Unlike my superficial, trend-obsessed, metrosexual rival, I find that there’s more to a computer than a pretty case. Computers aren’t supposed to be overpriced paperweights as so many Mac users treat them. Don’t believe me? Keep reading.
Let’s be honest: your average college student uses their computer only for word processing, listening to MP3s and checking their Facebook every 15 minutes. Why spend two grand on a computer when you can get all of those things for one-tenth the price with a PC?
PC producers know that there are billions of people on this earth, and each one is unique. If you need a big hard drive, a faster processor, a high-end graphics card, or lots and lots of RAM, there’s a computer out there that’s built to meet your exact specifications. If you can’t find one, you can buy the parts and build one in a few hours. On the other hand, if you like having the same inflexible, out-of-the-box-same-as-everyone-else-computing-machine, buy the Mac.
Think about it: PCs are initially less expensive, they’re easier to code on, they are made for gaming, they sport a ridiculous number of ways to be customized to your exact specifications, the warranties are cheap and when your computer isn’t covered by the warranty, you can fix it without financing the new parts and service by selling an organ. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
I admit that Macs are everything they say they are, but that really doesn’t add up to much, does it? I mean, Paris Hilton is good looking, worth a lot of money and easy to use, but that doesn’t mean you should, because trust me, the viruses will show up one day.
I guess now that I think of it, there is one reason I’d buy a Mac. It would finally get all of those annoying, holier-than-thou Mac fanboys to leave me the hell alone.
Click here to see the Mac response to this article.
Macs don’t get viruses, so your Paris Hilton analogy doesn’t really work. 🙂
Signed,
Mac fanboy.
Yeah, I’ve noticed that most Mac users aren’t very bright and make their purchases based on looks instead of performance. Macs are definitely overpriced.
BTW, the Mac response link is broken. That or it is still being written.
*Linked just got fixed. Thanks for catching that!*
[…] this weeks paper, I obliterated the competition in a Mac vs PC pro/con piece. I feel bad for all of the Mac fanboys out […]
You’re missing the point, Nate. Macs aren’t computers. They are jewelry. Once people get married, the likelihood of buying a Mac goes way down (unless they work in a particular handful of fields). But for the single college student with no social skills, job, or future earning potential, that Christmas present Mac may be just the shiny lure the kid needs to score a date and boost his self-esteem. I commend Apple for making this possible.
LOL Nate… I loved the Paris Hilton line!
However, I agree with you for the most part. I have purchased so many PC’s over the years, and most have worked really well. But I think it all comes down to what you need it for, and what you can afford.
I really want a Mac one of these days so I can get back into video editing and start podcasting, and my PC just can’t handle it. Sure I could buy one that will… but I’d be spending the same if not more money for what a MAC just does out of the box.
My current PC is going pretty strong at the moment, but I really think my next purchase will be a Mac.
if and when I do get one, I promise not be holier-than-thou towards you!
Doc
Hey Connor!
Macs don’t get viruses because no one, comparatively, uses them. Why write a virus if no one’s gonna get it?
Read this again before you reply. And again.
Wait, did you think Macs didn’t get viruses because they were so strong? That’s so cute!
Signed,
Mac fanboy hater
Having had both Macs and PCs I’m not going to lie…this article lacks in research about the REAL difference between PCs and Macs. The fact that the hardware and software are made by the same company means that you their interaction is better and faster.
The newest Mac Operating System freed up an average of 7gb of HD space on Mac computers. The last time I installed a Windows Operating System it used up several gigs of HD space.
You say that PCs are meant to game. They are if you buy a high-end graphics card. You can do the same on a Mac. I have many friends who game on their Macs and do so just fine.
You can indeed put together a PC with a bunch of parts. That style of Frankenstein construction leads to bad reliability and bad interaction between hardware. Would you put together a car with random parts taken from where ever?
You can also upgrade the RAM, HD, and graphics Card on a Mac. Coincidentally you don’t need those products in the “nothing is faster or more expensive than this” models because of the way the hardware and software interacts.
Macs are in the top 2 for reliability and the warranties are not expensive. Unless less than $200 is expensive. Repairs for ANY computer out of warranty are expensive because, if you haven’t noticed, labor rates at computer shops are $65+/hour. I haven’t seen a computer shop with a higher labor rate for Macs.
The software that comes on a PC is a joke. What do you get? Pretty much nothing. A Mac comes with picture and video editing software, a platform to record music and then burn it onto a cd right from your computer, a highly functional calendar and address book, good software for burning/creating DVDs, a built-in program that backs up your entire computer and preferences so that you can create your exact same setup if you need to restore. Last time I checked, a PC comes with either very little or none of this software. Who said a PC was highly customizable? What does that even mean? And how does a Mac not accomplish that?
Talk to graphics designers or video editors and see what kind of computer they run or wish they could run. It won’t be a PC
Lastly, I’ve never had a virus in 6 years of owning Macs and never had to pay for virus software. If you have a PC and aren’t paying for good virus protection you are gambling and will eventually lose.
I’m not anti-PC. I’m sure I will own one in the future. However, if you’re going to write an article about how PCs are better or how Macs aren’t as good as people say…do some research about it.
For the record…I use a mac, but I’m not a Mac Fan Boy!
I have used a PC my whole life and graduated with an information systems degree, so I know a few things about computers. About 6 months ago my boss gave me a new Macbook Pro, I decided I would give it a try. After 6 months of using my Mac I will admit there are things about my Mac I like, but there are things I hate. I like Macs, I like Windows, and I even like things about Linux.
