Mac Vs Pc

Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
48
Reaction score
0
Points
6
All the things you like (about both)
all the things you don't like (about both)
do you have iworks? do you like it?
other programs for mac you like

is macbook (no pro) good for school? (highschool and eventually college)


basically after this.. sell a mac to me... (figuratively, not literally)

i am debating whether or not to go with a mac, and have heard good and bad things about them.. i run on PC right now, but am unsure if i want to switch since ive never really *used* a mac before other than for msn..

your help is very much appreciated :)
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
1,760
Reaction score
23
Points
38
Location
Leicester, England
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook, iPod Classic, 8GB 3G iPhone, Time Capsule
1. Can't really remember PCs all that well, it's been a while.
2. See above.
3. Yes I do. I like it. But you can also get Office for Mac if you prefer, which is good for switchers.
4. Erm... Mail? Most the programs I really like on my Mac (like CS3, games and stuff) are available for PC anyway.
5. That one depends on what you're planning to do at school I guess - if you're doing graphic design or something like that then I'd say you might need a MacBook Pro.


Go down to somewhere that sells Macs and have a good play with one! Or find someone you know with one and pay them a visit. I don't really want to tell you it's all wonderful and fabulous (which it IS!) if it's not the right computer for you, you'll just end up peed off!
 

CrimsonRequiem


Retired Staff
Joined
Jul 24, 2008
Messages
6,003
Reaction score
125
Points
63
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 2.3 Ghz 4GB RAM 860 GB SSD, iMac 3.4 GHz Intel Core i7 32GB RAM, Fusion Drive 1TB
5. That one depends on what you're planning to do at school I guess - if you're doing graphic design or something like that then I'd say you might need a MacBook Pro.

MBP not needed for Graphic Design.

1. PC - Easier to put one together, IE custom gaming rig for a LAN party.
MAC - doesn't ask stupid questions and doesn't give cryptic messages.
2. Blue screen errors, spyware and virus scans every week.
Can't overclock the CPU on some models.
3. No
4. All the programs I use are available for both Mac and PC
5. Yes it's good for school and will last you a long time. I bring my Macbook with me all the time to take notes and I do digital paintings in my Art History class when I'm really bored. ^-^" Painting with just the track pad is challenging.
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
1,760
Reaction score
23
Points
38
Location
Leicester, England
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook, iPod Classic, 8GB 3G iPhone, Time Capsule
MBP not needed for Graphic Design.

Nope, but it might not be a bad idea! If I were running things like CS3 all day rather than every now and then I'd want something a little more powerful, let alone anything involving a 3rd dimension.
 

CrimsonRequiem


Retired Staff
Joined
Jul 24, 2008
Messages
6,003
Reaction score
125
Points
63
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 2.3 Ghz 4GB RAM 860 GB SSD, iMac 3.4 GHz Intel Core i7 32GB RAM, Fusion Drive 1TB
Nope, but it might not be a bad idea! If I were running things like CS3 all day rather than every now and then I'd want something a little more powerful, let alone anything involving a 3rd dimension.

I have the CS3 Master Collection on my MacBook and I generally use it all day with Photoshop, Dreamweaver and Illustrator open simultaneously along with Adium and 15 plus tabs worth of webpages in firefox. No lagg whatsoever.

I decked my MB out and it's very comparable to my MBP that is my desktop replacement at home. The only difference between the two is one has a dedicated GPU, while the Macbook has to share it's memory with the GPU. Plus the screensizes are obviously different but when I'm on the go I'm always on my MB. The 17" MBP is to cumbersome to bring and it's heavy. Sure screen real-estate is nice and all, but mobility is a lot better.

As a graphic designer we aren't doing 3D renderings anyways so the Macbook is fine.

The MB is a very strong machine in a tiny package, and people need to give it a lot more credit.
 

cwa107


Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
27,042
Reaction score
812
Points
113
Location
Lake Mary, Florida
Your Mac's Specs
14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD
All the things you like (about both)
all the things you don't like (about both)
do you have iworks? do you like it?
other programs for mac you like

is macbook (no pro) good for school? (highschool and eventually college)


basically after this.. sell a mac to me... (figuratively, not literally)

Are you happy with Windows? If yes, the answer is stick with it. If no, and you're ready to try something different than go with a Mac. The reason I say this is that the Mac is definitely different than Windows, there is a slight learning curve and you'll need to keep an open mind. If you're not willing to do that, because you're otherwise happy with Windows, then it's a definite no go.

