Convince me to get a Mac

Hi! First off, English is not my first language. I may misuse some technical terms.
I'm a long-term Windows user - having used all OS since Win 95 - but lately, things have been going downhill. (Sounds more fatal than it really is, I suppose.)

I own 2 Windows 7 computers, one laptop and one desktop. The laptop I have used for school, word documents and web surfing, and the desktop one has mostly been for gaming.
Recently, I upgraded the desktop from Win XP to Win 7, after my friend told me 7 was much smoother and less buggy than XP. After installing, problems immediately arose. I was missing drivers, software malfunctioned as some website automatically downloaded a 32-bit program on the 64-bit system, and USB ports would stop working as something kept switching off their power supply. I have since reinstalled Win7 twice, having to wipe and merge partitions and save all my precious files to USB memories. Just now, I needed to view a PDF file online. Adobe Reader failed to install, and the OS got slow and buggy. I rebooted the comp and now it won't start. I've asked around at support forums, and it seems like I have a driver error.

See, this is the problem and why I don't get along with PCs: I don't get the whole thing with "drivers". I think that, every time I install (or re-install) an OS on my computer, it should immediately and automatically find whatever drivers it needs to function correctly, sort them in a simple list and then keep them updated indefinitely. Computers should just work. I have studies and assignments to think about, I don't want to be my computer's personal doctor. I am so sick of Windows and all its errors, lag, wipes, reboots and tweaks. I want something stable, smooth, reliable and easy to use.

This is why I consider getting a Mac. My laptop works at the moment, but it too has been a roller-coaster ride to use lately. It's only 2 years old, and I recently reinstalled the OS and had all the dust cleaned out, but it still freezes up, malfunctions and feels "worn". I don't want to spend time keeping my technology healthy. It should just work.
Getting a MacBook, I would have to pay it off little by little with my student loan, but it's nothing I can't manage. My friend has a MacBook and has vowed never to buy a PC again.
What I would like to know from you Mac users is, how simple is it really? Do fans oversell it, or is it as great as supposed?
My friend advised me to get an iPhone after I finally managed to return my broken Xperia, and it was like a whole different world from the Android. My iPhone is the best purchase I have ever made. It just works, never had any problems with it so far. Is this how getting a Mac feels after using PC for over 10 years? Like I said, I'm so tired of errors, lag and redundant features which do more harm than good. Is a Mac worth the price tag? I would very much like to hear from personal experiences.

Thanks for reading.

You've come to the wrong place if you're looking for an objective opinion. As Mac users, we all like using them.

Does it just work? No piece of technology will ever "just work" without faults. The very existence of this forum alone speaks to that. However, on the whole, I can confidently say that I run into fewer issues with my Mac than I did with Windows.

You mention drivers specifically. This situation with Macs is magnitudes better than Windows in this regard. Drivers are managed by the OS (and through updates) and many common peripherals are either supported out of the box or have drivers installed with relative ease.

With regards to simplicity, I'd say that it's more different than simpler. Saying that it is simpler would be a judgment call since we all define "simple" differently. In some ways, yes it is and in others, no it's not. On the whole, it's relatively easier to manage which is due in part to the simplicity of certain things.

Another consideration is the hardware quality. On the whole, Macs are really well built and if this is an issue for you (which it appears to be), a Mac is a nice machine. However, they aren't the only well built computers on the planet.

So, I won't convince you to buy a Mac. They certainly are fantastic machines but they aren't the only option out there. Take your time, assess your needs and keep your mind open to all the options made available to you.

How old is your Windows computer? I've found that my USB drives on my self built boxes are the first thing to go. It has happened several times. That being said - my guess is you are having trouble because of an old laptop/desktop.

My honest opinion is Windows 7 is probably the most solid OS that Microsoft has put out - but I have experienced trouble when trying to upgrade older machines. Clean installs seem to be the way to go.

Unfortunately windows 8 is out - and although it isn't too bad - it is quite a shock and I hate using it unless there is a touchscreen available. So again - older machines with only mouse/keyboard hardware would probably be annoying.

