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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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Apple
Aug 30, 2013 9:48PM PDT

I went Mac in February. I was so frustrated with Win 8 and my year and half old computer that could not be updated. So I took the plunge and am glad that I did.
Upgrades are so simple by just downloading and the cost is minimal compared to Window.
A new one is coming out this fall called Maverick. It will probably be $40 and a click to download.
New programs are the same. Much cheaper and one click.
It is a smooth running process. My only disappointment was iPhoto. I loved Windows Photogallery.
But Iphoto is pretty good. Has editing, face recognition etc.
I kept my old computer for a few times of withdrawal. I have been using PC's since 1993.
I am happy for the change. did I mention how sleek everything is?

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Apple or PC, Easy Choice
Aug 30, 2013 10:13PM PDT

I'm a MCSE and I hate Microsoft. The OSX is $20, The Win OS is $149. I can use the same OSX on any of my Macs. Apple says, "You bought it, You own it, put it on all of your Macs." Try that with your per copy/per machine Microsoft OS. My Macs don't use anti-virus. The Apple store says, "We'll sell you one, but you don't need it". The Apple Store is the best! No hassle, no pressure, no problem getting a problem taken care of. Try that with your PC. The Apple Store people are just nice! I bought "After market 720 GB HDD and 8 GB of ram and installed them myself, per Apple instructions. Try that with your Proprietary PC laptop. My Mac is ten times faster than my PC and ten times easier to use and ten time prettier, not to mention, the battery actually holds a charge, and very few pesky OS updates. Apple Up-dates usually run in the background and almost never require a reboot. You fix a PC with a reboot or reinstall! It is misery to find the MAC address on a hand-held PC, Mac, easy, System Preferences/ network / WiFI.
If you still need to own a PC, buy a copy of VMWare Fusion and put it on your Mac. It works as well as any PC.
<span id="INSERTION_MARKER">Also, The Apple Extreme Router is actually "plug and Play" instead of "Plug and Pray" as with most others.
Thanks for listening to my rant. Dave

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pop ups
Aug 30, 2013 11:21PM PDT

To avoid these stop downloading free software and doing the express install. Always do the custom and opt out of the extra stuff they want to add in such as those free toolbars and setting XXXXX as your home page.
I finally broke my sister of that habit and now I don't have to reinstall her OS anymore. Granted the Apples are pretty much immune to such things but that comes at a price. Apples are expensive to buy and to work on if anything should go wrong.
If your PC laptop or desktop ever gets a pop up that says you have a trojan and tells you to scan, DON'T SCAN FROM THE POP UP, IT IS A TRAP. EVEN IF YOU SEE YOUR ANTIVIRUS LOGO IN THE POP UP, IT IS A TRAP.
Close that pop up and make a note not to go to that site again, ever.
If you feel you are in danger of infection run your own virus scan from you own antivirus FROM YOUR PROGRAMS.
The best protection I have found is right here on CNET with the Avast antivirus.
If you see the pop up that windows is shutting down to protect your computer then you need to clean out the junk from your heat sync. Also if you smoke, don't smoke around you computers. It makes it really hard to clean them. E cigarettes are great for computers if you do smoke.

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Pantyhose
Aug 30, 2013 11:23PM PDT

I've said this before. When I retired from a university computer support position, I gave up many nuisances. I gave up pantyhose. I gave up supporting both macs and PCs.

And as soon as my desktop PC at home showed signs of age, I bought a Macbook Pro. At first I used it running Windows in VM. There were a few programs I needed that weren't on the mac. But these went to cloud versions, and run just fine on the mac, so I reclaimed the space a few years ago. My machine has never, in six years, needed any repair except when there was that unfortunate coffee spill on the keyboard...

Although I'm still comfortable helping people at their homes fix both their PCs and Macs (turn it off. Turn off the router. Go have a cup of coffee. Come back. Turn on the router. Turn on the PC. Voila!) I find that those with Macs need attention to their COMPUTERS far less than those with PCs. They are less paranoid about having viruses invade. Their machines run faster because they're not ensnared in half a dozen different "protection" devices. They just don't need much attention, and when they do, there is a good support network.

In short, Macs are less hassle. Unless you are in the business world and need them, forget PCs.

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Something bothers me...
Aug 31, 2013 12:47AM PDT

Hi, Mary, there is a paragraph in your question that bothers me:

"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."

