and mac are for fun, but that's a retarded statement, because PCs have games, while all you can do on mac is organize your photos, make website for your goldfish and listen to music.