Is Apple worth it?

[miles01110]

The general consensus is not always right.. but usually is. To down play that it makes not sense.

Citation needed.

"Just fine"? Define, that.

"Just fine" = functional. Or, "exactly what you'd expect it to mean."

Historically, Mac have been FAR easier to use and maintain than PCs.

Uh, no. In fact, Macs have been progressively more difficult to maintain than PCs, especially in recent years.

Macs are still easier to use.

Subjective, therefore irrelevant.

Mac are far more secure. There is almost no widespread malware on Mac OS X. Surfing and downloading software on the internet is like wading through a cesspool. With a Mac you do it in a rubber suit. With a PC you do it wearing speedos.

OS X and Windows' greatest vulnerability is still the user. Even a slightly intelligent user will have zero malware issues on either platform.

If you just want to surf, watch movies, work on documents and do general computing tasks without muss for fuss, a Mac mightbe the way to go.

...for triple the price.

In general, Apple hardware beats nearly all other hardware. It's pricey but good.

Considering that the guts of every Apple machine use the same components found on the standard Windows hardware side, I'm not sure how you can argue this.

 

[tom.bcn]

Considering that the guts of every Apple machine use the same components found on the standard Windows hardware side, I'm not sure how you can argue this.

Hardware ≠ components.

Build quality for Macs, especially in the notebook class, is better than the competition.

Also, the trackpads, even if they are made form generally available components, work better than any other touch interface on a standard computer that I've tried.

==

To OP: It's important to remember that buying a Mac is just a choice over which computer you're going to use at home. It's not a transcendental shift either way. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't make that much difference.

But Macs are better computers for home users. They are better designed and manufactured, have a better-designed user interface, a more secure and stable operating system, and they bundle creativity software that you may well find you grow to love. Pound for pound, they are not 'triple the price' of other computers, but they are more expensive.

I'm happy using Windows at work and I have a Windows machine at home for some games that I like to play. I don't hate Windows. But my computer of choice is a Mac, no question. Are they worth getting into debt over? No way. But if you have the cash, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend an MBA 13" 'ultimate': it's a wonderful machine and possibly (though this is subjective) the best notebook on the market right now.

 

[Al Coholic]

Based on the lack of info regarding what the OP needs his machine to do I don't see how any of you can provide an answer.

That being said perhaps his iPad is already sufficient and if not... what else does he need it to do that it currently doesn't?

 

[Jony Mac]

So here I am shopping for macbooks, and the price premium is substantial. The general aura of mac's are that they are more refined and the OS is more polished, they also have a reputation for lasting longer than PCs..

So my question to you, mac users, is whether this aura is deserved or marketing. I am quite happy with the apple products we have now, but I am experiencing a bit of sticker shock at the moment..

... this is exactly why I posted this.. I
wanted to find out from people who actually used macs..

Asking if its worth it is sort of a personal opinion. Some people will say yes, others will say no. From my personal opinion I say yes, and i'll explain why. First off non-Mac users typically say don't buy Macs because of the price. That is a valid point, because the prices are steeper than buying a Windows machine. However you can use this argument for anything. Why do people buy a Mercedes Benz, when a Dodge, Chrysler, Nissian, etc, does the same thing? The both will get you from point A to point B, but the difference is "the experience" from the product.

I love the design, look, feel, and experience I get from Apple products. Secondly I really love OS X. I use Windows 7 on my machine at work, and comparing that to OS X, I feel that OS X is a much smoother, reliable and secure operating system.

As a sys-admin dealing with two data centers full of servers daily, I want a machine that I can come home to and just have it work and not worry about viruses, malware, defrags, etc. Part of the reason I went Mac was I asked what is my time worth? Was it worth me spending a little bit more money to save me future headaches? So far I'd have to say yes. In fact, I use my Mac more to connect to work and work than I do with my actual Windows machine simply due to my work machine constantly has issues from security updates, patches, etc.


What are you going to use the machine for? If you are not requiring a laptop (based on the fact you have an iPad), perhaps a Mac Mini would be a good option to start with. If you are looking for a laptop, check out the refurbished MacBooks on Apple's site.

