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General discussion

Help me decide: PC or Apple laptop?

Aug 23, 2013 9:33AM PDT
Question:

Help me decide: PC or Apple laptop?


I read all your submissions and I really rely greatly on your answers so thank you!

I am in need of a new laptop. I've always had PCs but lately I have been increasingly unhappy with all the problems with errors. Inevitably a little Microsoft window pops up at the most inopportune times. It makes me crazy.

We have an iPad 2, and 4th-gen iPods. I only had one problem with my iPad in three years. I took it to Apple and they took care of it. It was as easy as pie. With my PC, it's like pulling teeth. I am good with computers and can usually work around problems, but it has gotten annoying to see little windows pop up saying my program is being closed for no reason.

So, my big question...PC or Apple for a laptop that I want to use for everyday home non-gaming use. I want to use it for e-mail, general word processing, pictures, and video. That's it. It has to be fast and work. That's all I ask. Can you help me decide?

Thanks very much!

--Submitted by Mary S. of Illinois

[NOTE to all participating members: Please keep this a civil discussion and respect each other recommendations and suggestions. Let's help this member make an informed buying decision. Thanks! -Lee ]


Note: This post was edited by its original author on 08/24/2013 at 1:31 PM PT

Discussion is locked

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As though there is not any good free Mac sotware out there
Sep 1, 2013 3:03AM PDT

Subscribe to the KimKomando.com news letter, and you will be amazed how much free stuff there is also out there for Mac.

Sourceforge has tons of free and useful mac software...and virtually anything you choose, that interests you, is out there for the finding.

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This is a very good answer but ...
Aug 31, 2013 12:56PM PDT

This is a very good answer.
But probably what she needs is just to change browser.
I think she is using IE. Why doesn't she change to Firefox and give it a try for a while?
I wonder why the idea of changing browser was not touch in the first place.
Also (I think) she does not mention what version of Windows she is using.
For example Windows XP-SP3, when Windows is updated to SP3 gives certain kind of problems.
I think software manufacturers should pay attention.
As programs become more sophisticated they could be full of bugs, like half-baked ideas.

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IE...Who in ther right mind uses IE any longer?
Sep 1, 2013 3:20AM PDT

Likewise, I am not particularly enamored of Google...and the way they aim their searches to the products that pay.

I have and use Chrome...with BING for the search engine...and I use IXQUICK with FireFox.

I have Safari, Camino, and Opera also...none with their original search engines.

Often a particular browser has advantages over others, with a particular website...and programing them is a rookie venture.

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Browsers and Search Engines
Sep 1, 2013 6:55AM PDT

Very interesting. Thanks!

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Glad it helped - FYI Bing really does beat Google
Sep 1, 2013 7:34AM PDT

I also get the same results as Google on IXQUICK...without the tracking crap.

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Better browsers
Sep 1, 2013 2:48PM PDT

It is fantastic.

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Well Thought out Apple vs. PC Dana
Sep 3, 2013 12:30AM PDT

Nice job explaining this Dana. I've done it so many times I just didn't have the energy to do it again.

I think the Apple products are probably a lot better in being designed to work together too. For example ipods and laptops.

Thanks for a great, unbiased explanation.

Charlie

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its more than personal choice..
Aug 30, 2013 11:42AM PDT

I was going to give you an item by item reason why to buy one
computer over another and just trim it down to a few lines.

Just buy a mac. If your office is paying for it.. just buy a mac.
If you need a computer that just works just buy a mac.

The only reason not to buy a mac is cost.. you'll pay about 50% more for a mac over a pc.

If you need a lot of cheap computers then buy a PC.. if you want a good computer buy a mac.

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MAC?
Aug 30, 2013 11:59AM PDT

I have watched someone convince another member of one of my engineering teams to do what you say!

They threw away over $1000!

Not everyone can make the adjustments from one OS to the other. If they originally learned on a Windows PC, the adjustment to a MAC OSX maybe too great!!

Even if someone else is buying it. She has to use it. If she does not feel comfortable with it, or does not want to make the change, it will not be used.

If she is wanting to use it with her business, then she needs to consider compatibility with all her company's programs, and does their IT program support Apple use. I am currently in school, and the university does not provide any support to those students that use Apple products. These can be significant factors when you don't have the money to pay someone else, or you are not and IT type person or a Power User.