What I would like to know is, have you tried doing anything about all of those errors and pop-ups? Do you know what is causing them? Why they pop-up? What programs are going wrong?
If the errors and pop-ups are the only reasons you think you need a new laptop, would getting rid of them make your current laptop useful to you again? Could any of us help? There are some very talented people on these fora, maybe some of us could fix your old machine?
I would really like to know more about your current machine, or machines, before I could give you any sage advice (and my advice is *always* very sage) about what you need as a new one. Is your current machine running WinXP? Or Win7? Or W8? What programs do you normally run on it? What do you use it for? You have told us you use a web browser to visit CNet fora to read the questions and answers, but what else do you need the new machine for?
Why am I asking all these questions?
Well, if you only ever do FaceTwit, a little browsing and web-mail from Gmail you might get by with a very cheap Chromebook. These can be very light, quite cheap and very easy to use and they turn on almost instantly but they *must* have an Internet connection to do any real work.
If you do a lot of programming or typing of any kind, I would recommend a laptop with its own keyboard, but if you type very rarely a tablet might do.
If you watch a lot of DVD's you'll want one with either an optical drive or a very large hard drive to store your videos on, and you'll need a good battery life.
If you read a lot of books on your machine, again a tablet might be all you need.
If you do office work at home or while travelling you may need both a keyboard and good battery life and also an Office Suite like Microsoft Office.
I have three portable machines: a Win7 notebook that I use while watching TV (I use that one to look up character lists in IMDB and other stuff like that), a WinXP laptop that I haven't used for months and a Mac Powerbook that I use to visit websites that need a larger screen like Astronomy Picture of the Day < http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html > and other sites. I needed all three at different times to learn their operating systems but I mainly work on my Windows 7 desktop machine.
If I were asking for help in deciding which type of machine, and which machine, to buy I would expect the guy helping me to first ask the most important questions: what do you want to do on your new box and how much do you want to spend?
Before we know those parameters any advice we give is actually pretty much useless.
For example, even if someone tells you to go for "a Mac" you'll need to decide *which* *Mac*, there are quite a few variations on MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. For other PC's there are dozens of makers with scores of models and at least a dozen operating systems including three or more varieties of Windows (though WinXP won't be supported after April, 2014) and quite a few varieties of Unix.
To give you proper advice, we would need to know what you need a laptop for, what you want to run on it, waht you want to spend on it and why your current machine is "broken".
All that said, you could start with http://store.apple.com/us/mac/compare to have a look at the Apple machines available. And http://reviews.cnet.com/best-laptops/ as a starting point for other laptop makers.
I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful,

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Please listen - I plead
Aug 31, 2013 12:50AM PDT

I'm not an ego driven geek yet I was a programmer for Department of Public Safety in MO. I've had to use Microsoft OS for years since that's what everything runs on. I lived with the good and the bad. Meanwhile five years ago I put one little toe in the Apple world. My IPhone 3GS was solid and after paying $300 for it five years ago I got back $180 in trade-in when I upgraded to the IPhone 5 this past October. Eighteen months earlier I'd picked up an IPad 2 that I was equally happy with.

After getting my IPhone 5, I also decided it was time to try out the "better than ever" Windows 8. Please keep in mind I'm a quality buyer so of course I got a loaded to the gills Lenovo in late November. My wife watched me spend hours of mind splitting grief on my lovely new machine with the OS from hell. That's when I returned my latest Lenovo pride and joy and bought my first MacBook Pro - my rather expensive Christmas present. Within an hour I was doing things with the greatest of ease. A month later I felt so guilty over "me" having an easy to use machine, I got a Mac Air for my wife. I owed her, especially after 30 years of putting up with me. My wife is anything but a geek yet I watch her get around on it with "real" ease. Of course while I was stupid I went ahead and picked up the Apple TV and even the Apple Airport Express. A total of $4,600 isn't chump change yet it's actually worth every single dime. I did go ahead and buy the extended warranty for peace of mind a few months ago. I'm not wasteful of our financial resources. In fact quite the opposite.

Apple isn't cheap up front but once you've got it paid for, it's actually cheaper to own. No more worrying about cooties/viruses. No more insane problems with updates and incompatibilities. I've found my switch into Apple land the easiest experience of my life. Meanwhile it's just plain fun. If you're concerned about safety on line, please read about the ease in setting up the 128 encryption. Read the reviews and then breath easy at night. If you're looking for easy to use and simply over the top quality in both machine and tech support after the sale - nobody does it better than Apple. I'm not a fanatic, just a darn contented notebook owner who's learned the hard way, computers are supposed to work for us. Not the other way around. Best of luck and please let me know how you do.