Most peripherals now just work with Macs - but there are definitely some older peripherals with Windows only drivers. Also stuff like gaming headsets tend to only work in stereo because of software - with the Macs. In general - if something says it works with a Mac - it tends to just work (Vs what you've experienced with a PC and drivers) but not as much stuff has Mac drivers (although again - most newer stuff has Mac Drivers/software now) You'll just have to see what peripherals you use - and whether or not they support Mac.

I have had less trouble with Macs and everyone that asks for my advice - I suggest getting a Mac. I support a large extended family and friends as IT - and since moving most everyone to Mac - I get very few tech support calls anymore.

Once you have everything in the Mac ecosystem - everything tends to work together. The iOS devices, iCloud, Apple TVs, etc - all just seem to work (mostly )

Even so - if everything were sunshine an lollipops - then there wouldn't be a need for help forums like this - so yes everything - even Macs - do have their problems. My personal experience has been that the problems are much less than the PC world but your mileage may vary.

DuskWolf said:

What I would like to know from you Mac users is, how simple is it really? Do fans oversell it, or is it as great as supposed?
My friend advised me to get an iPhone after I finally managed to return my broken Xperia, and it was like a whole different world from the Android. My iPhone is the best purchase I have ever made. It just works, never had any problems with it so far. Is this how getting a Mac feels after using PC for over 10 years? Like I said, I'm so tired of errors, lag and redundant features which do more harm than good. Is a Mac worth the price tag? I would very much like to hear from personal experiences.

Thanks for reading.

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The simple answer is…you need to CONVINCE yourself to get a Mac (or not)…via experience! You need to get your hands on a Macintosh computer…and try it out for yourself.

No matter how many positive things other Mac-Users say about Macintosh computers & the Mac OS…you need to experience it for yourself!

- Nick

First and foremost I consider myself a very technical person who has been using personal computers from the old DOS days and has tinkered enough with IRQs, Base Addresses, EMM to get applications working in those systems and then to all the variations of Windows (from 3.0 to XP) and then Linux and now most recently Mac..

For me, I switched from Windows to Linux mainly because I couldn't be bothered by paying a lot for the OS and need the antivirus and all that..Windows XP was a very stable OS, as is WIndows 7 on my work laptop..

I switched to Linux primarily because I could do everything I wanted without some of the annoyances of Windows like needing to reboot it in decent intervals to keep it happy and so on.

My jump to Mac came because I wanted to develop apps for iOS which requires a Mac and I got a Mac Mini, I liked the interface and stability that I was enjoying with my Linux and decided to go in whole hog by upgrading to an iMac..

I did not switch due to an inability to get things done in either Windows or Linux, but entirely due to a personal choice..

From what you've described so far, your issue is probably more an inability to manage your system than specifically dealing with a Windows system.

Now Macs might alleviate some issue that you're having with Windows 7, but might bring something else that you might have issues with..

The Mac world being closed, tends to make it such that most of the things will work will little to no tweaking..but that is no guarantee against something failing for no reason..

If you have a friend with a Mac, then do spend some time with it and see how it works for you..then visit a local Apple Store and play around with the units there and ask the people there how to do the common things you do with your current computer..

I'm not even going to touch the "is it worth the price" question, but to say the price is the price..you want a Mac, you pay the price, otherwise the entire discussion is moot..

Raz0rEdge said:

From what you've described so far, your issue is probably more an inability to manage your system than specifically dealing with a Windows system.

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Thank you for your input, but I'm not quite sure what you mean by this. Are you implying that I am not capable of managing my computer? I don't work with computers. I'm not what you would call "tech-savvy", though I am more knowledgeable than other PC users I know. You shouldn't have to be an IT expert in order to get a computer to work. If it's not usable for anyone, something is wrong. So long as I have done nothing to harm it, its faults cannot be blamed on me as a user.

These "convince me to..." questions are silly. You either want one, or you don't. In over 16 years as a network engineer, there is one truth i have seen more often than any others: If a user has continued issues with one computer, they will have issues with any computer, regardless of hardware or operating system.

Go to a store that sells Macs and put your hands on it. Do you like it? do you think it will work for you? If yes, then get one. If no, then don't. You buying or not buying a Mac will have absolutely no effect on anyone else using a Mac.

My answer would be a lot longer if you wish to pay me a consulting fee.

