Mac or PC?

[Cameron Crazy]

I'm about to graduate here pretty soon and am thinking of laptop choices for my schooling. I'm not going to be editing photos, and vidoes. But, I really want a Mac. Just because I have the money and all that good stuff for it.


But, I want yalls opinion.

[Electus Unus]

Mac with Leopard

[crzyjournalist03]

If your only reason for wanting a Mac is that you have the money for it, I'd say save the money and go with a PC.

I'm sure you'll find hundreds of ways to spend that money instead of going with a certain computer type because "it's cooler" or whatever the reasoning is.

[Electus Unus]

students get a sweet discount on MAC's

[ILS1]

I loved my Mac but I had to sell it. Mainly because everything I owed from cameras,smart phones(I have an iPhone now),MP3 players and other electronics were NOT compatiable with the Mac. Couldn't find software that would make them run on a Mac. That was the biggest drawback. I eventually switched back to a PC (sigh!!) but the Mac was better,faster and safer than a PC.


:mad: :mad: :mad:

[Emerson1]

Porn doesn't load any fast on a mac so you might as well go with a PC.

[jason]

college dorms = stuff getting spilled, dropped, broken, etc.....


get a pc and get the extended warranty - its dumb to buy a mac just because you can...

you can do facebook and myspace just as fast on a pc as you can a mac......

[Cameron Crazy]

Originally posted by jason
college dorms = stuff getting spilled, dropped, broken, etc.....


get a pc and get the extended warranty - its dumb to buy a mac just because you can...

you can do facebook and myspace just as fast on a pc as you can a mac...... That has nothing to do with it.

[jason]

Originally posted by Cameron Crazy
That has nothing to do with it. you asked for my opinion - so i gave it

[Cameron Crazy]

Originally posted by jason
you asked for my opinion - so i gave it Fair enough. I was talking about the whole me caring how facebook or myspace loads. lol.

[IHStangFan]

I'm running a Gateway laptop w/ Ubuntu 8.10 on it, and I love it.

[jason]

i work in a computer lab at a university - i see it all the time from students who bring in their busted laptops and dont have the warranty and don't have any money to fix it....

take it from somebody who has quite a bit of experience in this area - get a laptop that you can get you 3-5 years of use, take care of it, and still get the extended warranty.....

unless you are a computer science major, you dont need anything out of a mac that a pc can't do - microsoft word, maybe some adobe, and internet access will get you through 99.999% of your required school work....

once you're out of school, then you can invest in a really nice pc or a mac....

[crzyjournalist03]

What are you going to major and minor in?

[Cameron Crazy]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
What are you going to major and minor in? Structural engineering. Not set in stone yet.

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Cameron Crazy
Structural engineering. Not set in stone yet.

In that case, there may be reason to get a MAC...if you're going to be doing work where you're going to have to create or design structures, a MAC might work better for you.

[Cameron Crazy]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
In that case, there may be reason to get a MAC...if you're going to be doing work where you're going to have to create or design structures, a MAC might work better for you. Thats what I was thinking. But, I wonder how well AutoCad runs on a mac? Thats my only fallback.

[Stownhorse]

Go PC. It will save you money. Macs have the same exact same internal parts. The only difference is the OS's. Look at some of the Lenovo's made by IBM, they are BA. Also, look at the new HP's.

Also if you have a mac, when you go off to school and by any chance maybe need to use a schools computer, your OS will be mac(idk what its called, leopard, safari w/e..) instead of windows. And all campus computers run off of Vista now, so you would kind of be up poop creek.

All in all, Mac isn't really that special. Waste of money if you ask me. Throw that extra cash into an extended warranty, you will need it.

[DU_stud04]

Originally posted by Cameron Crazy
Thats what I was thinking. But, I wonder how well AutoCad runs on a mac? Thats my only fallback. id say go with the pc, for that reason alone. so many programs out there, macs are nice, but i feel like theyve become more of a status symbol "look at me look at me im using a mac" kind of thing now. go with a pc for now and save some cash. i got a fw sony vaio 2.93Ghz T9800 intel core 2 duo processor 4 gig with 250 gigs, blue ray 16.4"widescreen for 800$ a few months ago.... really good deal imo, i love it and runs all my autocad programs perfectly.

[RMAC]

Originally posted by Cameron Crazy
I'm about to graduate here pretty soon and am thinking of laptop choices for my schooling. I'm not going to be editing photos, and vidoes. But, I really want a Mac. Just because I have the money and all that good stuff for it.


But, I want yalls opinion.