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Windows 8
Sep 1, 2013 3:12PM PDT

You're not the first person I've seen broken by Windows 8. In fact I think Win 8 is responsible for creating more Mac users than Vista, and that's saying a lot! Vista and Windows 8 have been priceless PR for Apple.

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Thank you
Sep 1, 2013 11:18PM PDT

Now could you explain how I'd earn two "down" thumbs?

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Anti-Apple trolls
Sep 2, 2013 10:40PM PDT

Don't take it personally. If you read through the whole discussion you'll see that any remotely pro-Mac posts have gotten down thumbs. Discussions along the lines of Mac vs PC or Android vs iOS bring out the Apple haters in droves. You'll even find them trolling in the comments sections following reviews of Apple equipment even though they have no reason to be there.

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Also anti-Microsoft and anti-Linux trolls
Sep 3, 2013 12:22AM PDT

Any discussion of operating systems and computer types brings out trolls who favor or oppose particular sides. A lot of people seem to have an intense need to believe that what they like is the best. It's all rather silly since often their arguments are based on beliefs, rumors and myths rather than facts.

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Happy with Apple :-)
Aug 31, 2013 12:56AM PDT

I just replaced my old windows PC with a new Apple and would highly recommend it, especially since you have other Apple products. iCloud is an organized persons very best friend and so easy to use. Go Apple - I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I haven't had one moment's regret leaving Windows behind.

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Best bang for the buck
Aug 31, 2013 1:19AM PDT

Given that you already use Apple products, it would make sense to go with a laptop that will be more in sync (pardon the pun), with them. It's not to say Windows boxes cannot work with them. But if you had a BMW would you use BMW parts or aftermarkets?

Sure Macbooks are more expensive. But think about what you are getting. Without hacking, NO PC can run Mac OS, without hacking a Macbook CAN run Windows. Your getting two computers in one. People can say PCs outsell Mac by a huge margin. Sure they do. Windows is still the most used OS. But it doesn't make them better. Just like Android compared to iOS. There are much, much more Android phones out there, but only one iPhone. Yet with the many Androids, they don't sell that much more than one type of iPhone. If you were to take ONE Android phone, you would see the easy comparison. The iPhone outsells any ONE Android phone. But we are talking about laptops. In an age where desktop and laptop computers are slowly being replaced by tablets, and even smartphones, it becomes a matter of what you are looking for. The PC laptops that are comparable to a Macbook, are almost the same price. Taking that into account, apart from hardware, what else are you getting? Not much. Where for the extra couple of hundred bucks, with a Macbook, you get the peace of mind, that virii is still far less on Mac than a PC. You can run Mac AND PC software on a Macbook. They are a lot more user friendly. They look nicer (just threw that in there, but they do, lol). And they have longevity. Most PC users end up upgrading their hardware every 2-3 years. Many Mac users are still using their 5 year old systems with no issues.

PC's are cheaper. But like they say, you get what you pay for. Personally, I don't think of computers as a luxury item. I think of them as an investment. If you spend a little more, you got a lot more in return.

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A Nod Toward PC
Aug 31, 2013 2:37AM PDT

In our household, we have and use extensively:
1 desktop PC with Win 8,
1 large portable PC with Win 8,
1 small notebook PC with Win 8,
1 large portable PC with Win 7,
1 desktop iMac with OS X 10.8.4
1 notebook iPro with OS X 10.7 ? (I don't have the version handy).
3 iPhones
1 Samsung phone
1 iPad

All machines are used extensively. Both desktops are used professionally and the two PC notebooks are used to carry on our business during travel, with backup support from the iPhones and iPads.

The main use to which we have put these machines professionally are:
picture editing
video editing
e-mail
website maintenance
wordprocessing
bookkeeping
social-networking

We do not use the machines for gaming of any kind. (Nor are our children allowed to do so.)
In almost every category, the PC beats the Mac.

