Which side do you come down on? Both have their pros, both have their cons. If all it takes to win you over is a serene nature wallpaper that comes pre-installed on your machine, may I suggest a PC? If your attention is better entertained by shiny objects, go Mac. Or maybe, at the end of the day, it all comes down to what you can afford. Only you can say.
Windows XP default background
Graph by: dunno source via Graph Jam Builder
Reasons People Want A Mac
Graph by: Swaf via Graph Jam Builder
Difference between Mac and PC
Graph by: CaptainDouche via Graph Jam Builder
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LOL @pcfanboys that made the last graph!
PC owners may have fanboys, but Mac has cult members.
Seriously, just try to tell a Mac user that a PC can do something better, and they will not believe it. It’s like trying to tell Tom Cruise that an alien did not land in a volcano.
I’m a mac user, but i can face the facts. Windows machines can be way better for many things, Gaming would be a nice example.
But mac got their advantages aswell, ever seen a powerpoint beat a keynote?
Yep Microsoft certified programmer by day & Mac user at night here. Love my mac but would not want to try to program for it or use it for half the database stuff I do…. but then I haven’t really tried…….
at the third graph…. at least 85% number of playable games. PC FTW.
Hi, Mac administrator for a large corporation.
He’s exactly right.
Have a nice day.
Hi, Mac administrator for a probably larger corporation.
No he isn’t. At all. Not even close. And you would know that if you had ever actually worked with a Mac.
Name your corp. Let me guess, Apple Inc.
no PC lol
Actually i’m a Mac user, posted this from my unibody macbook pro.
Just because i’m a mac user doesn’t mean I’m blind to the reality that my mac is a shiny PC with a glowy apple logo.
Nicely put
Graph 2 pretty much says it all. Windows based PCs are cheaper, better (more programs made for them, more portable programming base), and last longer. People buy Macs because they have better ad campaigns and pr strats though. Now I’m going to be assaulted by Mac fanboys who think a brand of computer is a social movement (a quite successful one, at that), even though Windows owns 80%-90% of the market share.
I’m not even kidding about how long Windows PCs last either. I made my current PC in 2004, a full 6 years ago, and with absolutely no upgrades it still runs as well as the day I put it together. My sister has gone through three mac books at a good $2.5k each in the time I’ve had a single $2k PC.
I’ve had a refurbished $1,000 Apple iBook for 6 years. I know people who’ve had theirs without replacements for even longer. I’ve dropped it several times, and just treated it like crap in general. The only think I’ve upgraded is the software. And replaced a power cord I damaged, but other than that, it’s been great to me.
However, I will agree that both companies have fanboys, and macs can be on the costly side. The truth is, mac makes money selling hardware and Microsoft makes money selling software. This is why mac software is next to free but hardware costs a lot. Apple also packs their computers with (in my opinion) better hardware than PCs, at least standard. The keyboard is nice, and the display is easy on the eyes, but that comes at a price.
Everyone I know who has bought a mac has been satisfied with quality. I’m probably going to attract someone calling me condescending, but to be honest, I understand everyone has their preference, and certain computers are better for certain things. I’ve used both PC and mac extensively, and have made my choice. If you haven’t, you really shouldn’y be making arguments for one or the other.
A note to the author: Your background argument is completely invalid. Apple computers come with several natural/serene backgrounds.
Macs and PC’s use the exact same hardware.
Your sister must be a pretty special case then; Macs are so solidly built and so grossly overpowered for what most people buy them for that they tend to last until you beat them to death with a stick in utter frustration. The only reason anyone ever “needs” a new Mac is because OO SHINY. Our Creative VP has the guy who writes the annual budgets in his back pocket so he gets 10-12 new Macs a year, if it were up to me (his sole technician!) he’d still be running the very first bunch of Mac Pros he got two years ago.
The only macs that I know that act like crap after 4-5 years are the ones I use that are provided by my high school, but they’ve been abused terribly and every piece of software for games has been downloaded and never removed. I’ve had a mac air for 2 years, it still works fine.
I’ve had the MacBook I’m typing on right now for 4 years and an eMac that is 7 years old that both run really well. My friend has had her Mac for 5 years. My husband always gets new ones, but that’s because he’s needed computers with more power for his work. But we’ve always been able to sell them used on eBay for nearly as much as we bought them for.
Plus, you cannot beat the customer service, and for this they continue to have my business. I have never had a problem that they haven’t been able to fix, usually free.
I am using my powermac G5 from 7 years ago. No PC lasts that long or least not one that you could actually use on a daily basis. I agree they are extremely expensive, but they are more dependable from my experience with both.
I bought my first Mac, a Performa 578, in the summer of ’94. I used it with no upgrades and ZERO defects until the summer of 2001, when I gave it a friend. It still works today (with no upgrades and zero defects).
In the fall of ’94 I bought my first Mac PowerBook. I used it with no upgrades or defects until someone stole it in 2000.
I have a Mac desktop I bought at an estate sale in 2001 (I still use it!), a MacBook I bought in 2007, a MacBook Air I bought last year (for travel), and the iPad2.
I’ve never spent a penny on service or repairs. Never had a virus. Never had to beat my head against a wall.
I’m not opposed to PCs though. I have also purchased SEVERAL of them over the last 15 years. In fact, I’ve owned and lovingly cared for TWO desktop PCs and SIX laptops.
Every one of my PC desktops broke down completely within one year. And every PC laptop went out of commission within 18 months either because of the fan burning up or the power plug breaking.
I’m not saying Mac is better than PC. What do I know about computers anyway? I’m just a user and customer. I just know what works for me.
When I bought my mac I was sceptical, I thought it was a bit expensive. But now I see why people like macs, the user experience and the products you make are often much better. (helped my grades up a bit)
You really get what you pay for. (Windows and OS X user)
I could see that. They are a lot easier to use and more intuitive. I’m not saying Macs don’t have their strong points. All I’m saying is between the two, I’d pick Windows any day.
Hey look everybody, aaaa managed to say something with intelligence behind it! :0
Oh that is SO not why most people buy Macs. How many people do you think are both rich AND stupid enough to make a $5000 decision based on a pretty ad campaign? Sure, there are some. But certainly not all, or even most.
Windows machines only last longer because when you get a virus and your motherboard gets fuxxored, you can pop it out and replace it. If you counted up all the replaced parts PC, it wouldn’t actually be longer-lasting than a Mac.
And FYI, Apple just passed Microsoft to become the 2nd most valuable US company. How you like DEM Apples?
I can’t believe you’d admit to spending $5000 for a computer and think of yourself as smart. I put a PC together with about a month’s worth of research and $800 in parts in 2002. was able to overclock the snot out of it, play numerous games at the highest resolution, use tons of free programs for various tasks, put multiple presentations together, crunch huge stacks of data and even write a thesis on the thing. Contrary to your assessment, I haven’t replaced a single part in the 8 years I’ve had it, but then again I haven’t been dumb enough to click click click on everything in my browser window or attached to my email and contract a virus. So congratulations on owning a piece of hardware from the most valuable company in the tech industry. You can have DEM Apples and they can have your $$.
im absolutely sorry, but you, kind bill gates worshipping mega-fanboy, sound like an ignorant dumbass
I’m absolutely sorry, but you are a retard… please eat your router and get off the internets.
