thephuse

I was pretty much set on buildin myself a nice pc... but a few of my friends have decided to get a mac for college instead of a pc....

what are the pros and cons of each?... Why am i not supposed to like mac again? ....

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TheDave87

Im pretty much a mac fan myself. Ive used windows for roughly 10 years now, ever since 1994, and have just recently made the switch to mac OS 10.3 (Panther). Macs are less susceptible to viruses, and spyware, and are incredibly compatible with windows, and their servers are even serving active directory environments. Also, the hardware doesnt need upgraded as often as a PC. As ive said in other posts, my 333mhz laptop with 320 mb of ram is running the latest Mac OS, and is running it faster than it ran older versions of Mac OS like 9.2.2. Also, the whole thing with OS X being based on BSD is pretty cool. The Mac might cost a little more up front, but i think that you get more speed and bang for your buck as well as a machine that doesnt need constant upgrading and OS maintenance.

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SecretMethod70

If youre debate is strictly between Windows on the PC or OSX on the Mac, I'd go with the Mac. Better OS, and the hardware is fine with it as well. Just don't plan on playing a *ton* of games (although they're out there)

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Redjake

PC (With Windows)
Pros: Easy to use, you probably already know how to use it. Easy to do more advanced stuff quicker. WAY more bang for your buck than Macs. I mean WAY more. The above person that mentioned that Macs have more bang for your buck is (not to be rude) sorely mistaken. For the price of a good Mac I could build the best PC in the neighborhood. And it would run so much faster. And you can store more information. It's not Apple's fault, it's just that there are more manufacturers for PC parts, so naturally, they are cheaper. Did I mention they were cheaper? Also, depending on your skill with PCs in general, I've found that you can just do stuff FASTER all around in Windows. Copy files, navigate through folders, move files, all that stuff.

Cons: Susceptable to virii and trojan horses and spyware and all that crap. Not sure what the big deal is though. I've never got a virus, trojan horse, or any major spyware/adware issues. Not as big of a deal as people make it out to be. Maybe it's just me. Worth mentioning: Some say PCs aren't as "stable" as Macs. I've found that it's about the same with both.


Macintosh (running Panther or something)
Pros: Easy to use interface than can be learned in weeks (or less). Simple-yet-effective operating system that makes everything streamline and hassle-free. Aesthetically, definitely top notch. Good designs here. Umm...that's about all the pros.

Cons: EXPENSIVE EXPENSIVE EXPENSIVE. I know I sound like Steve Balmer here but I mean damn, these things are expensive. It's because you can't just make a Mac. The only guys that make it is Apple. So they have to charge the dough. If everyone could make Apple parts and whole computers and all that the prices would go down. But right now they are abominably steep. And college students like me don't have that much to spend on a computer. Second issue: These things don't perform as good as an equivalently-priced PC. I don't care what the Mac fanboys say, they just don't perform as well. Why? Because they aren't as fast! Simple as that. Not as much RAM, not as much processing power, not as much hard drive space. Any other question? The biggest con of all: If you are into advanced stuff or "interesting computing" (ask me via PM if you don't know what I'm talking about) or anything like that you are fucked. It's just the complicated stuff that Macs fall short on. The shit I pull with my PC is light years ahead of what I can do with a Mac. If you are into editting movies and running Photoshop and typing papers and surfing the web, get a Mac. If you are going to do things that aren't always legal (but of course not necessarily illegal, mods) then maybe a PC is the better route. I'll explain in detail, like I said, via PM if you want. That's my two cents

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Locobot

If you're going to major in art (graphic arts, design, etc.) or journalism then I'd recommend a Mac. Otherwise you're probably better off going with a PC. If money's not a problem go Mac.

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TheDave87

Redjake, what was the last Mac OS you used? And as far as the price goes, a Mac will outlast any PC you build. Like I said above, my 333mhz laptop runs the newest OS, and it also runs 85% of the newest applications out there. Lets see a 333mhz PC do that. Also, as far as "interesting computing", OS X is based on Unix, so damn near anything the Unix/Linux guys can do, we can do too (kismet, airsnort and the like). And also, if for some reason you do need to run Windows, just get Virtual PC. Overall, the price of a Mac is more, but you'll build 2 new PCs before you need a new Mac

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Lasereth

This is an urban legend that doesn't exist anymore. PC's run graphical editing programs just as well as Macs. They have a wider selection of art/video/graphic arts programs as well.

