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getting a mac

A

arty576

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 2, 2008
7
0
hi im new to the computer thing. i mean ive done a few things but not a whole lot. i heard macs were the best computers, is this true? my work recently just got computers (we were doing things by hand!) and they arent macs, theyre icm's or something like that. i wanted to start doing work at home though, so i need a computer to do it and id like the best i can get. does anyone know what the best computer is for me? i will be doing spreadsheets a lot and going on the internet.
thank you!!!
 
You can easily do spreadsheets with a Mac, and surfing the web is pretty much effortless.

A base level macbook would probably be best for you. Since it's a notebook you'll be able to take it anywhere and they're decently durable. If you feel like you want to use Microsoft Office, you'll be able to buy that for Mac OS X as well.

Good luck to you. :)
 
Macs are generally easier to use, more intuitive, more trouble-free, but a little more expensive. You can run all the software an average person is likely to need on either Mac or Windows (what people also call IBM or PC) platforms. You might think of Macs as a Acura or Lexus - clean, efficient, typically trouble-free, a little more expensive than your "average car". PCs are more like your typical American car - cheaper, more prone to trouble, often come with lots of bells and whistles you'll never use, but do the job just fine at a much lower cost. Neither is "the best" (although everyone here is probably partial to macs), but one might be better for YOU.

If you are as new to computers as you sound, and your office uses PCs (Windows), there are some pretty big differences in how they look and work. I'd actually recommend sticking to the same thing so that you get used to it in just one way. It will be less confusing than switching between systems.

Otherwise, for a beginning computer user, Macs are typically easier to get comfortable with.
 
Just don't listen to anyone who says you shouldn't get a Mac because it isn't compatible with files from PCs, those days are long gone, if in doubt ask us here :)
 
If all you want to do is work from home, be realistic and get a nice Dell or HP. The price point is good and you can get it with pre-installed Microsoft office. It's just more realistic and feasible for your need.
 
Macs come in flavours of notebooks, desktops (built in LCD and without) and a workstation desktop. each Mac has Mac OS X installed which is the operating system and come with iLife '08 a multimedia suite.

pretty much every major operating system these days can do word processing, spreadsheets etc. and surf the net. OS X is pretty much needs next to know configuration to get on the net, either plug in a network cable from your modem or join your wireless network.

Macs generally dont hassle you with problems and you can just use it effortlessly as the same company engineers the computer and the operating system.
 
Macs are much better because it is UNIX based. Stable as bedrock. If you want to know how safe it is, think about how many years your house has been standing up.
 
SnowLeopard2008 said:
Macs are much better because it is UNIX based. Stable as bedrock. If you want to know how safe it is, think about how many years your house has been standing up.
Click to expand...

As long as you've upgraded to at least the 10.*.4 release... :p


But seriously, you should be fine with the base iMac. $1200 (less if you can get someone to score you an edu discount) gets you a complete setup that should last you for years. I would recommend against getting a Windows PC, however. Yes, it's cheaper, but dealing with spyware and viri is daunting if you don't know how to protect yourself. You don't have to deal with any of that in OS X.
 
wow! thanks everyone!

i just read thought that apple is recommending mac users to install antivirus software on macs. my cousin showed me this thing where a mac was "hackcracked" he said alot faster than a vista and a linux. also, i he showed me some games he plays on his computer and i might want to join in. he says they require a graphics card. do macs use those?
 
arty576 said:
wow! thanks everyone!

i just read thought that apple is recommending mac users to install antivirus software on macs. my cousin showed me this thing where a mac was "hackcracked" he said alot faster than a vista and a linux. also, i he showed me some games he plays on his computer and i might want to join in. he says they require a graphics card. do macs use those?
Click to expand...

If computers didn't have graphics cards then the screen would have a hard time showing what you're doing...of course it has a graphics card. Any full computer you buy from a store should.

No offense but I guess you have no clue about computers? I mean, the name of these computers are Macs not solely because of the OS they run, but because Apple has incorporated 'Mac' into the model name (iMac, Mac Pro, Mac Mini, etc). Vista and Linux are just operating systems, not actual computer models (so "a Vista and a Linux" is very grammatically incorrect).

And my Mac has always run a lot faster than any PC (running either Windows or Linux) I've used, and it only has 1GB or RAM; it's to do with the structure of the OS itself, that crap about hacking and using cracked software to make it go faster is absolute bullcrap.
 