You didn’t think before you posted that did you?
Well im happy you are one of the few who can make their own PC and know how to use it efficiently, it is a good thing and i give you credit for that, but it comes down to the raw fact that not everyone is as well informed and as skillful as you and the vast majority of PC users are the type to just click things without realising what they are doing to their computer. I know a ridiculous amount of people who own PCs and they always seem to be having some problem or another with it after the first year of owning it, im not comdeming all PCs obviously but its a common problem. We have had our Mac G4 since before i can remember, i played my first computer game, bugdom, on it, and it still works up to this day just as it used to.
Bugdom FTW
Funny how you come up with a crappy-motherboard-argument while that doesn’t have to do anything with the OS and you can have exactly the same motherboard running OSX or windows. Also funny how you can install windows on a nice, non-cheap custom made PC that has way better hardware quality than a mac.
I think a good discussion IS possible between OSX and windows, about the differences in the OS and about the hardware (microsoft -> make a pc as crappy or good as you want and apple -> they make the computer for you). However, it is posts like yours that do not really fit into this discussion. No offence but its nonsense.
no, its a viable point. yours makes no sense. youre arguing that the only side to the pc-mac argument is software? i like to foccus equallyon hardware, cause its true you can make a better pc hardware-wise, but my personal preference on the UI side is osx. never run into something i could do on windows that i couldnt do on mac, but on mac its been easier. of course it depends on your usage. im just like day-to-day, internet, word processing, make a keynote presentation sometimes, run a few games, but if youre like a really heavy gamer, or coder, or hacker, or whatever, i can see where pcs have the advantage
If you’re a day to day user, why did you get a mac? For day to day use, you won’t be able to tell the difference in the machines except the price :/
How do I like it? I couldn’t give less of a shit. Unlike you, I’m not a slave to a brand.
“I made my current PC in 2004, a full 6 years ago” sounds pretty slavish to me…
ok. Wendy, I mostly agree with you, but try not to be a snob about it. That’s one of the big things that makes people pull away from maccies. And Apple passing up Microsoft is hardly a good thing. That means it is being successful. The crime is where the money is. In a few years Apple will probably just be all about ripping customers off.
I believe the ad campaigns ARE why people by shiny Apple computers. The fact that they spread the whole “They don’t get viruses” “They’re idiot-proof” and “I’m so much cooler for owning one” is why a LOT of people purchase them. The amount of foreign shoppers in the Orlando area that come and spend THOUSANDS of dollars on Apple Products based LARGELY on the ads in stores and the way they look is a good example. Vacationers coming and buying 2 Mac Book Pros, an iPad, and 2 iTouches- and possibly an iPhone or 2 are those I have personally dealt with on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis.
Just sayin
The Motherboard has absolutely nothing to do with Viruses. You can back everything up with a Linux LiveCD to a Thumbdrive if it gets that bad, and then you can just pop back in a Windows disc and reinstall. Problem solved. The Mac OS doesn’t have viruses and such due to it’s low target audience. Professional exploiters agree that the Mac OS does have quite a bit of flaws in it, and would be more commonly attacked if it were more popular in the market. The US “Valuable Company” placement doesn’t mean anything if it still isn’t the most widely used Operating System in the world, now does it?
The reason why OSX doesn’t get viruses has nothing to do with the target audience. Windows is an extremely faulty and insecure OS, which makes it possible to exploit the security flaws. In both OSX and Linux, there are WAY less security flaws than in any version of Windows.
IMNSHO I think mac hardware is not even close to PC’s in quality or price, being PC hardware available much faster, better quality and way cheaper than any mac around. But, I think that OSX is much much better than windows by far, as is Linux.
“And FYI, Apple just passed Microsoft to become the 2nd most valuable US company. How you like DEM Apples?”
Yeah, and if you think that has anything to do with there computers, then you’re already too far gone from realism. Apple climbed so high in the last decade due to Ipods, and Iphones alone. Otherwise they’d still only have their two core markets: yuppies and professional artists.
Their* computers, sorry.
Also, does this mean that Apple in fact DOES have a place in this world? So it’s not like….DIE APPLE DIE? But really, what’s wrong with yuppies and professional artists? Seems like a perfectly good market to me.
I didnt say there was anything wrong with professional artists, however, and I’ll hold my tongue on yuppies. I only said that those were the traditional consumer groups that Apple made their money off of before Steve Jobs decided to be a “trendy hipster”.
Windows based PCs are only cheaper if you choose to get one with less features. When you do a feature to feature comparison, PCs are as expensive as Macs, if not even more so. “Better” is completely unquantifiable. What is better for you is not better for me. “Last longer” is also not quantifiable, in fact it’s provably wrong. TCO numbers for Macs are better (fact), and Macs do tend to last longer overall (fact). Macs also hold their resale value better (fact).
Nobody buys Macs because of ad campaigns or PR. If the world worked like that everybody would have bought a Droid instead of an iPhone. As it turns out, people don’t continue to buy things if they suck, and that has nothing to do with marketing or PR.
And please note you’re being corrected, not assaulted, although most people who hate Apple don’t seem to be able to tell the difference.
uh-oh, time for a droid vs. iphone flame war INSIDE a mac vs. pc flame war? that, is some FLAMEAGE
PC’s are noticeably cheaper for very noticeably better hardware. The only way you can get even remotely close to the outrageous prices of Mac’s is by buying from places like Falcon Northwest. Apple can’t even offer a laptop that is 75% as powerful as the ASUS G73Jh-A2, no matter how much money you throw at them (G73 only being $1,600 by the way…)
And the Mac Pro’s? I can’t help but laugh my ass off when I see that they offer the GT 120 in 4X SLI. I’d like to see a Pixar animator tear his hair out waiting for his/her scene to render. It’s laughable hardware that they put in there, and for such a large case they could do so much more. (but then again, they might have to spend more engineering and R&D on that amazing cooling system if they did that…)
And just because Dell and HP want to pay Quanta and Compal less money, and therefor get cheaper parts, doesn’t mean that every manufacturer does. Mac’s, Dell’s, HP’s, Toshiba’s, Lenovo’s… ALL made by the same companies. ALL come from the same parts bins. No large company but MSI and ASUS makes their own laptops, everyone else pays someone else to do it. So, Mac’s only last longer than some PC’s because other companies chose to have cheaper machines built.
Yes, people do buy Macs because of the propaganda… If no one did, then they wouldn’t advertise. Common sense here… In fact, Apple advertising is the best in the industry and every one knows that they have HUGE profits because of the way they conduct their advertising and product information stream. But by the sound of it, you might not be too hip to the industry as a whole.
Look, it’s nice you’re a fanboy/cult member, but PLEASE try not to be one of the ones that don’t actually know the facts, which you obviously lack in when it comes to hardware. (further argument down by the cooling flame war)
Please note, that you are being corrected AND somewhat assaulted
But you’ve earned the latter by your blatant disregard for facts and your self righteous tone of voice.
PEOPLE, PLEASE! DON’T START THE FLAME WAR D:
“Nobody buys Macs because of ad campaigns or PR.”
Oh thank you, that’s the biggest laugh I’ve had this week. XD
You’re right and you’re wrong. There are perfectly valid reasons to want to own a Mac other than OO SHINY. Expecting a f*ckton of choices in software options is definitely not one of them however.