As far as image editing is concerned, the quality of what is produced is comparable between platforms, but the means of achieving it is more difficult on the Mac. The reason is that the software on the Mac is just not as intuitive as it is on the PC. Now, I am not saying that you can't do the same things, but I am saying that it takes longer to find out how. An important sub-element of this is the ability to maintain a database of your pictures and videos. This is a hideous process on the Mac, wherein one can create a compost heap of old, no longer wanted first images, without the slightest idea of their presence, their location, or how to get rid of them. Some advanced Mac users can clean their databases; many, can't. Even Apple support is clueless about most problems.

Which brings me to Apple support. These people are some of the friendliest, most helpful customer service agents I have ever met. They actually live in the States and speak English -- for the most part. They are patient and caring. But out of the half-dozen problems I have needed their assistance with, only once did they provide a solution. Ultimately, it ended up in the other cases with myself finding the solution or workaround and providing it to Apple.

Now MS support is not bad either nor is it perfect. Their agents are out-sourced, but communicate clearly, carefully and without the impatience and haughty tone one usually experiences when speaking to non-Americans. And hey have been in general more helpful. Over the years, I have needed to get MS help about ten times. Only twice did they fail to provide a solution, and I had to discover the solution in the end. That's a lot better batting average than Apple.

Moreover, my problems with Apple were not in the esoteric domain. They were mainly everyday issues brought up by my wife (who is the primary Mac user): questions related to screen images, grabbing stills, transitions, etc. The PC problems were definitely esoteric.

Both operating systems experienced complete User database corruption, in which the solution was to create a new user and bring over the user files (docs, images, etc) from the now corrupt user.

E-mail and social networking were equally easy on both platforms.

Integration with iPhones and computers were equally smooth on both platforms. Contacts and appointments flow both directions without problems -- kudoes to both companies. By the way, don't try to play that game with Galaxies: (Google will not directly integrate with Outlook, for example, and has no intention to so so.)

Home networking works with both platforms, but get Apple involved from the start if you are trying to get Mac and PC to talk to one another. This is the area they were helpful in. Somewhat.

Bookkeeping. I use Quicken. As of last year, the Quicken product for Apple was rotten. I helped install it for some clients and vowed to never even try it on our family's machine. Perhaps they have improved their product.

Communication between the Mac and peripherals varied. It took us a year to get it so that the Mac could readily switch between single-side and double-sided printing on either our Canon laser or HP inkjet. The interface is persistently confusing, even now, with options virtually hidden -- Apple support was never helpful there and I had to find all the solutions. Apple even told me the problem was unresolvable until I came up with a solution, which I now believe is part of their script.

As for mice and mousepads, all members of the household were taken by the little mousepad that Apple supplies but quickly abandoned it and returned to the two button mouse I set up. Mac navigation, as envisioned by Apple, sucks -- fortunately most of the problems are easily remedied. Some, however, are not. For example: the hidden query. Mac applications can and do lockup. And I mean really lockup. On a PC, virtually all lockups can be resolved by Ctrl-Alt-Del. There is no real equivalent on the Mac; and the reason is that there are things that happen in the background which don't appear on the screen. On a PC, the situation might resolve a hidden "save to" query that can be found using Alt-Tab (or whatever your choice of flavor); on the Mac you don't know what is locking up iPhoto (for example), you only know it won't close and it can't even be closed using the "Force Quit" option (that is NOT friendly).

Internet usage. The PC just seems faster to me, but that may be because of how my wife uses her Mac: She will have a dozen tabs open, all being constantly refreshed. However, neither Firefox nor Safari have the universality of IE. Don't get me wrong: there are websites that don't work in IE. However, more websites behave better in IE than in either Firefox or Safari. Firefox, though, runs a close second. Safari is definitely third. Stay away from the Google browser or you will find you can't maintain a website or access your bank or ... ? If you get a Mac, use both Firefox and Safari and one will almost certainly work where the other one won't. This is essential if you are using a third-party blogging site.

General misbehavior: the PC has behaved better for us than the Mac, with fewer lockups and error messages, and those error messages we get on the PC are always more easily resolved. I admit that may be because of how I maintain both machines; but nonetheless that is what we have experienced.


We don't have a good Mac netbook, so using the PC for travel is always our choice, but not a reflection on the qualities of the current MacBooks. My guess is that what we experienced on the desktops is what we would experience on the portables.

Now, after all of this, yes, I lean toward a PC, but for most simple usage issues, I doubt you would go wrong with a MacBook. I think the learning curve on the PC would be easier, but the Apple people will give you good help (with a service contract). I think you will feel more powerful using a PC because it is easier to move into larger problem solving issues with the PC (how to put something into slow motion for 20 seconds of frames, for example) and it will definitely be cheaper. MS gives great free products with their systems for image handling.