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Not terribly different
Aug 31, 2013 3:33AM PDT

There really isn't all that much different between the two systems UI-wise. Remember that Microsoft copied the Mac UI and by the time Win 95 rolled out, they had done a pretty good job of it. It'll be the little differences that will bug you at first. The active menu bar being at the top of the screen rather than being at the top of the window. Some people have complained about the lack of a right mouse button... the last time I used a mouse on a Mac ,about 5-6 years ago, it was a 'buttonless' mouse and could tell which side was being pressed. I think that might have been something that had to be enabled in a control panel. On a laptop with a trackpad, a left click is a one finger tap and a right click is a two finger tap. Pretty simple. (IMO trackpad gestures have made mice obsolete.) Some keyboard shortcuts will be different.

Regarding software compatibility, Office is available on both platforms as are many other productivity packages. If that's not enough, you can still run all your Windows software in Bootcamp or as a VM. For me switching between OS X and Win 7 is as simple as a single click. If you take Windows to full screen mode you wouldn't even know you were running it on a Mac.

Running Windows on one of the various virtualization packages isn't a bad idea for a switcher since they'd be able to wean themselves off Windows more slowly and spend more time making sure they were getting the right software for their needs. Also you're not just limited to running OS X and Windows, you can also run multiple flavors of LINUX, all at the same time if you want.

I know a lot of people that have switched with no ill effects. It's actually a fairly painless process. Getting away from the whole malware / bloatware environment is also quite nice. While there are reports of Mac malware being out there, I've never stumbled across any, but I do run a freeware AV program just in case.

All in all, running OS X is simpler than running Windows, primarily because the OS and the computer it's running on have been designed by the same company, meaning hardware compatibility issues are something that happens to somebody else.

That doesn't mean you can't dig into the guts of the machine if you want to. Remember OS X is a UNIX and you have full access to the UNIX CLI and can cause all the havoc you want.

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It IT does not suport he Macs...Why Not?
Sep 1, 2013 3:26AM PDT

It is not the choice of IT, to pick the operating system used.

They are there to support the OS that YOU choose.

Having them able to choose which system they choose to support, is putting the cart before the horse.

Who is actually in charge...the school or the IT department working for that school?

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PC or Mac?
Aug 30, 2013 11:48AM PDT

Save some money and go with a PC. It may take a bit more upkeep, but it's worth it. Buying a Mac because of the occasional PC/Windows issue is like paying a chaffeur's salary because you don't want to bother to learn to drive yourself.

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Price-performance: Don't make this complicated
Aug 30, 2013 11:59AM PDT

Your need for a computer involves nothing exotic or resource hungry. So, line up two comparably powered computers' specs side by side and pick the one which gives you the most for the money. If the rap on Apple's high prices is correct, it will be a PC. Apple's help desk is said to be better than most others, but the gap is closing. Chances are you'll never use a help desk.

Also, consider buying low end. You'll save a lot of money and you won't notice the difference, given the applications you use.

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The Apple Excessively High Price is Overstated & Incorrect
Sep 1, 2013 7:40AM PDT

If you buy a WinDoz laptop, built as well...with premium components...the cost difference is negligible. It may have been true once, but it certainly is not now.

Again...YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

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MBA 2013 with 512gb SSD
Aug 30, 2013 12:14PM PDT

Just got this one: latest and fasted MacBook Air with large SSD, running Mountain Lion, VMWare 5.03 + Windows 8.1... best hardware / software out there. Works perfectly, albeit expensive.

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PC or Mac
Aug 30, 2013 12:15PM PDT

Hi Mary,

As others have already said, this is a personal choice each of us must make for a variety of reasons. Like you, I also became very frustrated with various problems related to Windows over the years, and finally made the choice to try a Mac 3 years ago. Here's what I found:

1) My 17" MacBook Pro was incredibly expensive. With all the software and a few accessories, it was $3k out the door. That's about 4X what I'd pay for a comparable 17" PC laptop.
2) The Mac was very rugged. The machined aluminum case, hardware, etc. is clearly more durable than the usual plastic cases found on cheaper PC's.
3) The Mac has worked perfectly for 3 years. It doesn't pick up spyware, adware, trojans or other malware, it is just as fast today as it was 3 years ago and it always boots quickly and exactly the same as it did when it was brand new.
4) The Mac wasn't automatically compatible with some common applications. For example, I couldn't watch .wmv files until I found a free converter online. A simple, easy to use graphics program like MS Paint was very difficult to find, when IMHO it should've been included.
5) The Mac was very easy to use and intuitive in some ways, but not in others.