Software options? How many Mac apps do you think there are? Ten? Sorry, but if you can’t find what you need on a Mac, you are not looking. At all.
And McDonalds is the #1 restaurant in the world!
Actually, if all you want is a serene Nature wallpaper, you still have to go for the Mac, it comes with several pre-installed.
linux
—can be the most expensive of the three, if you let yourself get carried away with the hardware and penguin-flavored merchandise.
There, I fixed it for you.
Linux works well for desktop computing.
About as well as a transit van does as a supplement for a family car.
I’m glad someone said it. I’ve been running Linux for awhile with no regrets. Some things require Mac or Windows, but for how many use their PC, something like Ubuntu is wholly sufficient.
This is the first time I’ve ever heard of someone “requiring” Mac for something.
Hahaha. But actually the software is totally different though
Although not as mush as the price differences…
Grrr! I like Macs! I’m hipstery!
Grrr! I like PCs! I’m boring and practical!
We’re angry and have extreme brand loyalty for some reason!
I like to imagine that these two were drawn on a Wacom tablet specifically modified to run on Linux.
They’re cute and are wearing logo pajama sets. Just thought you should know.
*claps* Thank freaking God somebody finnaly has said it!
I’m a PC user for one reason; all the games. Find me a Mac compatable coby of FEAR and I’ll be surprized.
with all the games being ported I just have to say give it a month or two.
bootcamp… look into it… cause yeah, you can pretty much run everything on a mac… technically, i gues that makes macs more compatible with stuff than pcs, cause you can run mac and pc stuff…
yup! parallels
why not have both?
on price for whole package including resolution of monitor, you are going to pay more for pc. I have both. I run both. I love both.
I use Ubuntu. It’s really resistant against viruses because of the way the little things are programmed. For example, if, god forbid, it were to crash, turning it off physically wouldn’t open as many files as Windows or Mac would. Therefore, you don’t have that great of a chance of some third-world country trying to steal your software.
All three OSes have their uses.
Windows is unsurpassed for gamers and office use (where they have a competent IT squad that handles configurations and malware), Mac is the best for beginners with lots of cash (“I just want to type a letter and browse the web”) and media gurus, while Linux is for those who don’t mind if they have to open a terminal to get things done and wish to have control over all of their system.
None of these is clearly superior than the others, they are simply for different users.
Um, saying Macs are best for beginners with a lot of cash is extremely disingenuous. You’re basically saying that things that are easy to use are for stupid people. Which leads me to believe that your car has a hand crank starter, because electronic ignitions are too easy to use. And only stupid people like things that are easy to use. Right?
You should probably take into consideration the possibility that people actually like things that are intuitive, and it has nothing to do with being a “beginner”.
Mac is Windows for stupid people.
Way to respond to a completely valid, intelligent argument with blatant immaturity.
Personally, I prefer Macs because they’re made to last long. They’re more reliable than PCs, and you don’t have to churn out $200 every two years on upgrades. Plus, they have iLife. Enough said.
“They’re made to last long” refers to the hardware and not the OS. Put the right combination of hardware together and you can build a PC that will last several years. Additionally, upgrades are an option. No one is forcing you to upgrade to Vista and 7. I’m still running XP on most machines I use and haven’t run into a compatibility issue yet because they make free readers for just about every file type out there. More reliable again depends on what you’re doing and how well built the machine is. Buying a Dell makes the OS inherently less stable than actually reading specification sheets and properly specing a combination of parts together, so if you ask a Dell to perform large tasks the OS chokes. Is that really the fault of the OS or the program and lack of proper hardware (or even the user for trying to get to the moon in a Hyundai)?
I guess if you don’t want to actually spend a few minutes building something the right way you can always pay Apple to do it for you, but my main problem with the Mac OS still exists in that I generally can’t find free (legal) software for various tasks. That and the mitten mouse.
You can use any mouse you want with a Mac. If you can’t find free software to do what you need, you’re not looking in the right places. Mac shareware/freeware is WAY better than Windows freeware.
That’s actually another big reason I prefer Macs over PCs. All the good software is really cheap, with the exception of Adobe products “cough cough”; it’s basically included in the price of the actual computer. Most people say, “OOOOOH MACS ARE TOO EXPENSIVE PCS ARE SO MUCH CHEAPER.”
Yeah?
I compared the prices of laptops from 3 brands: Apple, HP, and Dell. With the Macbook, you could basically get everything you need for $1050 (Basic package + iWork)
Then we have an HP DM3Z. Hmmm…. $500. Seems like a pretty good buy. Oh, wait, you have to add productivity software. Oh, and movie editing. And backup software. Not to mention hardware enhancements. All this adds up to $1195.
Finally, let’s look at Dell’s Inspiron 14z. $600…. not bad…. BUT! Improve hard drive, processor, productivity software, etc. Huh…. 972 bucks. And it still has a 1.3 GHz processor, nothing compared to the Macbook’s 2.4. Not entirely worth it, is it?
Actually Lucy,
I have met lots of people who are great with Windows but couldn’t use a Mac if their life depended on it. Also, just because something is easy to use doesn’t mean only stupid people use it. Personally, I find it easier to use Macs as I can do complex graphic designs without having to worry about a complicated OS in the first place.
I do admit that Windows and Macs both have their ups and downs but your comment is completely uncalled for.
Actually the car example would be much more accurate if you mentioned automatic and manual transmission.
Automatic->Mac
Manual->Windows
Automatic transmission is better for the n00b that has no idea when to change shifts, or for the business man who spends talking on the phone while driving, and can’t bother with the engine’s RPM all the time.
Personally, I’ve driven both auto and manual, and auto bores me to death.
You’re talking about the Mac OS, which is built on Unix and has a COMMAND LINE, and saying it’s for stupid people who don’t know how to operate a computer?
You are absolutely clueless. Apple makes a better interface than Microsoft does, and you think that means only n00bs use it? You’re one of those people who wouldn’t know how to copy a file on a Mac if you didn’t have written instructions in front of you. You are THAT clueless.
Seeing that you have taken the time to reply to everyone that has even remotely commented negatively on Macs (seriously though), it is only appropriate that I reply to you.
First of all, I never said that Mac users are stupid, I just gave a better example regarding Mac vs. PC.
Actually, once I considered buying iMacs for my company (space efficiency reasons mostly), but the problem I found was this: I happen to be using Autodesks AutoCAD in my company for years, and I trust you have seen how much a license costs (let alone 10 licences for all the workstations in my company). So, AutoCAD can not run on Mac OS X and if I wanted to do so, I had to install Windows, but again Autodesk couldn’t guarantee about the product. That was the reply I got from Customer support.
So basically what it means is that I would buy expensive workstations, buy Windows for every one of them so that they could run the main software that my company uses, and still not have full support for my software. And let’s face it, if I want to run Windows, it’s better to do it on a PC that has a better CPU and GPU than an iMac of the same price range.
And don’t tell me that there are programs available on Mac OS that are equally capable, because then that would means that the licenses that I have paid for would be useless, apart from the fact that I would have to reduce productivity for a great while, since most if not all of my employees would have no clue at the beginning.
I didn’t say that only n00bs use macs though, read more carefully what other group I included in my example above.