Good luck,
Michael

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It all depends....
Aug 31, 2013 2:56AM PDT

PC's are cheap, Mac's are more expensive. PC's are harder to maintain, Mac's are easier. It is more difficult to sync content from iPad, iPhone, iPod to and from a PC, it's easier from a Mac. You can achieve all your stated goals on either platform.

It sounds like you're frustrated with your PC, so if you can afford the cost of a Mac, buy one and see how it goes. All the popular apps are available for both platforms. Mac's come with very good Photo and Video editing applications built right in.

In the end, it depends on what you can afford and what is more important to you.

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"I have a dream...."
Aug 31, 2013 3:10AM PDT

With apologies to Martin Luther King, I look forward to the day that the only criteria for selection will be the keyboard feel, the density of the screen/monitor, and reliability, etc. Your choice of OS will be the stuff of which you can talk about with your grandchildren, as their eyes glaze over.

That day will be when all applications and key computer functions are in the cloud with web entrepreneurs luring you with ease of use, security, and availability.

What you got in your home machines will be almost irrelevant -- some cache memory and temporary storage, maybe. We will be back to a day when that old term, dumb terminal, will have a beneficial meaning.

My comments are all future tense, but a totally cloud-based, fully-functional computer environment is technologically feasible today. Apple has always been aces at taking conventional technology and marrying it up with slick look and feel. So it is well within their capability.

So, why aren't they doing it???? Because they lose control of a very profitable business, as do their competitors. Users would have the capability to move freely from one application vendor to another.

Worried about speed? Well, if you don't have fiber in your neighborhood already, you soon will.

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And if you lose the internet?
Aug 31, 2013 6:33AM PDT

It might be for ten seconds; it might be for ten hours -- but if your computer is in the clouds, you've got nothing until the connection is back.

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Thoughts on losing the internet
Aug 31, 2013 7:17AM PDT

1. In today's non cloud environment, we can lose the computer. In the cloud environment, we won't lose our work. The "dumb terminals" I describe will cost a trivial amount. So having a back up will be no big deal. But having a backup full size personal computer won't be easy to justify.

2. But you said what about losing the internet? Chances are that's unlikely to be caused by a satellite failure. Satellites have internal backups. In a future I describe there will be a high dependency on the reliability of the signal. Redundant capabilities from other satellites will be routine. As far as signals coming from other sources are concerned, it's a rarity. There again redundancy which already exists on the 'net has been very effective.

3. But even though cloud computing will force providers to make their services more reliable, a failure can happen. That may be offset by some of the other benefits from the cloud, like properly installed and maintained applications and the improbability of malware.

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Do both.....
Aug 31, 2013 3:48AM PDT

Buy, a Mac, (either desktop, or laptop form factor) and use Boot camp to install Windows to a separate partition.

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Can you use both simultaneously?
Sep 2, 2013 11:50AM PDT

I have had this question for some time.

Can you work in Windows and Mountain Lion simultaneously? If other words, can you be editing a document in Windows, tap a key, open iPhoto in Mountain Lion, click on a photo to copy it, tap a key, switch back to the doc in Windows, and paste the image in the document?

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Depends
Sep 3, 2013 5:27AM PDT

If you're using Bootcamp, no. But if you're using Parallels (or other VM software) copying and pasting between Windows and OS X is effortless. Windows acts just like any other Mac application.

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PC or Apple MAC
Aug 31, 2013 3:55AM PDT

I would be inclined to go with a PC running Linux Mint 14 (Nadia) or Linux Mint 15 (Olivia) and is immune to viruses but doesn't have Itunes I suppose you could install WINE and have Itunes and Qtime installed and just the way you want it and it does take themes should be possible to install the Apple theme easily.

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Do you genuinely _need_ a new computer ...OR................
Aug 31, 2013 4:19AM PDT

Does the computer you have simply need to be cleaned up or have a clean OS re-install??? You don't mention how old your existing computer is, what version of Windows that it has installed or how you take care of it (I.E.: Running Check Disk, Defragging, running anti-virus and other anti-malware and utilities, etc.). You only mention that it has these bothersome errors and that you are pretty good at circumventing most problems but are evidently not succeeding with with the mentioned errors in particular.