Check it C. You can be one of the cool trendy kids with a Mac that have Apple stickers on their cars and backpacks and you don't go anywhere without your iPod in your ears at full blast or you can be a boring conformist like me and buy a PC. Buy a PC, Macs just piss me off. :)

[jason]

Originally posted by Stownhorse
And all campus computers run off of Vista now, so you would kind of be up poop creek.

that's not true - most campuses are keeping xp pro and will wait until windows 7 is released....




and du_stud is right - if you are using cad software, chances are the university you are going to will have it on windows based computers - dont know how compatible a cad file from a mac will be with a cad file from a pc....

[Keith7]

I love macs.. Been a PC guy for years but finally made the switch and I don't regret it. All my journalism classes and the office of my newspaper use Macs so I adjusted quickly

[I. B. Watching]

I have both. The PC is sort of like the junior varsity. The Mac for me is by far the A team

[Stownhorse]

Originally posted by jason
that's not true - most campuses are keeping xp pro and will wait until windows 7 is released....




and du_stud is right - if you are using cad software, chances are the university you are going to will have it on windows based computers - dont know how compatible a cad file from a mac will be with a cad file from a pc....

I hesitated putting that. I should have just said Windows.

[cshscougar08]

All the regular computer labs at OU have PCs but all the journalism labs have Macs. And since I'm a journalism major, it's great that I have a Mac. I love my Mac, just doesn't play all the videos I want to see in some cases. But then you just download Firefox and you're good to go. I would say Mac is a PC plus some. If you got the money, go Mac. More durable as well.

[Boomer]

You can buy extended warranty through Apple and mac's are a lot faster and safer like someone said earlier. I have a mac, but I also do a lot of photography and video.

Mac's have some awesome extra features that will amaze you. If you have the money, go Mac!!

[DU_stud04]

now notice how all the people who are saying go mac.... they are all in journalism or do video editing which you said you wouldn't be doing. when you learn your programs in cadlabs, everything is on windows. honestly, ive never seen an engineer major with a mac and there are reasons for it as ive said earlier, software compatibility. for now i say go pc, get you a good warranty and throw it in the pool when the warranty is almost up to get a new one or by then, upgrade to the mac if you really want it.

[cshscougar08]

I agree with you DU. But here's my thing. If you're using it for work, check into software issues and what is compatible and what is not. If you just want a computer to use and stuff, either one will suffice.

[Stownhorse]

Originally posted by DU_stud04
now notice how all the people who are saying go mac.... they are all in journalism or do video editing which you said you wouldn't be doing. when you learn your programs in cadlabs, everything is on windows. honestly, ive never seen an engineer major with a mac and there are reasons for it as ive said earlier, software compatibility. for now i say go pc, get you a good warranty and throw it in the pool when the warranty is almost up to get a new one or by then, upgrade to the mac if you really want it.

lol yea just make sure you have full "accidental" coverage.

[I. B. Watching]

All in all, Mac isn't really that special. Waste of money if you ask me. Throw that extra cash into an extended warranty, you will need it. [/B]
I respectfully disagree

[Diocletian]

I agree with 80% of the posts here.

Mac is the better machine, it's made and built better. It operates smoother.

PC is the best choice for spending your money. It's cheaper, more economic, uses less power(W), and is compatible with 100% of what everyone uses a computer for.

Granted bigger entities use Mac because it's more efficient and has less problems than a PC, and because of it's supreme operating capability with graphics and multiprocessing. But the PC is just plain better for the majority of computer users.

[Stownhorse]

Originally posted by Diocletian
Mac is the better machine, it's made and built better. It operates smoother.


Thats kind of a bold statement unless you have used every other PC on the market.

[Stownhorse]

Originally posted by I. B. Watching
I respectfully disagree

IMO its really no different besides the graphics and I guarantee you there is a PC out there that has a graphics card that can match it.

Coming from a students point of view though, A PC would be the better choice(for what he will be doing with it). And saying one brand is more durable than the other is kind of retarded, because they all get thrown around and broken at some point.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by Stownhorse
IMO its really no different besides the graphics and I guarantee you there is a PC out there that has a graphics card that can match it.

Coming from a students point of view though, A PC would be the better choice(for what he will be doing with it). And saying one brand is more durable than the other is kind of retarded, because they all get thrown around and broken at some point.
Did Steve Jobs piss on your muffin this morning?

[Stownhorse]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
Did Steve Jobs piss on your muffin this morning?

Nope, does it seem like Im pissed?

Sorry if it does.