 

[FiremanMike]

Sorry it's been awhile since I checked in. I personally use my computers for primarily web browsing, school work (office is a must), and occasional gaming. I recently cancelled my wow account, and I prefer FPS games on my ps3, so my computer gaming preferences lean more towards rts/mmorpg, although as stated my gaming time is significantly down.

I have a wife and 3 children who use their computers to do a lot of flash gaming, and I am constantly in a battle over fixing their computers, two of which (an acer and an up) had hardware failures and are doa. Aside from that about every 6 months I find myself spending about a day cleaning up their computers that have become unbelievably bogged down with spywre, malware, and just general crap. The hp that just crashed had all of my our family pictures on it, as well as my wifes iTunes library. I have extracted all that data, attempted a factory restore, and still it's not working. My own computers (desktop and laptop) are both running fine, but I put a little more constant effort forth in keeping them running.

The value of osx in my mind is worth it. I know many Mac users who report far less long term slowdown than most pc users. If the os integration into the Mac hardware (which is admittedly the same hardware as seen in pc) allows that hardware to run more efficiently and thus lasting longer, then I'm sold. If the hardware is the same and has the same potential for collapse as in a pc, then the lines become blurry and possibly not worth the investment.

I would like to clarify one point that I seem to have picked up over the years. Does osx run that much more efficiently than windows so that a lower specced osx box will actually run faster and smoother than a similarly specced win7 computer?

You guys/gals have been great, not quite the flame war I was expecting, thanks for that

 

[IngerMan]

I switched to Mac from PC 3 1/2 years ago. iMac 2008, Macbook 2010 unibody which I traded in for a new MBA 13" 6 weeks ago. I bought the Macbook from the refurbish store for $849 and 14 months later traded it in for the MBA 13 late 2010. They gave me $675 for my used unit. Try that with a used PC.

I would never consider going back to a pc. I get a lot of use from iMovie and iPhoto. I have the cloud with all my photos and work files on it, so my 128 GB SSD is only using less then 30GB. I love the fact that my contacts for my iphone or laptop or desktop are in sync. I do have Microsoft office 2008 on my units to do my company work files, that also works like a charm. As they say, Once you go Mac you will never go back!

 

[gnasher729]

On that note, would you buy a 2 year old used MacBook on craigslist with any confidence?

When you sell a used MacBook, it is very nice that some people will pay totally unrealistic prices for them. When you want to buy a used MacBooks, it is awful that people expect you to pay completely unrealistic prices for them.

A brand new Mac will have a faster processor, more memory, bigger hard drive, better battery, brand new cables with no wear, brand new battery with no wear, it is easier to upgrade, has a one year warranty, and will last two years longer than a two year old Macintosh. I wouldn't buy a used Mac. If you need a Mac at the lowest possible price, go for a refurbished Mac from the Apple Store (make sure it is a new model).

 

[FiremanMike]

Does Mac have it's own included cloud or are you using dropbox or something similar?

 

[IngerMan]

Does Mac have it's own included cloud or are you using dropbox or something similar?

I use Mobile Me for my laptop, iphone and iMac. I save all my photos, music and work files on iDisk. iDisk is part of Mobile me. On my iMac I keep a local copy of everything on my desktop. So to access it I just open the folder up and drag files in or open files up. It is seamless. It will sync in the background.

On my laptop to save SSD space I only access iDisk through the internet, mobile me account. I can upload and download as well. It is not as fast as having a copy on your HD or SSD but still works pretty good. Also I can access my idisk via my iphone. Make a change to any unit in iDisk and it syncs for all units. In the end it is in the cloud

Hope that helped.

 

[FiremanMike]

I didn't realize mobile me was a cloud also, lol.. Is there anything MobileMe doesn't do?

 

[IngerMan]

I didn't realize mobile me was a cloud also, lol.. Is there anything MobileMe doesn't do?

This will save me a lot of typing.

http://www.apple.com/mobileme/

 

[FiremanMike]

Wow, that is actually not worth it at all. Setting up gmail as an exchange gives me the bulk of those features, add in drop box and the already free "find my I-device" and you have all of the features of MobileMe for free..