So, when was the last time you gave your computer a good down and dirty cleaning??? If you've done that within the past week, exactly what were the results? Did it do anything at all to correct things for you? For how long?

If you've done the cleaning routine first by running CCleaner then Anti-virus/malware progs, then Check Disk, and then finally Defragging and that has done absolutely no good. Then right after doing that you should back up all your files to external hard drive or other removable media, then burn any downloaded exe files that you will need to that removable media, shred the ones left on the computer hard drive with a good file shredder and then do a fresh and clean OS Reinstall. Obviously, you will need all of your OS disks and other program disks.

If after the OS Reinstall you still have problems, THAT is the time to think about replacement of the computer. After all, why spend money if you don't have to .... right???

If you've already done the above dog and pony show and you've decided that you do in deed need a new computer, think about this: Since there is a certain learning curve to the latest Windows incarnation and moving from Windows to another OS requires a certain learning curve as well, the first thing you need to think about is how you will be using the new computer and OS. For the things that you have mentioned, the cheapest way out is to first make sure that your existing hardware is good. Then try live cds of various distros of Linux. You can do this without at all bothering the native OS that is installed on a hard drive. Simply download the ISO's of your chosen distros and burn it to a CD by using ISO burning software such as Nero or ISO Recorder (I use ISO Recorder, myself with good results), for instance.To learn more about Linux just do a search for it. I'm sure that by now, if you've already heard of Linux at all you already know that it is FREE! All you need is the hardware to run it on.

I hope that this gives you a viable alternative line of thought to consider.

Good Luck in your persuit! Happy

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I would recommend windows
Aug 31, 2013 4:22AM PDT

If you want it to perform better, don't buy the cheapest one you can find. That is a lot of the rumored problems with Windows, people compare a $200 windows computer to the $2000 mac and say we'll obviously the mac is better. I would recommend something in the middle, definitely under $800, so still way less than the Mac. The cheapest windows computers are still pretty good though usually. Someone mentioned that ms word is available for Mac, they failed to mention that you have to buy another version of ms office for Mac, and it's not cheap.

I don't like any of apples locked down and outdated products to begin with, but the prices are just outrageous.

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Apple is like a BMW vs PC like a VW bug....
Aug 31, 2013 5:42AM PDT

I had worked on both systems through the years. I used apple when I designed ads for a newspaper. I used to like PC back when you could still use basic t o fix your own glitches. When my Dell froze up 8 years ago,my son convinced me I needed an apple. Finally got used to it. Then I bought a cheap little net book just for surfing. It seems so slow and I am constantly rebooting plus constant updates slow the surfing. If you can manage it, use an iPad for surfing and a laptop, either Mac or PC for other stuff. Between my husband and I we have 2 PCs, 2 MacBooks, 1 iPad, 1time capsule and 2 iPhones.

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BMW vs VW
Sep 1, 2013 7:51AM PDT

To clarify, BMW is zippy as the VW bugs have no zip. Hard to make all your points on an iPad with no keyboard, slow. Just shows that every machine has its own function.

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The ultimate (?) checklist ...
Aug 31, 2013 6:43AM PDT

Is it just Mac or Windows? Is it not always Linux and now tablet platforms (I know, Android is Linux based, but there is a difference in how you use them and that's what this post is about.

One problem that's sending Steve Ballmer into retirement is that more and more people that would typically have to struggle with a computer of one sort or another find that their needs are nicely catered for by a tablet, thank you. For all of those people the PC or MAC would be overkill and more complex than they care for. But you obviously don't fall into that category.

Now, given that you would be best served with a computer without touchscreen, but with a regular screen, keyboard and mouse, here are your main considerations, and I try to give them without prejudice.

1) your familiarity with a platform.

2) your friends' familiarity with a platform when you need help.

3) your ability and willingness to spend time and experience frustration learning a new and unfamiliar platform

4) the flexibility you require in add-on hardware

5) the choice of software offerings for the application areas you are interested in.

6) your willingness to deal with a huge choice of suppliers - or essentially just one.

7) whether you can benefit from open source software or not.

Cool whether you could see the computer being (or becoming) your hobby or if it just needs to do what you expect without attracting more attention than necessary.

I suspect that by and large you can guess which possible answers would direct you towards Apple, Windows or Linux computers. I specifically left out all possible arguments for or against any big company that might be perceived as "good" or "bad" by some people or other - because I don't think it would make you a more successful or happier user if you made your choices based on that rather than the points I enumerated.