But I have met a n00b that said that COD4:MW looks better on his iMac than any PC. Seriously though, even you can’t take any such comment seriously, and if you do, I can’t even bother to explain.
Seriously though, the clueless remark was a little out of line. Don’t go around and bash everyone that doesn’t like macs, it’s called personal preference. It’s like you don’t have a life’s goal other than reply to everyone who believes that there are things you can do better on a PC (and there are some) with less cost.
Wait, Really? All OSes have a COMMAND LINE. I agree Bash is more useful, but windows has a COMMAND LINE called cmd.exe (or something like that, I use Cygwin when I’m on a PC anyway). Also, interface ease is subjective. I find Ubuntu as easy an interface as Mac.
The metaphor was highly accurate, though I would extend it as:
Automatic – Mac
Semi-Auto – Windows
Linux – Manual
MACs are totally unpopular outside the US. In fact, the first time I saw a MAC was when I went to the US.
PCs can be a lot cheaper or a lot more expensive depending on your choice. This is why i think pcs are better – you can build the computer yourself – buy the CPU you want, then the graphic card you will need depending on what you want your computer for (browsing; gaming; etc). Choice is sth you dont get with macs.
You can buy whatever you want and it will suck. That’s the point. When you build it yourself you don’t get a warranty, you don’t get an industrially designed internal layout that was actually designed to function better than something you can throw together yourself. You don’t get an OS, you don’t get any software, you don’t get any support, and when you cheap out, you cheap out. You don’t get high quality components, you get cheap ones.
Also FYI – MAC stands for Media Access Control. What you were trying to say is Mac, which is a proper name. It’s short for Macintosh.
You’re probably right for most of the things except for that it will suck. If the one who is buying the PC knows what he’s doing (or the guy in the stores is good) he could wind up with a relatively cheap PC with great performance. I have always build my PC by myself I’d never sucked
. Since I play a lot of games on it, like to experiment with overclocking and so on, I LOVE it that I can choose the parts I want, not the ones some company is trying to sell me.
You do get warranty – each of the parts you buy comes with its own warranty. You just have to be able to identify the problem which, for an experienced user, isn’t hard.
About the software – you’re right here, but on the other hand this is probably one of the (many) reasons why Macs are so expensive – the come with bundled OS.
About the quality of the components – again it’s up to you. For example the same model video card can be produced by different companies, with different quality, ergo different prices. Though sometimes I’m not sure if the highest prices are actually justified.
Software is only there to sell hardware on the Mac side. Apple is a hardware company, that’s how they make money. Snow Leopard costs $30 full retail, they’re obviously not making money there.
If you want to know why Macs cost what they do, look at the insides of one, and look at the chips and components they’re using. Look inside a Mac Pro. Those use Xeon chips, not desktop chips, and Xeons cost more. That’s not Apple jacking the price up, that’s Apple using components that cost more. You can disagree with their use of those chips, but that IS why they cost what they do.
Look at how the inside of a Mac Pro is laid out. The power supply is custom made so it’s flat, thin and runs the entire length of the machine. Why? So that it’s not blocking airflow.The Mac Pro has that swiss cheese metal front and back. Why? So air can flow from the front all the way through to the back – straight through, without being interrupted at any point.
You can’t build a PC that does that. There are no power supplies that are shaped like that in the PC world, because everything’s standardized to the “cube” type of PS that blocks airflow through the rest of the machine. It costs Apple money to not only R&D stuff like that, but also to produce the custom hardware to make it happen.
But the result is a powerful workstation that is efficient, cool and dead silent. All their computers are like that, there is a lot of intense engineering that goes into Macs, and you don’t get to see a lot of it from the outside.
And yet if you go with Dell or HP and build a workstation that is not as good or well designed but has a lot of the same hardware specs, it will cost the same or more. What people don’t understand is that just because Macs cost x amount doesn’t mean they’re overpriced. The concept is called “you get what you pay for”. Apple isn’t trying to create cheap computers, they’re trying to create GOOD ones.
Newegg. Use properly specified parts combined with user comments on their experiences with those components and you can build yourself a machine that performs just as well as a similarly spec’ed Mac for far less money.
You entirely missed the point, but thanks for trying.
Wait, you mean YOU can’t build a PC that does that. Lots of people can. Nothing to be ashamed of though.
If I get a high-quality Lian-Li case, a seasonic 80+ gold power supply and some nexus fans with rubbers I’m quite sure I can get a PC that’s at least as silent and cool as a mac. So sure, apple makes fine computers but it’s a bit stupid to say no-one else in the world could build a computer as divine as a mac.
By the way, xeons are in the same price range as i7′s.
Yeah, you really don’t get it, and you have obviously never seen the inside of a Mac Pro so this whole thing is probably beyond your ability to comprehend. Did you miss the part about having perfect, 100% flow through the ENTIRE machine, front to back, top to bottom? You can’t do that with the parts you just mentioned.
Yes you can make a quiet PC. Yes you can keep a PC cool. No, you can’t do it like Apple does with the same kind of airflow, and if you’d ever seen inside a Mac Pro you would know why. It’s cripplingly obvious.
And when the Mac Pro came out, Xeons were much, much more expensive than i7s, they were over $1k PER CHIP.
Wow… just… wow… you really are dense, aren’t you? Do you have ANY idea on how building a e-ATX works? Air flow is #1 priority in every case. Sure, things like room for putting cords behind the mobo, and easy to get to hard drive bays are nice, but air flow is a deal breaker when you’re building such a large system.
That said, you probably really haven’t tried building a high performance computer and it’s obvious because then you’d be able to look at the big picture of a case and design the air flow the way you want it. No case, not the Mac Pro’s or HAF have a bunch of air going in every part of one end, and equal amounts going out the other. You have specific air flow paths for different parts and you tune each fan to draw in specific proportions of air in specific places, while keeping the pressure stable and in balance with your outflow otherwise your air paths become narrow tunnels and reduce cooling performance.
All of that engineering and R&D that goes into Mac’s happens every day with hundreds of custom desktop builders. They don’t do anything that we can’t do, and I bet we can do it in a hell of a lot less time than them.
And if you’ve truly seen inside a Mac Pro and analyzed exactly how the air flows inside of it, then get your head out of your ass because it’s obviously too dark in there for you to look at anything else than your Mac.
First of all – you don’t need a flat PSU in a PC. It’s located on top (or in some rare cases – on the bottom) of the case and it doesn’t interfere the airflow in any way. If you buy a decent case that has places for fans (usually in the front of the case (to push air in), at the back (to suck air out), or on the side (to cool the video card)). Also there are countless fans that are quiet and high-efficient (Noiseblocker?). Since you have built the PC yourself, if the bundled cooling for pretty much each of the part can be replaced with an aftermarket one – again countless options. And I won’t even mention liquid cooling, LN2 or dry ice because (at least the latter two) are sort of extreme
About the Xeon chips – you can put one in a PC, too.
About Dell or HP – you’re probably right here. That’s why I’m not gonna go to Dell or HP, I’m gonna build my PC by myself. Because only I know what I need and how to spend my money best. And if one is an inexperienced user – there are many sites and forums where people can help you build the best PC for your needs for the least amount of money.
it’s a CUBE. Of course it blocks airflow. You obviously haven’t seen the inside of a Mac Pro either, or we would not be having this conversation.
