I have been researching but cannot see even slightly similar prices between hardware of the top end imac (ram from owc) vs same specced PCs. Am I right to think there is about a $1900-$2000 extra paying for the imac vs the same specced pc. Yes I take into account you get a $1000aprox screen with the Imac but it still doesn´t weigh up. Any ideas?
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Help me choose, pc or mac
- Thread starter josheeee
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Short-term vs Long-term
If you look at buying a computer only as a short-term accountant would, then yes, buying a PC is a better deal. However, if you look at in terms of reliability, longevity, usability, and functionality then, in my opinion, the pc doesn't even compare. The mac wins every time.
Personally, I bought a very high end pc laptop several years ago, and used it a normal amount. After 14 months (2 months after the warranty expired) it completely died. Every pc I have ever bought has been slow right out of the box (even ones that cost $2000+) compared to my mac. The pcs have required countless updates, and caused huge hassles for my day-to-day life.
My mac on the other hand performs flawlessly, updates rarely and quickly. And most importantly, just works. I know it is cliche to say, but it's true. Also, this is all coming from a guy who made fun of mac users just a few years back.
But you need to consider why you are getting a new computer. If this is for gaming, I would go with a pc, since right now it has many more games (although, I use bootcamp on my mac, so I also can run windows 7 for gaming and using Catia). BTW, bootcamp'ed windows runs better on my mac than it ever did on any of my pcs.
Yes, the mac is most likely going to be more expensive, but for me, it has payed off. My mac has already outlasted every single pc I've ever owned. It is a much better deal if you are the kind of person who will own it for years, and years, before replacing it. At least, for me it is.
If you look at buying a computer only as a short-term accountant would, then yes, buying a PC is a better deal. However, if you look at in terms of reliability, longevity, usability, and functionality then, in my opinion, the pc doesn't even compare. The mac wins every time.
Personally, I bought a very high end pc laptop several years ago, and used it a normal amount. After 14 months (2 months after the warranty expired) it completely died. Every pc I have ever bought has been slow right out of the box (even ones that cost $2000+) compared to my mac. The pcs have required countless updates, and caused huge hassles for my day-to-day life.
My mac on the other hand performs flawlessly, updates rarely and quickly. And most importantly, just works. I know it is cliche to say, but it's true. Also, this is all coming from a guy who made fun of mac users just a few years back.
But you need to consider why you are getting a new computer. If this is for gaming, I would go with a pc, since right now it has many more games (although, I use bootcamp on my mac, so I also can run windows 7 for gaming and using Catia). BTW, bootcamp'ed windows runs better on my mac than it ever did on any of my pcs.
Yes, the mac is most likely going to be more expensive, but for me, it has payed off. My mac has already outlasted every single pc I've ever owned. It is a much better deal if you are the kind of person who will own it for years, and years, before replacing it. At least, for me it is.
You are asking this on a Mac forum... what do you expect? 
BTW, I've been a PC user for many years (from 1995 to 2010) and I even used high-end ones with both Windows and Linux, but really, I can afirm absolutely that Macs are worth for what you pay. Are they expensive?, YES, they're but well... you get a computer that lasts like a champion and -as knuckelz said- just works. If you want headaches, many updates per month that slow down your computer progressively and this kind of ****** stuff, then buy a PC. If you like a robust computer, awesome design, and stable OS, then buy a Mac. That's all I can say.
Im very proud of being a Mac user now and I ****ing LOVE Mac OS X, but despite that I hate the Apple policy, take for granted that I won't return to a PC with Windows, even if that PC is infinitely better in hardware than my Mac.
Cheers,
Daniel.
BTW, I've been a PC user for many years (from 1995 to 2010) and I even used high-end ones with both Windows and Linux, but really, I can afirm absolutely that Macs are worth for what you pay. Are they expensive?, YES, they're but well... you get a computer that lasts like a champion and -as knuckelz said- just works. If you want headaches, many updates per month that slow down your computer progressively and this kind of ****** stuff, then buy a PC. If you like a robust computer, awesome design, and stable OS, then buy a Mac. That's all I can say.
Im very proud of being a Mac user now and I ****ing LOVE Mac OS X, but despite that I hate the Apple policy, take for granted that I won't return to a PC with Windows, even if that PC is infinitely better in hardware than my Mac.
Cheers,
Daniel.
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Yes, PCs are cheaper and most of the world uses Windows. Personally, I have nothing against PCs per se, and have had some quite good ones (Olivetti, Toshiba Satellite Pro and Sony Vaio).
I'm one of those who came to Mac as a result of owning an iPod. I loved the form factor, the style, and the ease of use of iTunes (especially when compared to the torture of using the extremely complicated system of burning CDs on Windows). Above all, I was very impressed by Apple's customer care; two of my early iPods expired while still under warranty - some of the classics had battery "issues" - and Apple replaced them without a problem. There was another reason, besides form factor, style, well built machine, good customer service, etc why I finally decided to switch and it was this: On an Apple system there is very little spam, malware etc (which I found an absolute nightmare on Windows, despite having purchased - not downloaded - the most robust anti-virus software I could find), and there are no viruses. To my way of thinking, this really does make a difference to the actual physical experience of using a computer daily.
So, for your money, with a Mac, you get a better machine (OS is better than Windows), more aesthetically pleasing computer, excellent screen, faster response times, integrated system where it "just works", uncomplicated systems, good customer care, no viruses. I'd imagine that you will three to four years easily from a Mac; Applecare (which I always get) gives three years cover, which extends the one year warranty by two further years.
Of course, the downside is you do pay more than you would for a Windows machine; however, you are buying a better machine. Myself, I see it in terms of an investment. I work at my desk and I prefer my work tools to be the best I can offer myself, and I much prefer Mac to the Windows world (and since I switched, I have worked in environments where Windows was the norm, and so found myself using both OS and Windows). Office for Mac solves the question of working with Word (which my entire work world uses), and Bootcamp allows those who need to use Windows on a Mac to do so.
Good luck
Cheers
I'm one of those who came to Mac as a result of owning an iPod. I loved the form factor, the style, and the ease of use of iTunes (especially when compared to the torture of using the extremely complicated system of burning CDs on Windows). Above all, I was very impressed by Apple's customer care; two of my early iPods expired while still under warranty - some of the classics had battery "issues" - and Apple replaced them without a problem. There was another reason, besides form factor, style, well built machine, good customer service, etc why I finally decided to switch and it was this: On an Apple system there is very little spam, malware etc (which I found an absolute nightmare on Windows, despite having purchased - not downloaded - the most robust anti-virus software I could find), and there are no viruses. To my way of thinking, this really does make a difference to the actual physical experience of using a computer daily.
So, for your money, with a Mac, you get a better machine (OS is better than Windows), more aesthetically pleasing computer, excellent screen, faster response times, integrated system where it "just works", uncomplicated systems, good customer care, no viruses. I'd imagine that you will three to four years easily from a Mac; Applecare (which I always get) gives three years cover, which extends the one year warranty by two further years.
Of course, the downside is you do pay more than you would for a Windows machine; however, you are buying a better machine. Myself, I see it in terms of an investment. I work at my desk and I prefer my work tools to be the best I can offer myself, and I much prefer Mac to the Windows world (and since I switched, I have worked in environments where Windows was the norm, and so found myself using both OS and Windows). Office for Mac solves the question of working with Word (which my entire work world uses), and Bootcamp allows those who need to use Windows on a Mac to do so.
Good luck
Cheers