Overall I'm very happy with my choice and even bought a Mac desktop this year. I still use PC's at work, but we have a full-blown IT department to keep them running. I never wanted to be a computer expert or geek. I just wanted to turn it on, use it and have fun. A computer to me should work like a toaster oven or refrigerator - you use it and don't worry about whether it will require an update to operate properly.

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Applications and cost
Aug 30, 2013 12:16PM PDT

I live in three worlds.

I have Windows PCs, because one of my main applications is only available on the PC. I also can get a screaming laptop for under $700. That means I can upgrade at twice the pace that I could afford in the Mac world.

I have an iPhone, as well as an Android phone. I like the iPhone way more than the Android, but I would pay $100 for Swype on the iPhone.

I have a Nexus 7 tablet, so I am in the Android world there as well.

I had an iPad, but I did not see an advantage over just having the iPhone for the cost.

I also run Linux on my PCs, but find myself not going there very often these days.

In the end you really need to be sure you have the applications you need, and are willing to spend the added cost for a Mac laptop.

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Mac
Aug 30, 2013 12:20PM PDT

A friend was looking for a second computer for his kids to use so they'd leave his wife's new Win 8 laptop alone. I had a 6 year old iMac taking up space and gave it to him. Over the past couple of months everyone stopped using the laptop and now use the iMac almost exclusively.

I've been a Windows user since v2 and currently run Windows 7 under Parallels on my Mac, I decided on Macs for home back in the mid 90s and have never been sorry. I've found them easier to use and any problems that may crop up are easier to deal with.

Apple tech support is also very good. I've recently had to deal with both Sony and Dell tech support. Sony wasn't too bad but Dell was nightmarish.

Yes, I'm a Mac user recommending a Mac. Is anyone surprised?

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there is a 3rd choice
Aug 30, 2013 12:30PM PDT

The move to a Mac isn't always an easy one, learning a new operating system can be frustrating until your familiar with it. But if your willing to try something new then how about option 3, Linux. there are many packages out there and most can be downloaded for free. You can install it on your current laptop and you don't have to dump windows entirely. You would be able to access you existing data without having to move it. Installation is simple and gives you the option of a dual boot, meaning you can either boot into windows or linux. Now if your sure about getting new hardware there is also a 4th option, a chromebook. I'm not familiar with that one but I know it'll do everything you want with the only uncertainty being video editing. Macs are fine but can be somewhat limited. fewer software titles available. the software that is available is typically more expensive then the windows version. I cant tell you about performance difference between the two, long ago mac's used the motorola processor which did not compare to the intel processors of the time, now i believe they are also running intel processors. Speed is rather vague when it comes to computers. most pc's tend to slow down over time and its usually the fault of the owner. constantly installing gadget software which usually comes with add on programs that if your just clicking the next button while install in the background. and final option you may consider, if you were happy with your laptop when it was new consider resetting it back to factory original. many laptops today come with hidden partitions containing an image of when your computer was sold. Usually just takes a keystroke combination at power on to restore the factory image. Look at manufacturer's website under support for more info. If it doesn't have an image partition and you didn't make a restore disk when you first got it, then most manufactures will sell you a original disk for usually around 10 to 15 dollars from what i've seen. I realize I may not have helped by saying go by this or that, just before you spend the money thought you should weigh all your options. Myself if it was my, i'd go with the linux install, its both the cheapest and gives you more options.

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Higher Ed access?
Aug 30, 2013 12:42PM PDT

I got great deals on discontinued Apple laptops for my grandsons a couple of years ago at a University book store, just after the new models came out. Great way to save some money and get the best machine!

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Another money saving option
Aug 30, 2013 7:51PM PDT

You can always check the Apple online store's reconditioned and clearance areas for some great deals. The nice thing about these systems is that they come with the full warranty and are still eligible for Applecare.