No one here is an Apple salesperson - you need to try it and decide if it's right for you. If it looks like it is, then know that there is really nothing you can do with a Windows machine that you can't do with a Mac (and vice versa). In fact, one of the advantages of a modern Mac is that you can run both Windows and Mac OS X simultaneously and seamlessly, yielding the best of both world.

i
 
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
827
Reaction score
14
Points
18
Location
Cairo
Your Mac's Specs
13" 2015 MacBook Pro Retina / 15" 2010 MacBook Pro
All the things you like (about both)
all the things you don't like (about both)
do you have iworks? do you like it?
other programs for mac you like

is macbook (no pro) good for school? (highschool and eventually college)


basically after this.. sell a mac to me... (figuratively, not literally)

i am debating whether or not to go with a mac, and have heard good and bad things about them.. i run on PC right now, but am unsure if i want to switch since ive never really *used* a mac before other than for msn..

your help is very much appreciated :)

1 - I like pretty much everything about MS Windows computers.
I like the design of the MacBook and MBPro, the OS is pretty nice and
has a pretty design. Fast, flawless, and is totally SECURED.

2 - What I hate about Windows is that it crashed a bit too many times, and viruses easily harm it.
What I hate about Macintosh OS X is that it's too complicated for new users, can not run normal games on it but only Mac-based ones, and too many privileges are taken away from the owners.

3 - My MacBook Pro '08 came preinstalled with iWorks '08, it also came with the iWorks '08 original CD, I never really used any of the applications in it, since I am more of a gaming guy, I leave iWorks and other 'business' applications for college things and that's it, hence I haven't even started college yet.

4 - I like the built-in iSight camera of the MBP, especially the effects you can do with Photobooth, the iChat application, and also the GarageBand one which is awesome, but I can't really use it now, never tried except once. NOT EASY!

5 - I don't really know about normal MacBooks, but my best friend in real life who traveled to study in AUS 'American University in Sharjah' has a black MacBook '07 but when he went there, he bought the new Dell Latitude laptop, I never really asked why but I guess that answers your question? :p

Don't take my statements too serious because I am just a new Macintosh user, so I didn't really get the essence of Mac yet.
 

cwa107


Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
27,042
Reaction score
812
Points
113
Location
Lake Mary, Florida
Your Mac's Specs
14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD
What I hate about Macintosh OS X is that it's too complicated for new users, can not run normal games on it but only Mac-based ones, and too many privileges are taken away from the owners.

That might have been the case back in the OS 9 days, but there's plenty of latitude with OS X in terms of tweaking things "under the hood". Once you learn your way around the terminal, you'll realize just how much privilege one has.

The "normal games" you're referring to are games designed for Windows. Just as Windows can't play games designed for PS3, one can't play Windows games on a Mac - with one big difference. If it's really important to you, you can always install Windows on your Mac and then it's no problem.
 
Joined
Sep 1, 2008
Messages
1,056
Reaction score
33
Points
48
Location
Rhinebeck, NY
Your Mac's Specs
20" iMac 2.66 GHz... Running 10.5.7
If it's really important to you, you can always install Windows on your Mac and then it's no problem.


"I bought a mac to run windows"



Haha, why, then, would one buy a mac if they knew they planned on gaming?
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
1,760
Reaction score
23
Points
38
Location
Leicester, England
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook, iPod Classic, 8GB 3G iPhone, Time Capsule
"I bought a mac to run windows"



Haha, why, then, would one buy a mac if they knew they planned on gaming?

Because I wanted a Mac...? That not a valid reason? I want to play the odd game, but not deal with Windows, so I game on my Mac.

Yup, I do occasionally run Windows when I feel an urge, but I'd rather own a Mac and use Windows some of the time, when I fancy it, than have to use it day in day out just to play a game!

Actually, I think using Windows via Bootcamp is a really good solution if you're into Windows games but don't want to use it all the time! I can't really think of a better way of doing it tbh... except if a Mac ran Windows games natively, but then it wouldn't be a Mac and we'd have PC viruses.
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
1,760
Reaction score
23
Points
38
Location
Leicester, England
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook, iPod Classic, 8GB 3G iPhone, Time Capsule
As a graphic designer we aren't doing 3D renderings anyways so the Macbook is fine.

TBH, I've never been all that clear on what graphic design entailed :[ , so thanks for putting me on the right path! I imagine lots of interesting rotating 3D shapes and things.

Man, do I feel ignorant. Never worked up the courage to ask cos everyone seems to know what they're talking about!
 

eric


Retired Staff
Joined
Nov 4, 2006
Messages
8,704
Reaction score
447
Points
83
Location
twin cities, mn, usa
"I bought a mac to run windows"

Haha, why, then, would one buy a mac if they knew they planned on gaming?

i'm not sure if you're directing that at cwa, or just at people in general, but cwa meant that you can also run windows on an intel mac via bootcamp, vm, parallels... if there's a program that you just can't find a replacement for or like some windows only games, you have that option.
 