But let's face one fact of life: If and when you move away from what's familiar (in your case Windows) towards something new and unfamiliar (in your case potentially the MAC's OS/X, in some other cases maybe Linux) - you will go through a learning curve and you will end up cursing yourself for the self-inflicted pain.

There are other experiences in life that are similar - consider switching your car from left hand drive to right hand drive (or the other way around, depending on what you are used to.) The fact that the gear lever and the mirrors are all in the wrong place will bug you more than which side of the road the traffic is on, trust me!

This once, maybe you want to buy your new and all-different computer and NOT get rid of the old one. You may find it less of a challenge if occasionally you can quickly do something the way you are used to. And if you find in a month's time that you hate the way the MAC software works, I am sure you can get a decent trade-in value ...

Don't get me wrong - I am not predicting you will be back, but in my experience it is hard to drop what you are good at for something that makes you a beginner all over again. So, be prepared and brace yourself.

Good luck!

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You forgot a biggie
Sep 2, 2013 12:51PM PDT

Do you need to bring documents home from your work? If so, what do you use at work? If you work requires you to link-in through a VPN, the VPN software may only run on a certain platform.

I have worked in the computer industry for 45 years -- the last 15 as a consultant for a large Multi-national tech firm. These are real issues too and can be deal breakers.

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Tough Decision - Let Your Wallet Guide You
Aug 31, 2013 8:04AM PDT

With the bottomless supply of opinions it is hard to sift through the noise and find anything of value.

If money is no object, avoid buying something cheap or you will ultimately have a cheap experience. Whether you go with a PC or a Mac, you get what you pay for. If you think a $299 crackerbox will be a rewarding experience that lasts for several years, you will have a rude awakening.

If you have your heart set on something specific and money is no object, buy whatever your heart tells you to buy and you'll be happy. Do not let anyone else's opinions influence you because you will end up regretting not doing what you ultimately wanted to do down deep inside.

There is no advantage to owning a PC or a Mac for the purposes you have outlined. Both will perform those functions absolutely flawlessly. If you are an ordinary user that is incapable of doing your own repairs, a PC makes a lot more sense. Beware of lies that expensive products don't have problems, or delusional claims by fanboys. Expensive problems do, in fact, have problems. Don't waste money on an extended warranty for a cheap product. But DO go for the extended warranty and accidental damage coverage on an expensive product that you can't afford to replace due to a product failure, user error or accident. If accidental damage coverage is not offered on an expensive product you have you eyes on, choose something else.

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Dear Mary,
Aug 31, 2013 8:18AM PDT

I think you have your answer in the third paragraph after your question.

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Help me decide: PC or Apple laptop
Aug 31, 2013 9:47AM PDT

Hi Mary - it seems you have decided (from the tone of your message) that your collective family may do better with a mac. Since you've never experienced a full-fledged MAC machine, i suspect you will be somewhat pleasantly surprised that your present coterie of devices will easily 'talk to each-other' as others in this forum have related.
I expect all the 'reports' expressed in this forum over this last week (pro & con) are more-or-less valid and reflect the relative computer experience and sophistication of the authors.
Just to make your decision harder, though, it may turn out that all the foibles, failures, and fantasies described here may well be yours, in the weeks and years to come, no matter what machine you choose.

As the world becomes more and more connected (and electronic), computer hardware and computer software (including viruses and other maladies) will become more and more sophisticated and complicated, which generally leads to more anxiety on the part of the end user. The rise and fall of usability vs. 'bells & whistles' will continue to confound us for many years to come, as marketers seek to sell us stuff we don't need - this just serves their sales targets, not our 'use targets'.
For instance, the PC I use now is 10 times faster and more capable than the machine i built for myself and used only 2 years ago - typically, i might use its advanced capabilities less than 1 minute a day!

Finally --- from my assessment, the only part of your requirement list that might affect your choice of machine is your affinity for a particular brand of software that may be available only on PC vs. MAC. Since you didn't include a "COST" criteria, I'd have to vote for the MAC (price irrelevant) since it may more easily communicate with your other devices (if that is, indeed, useful) and thus maintain a 'pure' APPLE ecosystem in your home --- which may keep your support costs (and headaches) lower.

happy computing!

disclaimer: I bought my first PC (Toshiba Laptop) in 1988, but used my first MAC in 1989 and have never, ever, been on FaceBook.