I've installed Windows XP on a 166 MHz computer with 64 MB of RAM. That's not a valid argument...my 400 MHz K6-2 runs Windows XP Pro as good as my 1.8 GHz Athlon XP. The only thing that those computers won't run is games, and niether will the Mac you mentioned. The only reason you'd build two PC's before you need a new Mac is if you're a gamer...and that's understandable. It doesn't really matter, since PCs are so much cheaper than Macs that building two would still save ya money.

-Lasereth

brandon11983

As an ex Windows user, I feel the need to chip in. I know this has been said countless times, but with as much money Microsoft "makes" on their product, you would think that it would at least be worth a shit. I call it the Mir space station of OS's. Since I've switched to Mac, I've stopped keeping track of all the security flaws, but I wouldn't be at all shocked to hear its over 100.

With OS X, one need not worry about such things. To me, Panther is just a much "smarter" OS. The thing just works. I like that I can move files in use freely without an interruption. I can move a song thats playing in iTunes from my download directory to my MP3's folder with no interruption of playback or wacky Windows "what the hell do I do" message. I will concede that they are slower, but my 1.25G PowerBook G4 runs Photoshop, Final Cut, iTunes, and many other apps simultaneously with no trouble. I've found a decent enough selection of games. They are more expensive, but well worth it in my opinion.

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rubicon

There is another thread on this same topic. My two cents...

If you don't need any PC-specific software, and you have the funds, get a Mac.

Mac hardware outlasts PC hardware - an older Mac will boot and run pretty well. Windows XP on a Pentium III 600 mostly sucks, so there is no argument that old PC hardware runs as well.

I've found OS X to be more intuitive and easy. No messing with drivers - it just works and nicely at that.

You can run UNIX commands without having to install Cygwin or load other software to do the same thing under Windows.

If you don't go Mac, go with Linux. However, it's not as easy to maintain a Linux system compared to Windows or Mac. (No need for comments from the Linux users - installing an app under OS X is as simple as dragging in a single .APP file - no "make install" to mess with).

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Lasereth

What the hell computers are you guys using? My K6-2 400 MHz ran Windows XP as good as my 1.8 GHz Athlon XP. Hell, it ran every program in Windows XP (sans games) just as good as this PC. If you're using a PIII 600 MHz with Windows XP and it's running slow, then something is fucked up. I have XP installed on a 166 MHz PC and it runs fine. Saying that running Windows XP on a 600 MHz PC "mostly sucks" is a biased statement. There's gotta be something wrong with that computer. That POS K6-2 I mentioned has 128 MB of RAM and it's still as fast as my 1.8 GHz with 768 MB of RAM.

-Lasereth

evilbeefchan

Which of the current bunch of "budget priced" desktop pc's would be the best for a graphic design student like myself? As long as it's got at least a 60gb hard-drive, between 512mb-1gb of ram, a nice monitor, and the obligatory cd burner and accessible usb ports for saving projects and assignments, what else would I need?

Off topic: Is there much of a difference in performance between the 1.6ghz and 1.8 ghz 17" imacs?

powerclown

Exactly. Macs are the standard-issue computers in these and other 'creative' work environments. And not much place else.

bendsley

Just what parts exactly, aside from processor/motherboard do you think are really all that different? The parts are the same, memory, hdd, optical drives (aside superdrive), floppy, network, etc..... The thing about apple is that they require a specific processor architecture that isn't x86.

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Pragma

It honestly depends on cost (how much you're willing to spend) and how many new games you want to play. Anything else is negotiable.

he_haha

If you want an annoying computer that will not open 2 programs within one hour then I'd recommend a Mac. Otherwise, go with a PC

I use both Macs and PCs on a daily basis. PC wins hands down. Remember XP isnt the only operating system that can be used on a PC.

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Bossnass

I have recently looked into it and as a student with my limited budget, if I was to buy a new computer tomorrow, it would be a PC system. I can get a pretty decent system while being unable to afford an entry level mac. It fits my needs and budget.