Here is the truth about operating systems:
http://gizmodo.com/5364205/the-truth-part-ii-dear-readers
Is Mac OSX easier than Windows, NO! It is a just different. Some people like the differences and some don’t. Just because you mac fan boys like the differences, don’t go preaching Steve Jobs is a God and macs are angelical machines!
here is some proof that macs are far from perfect machines.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9129978/Researcher_cracks_Mac_in_10_seconds_at_PWN2OWN_wins_5k
http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/05/05/consumer-reports-loves-those-macbooks/
#1 in consumer reports…no big deal
I use both Windows and OS X. I kind of hate them both (though I also like them both). They’re just operating systems. Macs can get viruses. The single biggest threat to security is user stupidity, from which Macs are not immune.
If I were to buy a new desktop I would buy a PC instead of an iMac (I currently have a 24″ iMac).
If I were to buy a new laptop I’d buy a Mac. Maybe. Makes syncing hard when you have two different OSes.
@Kevin
The question is why do people love their mac. I would argue more people love it because it has a shiny apple and makes them feel cool. 90% of mac users don’t use the capabilities that come with a mac. Here is a clip for all you mac fan boys and shows how stupid you sound when you tell everyone how amazing you think macs are.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuVbrm_GqhM
Note: for all those people that think I’m a mac hater, just because I don’t have one. I’m posting this from my Macbook Pro.
@Neil
Talk about lacking in research.
I can build a PC with all the same brands as the Mac for a lot cheaper.
Most of the software you named is available for free on the PC, from iTunes to Windows Media Player.
You speak nonsense.
@Neil
Wow. Your response was like a giant lie wrapped in a fallacy wrapped in brainwashed nonsense. Thank you, it was like reading a fairy-tale. I enjoyed it very much.
I think the reason your argument lost so much credibility with me is that in your first statement you say that the hardware and software are made by the same company. That’s not true. You’re just starting your whole thing off with a lie, so why should I believe the rest?
Apple chooses which hardware goes into their computers, that’s true, but they don’t make it. Intel makes the processors. nVidia makes the GPUs. In many models nVidia also makes the motherboard chipset. Apple has been known to use Fujitsu brand HDs in their computers. I could go on and on. They get all the different parts together and then have some company in Asia put it all together.
Any PC manufacturer, Dell, HP, etc have just as much control over what hardware goes into their computers. PC manufacturers who carefully choose which hardware to put in their computers will have just as high quality interaction between the hardware and Windows as any Mac could.
The reason for this is the drivers for the hardware aren’t written by Apple or by Microsoft. They are written by the hardware manufacturers. The Mac version of the driver for nVidia video cards is written by nVidia. The Windows version of the drivers is written by nVidia. So how does Apple have a benefit here?
If you buy a PC with crappy hardware, you are going to run into problems, that’s true. So you just need to make sure you buy one that has good hardware. I will give all the Mac fanboys a win on that one as Apple does generally do a good job choosing high quality components to install in their computers. They don’t however use anything that a Windows computer couldn’t have in it (for a much lower price I may add).
I won’t bother going on about the rest of your argument. My point is this: before you accuse someone of not having good research, you should do some yourself. Before you argue these points, learn what the ACTUAL differences between Macs and PCs are and not just what Apple leads you to believe through their brainwash inducing commercials.
wow, cant believe how much of a response this got. thats cool.
Sorry…I meant the software and the Operating System. I AM aware the hardware differs from piece to piece within any computer. It was a simple error
“I admit that Macs are everything they say they are, but that really doesn’t add up to much, does it? I mean, Paris Hilton is good looking, worth a lot of money and easy to use, but that doesn’t mean you should, because trust me, the viruses will show up one day.”
OWNED!
Jonathan Adams Wrote: “Wow. Your response was like a giant lie wrapped in a fallacy wrapped in brainwashed nonsense. Thank you, it was like reading a fairy-tale. I enjoyed it very much.”
I think that people that like Mac really do like fairy tales also!
No Mac can match the PC I built. Mac is a state of mind created by some of the best marketers in the world. Mac’s marketing KILLS every other electronics company. Their computers are great, they are just too limited for a power user. I professionally do audio engineering, video editing, graphic design and have a bachelor’s degree in IT. I’ll take a Windows 7 on a PC I can build to the perfect specifications any day over a Mac.
I have Windows 7 on my PC at home, I have Win XP on my desktop and laptop for work. That said…
The biggest selling point for Mac OSX is that it is built on a FreeBSD kernel. I like having the terminal built in that can connect to all of my *nix servers natively. I like that postfix is already installed and I can have my Mac host email without installing Exchange.
IT majors may unanimously agree that Windows (PCs) is the best platform, but I find it ridiculous that they pretend to have infallible arguments.
The reason that there are less viri for Mac OSX is that the kernel is much harder to exploit. I didn’t say exploits are impossible, but basing the operating system on unix was a great move by Apple.
As a computer science major, and someone who has worked in the field, I will tell you that > 50% of the engineers at my company use Macs because they have everything needed to the the job done easily and quickly. That said, they don’t have to worry as much about budget because they work for a venture capital backed company with deep pockets.
There’s also something to be said for the level of QA that can take place on a limited hardware profile. It costs more, but how many of you out there have experience running Linux with bleeding-edge hardware. Sometimes it’s nice to get the bonus of Unix without the headache of hardware compatibility. That’s what Apple does well.
I will give an analogy that works:
Mac is like a German car. You pay more, you have expensive repair bills when things break, but to some people, it’s worth it. I have a friend that spent $10k for an American car, and $10k for performance parts. His car will beat the $80k German car in a race, but it doesn’t have a cup holder that warms/cools his drinks for him. Which car is better? It’s all about preference. I myself am happy with the average Honda/Toyota. They give me good value, and I’m not fussy. If I wanted to upgrade, I’d be more likely to purchase a German car, but since I drive down the freeway in the right-hand lane at 65 MPH, I just don’t feel the compelling need to spend more.