If spreadsheets and browsing net is all you do, I would recommend a cheap dell with dual 17'' or 20'' monitors over Mac. I do a lot of Excel and VBA at work, and I find having dual monitors very helpful.
 
theMaccer said:
If spreadsheets and browsing net is all you do, I would recommend a cheap dell with dual 17'' or 20'' monitors over Mac. I do a lot of Excel and VBA at work, and I find having dual monitors very helpful.
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yea, if spreadsheets are your thing, you will find a much better experience with Excel on a Windows computer.
 
arty576 said:
can anyone tell me about the graphics?
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if you are just surfing the internet any mac will work. if you want to play games you will need more. The al macbooks will play most games now i can play call of duty 4 and crysis on a 2.4 mb. if you really want to get into gaming i would get a computer with 512 video ram. top end imac, macbook pro, or mac pro.
 
You'll have a much better time using spreadsheets and playing games using Windows. Vista is rock solid now. There's no real need to spend lots of money on a computer when something for less will be able to do what you want it to for even less money.
 
akonradi said:
You'll have a much better time using spreadsheets and playing games using Windows. Vista is rock solid now. There's no real need to spend lots of money on a computer when something for less will be able to do what you want it to for even less money.
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I pay for the gorgeous design of an apple machine. I hate buying a windows computer that has advertising stickers all over it, and comes loaded with a bunch of garbage. ;)
 
jmann4489 said:
I pay for the gorgeous design of an apple machine. I hate buying a windows computer that has advertising stickers all over it, and comes loaded with a bunch of garbage. ;)
Click to expand...

It can take 3 of 4 hours to get rid of all the crap pc makers put on the computers. if you get a pc and you want more than 3 gigs ram get 64 bit os. not a problem with mac.
 
wow where do you work? 2008 and you guys just got computers lol.

anyhow it seems like you are going to do a little gaming as well, it would help if you told us what your budget is like?

but like others have stated with a mac you have the option of running windows so you get the best of both worlds and i think this would be and excellent opportunity for you to learn both systems since you are new to computers.

a high end mac has a great graphics card which will be great for games and just about anything you throw at it.

if you want a laptop then the macbook pro with a 512mb video card is a great option as well.

again these are expensive machines so it would help if you gave us a range on how much you are looking/willing to spend.
 
I don't want to spend too much, about $2000. my cousin is kinda helpin me out. he said if i want to game i shouldn't get a mac because the graphics cards arent the best. id like to get a laptop and he said the best they offer for them is a 9600MGT. also id like a big screen so i can see large spreadsheets without scrolling a lot.
 
If gaming is important to you, then you might do well to heed your cousin's advice. If not, then there's no sense in buying a Windows machine.

If you want more screen real estate, consider getting a macbook pro or an iMac. Both can be had for $2000 or less, and they will be more than enough for your needs.

If you want a laptop, your choices are between the 13" macbook, 15" macbook pro, or the 17" macbook pro (which will most definitely go over your budget at $2800).

If portability really isn't important, the iMac seems ideal. It can also handle some games well, so consider that if you are a casual gamer.
 
Dude, you should no way spend $2,000 on your first computer purchase ever. Please don't do it. If you want a mac get the iMac, http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MB323LL/A?mco=NzMyNjMy

If you want a Windows computer, just get an HP. Doesn't matter the configuration for you.

Really, it's your first computer purchase and there's just a lot to learn, but if you start small, it will make it easier to spend more money later, or save money later!

Please just don't spend $2,000 on the computer if all you're going to do is spreadsheets. Buy an HP and get Office 2007.
 
jmann4489 said:
I hate buying a windows computer that has advertising stickers all over it, and comes loaded with a bunch of garbage. ;)
Click to expand...
Well, I'd imagine that anyone who was buying a computer would probably take the time to remove the stickers to save a few hundred bucks. And macs come loaded with a bunch of crap and trial software, too, fear not. If you want a clean computer, you format it when you get it regardless of brand or OS.

jbrenn said:
It can take 3 of 4 hours to get rid of all the crap pc makers put on the computers. if you get a pc and you want more than 3 gigs ram get 64 bit os. not a problem with mac.
Click to expand...
How is it a problem with Windows? Is pressing the "64 bit" option upon purchase or requesting the free (or what used to be if it isn't anymore) upgrade? I don't really understand what you're getting at...
 
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