[DU_stud04]

ill post again on this

basically since the switch to intel, macs and pcs are very similar...the only difference is in port configurations and the ability to run the mac os. you can run bootcamp on a mac, but this means you have to restart your computer if you're already on, reboot into windows. there is the parallels option, but running cad uses up alot of memory and would better be done through bootcamp... also, ive heard alot that running through parallels for cad programs makes the os crash...whats that????? macs crashing? oh no!!! you shouldn't have a problem now though since they're making them with a min 4 gigs now it seems like.

there really is no benefit in getting a mac to run the software you will need for your classes....since you will be running them through windows anyways. if you were to get the mac..... you'd be spending alot more money just to search the internet apparently since you don't plan on doing editing.

honestly, i like macs, i messed around with them in the english department( the only place on campus that had macs) to try and get familiar with the differences. one of my buddies and i would record music on his, another photography with my new nikon dslr camera, or another who posts youtube videos of us being stupid.

what do i have? a self built pc built the way i want it to perform the way i want it, runs all the programs i need without having to find ways to get it to work since its made for my system, virus free, spyware free( who would have thought they have free programs to get rid of this stuff on the internet!??!?!) and hassle free. ive even gotten accustomed to vista and actuality don't mind it now.

its all a decision for you now chris, ive posted 3 very good posts for your consideration with more information about your needs than, "im a journalist and i love my mac cause it makes me feel special, hehehe."(its funny don't get mad people)

good luck choosing!

[bigwood33]

Mac, without a doubt. I have a Mac Book Pro and also run Windows XP Pro using VMWare. You could also use a product called Parallels to run XP or (heaven forbid) Vista. I also use both MicroSoft Office for Mac as well as the similar product offerings from Apple. The Mac is the bomb! It is fast, powerful, reliable, and currently no one writes virus', worms, or spyware to attack the Mac.

[DU_stud04]

my last argument.

here are two computers chris. one is a fw sony vaio laptop and the other is a macbookpro. they are very similar on the inside as you will see

http://www.laptopsarena.com/wp-content/uploads/sony-vaio-fw-4.jpg
2.93 intel core duo t9800
16.4 widescreen
7lb's with battery
blue ray disk drive
1920 x 1080 full hd
bluetooth
1.46 inches wide at thickest point, 1.14 at the smallest
15.1 inches across
hdmi outputs
vga outputs
250gighd
4gigddr2sdram
ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD3650
756$ on sale at best buy+200 3 year accidental coverage = 956$

VS


http://jimbox.homedns.org/rants/images/uploads/MacBook-Pro.jpg
6.6 lbs
1920-by-1080
15.47 inches across
0.98 inch thick
2.93 intel core duo
320 gig hd
blue tooth
4gigddr3sdram
DVI output
vga output
NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphics processor; 512MB of GDDR3 memory
3 year applecare protection plan for macbook pro 349.00
3099$ at apple +349 = 3448$


few differences.... the macbook pro has ddr3 memory, the slightly larger hd, dvi outputs and the 9600m gt video card. the sony vaio fw has a blueray drive and hdmi, if you wanted to connect to your hd tv.

overall, the macbook pro is a SLIGHTLY better build, but is 2500$ really necessary to spend on a ddr3 upgrade and the mac os?

(not saying you were looking into a macbook pro.... but im just going on comparison to what i have)

[BHBrave08]

I'm at A&M right now and haven't had any problems using a Mac and i almost hate using a PC now lol. I don't think i will ever go back to one either. A major plus with Mac also is that they are virtually impossible to get a virus on... The key to preventing a virus on a Mac is don't use limewire... it's the only way to get one with a Mac.
Also the Macbook Pro is overdoing it unless your running a business off your computer. The plain Macbook is plenty. and you will save a good grand or more price-wise.

[Stownhorse]

Originally posted by BHBrave08
I'm at A&M right now and haven't had any problems using a Mac and i almost hate using a PC now lol. I don't think i will ever go back to one either. A major plus with Mac also is that they are virtually impossible to get a virus on... The key to preventing a virus on a Mac is don't use limewire... it's the only way to get one with a Mac.
Also the Macbook Pro is overdoing it unless your running a business off your computer. The plain Macbook is plenty. and you will save a good grand or more price-wise.

knock on wood lol

[DDBooger]

Originally posted by DU_stud04
my last argument.

here are two computers chris. one is a fw sony vaio laptop and the other is a macbookpro. they are very similar on the inside as you will see

http://www.laptopsarena.com/wp-content/uploads/sony-vaio-fw-4.jpg
2.93 intel core duo t9800
16.4 widescreen
7lb's with battery
blue ray disk drive
1920 x 1080 full hd
bluetooth
1.46 inches wide at thickest point, 1.14 at the smallest
15.1 inches across
hdmi outputs
vga outputs
250gighd
4gigddr2sdram
ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD3650
756$ on sale at best buy+200 3 year accidental coverage = 956$
:D Exactly what I have, except mine is white. and I paid about $1100 with the accident coverage. I bought it around 6months ago.