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Mac or PC
Aug 30, 2013 12:43PM PDT

My first computer was a 128K Mac back in 1984. Been a Mac girl ever since. Yes, I've used all the Windows platforms (even DOS, before 3.1). My current MacBook Pro is a 2007 model. I have had a fan replaced and a few minor things that were covered under AppleCare. I recently purchased a MacBook air just because the MacBook Pro is 15" and I wanted something smaller. Yes, Windows 8 is better than the past versions. But I've never really had any real issues with Macs or their operating systems in almost 30 years. I don't do the swearing, the eye rolling, the time wasting, etc. that I have always been forced to do with Windows machines for one reason or another. ipads and iPhones just make using a Mac an even better experience. There have been occasions in the past 29 years that I have yearned for a game or something that was available on Windows. Both desktops and laptops seem to last an average of 7-10 years, and the only reason they are replaced is because they aren't as fast as I would like them to be. We have several older computers sitting around. The Macs work, the PCs do not for a myriad of reasons. My husband is a very competent Mac and Windows user. He likes the new touch screens on Windows 8, and his company uses them so they buy them for him. He says Windows 8 is more like the Mac iOS and he likes some features better on the Mac....Macs have always been the standard in graphics, but I am sure there are programs by now that do graphics as well as on Windows. I found a great thing, so I have stuck with it. I will never voluntarily use a Windows machine, but like many have said, it comes down to personal preference. I personally, do not like the way Microsoft copied Apple's GUI interface way back when (for 3.1). I admire Steve Jobs and his company. I like that there are not a gadzillion brands/choices/combinations etc. when it comes to buying a new one. I think Macs are worth the extra investment up front and seem to me to be more solidly built an less "disposable" than PCs. But I think these days, like everyone said, it comes down to personal preference. Good luck.

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I went Mac in 2000-something. Glad I did.
Aug 30, 2013 12:59PM PDT

Sometime in the early years of the 2000s, I signed on a major new customer. The customer said be here Monday with your laptop and at the time I did not own one. I went to CompUSA (in business at the time) to buy a typical Windows-based laptop. While I was there I saw the newly introduced titanium PowerBook. It was so cool, so sleek, that I decided to buy one — and I'm glad I did.

Since then all of my customers have been big corporations fully ensconced in the Windows platform, but it it it has never caused a problem. I am still what many may call a Windows expert; however I find my productivity is far increased using a Mac.

You would think I could explain better about why that is, yet I am not really sure. The best I can come up with are these snippets. Some are stories, and some are anecdotal tidbits.

I don't have to eff with it. The slogan about "it just works" is true. People in this thread have talked about how Microsoft makes sure drivers are written correctly and that kind of thing but as a person who gets handed a lot of laptops from friends and colleagues to get things working right, locating the right driver for the right device is not as straightforward as they might want you to think. My salad days were spent repairing the IBM keypunch, Series/1, System/32, and IBM 360, and then I came up through the ranks of putting jumpers on pins of attachment cards; thus, I am no stranger to dealing with drivers and devices. It doesn't scare me... I just want don't want to mess with anything anymore. I just want it to work.

If you must run software that is available only for Windows, there are solutions such as Parallels for Mac. I use it to run Visio and FrameMaker.

Any device maker, such as a printer or whatever manufacturer worth their weight in salt, makes a device or driver for Mac OS.

A customer brought in a number of large expensive printers. The Windows users could not get them to do things like color or double-sided, but I had downloaded the driver from the manufacture and got the printers up and running in a matter of minutes. Tech-support came to my desk and asked me how I did it; I said, "I don't know, I'm using a Mac." It took a full two weeks for the corporate IT people to figure out what they did wrong. To be fair, any Windows expert here knows IT simply picked up the wrong driver and/or configured it incorrectly. But that really isn't the point: The point is is that apparently there was enough complexity in the driver configuration that they messed it up.

Many times the support staff from IT has walked by my desk and said wow, I wish they would give me a Mac. (And many IT folk I know have Macs at home.)

At my most recent customer, I was told that senior leaders were asking IT to let them bring their Macs into the office or give them Macs, so they could get more done. And I happened to notice that as I walked by the offices of senior leaders that it was not uncommon to find a Apple logo glowing alongside a Windows machine.

My ex-wife has had for Mac laptops in the last perhaps 5 years. She drops them, runs over them with a car, sometimes throws at them down the stairs -- perhaps you may see why I am now divorced -- but in any case now she has a Samsung laptop and she hates it. She begs me to get her another Mac laptop and I refused. She picked up the Samsung for $500 on eBay and she hates it. <span id="INSERTION_MARKER">You might think that she wants a Mac because that is what she is used to but that really wasn't the case. It turns out that she was on Windows for... I don't know, many years... and when she destroyed her Windows laptop I had a Mac laptop that I gave her and she loved it.