 

[IngerMan]

Wow, that is actually not worth it at all. Setting up gmail as an exchange gives me the bulk of those features, add in drop box and the already free "find my I-device" and you have all of the features of MobileMe for free..

If 2GB does it for you, yeah it's free. I pay for 20GB usage, I am using about 13GB of that.

 

[FiremanMike]

If 2GB does it for you, yeah it's free. I pay for 20GB usage, I am using about 13GB of that.

Fair enough.. Anyhow back to the original topic lol..

 

[mrsir2009]

Considering that the guts of every Apple machine use the same components found on the standard Windows hardware side, I'm not sure how you can argue this.

The hardware's tech specs aren't better, but cm'on! You can't say that the current MBP doesn't look delicious! And the screen, keyboard and trackpad are fabulous.

 

[applefangirl]

The hardware's tech specs aren't better, but cm'on! You can't say that the current MBP doesn't look delicious! And the screen, keyboard and trackpad are fabulous.

I've had a lot of PCs. I notice that sometimes PCs can have crappy processors, and other crappy parts inside. You have to be careful when buying a PC because some are just worthless. I feel like with Apple products this isn't the case. As someone said, Apple doesn't make crap, ever. When you buy an Apple computer you know you're getting something that not only looks beautiful, but is made of high quality components.

That's just how I feel, though others may disagree.

I am typing this on a nearly four year old macbook that runs as good as new. I think a lot of PCs would be either dead or having serious problems at that point. Some might try to say this isn't the case, but I've found that it is.

 

[archipellago]

Citation needed.


"Just fine" = functional. Or, "exactly what you'd expect it to mean."


Uh, no. In fact, Macs have been progressively more difficult to maintain than PCs, especially in recent years.

Subjective, therefore irrelevant.

OS X and Windows' greatest vulnerability is still the user. Even a slightly intelligent user will have zero malware issues on either platform.

...for triple the price.

Considering that the guts of every Apple machine use the same components found on the standard Windows hardware side, I'm not sure how you can argue this.

best, most objective post in this thread.

OP, asking the question on a Mac thread will get the standard answers.

a well thought out and carefully researched Win7 system will offer you worlds more value than any Mac purchase.

....been there, done that!

 

[archipellago]

I've had a lot of PCs. I notice that sometimes PCs can have crappy processors, and other crappy parts inside. You have to be careful when buying a PC because some are just worthless. I feel like with Apple products this isn't the case. As someone said, Apple doesn't make crap, ever. When you buy an Apple computer you know you're getting something that not only looks beautiful, but is made of high quality components.

That's just how I feel, though others may disagree.

I am typing this on a nearly four year old macbook that runs as good as new. I think a lot of PCs would be either dead or having serious problems at that point. Some might try to say this isn't the case, but I've found that it is.

crappy processors..?? like C2D..still?

the boards for macs are made by foxconn, they made the boards for Xbox 360....!

your post is absolute trash....

 

[roadbloc]

Getting a Mac over a Windows PC is like the difference between going to a posh restaurant (OS X) over McDonalds (Windows).

At the end of the day, you still get fed and you walk away from both feeling full and satisfied, just like on both Mac and Windows you can do your web browsing, a bit of document work and a few games before shutting down with no problems with either.

But with OS X or the posh restaurant, the service is ironed smooth, the food tends to be of a better quality, and whereas there tends to be less on the menu (just like there are less Apps for OS X than Windows), there is still a satisfying choice and you tend to have a more of a pleasant experience being there instead of McDonalds.

Both restaurants and OS's do the same essentially. But the difference is in service and presentation and reliability.

But you have to pay for posh restaurants. And you have to pay for OS X.

 

[ggf]

The value of osx in my mind is worth it. I know many Mac users who report far less long term slowdown than most pc users. If the os integration into the Mac hardware (which is admittedly the same hardware as seen in pc) allows that hardware to run more efficiently and thus lasting longer, then I'm sold. If the hardware is the same and has the same potential for collapse as in a pc, then the lines become blurry and possibly not worth the investment.

I would like to clarify one point that I seem to have picked up over the years. Does osx run that much more efficiently than windows so that a lower specced osx box will actually run faster and smoother than a similarly specced win7 computer?