[DU_stud04]

Originally posted by DDBooger
:D Exactly what I have, except mine is white. and I paid about $1100 with the accident coverage. I bought it around 6months ago. i bought mine about a week before thanksgiving, i was at bestbuy and had the cash..... very good buy. mine happens to be white as well. very impressed with the laptop's build, and very attractive as well.

[DDBooger]

Originally posted by DU_stud04
i bought mine about a week before thanksgiving, i was at bestbuy and had the cash..... very good buy. mine happens to be white as well. very impressed with the laptop's build, and very attractive as well. aesthetically speaking I always liked the VAIO's but this one stood out. No problems at all with it.

[Fal44]

I have a macbook, and love it. I mean it runs perfectly every time I boot it up. Never had any problems with the mac, BUT I have had problems opening up certain programs that only run for Microsoft operating systems. that is the only drawback for me, I don't like how certain programs don't open up for me...


i THINK if i bought the microsoft for mac's that would take away my only issue.

[DU_stud04]

Originally posted by BHBrave08
I'm at A&M right now and haven't had any problems using a Mac and i almost hate using a PC now lol. I don't think i will ever go back to one either. A major plus with Mac also is that they are virtually impossible to get a virus on... The key to preventing a virus on a Mac is don't use limewire... it's the only way to get one with a Mac.
Also the Macbook Pro is overdoing it unless your running a business off your computer. The plain Macbook is plenty. and you will save a good grand or more price-wise. what is your major if i may ask?

(and limewire isnt the only way to get a virus on a mac)




if you're getting the plain macbook you're looking at a far inferior machine(technical wise, not os)... its got what you can get from a laptop from walmart has in it...

2.4 intel core duo, 2x1gb ddr3sdram, 250gigs for 1,599.... pay 150$ more for the upgrade to 4 gigs., but with the 2.4ghz processor..... still crap..... which is still about twice as expensive when you pay for coverage as well( yes coverage is still necessary. mac might be nearly virus safe, but its still prone to accidental drops, spills, the occasional whoops, and the all mighty "my bad")

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by Stownhorse
Nope, does it seem like Im pissed?

Sorry if it does.
Sorry man, seemed kinda like it, but you know how hard it is to tell through the internet.



Everyone's had good points on here. As for myself, I've always preferred Macs, but because of money issues have always gone back to a PC. They're cheaper, they're compatible with more software, and you can build your own. On the flip side, they require quite a bit more maintenance (we all know about the virus issues), a good warranty is almost a must, and the software is nowhere near as smooth as a Mac's-- meaning you can't run as many memory-intensive programs at a time.

My wife and I each brought two PC's into our marriage, so we now have four computers in the hizzy (anyone want one?). We each have one desktop and one laptop. None are the same brand. She has a Compaq desktop that's almost five years old and a Toshiba laptop that she's had for about a year and a half. I have a Dell laptop that's going on three years old and a desktop that I built about two and a half years ago.

And honestly, the only one that I would take back and trade in for a Mac is my self-built desktop. I needed something that would be good for video and photo editing, so I sunk some $1500 into it for top-of-the-line everything (at least back then it was). It has a dual core AMD Opteron processor, 4 gigs of low-latency high-speed memory, dual 74 gig 10k RPM hard drives set up in RAID 1, fuzzy dice and hydraulics.

Basically, this is all just a fancy way of saying that it was really fast and hi-tech for it's time. On the flip side, my buddy's Mac with half the computing power can do twice as much as that computer I just described. As stable as my desktop is (and it's ten times more stable than any of our other computers), it still can't compete with the Macs. And even though I sank all that money into it, I still can't use Windows Vista because 4 gigs of RAM just isn't enough to run the programs I need through Vista.

Not that I want to switch to Vista... I'm pretty happy with XP and Linux.

The moral of the story is that it all depends on what you need. If you're not working with big-time memory-intensive programs, there's absolutely no reason for you to sink all that money into a Mac. My laptop's a Dell, my brother owns a Dell, and my parents own a Dell, and they've been great. For my laptop, which is used primarily for taking notes, surfing the 'net, listening to some music and (for the most part) doing the same things as your average college student, I just wouldn't spend all that extra money on a Mac. But for my desktop, I definitely should've bit the bullet.