I will close out (almost) by saying that since the early 2000s I have been carrying some form of Mac laptop into the corporate office of my Windows-based customers, and I get more work done than anyone else around me. No, let me change that: I get more tasks done that anyone around me.

And I can't help this item for the people adding to this thread: Mac is neither an acronym nor an initialism. It is an abbreviation --- a shorter form of a longer word -- and is not uppercase.

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mac or pc ???
Aug 30, 2013 5:10PM PDT

LINUX IS THE ANSWER THERE IS NO VIRUS NO WORMS .OR SLOW DOWNS !!! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CHOOSE THE RIGHT LINUX OS FOR THERE ARE MANY !!!

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The long hall
Aug 30, 2013 1:06PM PDT

Personally I'd stick with PC. If you go to mac you're going to have to learn mac os and the way it does things. Plus the programs you have for your PC that will work with Windows 8 won't work with mac os. If all you do is go on the internet and check mail then you might as well just have a tablet, but if you do real work or play games PC is still the way to go. People say there is a learning curve for Windows 8, well you're going to be learning a new OS with mac os and you won't have ANY backwards compatibility. Also think, apple between os 9 and osx made a definite change, didn't even think about the users and backwards compatibility and that all the mac users would have to buy new software. Also with newer versions of their present software people had to buy newer versions. One thing Microsoft is good at is backwards compatibility because they know thats what keeps people around. What is apple going to do with os 11 (whenever that comes out) are the programs you're stuck with when you go to the apple universe going to work or are you going to have to buy all new programs again. Microsoft will move to full Metro but the reason why they haven't so far is because of security, they want to make sure Windows programs will work in Metro. They know backwards compatibility is their bread and butter and if they just said "screw it" they'd loose all their customers.

I think about the long hall, not the short run. People hate Microsoft because its cool to hate them. They don't like Windows 8 because its different, but it does have backwards compatibility and that counts for something. So if you're asking if you should go mac or stick with PC it must mean you do more than just check email and play facebook games. It should be an open and shut case...stick with PC.

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People hate Microsoft because they are inept
Sep 1, 2013 8:24AM PDT

You get rally sick and tired of dealing with them...at least I surely do...as do millions of others.

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And what about my aged Outlook .PST file?
Aug 30, 2013 1:22PM PDT

Ok, so Apple or Windows - who cares.

Mary mentioned that she is using emails but she did not say what application she is using for it, I would assume it is Outlook.

If I would change to an Apple laptop I would like to know that my most valuable Outlook.PST file can be imported into Safari so I can refer back to old emails.

Could someone please explain if this is possible at all so I don't lose my old email trails and contacts or do I need the dual operating systems to install Outlook/Office?

Plenty thanks for all.

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Google .pst to Mac mail convert
Aug 30, 2013 8:17PM PDT

You got me curious and I googled ".pst to Mac mail convert". I got a lot of hits, followed a few links and apparently it's an easy conversion. One of the first links sent me to the Apple discussion forums where many different techniques are discussed.

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Macs are generally better depending on required software
Aug 30, 2013 1:27PM PDT

If your budget allows for the usually higher cost of a Mac and you don't need any Windows-only software Macs are generally very reliable and almost maintenance-free aside from a cleanup every few months, and you might also want to use one of the good free antivirus programs for Mac that are out there such as Sophos or Avira as new forms of malware are being introduced that affect both Mac and Windows although they're still relatively rare on Mac. However I do think Windows has gotten better generally and both Windows 7 AND 8 (if you can get used to 8's tablet interface half and other new quirks) are pretty solid technically generally. And whichever platform you use make sure back up important data!

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I am a PC guy at work - MAC at with Windows
Aug 30, 2013 1:29PM PDT

Great question! I have been a PC guy for years. Have 3 window PC's at home. But I love Mac's.

My wife has an iMac, I have a Mac book Pro and I added windows on it which I almost never use except to update.

I use Office for MAC works great. My college age daughters both use macs, integrates well if you have an iPhone or iPAD.

You cannot go wrong either way. If you buy a windows PC - DO NOT GO CHEAP. Buy a good one.

You will love either one - MACs do work well though.

Good Luck