I have a household with 5 people 2 PCs and 5 Macs. One of the PCs belongs to my 17 year old son who is an avid Gamer and always wants the latest and greatest in performance and he maintains his own machine and buys/builds a new one every 2 years or so. We have another PC which is also used for lighter gaming (my sons old machine) attached to the 50" plasma. This machine needs to be rebuit (software reinstall from scratch) regularly because the constant installation and removals of games etc and the intrusion of viruses causes it to have problems of stability.
The macs never need anything done to them they plug into the network (airport extreme) with no problems and work flawlesly with little or no maintenance. I would not say that macs run faster than comparably equiped windows machines out of the box (not much in it) but the PCs do take more work to keep going.
Other issue is life I have never had a mac die completetly on me. I have hard drives or cd/dvd drives die but never the mother boards. I have owned over 10 macs over the years and have taken them out of service at about 5to 7 years of age to upgrade to more recent machines but they have been still working.
I have had 5 PCs and not had a Pc last more than 3 years before I have had to replace it because of software obselecence (generally because it can't handle the latest version of Windows) 2 of the PCs had major hardware problems ( one i fixed the other not)
Overall conclusion is that if you have specific needs like high end gaming, PCs may be a better choice but for run of the mill computing Macs are a lower maintence and higher value proposition. This is more true now than ever. The software gap for macs other than high end gaming is lower than ever because of the open source movement and the price premium is really more related to the quality of the build on macs than anything else.
One thing I will say though is that it is not that difficult to run a mixed environment. Particularly true if you use an airport extreme as the basis for the network, very easy to setup and manage. It has great features for easily controlling acces by specific machines which is really useful if you want to control your kids access.
If you want to buy a mac and try it out go for it. I don't think you will regret it.

 

[mrsir2009]

I've had a lot of PCs. I notice that sometimes PCs can have crappy processors, and other crappy parts inside. You have to be careful when buying a PC because some are just worthless. I feel like with Apple products this isn't the case. As someone said, Apple doesn't make crap, ever. When you buy an Apple computer you know you're getting something that not only looks beautiful, but is made of high quality components.

That's just how I feel, though others may disagree.

I am typing this on a nearly four year old macbook that runs as good as new. I think a lot of PCs would be either dead or having serious problems at that point. Some might try to say this isn't the case, but I've found that it is.

+1. I've got an iBook G3 thats 9 years old and still runs sweet-as-a-nut. And its not like it never gets used It does get used!

 

[applefangirl]

crappy processors..?? like C2D..still?

the boards for macs are made by foxconn, they made the boards for Xbox 360....!

your post is absolute trash....

Getting a little worked up, are we?

Crappy, like AMD Athlon processors, among others.

Why are you even here? lol.

 

[archipellago]

Getting a little worked up, are we?

Crappy, like AMD Athlon processors, among others.

Why are you even here? lol.

to make people like you look silly..?

or maybe just to spread some truth?

Athlons were fantastic processors in their day especially for value conscious consumers...a bit like C2D's.

their day however is long past....only Apple feels it can still charge what it does for them.

Maybe thats why their worldwide marketshare is less than 4%

just a thought....

 

[tom.bcn]

Why are you even here? lol.

I'd ignore him if I were you...

 

[ThomasJL]

On your current Windows machine, if you are only using applications that have a Mac version (or equivalent in terms of functionality), then definitely get a Mac. The price difference is worth the peace of mind you'll get from the better stability, reliability, and security of Mac OS X. It's not perfect, and it has its flaws, but it's generally better than Windows in stability, reliability, and security.

Some things to consider:

• Always buy AppleCare, especially if you're getting a laptop.
• If you're interested in gaming, forget Macs and stick with Windows.
• If there's only a few exclusively Windows applications you need to use on occasion, then you can get a Mac and install Windows on a "Boot Camp" partition. You can choose what OS you want to boot into.
• Instead of an iMac, consider a Mac Mini and continue using your present display, keyboard, and mouse with it. (If you want a display that's better than what's included with the iMac, then get the HP ZR24w, which is sRGB and IPS, just like the iMac's display. You'll still save money.)