Joined
Apr 27, 2008
Messages
176
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Your Mac's Specs
Macbook Alu 13.3 Inch , 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 duo , 2.2gb 667 DDR2 SDRAM & Ipod Touch 16gb
Likes-
Windows - Nothing much I can say. I've had really bad experiences with my Vista and XP PC/Notebook. Only thing I like about it that its compatible with lots of games.
OS10 - Simple, clean and easy to use. I learnt my way around os10 in less than a day. ( Took me a few months to actually UNDERSTAND how vista works )

Dislikes
Windows - Hate that its so vulnerable to all kinds of things, and well ( Like my vista which cant read usb's )
OS 10 - Dislike Microsoft office for mac ( If you've noticed , in office 08, the short cut keys displayed are ctrl + c instead of cmd. ) Other than that. I'm perfectly happy with my OS10.

iWork08 - One word. AWESOME! I've been using it for a month, and have uninstalled Microsoft office *coughsuckscough* Other than that. I love the graphical scheme.

Other programs I like, I my self LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEE mail, my cs3 creative, iWork, Aperture, Final Cut Express ( MB's cant support the pro version ) and FINDER! I CANT GET ENOUGH OF IT! xD
 
OP
J
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
48
Reaction score
0
Points
6
hm well i guess that settles it.. haha yeah i am really sick of the layout of PC.. i mean, i don't mind it, except for the crashing, viruses, spies, and being a complete douche most of the time.. oh and being extremely ugly (the start menu and everything..) and i dont use office, lol..i was just curious since if i put a writing thing on my notebook when i get one, i wasn't sure which oneto get.. cause iworks is like 300 cheaper, so i wasn't sure if it was just as good or no.. but thank you
 
Joined
Jun 2, 2008
Messages
1,502
Reaction score
35
Points
48
Location
Louisville
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo | 1GB RAM | OS X 10.6.3 | 250GB External HD | 8GB iPod Touch 1st Gen 3.1.3
you'll find out what you've been missing when you switch.
 
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
17
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Surrey, UK
What I have come to REALLY hate about PC's of late is Microsoft's attitude. What I mean is that in the last couple of months Windows Update has tried and failed on my PC, and loads of others PC's as well, to update SQL Express, and it just keeps on trying to apply the "upgrade" and fails on every occasion. When you try to get any help from MS for their obvious failings (bad code) you get NO HELP at all. Lately MS just don't seem to care anymore, are they falling apart following Gates departure?
 
Joined
Sep 5, 2008
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
2.4 C2D iMac, 2.4 Black Macbook, a few iPods and an iPhone
All the things you like (about both)
all the things you don't like (about both)
do you have iworks? do you like it?
other programs for mac you like

is macbook (no pro) good for school? (highschool and eventually college)


basically after this.. sell a mac to me... (figuratively, not literally)

i am debating whether or not to go with a mac, and have heard good and bad things about them.. i run on PC right now, but am unsure if i want to switch since ive never really *used* a mac before other than for msn..

your help is very much appreciated :)

Likes: PC:hardware isnt "locked" to only a certain company, easy to custom build, and you get to support Bill Gates (sarcasm)
MAC: Ease of use, simplicity, open source, Mac Geeks (@ Apple store), Steve Jobs is cool

Dislikes: PC instability, BSoD (blue screen of death), and your supporting Bill Gates (not sarcasm)
MAC: hardware specific makes things costly sometimes (inability to upgrade somethings)

I have and use iWorks 08 and no complaints so far... OpenOffice (www.openoffice.org) is free/opensource and works just like MS Office. But for iWorks you can import Word/Excel/Powerpoint doc's, edit them and save them back into office file formats for windows users.

I have a 2.4Ghz Macbook and its perfect, small/light for portability, good battery life, built in WiFi, bluetooth. But if your going to school for any kind of graphic intensive degree then you might want to think about a Macbook Pro for the better video card.
 
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
110
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Black 2.4GhZ 4 GB RAM
I don't think you'll regret a switch. With the advent of Windows Vista (ughh) now is the best time. Give yourself a month and you'll fall in love with your mac
if you don't sell it to me :)))
 
Joined
Sep 15, 2006
Messages
236
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Oxford, UK
Bought Macbook 2 years ago, and rarely use a PC now.

Replaced it with another Macbook 2 months ago to get 4Gb RAM option. I considered a MBP, but decided it was too expensive and I don't play any games.

I run Vista, XP and 2000 (via Parallels and VM Fusion). Not bothered with Bootcamp, as I don't want the hassle of rebooting.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top