DuskWolf said:

Thank you for your input, but I'm not quite sure what you mean by this. Are you implying that I am not capable of managing my computer? I don't work with computers. I'm not what you would call "tech-savvy", though I am more knowledgeable than other PC users I know. You shouldn't have to be an IT expert in order to get a computer to work. If it's not usable for anyone, something is wrong. So long as I have done nothing to harm it, its faults cannot be blamed on me as a user.

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All computers are essential the same. They have a power button to turn it on and off. You don't need a degree or be "tech-savy" to use a Mac.

I don't get why people automatically think they are somehow different or magical like a Unicorn.

Deckyon said:

These "convince me to..." questions are silly. You either want one, or you don't. In over 16 years as a network engineer, there is one truth i have seen more often than any others: If a user has continued issues with one computer, they will have issues with any computer, regardless of hardware or operating system.

Go to a store that sells Macs and put your hands on it. Do you like it? do you think it will work for you? If yes, then get one. If no, then don't. You buying or not buying a Mac will have absolutely no effect on anyone else using a Mac.

My answer would be a lot longer if you wish to pay me a consulting fee.

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I have to agree. We don't have to connivence you of anything.

Go test one out for yourself and make up your own decisions. That's the only way to connivence yourself whether a Mac is for you or not.

DuskWolf said:

Thank you for your input, but I'm not quite sure what you mean by this. Are you implying that I am not capable of managing my computer? I don't work with computers. I'm not what you would call "tech-savvy", though I am more knowledgeable than other PC users I know. You shouldn't have to be an IT expert in order to get a computer to work. If it's not usable for anyone, something is wrong. So long as I have done nothing to harm it, its faults cannot be blamed on me as a user.

Click to expand...

You see the problem is that if you look purely at just the OS, it'll most likely work without any problem because Microsoft or whoever is creating the OS is putting only good stuff together. The problems begin with you start adding new peripherals (and their drivers) and applications to the picture.

Is it entirely Windows' fault that a driver or application is misbehaving and making things slow, crash? Probably not..but it does take some sleuthing to figure out what exactly the culprit is and find a suitable solution.

Now, OS X is not going to be entirely immune to this problem, so the idea that it might "just work" with anything you throw at it as compared to Windows or Linux is flawed since it all depends on how well the driver or application you are throwing at OS X is going to behave..

With the growing complexities of peripherals and associated drivers/applications, it is getting to a point where a computer user can't just assume things are going to automatically work, regardless of the OS.

It is becoming increasingly important to manage the things that you install beyond just loading a driver and so on..and that's essentially what I meant..

Nobody should convince you, I agree you have to convince yourself.

I've used Microsluft since before Windows (DOS), and Mac since they had 9" screens. They can both be real pains in the @ss.

Overall, I have spent MUCH MUCH less time fiddling around with the Macs. I am not really enamored of the operating system at all, especially the latest versions. But I keep using the Macs because they waste little of my time, compared to even Windoze 7. (And let us not mention XP, with its USB-speed-killing Service Packs). I sleep my iMacs and MacBook for weeks or even months without a reboot. Most Windows machines choke, although I did use ThinkPads for years and they were pretty good waking from hibernation.

Macs have enormously fewer possible variations of hardware and software. So when there is a Mac problem, it is likelier to be able to find help and resolution. Windows problems are much more often insoluble, probably due to so many more possible combinations of the hardware + software interactions. I once spent 4.5 hours on the phone with MS tech "support" only to be told "Well, I don't know what to tell you" (!?!?!?!?). Macs are not perfect, yet you don't hear about users wiping and reloading the entire OS periodically the way you do with Windoesnt.

Is it worth the price? Only you can decide that. You can buy like 4-5 Wintel laptops for the price of a MacBook pro. (Ya, maybe the specs are less, but for browsing and email and word processing who cares really). Desktops I can't say so much about. The iMac stands alone-W imitations pale by comparison in my opinion.

Is it worth the price? I feel you can get several more years out of a Mac before it is too obsolete, compared to a Win machine. Heck, I'm typing this on a 2005 iMac!

Is it worth the price? Well, do you value your time? Do you perversely enjoy tinkering with Windows? If not, you should try a Mac.