Are Macs and PCs internally the same?

[2hvy4grvty]

Why in the world would I buy 3 bullets?

Obviously if aforementioned hypothetical situation were played out, I know I'd probably want to shoot other things having bought a gun. However, in a rush of clear thought, I'd settle on buying "just enough" bullets (which in this case is 2) to get the deed done to prevent myself from acts of lunacy.

 

[getz76]

If you are at a college level already and asking questions like this, you are way behind the curve if you want to do anything "professional" in regards to IT. I am not saying it is impossible, but there are 9-year-olds that will run rings around you.

Just trying to give some perspective that you likely have a lot of work to do to become proficient and useful in regards to IT.

 

[Freyqq]

Macs and PCs use the same internal components. The difference is that osx is designed to run and therefore only has drivers for only a small set of motherboard, GPU, and CPU combinations. The argument is that they can spend more time on making those drivers awesome rather than have to support a lot more hardware combinations like in windows, so the end result is less crashes and instability.

However there is one hardware difference between macs and pcs that is almost purely just to mess with you and keep osx only on macs. The motherboard (aka logicboard) has a special chip on it. I can't remember it's function or purpose, only that it is necessary to boot up the computer into osx.

 

[2hvy4grvty]

I know what that chip's called: money.

 

[DWBurke811]

Then how do hackintoshes(however you spell it) work? If you're using a non apple mother board?

 

[2hvy4grvty]

BIOS level settings. 3rd party software.

 

[DWBurke811]

So then the "chip" isn't necessary?

 

[2hvy4grvty]

It use to be. Now you can "build" hackintoshes on a software level.

Haven't done it myself though, but the guides seem easy enough.

 

[Prodo123]

Hey guys, stupid question:

I'm planning on soon trying to get my certifications to become an IT guy at my school, I haven't yet read the Comptia A+ study guide but I ordered it on Amazon, and I have a whole year to read and study before the test. So I have a really nooby question: are macs and PCs similar in hardware? Or are Macs totally different internally than PCs? I understand I'll be reading about a bunch of PC hardware but I'm not sure if any of it would apply to macs as well?

All Macs have the exact same components that go into their Windows counterparts, except for the MacBook Air with its special CPU and the Mac Pro with its separate RAM daughterboard.

That being said, all Windows computers have the same hardware as Macs, since even AMD processors can run Mac OS X through Hackintoshing.

One thing that IS different, however, is the boot software. 99% of PCs use the ancient BIOS to boot up. However, all Macs use UEFI boot.

They're the exact same thing, except PCs lack minimalistic design, best build quality, and a half-bitten Apple on the back.

 

[awer25]

They are pretty much the same inside. Having said that, so are these two and I know which I prefer

Ha nice comparison!

 

[ThirtyThr33]

this is how I must have come off to everyone here as a tech employee:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCHKIdup5Lo&feature=player_embedded#at=225

Lol I promise I'm not as stupid as I sound on MR