Of course you can put a Xeon in a PC, that wasn’t the point. The point was that Xeons cost more. And Xeon-based PCs cost as much or more than Mac Pros do, with the same options.
No, it doesn’t, because, as I said, the PSU is way on top or underneath in the case. You have seen a PC case, right? You can see where the places for pushing air in and sucking air out are located, right? The air can freely be pushed in from the front, go thru the CPU and Northbridge cooler and be sucked out from the rear fans. PSU isn’t in the way.
We can keep this argument forever
the only reason that snow leopard is only 30$ is because it is just a few extra features added to leopard, but the rest of the points you made are spot on
You know that “outside the US” is quite a large place? Here (holland) they’re very common.
People buy Macs outside the US.
Apple products have zero social capital/kudos in Europe tho. Mostly it’s older folks buying a computer that’s implied to be easier to use.
Actually Mac’s are incredibly popular in Australia, my high school had a whole class of those pretty colourful macs. I don’t know where you get the idea they’re unpopular outside America.
I use both, actually. So far, in moving from a Vista OS to OSX, I’m much more content in my Mac experience. It could also be that I’m not familiar with win7 yet, even though I’ve installed Bootcamp and partitioned my drive.
I’m thinking Macs are nice for laptops, but go PC for towers. XD Just me though.
^this
Incidentally, I need a storage format that both OS can play nice on for my external HDD. Does NTFS work? Or is it something else?
FAT32
Can I format an entire 500 GB hard drive with a single FAT32 partition? I don’t have/use any files larger than 4GB.
I’ve got a windows, but I’d like a Mac. Mainly for the editing software and such.
On the second graph: proper grammar would be “fewer crashes” and “fewer viruses” NOT less. GraphJam grammar always concerns me…
who gives a ****?
oh, im sorry if it bothers you that people can use intelligence, and can talk about other things besides mac vs. pc whenever its brought up. or is that too complex for you?
I like to put my Mac and my PC next to each other and have them compete for my affection.
I degrade them a lot, favor one over the other so that the other will feel bad…
They try so hard, too. It’s really sexy.
If you need both, get a good Mac and an additional internal hard drive, and install Windows 7 on it. Both OSes, one piece of hardware, both fully (and legally) supported.
why so serious?
But also just one computer!
I need both. I have needs. I have *two computer needs*.
way to go, take an amusing comment on the internet and troll all over it like the mac troll you so clearly are on this thread.
says one troll to the other
While a third faps furiously in the corner.
The difference between Macs and PCs is the Operating system. There are a crap load of different types of PCs. The difference between a Mac and a Dell is that Dell uses shit hardware that fails while Macs use the top-of-the-line, absolute best hardware on the market. if u paid 2500 dollars for a PC, which is how much i just paid for my mac, you would have a very competitive computer. Computers are all pretty much sold with the same profit margin in mind. My Macbook Pro is the fastest Windows Machine I ever used (I used Bootcamp). Why? Because it has 2500 dollars of awesome hardware in it.
LOL…you do realise that foxconn (the company with all the suicides) has been making hardware for dell, apple etc. for years right? Apple doesn’t manufacture CPUs, GPUs etc. They buy them from foxconn, intel, nvidia…the same companies dell, hp and random pc builders buy from.
Sure they toss in some extras, the backlight kb is nice and the quality of the case is nice but this graphjam is spot on. Mac, Windows and Linux deliver a variety of features based on the same principles and its all down to preference and needs.
The right question is… What will i do with my computer?
if you’re playing in a live band where a crash can give you serious problems mac is the way to go (not to mention garageband or logic)
if you wanna play games you’d rather take the winPc route (i’d pick an xbox tho)
if you know what you’re doing and don’t mind swearing on command line if this means to have full control on your machine linux FTW(freeBSD is a great choice)
every people have differrent needs, that’s why there are at least 3 main OSes outta here, every OS has its own niche to satisfy.
btw my current gear is a 3-year old macbook with linux dualbooting, and an xbox. i don’t miss windows.
p.s. now that steam is supporting the mac platform gaming can get only better
To everyone who has tried to argue that a good PC will cost as much as a mac, trying to prove that the cost effectiveness is not a valid argument: I built my pc 3 years ago for 800 dollars, and recently spent another $160 on a new graphics card. total price over 3 years: $960. This doesn’t include monitors, as i already had 2 old ones. A quick search on apple’s online store finds an iMac with a 3.06 dual core, a 21.5 inch monitor, 4gb of ram, and a terabyte of disk space (and a piece of shit graphics processor) for $1500. subtract the value of the monitor (as low as $150, but lets even say twice that, 300) and you still have a $1200 machine. my machine has the same disk space, a graphics card that far better, same amount of ram, and a 3.8ghz dual core processor. My previous video card was about as good as the mac’s, so my computer that was $700 3 years ago was better than a 1200+ mac today. And my 3 year old Windows computer is still a competitive computer now.
Moreover:
1. I have not gotten a virus that i could not get rid of on my own within a half hour in the last 5 years, despite being a major pirate for 4 years (oops, did i say that out loud?)
2. I have not had a single computer component fail in this machine
3. The only time I ever had to reinstall the OS was after two years because i wanted to move the OS to an old 10,000 RPM raptor my dad wasn’t using anymore.
Unless you are doing one of the few things Mac is really good at, Windows > Mac.
I will, however, admit that if you don’t have the technical abilities to fight the occasional virus, and you cant do your own building and maintenance, a mac is probably better for you simply because you need the support Apple will provide.
why would anyone want to wast the time fixing the virus? there are other thing that computers are used for. And by the way, the reason my family swiched to mac was because there were so many viruses on the pc we had, it wouldn’t boot. it was eventually fixed, but we no longer use that computer.
so, by “piece of shit graphics processor”, are you referring to the core 2 duo, i5, or i7? cause last i checked, those were pretty, you know… GOOD. oh, or were you talking about the graphics CARD, which you would have to research fairly well to conclude whether or not it was better than yours, which therefore makes you a lifeless troll or a liar.
Moreover:
1. I have not gotten a virus, you know, EVER
2. I have not had a single computer component fail in this machine
3. The only time I ever had to reinstall the OS was… never
*In your comment, this is the space where you make a pointless, un-proveable statement*
*In your comment, this is the space where you say something that uses a little intelligence, because you admit that the average user likes to have support, which microsoft doesn’t provide*
Oh, look at that, it seems i packed more valid points into a smaller space. Point!
I have a Vista/Kubuntu dualboot.
^ Epic flame war fail. Please, stop being dorks. A computer is a tool, like any other. You need to know how to use it or else it won’t perform to the best possible standard. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will beat you in a race if he’s driving a 100hp Honda Civic and you are driving a Corvette with a souped up small block Chev creating over 300 hp.
Even still, either computer will do the job even if you know everything about them. I mean, honestly, is there anything a PC can do that a Mac can’t or vice-versa? Sure, perhaps there are things one could do a bit better or slightly different than the other, but c’mon, grow up.
Use what one you like, and STFU. I’m a PC user, and from now on, this is me shutting the **** up.
i like your philosophy. im a mac user, and up to this point in the comments, i been trollin it up. From now on, this is me shutting the **** up.