This is why I wanted to chime in. Since my laptop died, my primary computer is a PIII-600 running XP. I initally put XP on it (up from 98) for ease of networking, although I don't see a reason to switch back. The only performance problem I have is a printer spooling delay. I run Firefox, a couple coding developments, most Office applications, etc, without delay. Photoshop takes a few seconds to load, but it also does on a 3.4 ghz machine with a gig of ram. Well, sometimes Maple makes it think for a few seconds, but I think that will happen on any system.

Willravel

This was begging for a Mac/PC war. I appreciate those who didn't let the war get the best of them. The bottom line is what do you want the computer to do?

Do you like gaming? You probably should go with a quick PC. You like graphics, cgi, internet? Go with a Mac. Do you want to do programming? PC. Do you want it to look really good? Mac. Do you want to spend a small amount of money? PC. Do you want to edit or create video or audio? Mac. Do you have plenty of money to throw at it? Toss up. Do you require the most stable OS? Mac. Do you want the most common OS? PC. Do you want a fast computer? PCs and Macs have models that can go faster than most people will ever need. There is no "faster computer". I've seen a modified G5 tower keep up with the best Alienware has to offer.

Commom myths:
Macs don't have any games.
PCs are all cheap.
Macs aren't as fast.
PCs are just for gamers.
Macs are all expensive (see the minimac thread).
You have to chose one side or the other.
Mac will go out of buisness.

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AngelicVampire

The minimac is expensive, once you upgrade it to semi-decent levels it gets really quite expensive.

For general usage a PC or a Mac will both do what you want, for artsy stuff Macs are traditionally better however PCs have all of the same software nowadays and it runs well. Basically it comes down to what you want to do, PCs are generally cheaper especially if you are willing to do a little custom work and build stuff from components. Macs are good machines and are supposedly better looking, personally I dislike the Mac look however its personal preference.

At the end of the day I would say PC for flexibility, you can run windows for games and things like photoshop and switch to a linux or unix distribution for really low level stuff. In additiona upgrading a PC takes a few component swaps, generally upgrading a Mac replaces the computer.

I have XP home running on a 500Mhz PIII and it runs fine, runs photoshop and image editing stuff well. Ok games are not going to run on this machine terribly well if modern however it runs a lot of older stuff and acts for image editing fine. Of course a faster machine would be faster but its pretty irrelavent. A Mac running at 1.25Ghz will be roughly equivalent to what a 2Ghz P4, however you can get much faster...

Basically its a free choice, both are good however I would tend to side with a PC.

mwscircle

Both is awesome I recommend having a PC desktop and a Mac laptop because G5 is just insane in $$ haha

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brandon11983

I always love a good ol' Mac/PC holy war. Mac people will never see the PC viewpoint, and vice versa. I as a Mac user, will never understand why the PC people cling to those antiquated machines. I could care less what a Mac costs in comparision to a PC. I use Mac because they work the way I want, I can move files around faster than what can be done on PC, and any software I would need to use on PC is available on Mac. It just makes sense.

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Coppertop

And I use a PC because I game. It just makes sense.

BoCo

Not only can you build a PC to your specific needs, you can very easily upgrade them without having to buy a brand-new one. You can't just pop open a Mac and toss in a new mobo and CPU and be done with it. Keep in mind that once the initial expense of building the PC is over with, they're extremely easy and cheap to upgrade any individual component to whatever you please. Want a 32x quadruple-layer, blue laser DVD burner or a 128-bit, 5GHz CPU? The day they come out, you can buy one and pop it in in a few minutes. Try that with a Mac!

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Willravel

My Mac (eMac, 1GHz G4, 1Gb RAM) has a custom graphics card (ATI X800, w/ 16 pipelines!!!). It took me more than a few minutes, but my comp can easily handle what the average gamer plays.

You can modify any computer on the market right now. You may only know how to mod a PC, but that doesn't mean it's the only computer to mod. I'm typing on your busted myth.

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BoCo

Double your CPU speed tomorrow morning. Betcha can't! Nor can you overclock your current CPU, switch motherboards, toss in 3 more hard drives, etc. You may be able to mod them, but it's nothing like what you can do to a PC.

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merkerguitars

Yeah but a mac mobo and processor will last way longer than any normal off the shelf pc parts.

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Willravel

Don't need to replace my CPU or overclock it. It's never hit anywhere near it's max. Motherboard switching is unnecessary, it's the best motherboard. I can toss in a hard drive in a matter of minutes. I can<