Is It Time I Switched?

[tomewer]

Hello all,

I'm sure you've read posts like this many a time, so please be patient with me

There are two things at play here:

1) I am planning on doing a lot of travelling soon, and my laptop will be coming with me. As such, I need to get a laptop that is small and light. Having said that, I am also keen on retaining good screen size and performance as much as possible.

2) I've been a PC user for almost all of my life (I had one of the old orange clamshell style iMacs back in the day). I love Apple - I have an iPhone and an iPad, and am extremely tempted to switch over with my laptop too. But I almost feel like there is a battle going on between the logical side of my brain (PCs are cheaper and I'm extremely comfortable with the Windows OS), and the creative side (Macs are AWESOME).

I will primarily be using the laptop for blogging, some basic image manipulation, as well as emails and browsing.

In my situation, why should I get a Mac rather than another Windows laptop?

Cheers!

Tom

 

[BrianLachoreVPI]

In my situation, why should I get a Mac rather than another Windows laptop?

Cheers!

Tom

Because you've already decided to get one ;D

 

[purple]

if it is convenient, go to Apple Store and look around.

Talk to the folks there. Also ask about how Apple Care now gives advice on the phone for the duration one buys, up to three years. Ask about One on One, how it works.

 

[Deckyon]

the other thing to consider, if you are not 100% ready to switch, just install Windows through Bootcamp and dual boot the Mac. I have a few programs I have to use on Windows because I am not ready to spend the couple thousand dollars it will take to get the new licenses for the OSX versions. I dual boot into Windows 7 when I need those, and stick in OSX when I do not. Works very nicely.

 

[tomewer]

Because you've already decided to get one ;D

See, that's a great answer for my heart, but its my head that needs convincing

 

[tomewer]

Talk to the folks there. Also ask about how Apple Care now gives advice on the phone for the duration one buys, up to three years. Ask about One on One, how it works.

I had considered that, but then, I figure they're Apple salespeople, so they're not really going to give me a balanced argument, are they? Although in saying that, I realize that I am unlikely to get a balanced argument here either!

the other thing to consider, if you are not 100% ready to switch, just install Windows through Bootcamp and dual boot the Mac. I have a few programs I have to use on Windows because I am not ready to spend the couple thousand dollars it will take to get the new licenses for the OSX versions. I dual boot into Windows 7 when I need those, and stick in OSX when I do not. Works very nicely.

That is great advice - thank you. But the problem is, it would be a disaster if I bought a (more expensive) Mac, then realized that I just wanted to use Windows!

 

[ycl1688]

time to switch, one sentence says it all, from the tribute to steve jobs posts :-

RIP Steve, if it wasn't for you, I would still be kicking and yelling at my PC

 

[badshoehabit]

You LIKE Windows? I did until Vista which irritated me to bits, especially all the nagging and inability to load my photos to where I wanted. I'm a recent switcher but am thrilled with the basic photo software system and the sheer speed of everything.

 

[Deckyon]

That is great advice - thank you. But the problem is, it would be a disaster if I bought a (more expensive) Mac, then realized that I just wanted to use Windows!

I spend 90% of my time in OSX. It is a nice, fast and stable OS. I have been able to get most of what I did on Windows over to OSX in one form or another. I really think you will find yourself in OSX more often than not.

It is just the realization of "Hey, if I get stuck, I can still get in Windows" mentality that has made it so easy for me to make the switch.

 

[tomewer]

You LIKE Windows? I did until Vista which irritated me to bits, especially all the nagging and inability to load my photos to where I wanted. I'm a recent switcher but am thrilled with the basic photo software system and the sheer speed of everything.

Windows is okay - it generally gets the job done! My PC can slow down at times and crash occasionally, and I hear good things about Macs on that front...

 

[life4eva]

Macs retain their value, always remember that. Try selling a 3-4+ year old laptop to see what you get for it..... You can still get $500+ for an older Mac Laptop.


Finally if you like your ipad and iphone then imagine that in a true computer......

 

[bobtomay]

If your heart is ready for the transition, your head won't be far behind if you're open to learning how things work in OS X vs. trying to make it work like Windows.

If you want small and light - I can't really say enough about the new MacBook Air. My first new Mac in almost 5 years.
Just go play with one at the Apple store, pick it up, look at it, handle it.
Compare the size, feel, looks to those Windows notebooks you've been buying.

You'll also find that the Apple store folks are there more for answering your questions than they are for selling you a computer. The computers just seem to sell themselves.


Then let your head decide whether you want the 13" with 4GB and the i5 or the i7.