I’m a pc, and Windows 7 was my idea.
Aha! Now I know who to blame!
there is no difference to a pc or mac.
both have cpu’s, memory, hard disks, optical drives and some other stuff.
they both run macosx, windows and linux. (and yes macosx can run without any problems on a pc it is only a bit trickier)
only the outer shell looks different. but basically they are the same and can do the samething.
Exactly, i’ve been a Mac (primarily) AND PC user for years and I still can’t stand the steve jobs reality distortion field many apple users live under.
Macs have their strongpoints but most of them are superficial and none are the game changing differences that fanboys ramble on about.
When it boils down to it, the majority of users out there are just surfing and social networking which is going to be the same experience regardless.
The others who are doing serious work are using industry standard software which is generally available in Windows and Mac OS X offerings also.
Ooh… the Mac Vs. PC debat, how it never fails to amuse me.
Well, I give you Mac Fans a challenge. I have two Windows 7 PCs, hand built by myself. If you can find a Mac with the same OR BETTER hardware for the same price or less (dont argue OS – JUST HARDWARE), I’ll give you massive props.
My main rig – $2500:
Intel Core i7 920 @ 3.6ghz (Overclocked)
Coolermaster V10 CPU Heatsink – CPU Idles @ 28c, Max @ 40c – Ambient: 22c.
EVGA X58 Motherboard
BFG GTX 295 (600/1100/1300 OC’d)
12GB DDR3 1600mhz RAM (6x2gb)
1.5tb HDD + 500gb HDD (not really important, they are cheap anyway)
2nd Rig – $1490:
Intel Core i7 920 @ 3.0ghz (OC’d)
Stock Heatsink – IDK temps – Ambient: 22c.
EVGA x58 Motherboard
EVGA GTX 260
6GB DDR3 1333mhz (3x2gb)
1.5tb HDD (again, cheap and not really important).
If you’re saying “WHAT ABOUT THE MONITOR!?!?!?”, well, those are technically optinional, as well as mouse and keyboard.
Both those comps were built by myself, and IMO they are incredible. For reliability, they are insane. Gaming with max settings wont do anything to temps, as well as severl-hour-long renders (All 8 cores @ 100%) wont get the main rig’s CPU over 40c.
And yes, if you’re an unexperienced computer person (aka cant build their own computer), I have this one example for you. In 2001 I bought a Dell Optiplex GX260, because I didnt know how to build my own. It ran a Pentium 4 @ 2.0ghz, 512mb ram and an Intel GPU w/ 64mb ram. It didnt really do games after about 2003 / 2004, but it worked. In fact, it STILL WORKS. It hasnt broken, it hasnt crashed (OK, it crashed ONCE in 9 years when I left a game running for 10 hours by accident), and it still works for internet and office / email / whatever.
As for the OS, this is basically a personal choice. My main rig actually dual-boots Win 7 x64 and Win XP x64, but I prefere Windows 7 simply due to the look. The Apple OS works fine IMO, but I just dont like the feel of it. Personal thing, yes. I know lots of people who cant get the feel for Windows either.
Oh, and before you reply (I hope you dont) with the “This guy is a noob!” statement, Google my Name. ‘Doomlord52′.
You could have built machines that are very nearly as good as yours in actual gaming (although far worse in benchmarks) for a little over half as much as you spent. But, you are still cheaper than comparable Macs.
Ugh.
This guy has a point. Lol.
This is stupid. Why would the average computer user want to build their own pc. Sure PC’s may last Longer ( I had one PC for 10+ years) but we had to buy a new harddrive, get it fixed at least once a year and the cost to maintain the slow running computer that crashed once a day or more eventually added up to the price of a mac. I’ve only had one Macbook and I’ve done the same amount of ‘customizing’ as I ever did on a PC and I love macs way better. So what if some computer genius out there can build their own computer to be perfect. Who cares? The average consumer can’t do that so why would they even try when they can get everything they want in one easy payment and its ready to go. Who cares if its more expensive because as it was said before “You get what you pay for”.
Well, its actually suprising how easy it is to build a computer yourself. Personally, I could probably build a computer in a day (resarch, buying the parts, assembly, installing OS), but I know that not everyone has the time to do that.
A few friends of mine, who were daunted by the task asked me for some help, so I speced out a system for them, emailed them a list, and within about 3 hours of them buying the parts they had a fully working computer.
Also, if you’re computer required a new hard-drive, thats pretty impressive. HDD’s usually last pretty long, so thats either some sirious use, or it was subjected to extreme Gs a fair bit (which is basically impossible in a tower). As for the crashing, thats usually due to a poorly maintained computer.
Running a program like “CCleaner” or “Defraggler” can clean up a TON of space, speed up the computer, boot times AND prevent crashes. Best of all, most of the apps that do those things (like the ones I mentioned) are FREE.
If the problems were caused by a Virus, well, thats the Users fault. Getting an Antivirus (Norton, which is subscription based, AVG free, etc.) can basically eliminate that problem. Only if you give the virus direct access (basically clicking “allow X to run”) could a virus get on. Unless you’ve been targeted…
Forgot to add: My challenge still stands.
Hey! Can I ask you for specs for a system?
Some people like to build them as a hobby. I’m a bit of a tinkerer myself. If you know what you are doing you can build a very good machine on a beer budget. That being the case why not? Why belittle it by calling it stupid? I never ran into any trouble I could not fix on my own, with a Mac, if something goes wrong, you gotta take it in on your own time because cracking it open yourself invalidates any warranty.
er…. not true, my macbook kinda sorta is designed to be easy to open up…. with instructions on how to do so… do your research bud
Kinda sorta still means discouraging it. Deliberately making the hardware hard to access means they are trying to chain you to their technicians for help. Speaking of which, have you ever reflected on the inborn condescension that comes with giving your technicians the job title Mac Genius?
I just wanted to add my two cents but going to back to the price difference, I built a Sony Vaio on their website that was equally comparable to the MacBookPro 17″ and there was almost a 900 dollar difference between an Apple and a Windows systems and I don’t really see my self spending an extra 900 bucks for a white case and an Apple symbol on the front of my laptop. Jus’ Sayin.
Seriously though. Give it a shot!
It is a pretty cool shiny Apple symbol though. I want a glowing penguin on my next laptop
And a little note on stability of Windows: I have never seen a PC crash unless A) it was infected with a virus because the user neglected to get/pay for/update their antivirus software, or B) it was in the process of being overclocked. The ONLY exception in my experience was when one overheated due to the entire intake and exaust being covered in animal hair because it had never been cleaned.
those most have been a hell of a PC then. I’ve seen PC’s with no problems that crashed a lot, and my geeky mom who knew what she was doing was using those
Windows can’t crash by itself. 80% or maybe more of a PC crashes are caused by a badly written driver. If there’s no hardware problem, no viruses, and all the drivers are correct, PC won’t crash.
It’s windows fault for relying on third party drivers. If you don’t have the code in-house somehow, you’re not in a position to provide the reliability and security that the 21st century demands from software.
The only proprietary driver I still use is nVidia’s.. and I’ll probably be switching to nouveau soon.
You do realize there’s no way MS can write, update and support drivers for EVERY part/external device the user can use? Because, unlike the Macs, a PC can be built in a million different ways and combinations of parts. And it’s the manufacturer’s job to write the drivers for their own devices/parts.