PC Advantages
-Price!!! (remember that word--you're in college and $500-$1k will buy a whole lot of beer, good meals, another desktop/laptop, a flat screen TV, etc, etc, etc)
-Compatibility (From what I understand, PC's are the only thing that'll run the program you need. That's the single most important thing to remember. Also, pretty much anything out there today will hook straight up to a PC without any worries. Macs can't say the same.)
-If you ever get frustrated with the Windows software, simply flip over to Linux. If it's not the best OS going, the price (free!) more than makes up for any shortcomings.


Mac Advantages
-Smooth operation (Includes fewer problems with viruses, reloading the OS, fewer hiccups and no terminating programs because of "fatal errors," etc, etc)
-Ease of upgrade to newer/more current software (I have two computers that run Windows XP. I'm pretty fluent with it, too. I have one computer that runs Vista, and still haven't completely figured it out even after all the tutorials on the Microsoft website. Instead of completely redesigning their operating systems, they build on pre-existing ones. EX: I didn't touch a Mac through almost five years and three Mac OS upgrades, but immediately knew what I was doing when I got back on the Mac after that five-year hiatus. )
-Doesn't suck memory like a PC.
-Organizes tasks better than a PC. (These two reasons are why a Mac can do so much more with the exact same hardware as a PC.)

[I. B. Watching]

It's sort of like comparing a Ford to a Chevrolet. They are both good. Some of us prefer Macs and some PCs. Lol, and some of us are very loyal to our machine of choice, and there's nothing wrong with that

[BreckTxLonghorn]

Originally posted by Diocletian


Granted bigger entities use Mac because it's more efficient and has less problems than a PC, and because of it's supreme operating capability with graphics and multiprocessing. But the PC is just plain better for the majority of computer users.

What bigger entities use Mac? Just curious.

[jason]

Originally posted by bigwood33
It is fast, powerful, reliable, and currently no one writes virus', worms, or spyware to attack the Mac.
thats not even close to being accurate....


Originally posted by BHBrave08
A major plus with Mac also is that they are virtually impossible to get a virus on... The key to preventing a virus on a Mac is don't use limewire... it's the only way to get one with a Mac.

thats not close either....





http://tech.yahoo.com/blog/patterson/14221;_ylt=AsQTnYU3UXArj93so4wIe7cSLpA5


http://tech.yahoo.com/blog/null/57934;_ylt=AqXQUToKtB3Or5t30Lr_JMUSLpA5


http://tech.yahoo.com/blog/null/117188;_ylt=AqdQykgQNKLgB3CU0mQNWtsSLpA5


http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/mackanapes-can-now-can-feel-pain-of.html




macs are just as susceptible to viruses as pc's - almost more so because mac users think they are not vulnerable so they dont have any kind of anti-virus or anti-spyware programs.....

[I. B. Watching]

My Mac has never had a virus. I use it all the time and I have no spyware or antivirus program. My PC is always requiring a patch and even though it has an antivirus program, it has had to have work done on it to have viruses removed. So I do think Macs in general, are less likely to get viruses. I have many friends who use both. None of the Mac users have ever spoke of having a virus while my PC friends always seem to be fighting them.

[Keith7]

I've never had any where near the trouble with adware / popups on my mac as I did with my pc's..

I love my mac and wouldn't trade it for anything, when the time comes, I will buy another mac. My macbook inspired me to buy a iPhone, I'm in love with my iPhone.

Once you get the hang of a mac, you realize how difficult PCs really were. There is a short cut for everything, say bye to adware, leopard kicks vista's butt, the computers look better, macs have longer shelf life and excellent customer support, and the list could go on and on.

[Emerson1]

Only way you get viruses is by

A. Looking at porn
B. Opening emails from people you don't know.

Both of which you can do on a mac I would presume.

[ronwx5x]

Originally posted by Diocletian
I agree with 80% of the posts here.

Mac is the better machine, it's made and built better. It operates smoother.

PC is the best choice for spending your money. It's cheaper, more economic, uses less power(W), and is compatible with 100% of what everyone uses a computer for.

Granted bigger entities use Mac because it's more efficient and has less problems than a PC, and because of it's supreme operating capability with graphics and multiprocessing. But the PC is just plain better for the majority of computer users.

Up to this point 5 posts prefer Mac and 10 prefer PC. The poll is 37 PC and 7 MAC. 80% Mac?:D

[Keith7]

Originally posted by Emerson1
Only way you get viruses is by

A. Looking at porn
B. Opening emails from people you don't know.

Both of which you can do on a mac I would presume.

I don't think those are the only way people get viruses but I have to say I've done both on my mac and I don't have any viruses :eek:

[I. B. Watching]

Originally posted by Keith7
I don't think those are the only way people get viruses but I have to say I've done both on my mac and I don't have any viruses :eek:
:D That's causing me some serious laughter