Should I buy a Mac? Please give input

Hello. Well I have been thinking of buying a new laptop recently, and buying a Mac has crossed my mind a few times. I don't know much about them. Is there any large benefit to buying a Mac? Macs are very expensive compared to PCs. What makes them worth it? I am a junior in college studying accounting. I use my pc daily for web usage, email, microsoft office 2007 programs (excel, word, access,powerpoint). I currently have been using the same pc for 3 years, a Dell running XP I paid like $600 or 700 for in 06. It's always worked fine for me but recently it's been running a bit slower, but mainly it has been freezing up and crashing more and annoying me. I was looking at pc's in the $400 range or so because since my Dell is adequate for me, these are like twice as good so I guess they would work fine. But moneys not an issue really. I could buy any Mac but I just don't want to buy way more computer than I need. Would a Mac be a good choice for me? Or are they more for like artistic purposes?

- If you are prone to getting infected with viruses and the like, OS X is a much safer OS as there are very few viruses for OS X.

- Apple makes generally high-quality hardware that focuses on ease-of-use and portability (in the case of their notebooks).

- OS X is a fine general use operating system. There are alternatives to Office 2007 which may perform all the functionality you need depending on what you use Office for.

How many times/week do you think this question gets asked???

Seriously this question being asked in 2009 is no different than the same questions I saw being asked in 1989.

Please search the site & the internet...and you will get plenty of info...but in the end only you can decide.

It's like saying...which is better Coke or Pepsi?...it's a personal preference thing!

HTH,

- Nick

Sounds like you're perfectly content with Windows. If that's true, it might not be so easy to switch. Macs have their own eccentricities, and if you're not the type of personality to embrace change, it could potentially be frustrating. But if, on the other hand, you've had enough of Windows and are ready to approach it with an open mind, the Mac can be very rewarding.

The price difference isn't all that great when you compare high-end PCs (Macs typically use higher end hardware). Start to factor in no-need for antivirus/malware software, the iLife suite, which is included with every Mac, and the warranty and tech support, and the Mac is actually a decent value. Like with most things, you get what you pay for. There's a reason a Hyundai costs less than a Honda.

But if you use Access, be aware that the Mac version of MS Office does not include it. There are equivalent programs like Bento and the database software that accompanies OpenOffice, but neither are fully compatible with Access.

There is nothing in particular about Macs that make them "more for artistic purposes", it's just that since software like Photoshop was born on the Mac, many creative industries flocked to it. It's a great all-around machine though.

pigoo3 said:

How many times/week do you think this question gets asked???

Seriously this question being asked in 2009 is no different than the same questions I saw being asked in 1989.

Please search the site & the internet...and you will get plenty of info...but in the end only you can decide.

It's like saying...which is better Coke or Pepsi?...it's a personal preference thing!

HTH,

- Nick

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Play nice please. This is the Switcher Hangout and we expect these kinds of questions here. If you don't like the post, you don't need to feel compelled to reply to it.

cwa107 said:

Play nice please. This is the Switcher Hangout and we expect these kinds of questions here. If you don't like the post, you don't need to feel compelled to reply to it.

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Sorry...sometimes I don't know which forum section the question is from...I generally just use the "Get New" command.

What happened to the "OP's" less than friendly response??

- Nick

i have a windows computer thats literallybrand new and cost me well over £1,600 and it can't browse the web, process documents or even get it to turn on...it takes between 10 and 15 minute sto start up, and although it's virus free, it just plain old refuses to start. it's latest trick is to say ' no such user exists' at the log in screen. go figure.

get a mac. seriously.

pigoo3 said:

How many times/week do you think this question gets asked???

Seriously this question being asked in 2009 is no different than the same questions I saw being asked in 1989.

Please search the site & the internet...and you will get plenty of info...but in the end only you can decide.

It's like saying...which is better Coke or Pepsi?...it's a personal preference thing!

HTH,

- Nick

Click to expand...

coke. by a billion miles.and none of that diet nonsense, either.

Stay where you are. If you cannot make up your mind you need the Mac, forget it. You will never be happy with it under these circumstances.

bstewart11 said:

Would a Mac be a good choice for me?

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No..they are totally incorrect for you. DO NOT BUY!!





















Just get one.

Actually no computers are 'worth it' You wont get your money back and if u are like a lot of Mac users you will end up with more than 1 = More money down the gurgler.