I would like to note on #2 that as a Mac user that really uses it for the reasons of less viruses and sometimes I like a challenge to get PC games to work that I really have a problem with the people who get them because it is supposed to be simpler(aka shiny). it’s Open Source, which means anyone can do anything to it if they really tried. When a virus is found that affects one of these computers Apple puts out a patch within a week.
Because my dad and I have really tried we were able to play City of Heroes on this very laptop
Now my grandmother has a Mac, and she appears to be more tech savvy than she thinks she is. She was able to figure out the new version of iMovie when I gave up because it also took away a lot of features. A lot of times while helping her figure out stuff I was learning how stuff worked too.
This has turned into a different kind of rant so back to original thing: People who get a Mac because they are shiny, please at least try to figure out some of the crazy crap you’d be able to do
Mac is as close as you can get to Ubuntu without having address space layout randomization, a built in app store, app categorization, sane window management, hardware support worth a darn, and money left in your bank account.
~Owner of a 1.25 GHz eMac USB 2.0 w/ OS 10.4.11
I say, use what you want and STFU at trying to convert people.
I use PC because I am stubborn and know my way around PC and don’t like trying to figure out the different layout of MAC…. damn I sound like my dad.
There is only ONE reason why pc is better than mac. Games. And even that can be gotten around. Install parrellel software on your mac and youre good to go with any game your computer can handle. Even still, neither of them come ANYWHERE close to a Linux system. They have none of the problems either have. But you do need to know dos code to use effectivly
>Linux System
>DOS code
*facepalm*
You need to know how to use a terminal to use a Linux system effectively, is what I think you meant. But that is also nonsense – several of my friends use Ubuntu happily without knowing anything other than “If I click this I get internet! YAY INTERNET!”
tl;dr – DOS code is for DOS. DOS != Linux. Terminal is for Linux.
@the first graph: I C WAT U DID THAR!
It all depends on how you treat your OS. My father ran XP on his laptop for about six years until my brother got it and ruined it by not taking care of it. My friend owns a Macbook that runs slower than 2000 because she doesn’t take care of it.
Viruses shouldn’t really affect any OS as long as you use the right one. I’ve been running AVG on Vista along with Photoshop, Sony Vegas, and SAI for my art classes and I haven’t had a problem with them since they were installed.
Mac runs a lot smoother than a PC, but I find organization and running multiple applications [i.e. Firefox, Photoshop, Word, and what not] at the same time difficult with a Mac. The built in programs such as iMovie, iPhoto, and I believe it’s call Open Source are so hard to manage and use.
I think it boils down to how well you treat your computer and how you use it. The only bonus I see for PC is the ability to run heavy gaming applications. But for me, I would prefer my Toshiba running Vista over a Macbook or a Mac.
got three things to say here:
1: I probly lean toward the mac side here, but not a complete fanboy, its just my preference.
2: I lol at ppl who never use macs besides in the apple store tryin to talk about them. im sorry, but you clearly dont have muc experience, and therefore your point is void.
3: It is SO infinitely entertaining to read heated flame wars between mac and pc fanboys. trying to have intelligent conversation here is like trying to have intelligent conversation and debates in the ancient gladiatorial arena. so… RELEASE THE LIONS!!!
oh, woops, typo in #2, and a pretty hilarious one
1 more thing, gaming seems to be a pretty heavy topic here, so i would like to point out the change i smell in the wind, thanks to steam on mac. im enjoyin portal, half life 2, braid, a game called altitude, and soon team fortress 2. not to mention ive also got cod 4 and im cautiously eyeing bioshock… plus, if gamings your thing, why not run windows on mac and get the best of both worlds, like me, running flight sim. x and… crysis (not too well, mind you, but hey i play for fun, not for graphics, even if that WOULD be nice…)
Games on the Mac may be possible now, but the sure don’t run as smoothly as they do on a PC. I think I saw some benchmarks that games were running arounf 25 – 30 FPS on average. Which is fair, but nothing spectacular.
Sheesh. People seem to be killing each other here.
I am a PC person, since I’ve grown up using PCs and Windows. I know that Windows can drive Mac users insane, but I find Mac irritating to operate at times. However, I really want a Mac, as Mac has GREAT software for musicians.
People bash Windows for being susceptible to viruses, but I haven’t had problems with viruses for quite a while now. I run a virus scan weekly, I don’t visit dubious websites, and I never let anyone else use my computer. If a person is smart, they should not have problems with viruses, hackers, etc.
I’ve found Windows to be better for a lot of things (gaming, video editing, animation, digital art), but Mac is better for music. Period. I haven’t had to install drivers to use my MIDI interfaces, keyboards and electric drums. I plug them in, and they just work. Their start up time is also great.
Basically I’m saying that each have their pros and cons, both are great depending on what you wanna use them for. I don’t understand why people flame others for something like that.
LMAO my background is a picture I took from the peak of a mountain…
kind of a combination between open sky, rolling hills, and a distant mountain…
Lol most mac-bashers probab ly never used a mac. One you mac, you can’t go back. You don’t get any of the shit you get with a windows pc. It doesn’t slow down after you use it for a while. Installing something doesn’t leave crap all over your HD. It’s easier to use. It doesn’t crash. It doesn’t have any virusses.
All False.
i agree, all false, but i swing both ways
both have great perks and grand problems (usually operator headspace errors in my case). i can use my tablet, camera and pscf on both so i don’t see what the feud is about.
After all the posting, you can see the three main groups of people: a) The PC users who bash Mac even though they may never have used one, b) The supposed former Mac Users, who are PC users who never really used to Mac or really abused it, c) the Mac users, who have fun bashing the PC users, and d) the Dual users who love Macs for their overall improved efficiency but use PCs to play retarded, semi-retarded and totally awesome games.
….That’s four groups, man.
christ on a stick, this vogon5 guy has one hell of a hard-on for steve jobs.
looks like he intimately studied every single comment, took each one like a punch to his ovaries, then tried his best to sound like he knew what he was talking about without actually making any points or arguments.
this is the kind of fanboy that people shake their heads at. this technophile is the reason I believe people should be sterilized at birth and given a reversal once they can pass an IQ test.
you, sir, are proof that helmets and padding have brought evolution to a screeching halt.
Was evolution ever blazing fast?
Wow at these posts. I grew up with macs, but I’m fine with windows as well. Now I have both windows xp and mac os 10.5 on my macbook and I use them almost equally. Before that I had a lenovo with xp, which was annoying at times (the keyboard sucked and could only take like, two keys simultaneously) but I got over it, it was a school computer anyway.
Just to prove a point… I don’t have much time to write, but where is PowerPC, AppleTalk, Firewire, Apple Desktop Bus?
Last I checked, Apple has conformed to every single PC component – from processor, motherboards, memory, video cards, USB, etc.
Macintosh is no different from Linux and EVERY FLAVOR of Windows. It runs on the same hardware that Microsoft dictates with Intel, and a few other companies agree to as standard. The fact that Macintosh runs on PC (Microsoft designed) hardware proves they are only a software company. They can build a fancy case, but they are not designing computing components like procs, mobos, memory, etc anymore…
One comment above claimed that Macs are great since *some* have Xeon processors. FAIL on understanding that the Xeons have been available since 1998. Mac users don’t understand that they are currently using a PC with a different OS. Give respect to Microsoft for architecting the hardware, and go on with your life.
- j
Actually, my Mac, running 2 dual core Xeons, has a highly unique MoBo that was designed by apple and is unavailable to PC users. Macs have been running a FSB that was blowing PC’s out of the water for a long time. I’m not sure if that is still true, but when PC’s were struggling to go above an 800 mHz FSB (really just dual 400′s) MAC was running dual 1.23 gHz.
THis is also where the price point comparison comes in. When I bought my MAC, the hardware in the mac was the same price as a PC with the same quality of components. People only think a PC is cheaper because they’re willing to put crap into their machines.
2 cpu slots running 2 dual core xeons at 2.66 gHz
8 ram slots (2 daughter cards, with 4 slots each)
4 sata connecters
4 PCIx 16x slots
There are no sata cables, ide cables, etc. Everything is direct connect without cables.
I run boot camp and run windows 7 pro 64bit. I have one machine and both OS’s I use bother OS’s for various things…but MACOSX is more stable and runs better than even windows 7.
Steam/Vavle has released Half Life 2, portal, Hl2 ep 1, HL2 ep 2 on MAC.
More are soon to come. The valve engine is now built such that any game built for PC (using valve’s engine) will run on Mac. Every game blizzard has made since warcraft1 has run on mac and pc.
Furthermore Gates totally ripped off windows from Jobs. Its a known fact. Sorry JC gotta give credit, where the credit is DUE.
Oh, and MacOSX costs like $30 and isn’t licensed. Makes MS seem rather vile, doesn’t it?
Wow, look at all of these long, boring comments!
Amazing how these graphs are always made by PC users. They never seem to put in that Macs are overall more reliable, last longer, and in the long run more cost effective than a typical PC. All they say is “OOOOOH! You can’t change the colour of the top toolbar? It costs more to buy?”
It’s the equivalent to buying a Mercedes or a Volkswagen. You pay more for the Mercedes, but it’s built better.
My sister works at the Mercedes plant, and…
LOL omg. You’re just… and Volkswagen… Oh this is so funny.
I could see if you were comparing a Kia and a Mercedes, but you aren’t.
Could see that if there was actually different hardware involved but there isn’t in this case, also i’m not a PC user i’ve already stated here I’m a Mac user and have been for years, it’s called personal preference but doesn’t make me oblivious to the fact that you really are just buying a shiny shell housing mostly the same components, did you know that the only actual apple produced devices in a mac is the mouse, the keyboard, the webcam and the casing? The rest of the hardware is found in any number of PC’s. Jobs isn’t god and Macs are not jesus, It’s just computers and it’s pretty much OS preference at this point as thats what really defines a Mac anyway and Mac OS is not without bugs it’s self either.
But aren’t Macs actually made with cats inside them instead of circuit boards, and that’s why they’re so smooth?
i had a dell pc for about 2 years and hated that thing with a passion. every time i went on it i wanted to throw it out the effing window. i even had spysweeper and it still got viruses and it was slow as hell. Im not saying all pcs are crap, however i would never recommend a DELL to anyone. i got my mac at christmas ( the macbook for $999 and got a student discount, so i did pretty well price wise) and i have not had one problem with it. i love it.
FINALLY, someone points out that their are only MINIMAL differences between the PHYSICAL components of the Mac and the base config of most PCs. They are litteraly the same components from the same manufacturers.
Did you make that last graph while you were waiting for XP to reinstall?
OSX is life-changing.
If you’d read the comments you’d see i’m a Mac user, have been for years mind you through the PowerPC to Intel switch, even had a 68k model before PowerPC came along. Made the graph while in Snow Leopard on my unibody Macbook pro actually, as stated before just because you use Mac doesn’t mean you need to wear steve jobs reality distorting goggles, it’s just computers and they happen to be blurred together these days with little differentiation. I’ve got respect for OS X and Windows for different reasons but both have cons at some point or another but when it comes down to it there isn’t really much these days you can’t do with either, any important software is found on both.
Lesson to be learned:
Build your own computer, and choose your OS by preference. You’ll save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. You’re welcome.
ITT: Mac users preach to PC owners about how their computers are better, because it limits their options to the point where computer illiteracy is no longer capable of yielding catastrophic results. It’s much akin to claiming that shaving with safety scissors is better, because while it doesn’t perform as well, at least you don’t cut yourself up in the process of attempting to do something most other people are fully capable of, and you never have to sharpen them or replace the blades.
Apple Corp. has better customer sevice, just sayin,
I always see Mac bashers here…
I admit that MICROSOFT’S BETTAR
Have you seen Apple make a game console? NO!
Have you ever seen MS make a game console that works properly? No. on the 3rd generation and they still have a far higher failure rate than any other console, because rather than testing and improving the design they seem to just rush them out onto the shelves.
You do realize that we’re currently in Microsoft’s *second* generation of consoles, right?
I was talking specifically about the 360, which they have re-designed the insides of twice, meaning there are three different generations of 360, none of which work properly. The xbox classic was a fairly good console but still suffered from a few fairly major design flaws in my eyes. That said, from what I hear the new 360 slim which they unveiled at E3 looks promising.
Mac fanboys out there:
Give me the money you spent on your mac, and I’ll build a better PC.. for half the price.
LOL
Took 40 minutes to reach this here and make this post. Funny how there were around 7-9 PC contributors with many people making one off comments that argued on against 2-3 valiant Mac bashers that looked as if they took each argument like a comprehension task, even willing to imitate post layouts of other people. Yet in the end,
just goes to show that Mac people do really get really iWorked up about these things, preachers really in a generally PC world.
Its is this stubbornness, this Hysteria that scares me about Apple, Macs iPods in general. This almost fascist regime, where every part of your life is somehow integrated into Apple by adding an ‘i’ in front of it.
and about this i end with my little summary.
- PC users argued for cheaper pricing and more customizable layout, while maintaining that Macs have their uses too.
- Mac supporters advocated for better interface, more aesthetically pleasing frames.
-Mac preachers however, have consistently argued that Mac is better than Windows in everything from price, quality, user friendliness, and even ad campaigns
- Linux people have been trying to calm this debate down promising free penguins and Ubuntu for all
=.=l|l
@just1maccie
Macs aren`t indestructible, I taken good care of my iBook G4 but it has gone through two hard drives in the past 5 years. Plus you can spec a PC any way you want… (however most people prefer cheap, hence the average mac is a lot better). I`ve worked a lot in both sides and know my way around both systems very well. I will still go mac for my next computer and not for shininess. I want a computer that works for me, not vise versa!
oooh SHINY!
I simply dont see the point.
and im shocked too.
i mean look at…….yeah
VOGON 5(really surprised no one commented on that one though)
“piece of s….i7….good”
do you know anything at all?
graphics processor? i5 and i7 ?
they are system processors.
mac vs PC, which is better, no point in arguing.
but one things sure. you are one of those guys who has NO technical knowledge.
i7..a damn GPU?
this s**ts me!
oh and BTW, you are one of those guys who argue for the heck of it!
ive seen only one person use a mac in my life!
im in India
(yep and and im a hardware/software,,whatever geek, maniac, enthusiast..whatever myself)