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Is buying a Mac over a PC a good choice?

MacBookBroLax

MacBookBroLax

macrumors newbie
Original poster
I recently ordered a brand new 2011 MacBook Pro 13". Was buying a Mac over a PC a good choice? I have used my friends Mac's and I fell in love with them. I had a PC 2 years ago and got ride of it from a MacBook Pro 13" but an old model. I upgraded from the one I had. I had a PC run on Windows XP. Was it a good choice? I think it was but idk. :apple::apple::apple::apple:
 
It is your choice, and if you say, you fell in love with Mac OS X, then it is a good choice.

I switched in 2004, from Windows 2000/XP to Mac OS X10.3, and it was the best computational choice I ever made.
Though I am still a bit wary of Lion, as it destroys my use of Exposé and Spaces with Mission Control, but 10.6 is still a very good OS for my work.

Anyway, you don't need validation from us, what you experience is just the feeling having spend a lot of money on something, you could have gotten a bit cheaper if you would have gone with a Windows laptop. That is normal. But the money is worth it.
 
Hi there,

Yes. With the addition of BootCamp and the ability to run both platforms, going Mac was an excellent choice for me.
Having owned PC for almost 2 decades, I have built up a considerable $ worth of software/applications so duplicating and in most cases, not having a Mac option meant I have the best of both worlds.

I now have 2 iMacs and a Mac Book Pro after not a single Mac and for years poo poing Mac.

Of course, Mac just works (99.9% of the time) compared to PC. I still run a virus app'.

Windows 7, flies on my Macs!!


Cheers Gaz
 
gazpixs said:
Of course, Mac just works (99.9% of the time) compared to PC. I still run a virus app'.
Click to expand...
You mean you run AV software on Mac OS X? If so, that is unnecessary:
There are currently no viruses for Mac OS X in public circulation, only a handful of trojans and other malware, which have to be installed manually via entering the administrator password.
The only anti-virus you need to protect your Mac is education and common sense.
Also know, that the term "virus" is often used to refer to other kinds of malware, but there are differences, which you can find out by reading the following:
Mac Virus/Malware Info by GGJstudios​
 
I wish I could get rid of Windows altogether but my life goes round it and pays the bills.
If it wasn't for my career then I would have had Macs only but I'd have to unlearn too many things that make my current lifestyle possible.
 
I'll say it - maybe.

A computer is a tool to get stuff done. In the consumer world, so much stuff people use computers for has moved to the web (Facebook, YouTube, etc.), that the platform isn't nearly as important as it once was.

I have a MBP, and I use it for a lot of things (Aperture and iTunes), but I won a new XPS 15z and it is a decent machine. Faster than my old MBP for one thing, and Win 7 is quite nice - quite an upgrade from the XP/Vista machines I deal with at work.
 
You're asking a somewhat biased crowd. Most of the people on here do own macs, myself included. Both sides have things that irritate me. When you're debating a macbook pro vs an unnamed PC laptop, you're really debating Windows vs. OSX. Either side has quality hardware options. Windows is just known for many of the low end options. Anyway what matters is if you prefer OSX, because you are paying for it, although sometimes it is pretty close.
 
I voted no, but only because this is a silly poll... You're asking a bunch of people who members of a Mac rumors site!
 
No. Windows is faster, easier to use, has fewer viruses, has a better registration process, has more intuitive security controls, and is more aesthetically pleasing.
 
jackc said:
No. Windows is faster, easier to use, has fewer viruses, has a better registration process, has more intuitive security controls, and is more aesthetically pleasing.
Click to expand...

Is this sarcasm? Written words don't really transport sarcastic meaning, thus my question.
 
MacBookBroLax said:
Is buying a Mac over a PC a good choice?
Click to expand...
For me, it is, and I have no interest in ever returning to Windows. However, it's up to each person to decide what their needs and preferences are. Having a poll on this in a Mac forum is as useless as having the same poll in a Windows forum. You don't need a poll at all to determine what's the best decision for you.
 
Today, the corporate IT clueless ones decided it was a good day for Win 7 SP 1. I lost the use of my machine for over 90 minutes only to have the upgrade fail. I've had dozens of OS X upgrades at home and I have never had one "fail". I have a general sense of dread and forboding about software updates and today's experience reminds me why. While I've never had a software install or upgrade go awry on any of my Macs, I have countless bad memories of failed installs and long sessions on the phone with tech support for failed installs on Windows.

I even had an HP printer where the HP tech support guys suggested I keep trying to install and remove the driver until I "got lucky". Finally they tried to sell me another printer at a discount rather than fix my problem. Now I've put both halves of that failure equation behind me: Windows and HP printers are 2 things I say are not suitable for home use. I also picked up software that makes my Brother printers look like airprint compatible printers so I can print from all my iThings just fine.

So of course I voted yes. I bet you could post this same thread in a Windows forum and the split would not be quite as clear. There are a lot of Windows users out there who recognize the value of OS X but are simply not able to afford a Mac yet.
 
I'm going with no.

Not because I'm an Apple hater (I post on this regularly, have a MacBook, an iPod, and my work is a Mac environment - minus our accounting station), but just looking at it from my point of view.

In my mind, the 13" MBP is the biggest ripoff around. I don't mind the 15" at all (and all 17" laptops are dead to me), but I hate the 13" MBP. It's the most overpriced 13" laptop around.

Something like a Inspiron 14z for $700 has 2GB more RAM and 140GB larger HD. Even at the .edu rate, the 13" MBP is $1099. That's $400 (or $500) difference.

People are going to say, "Well, you'll have to replace less or worry less with Apple and their support." Apple Care is another $183 (edu) that you know you're going to buy eventually. That's a $583/683 premium, which is essentially the cost of a second Inspiron 14z or 4 new batteries or 2 new screens or any insane replacement costs you can think of.

The processing power and the price for the 13" MBP is atrocious. You're paying $400 for a fancy (quite fancy) shell and the Apple brand. Honestly, Win7 is a great OS (my workplace is Mac only besides a Win7 station for our accountant I set up, really intuitive OS).

I would never support or buy a 13" MBP, but that's just me. I would rather buy a MBA (coming from someone who has never used one but now sees the appeal) or a solid Win7 alternative.

Edit: I'm sure there's an equal/cheaper offer from other manufacturers as well (Lenovo, HP, whatever). Dell was the first I cared to look at to compare.
 
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vitzr said:
Checkout where you are... in an Apple Forum, what do you expect?
Click to expand...

And yet there's still a 15% minority stating don't get the mac.

I say no. As a previous poster said, the 13" Macbook Pro is the biggest ripoff of all time. Windows 7 is leaps and bounds better than XP, I'd return the mac.
 
I would say Yes, but with pause...

If you are a gamer, then No. I don't mean a casual gamer who plays Solitaire or Angry Birds.

If you want the latest and greatest PC games and MMO's, buy or build a PC.

Can Mac's run native games? Sure. Can Mac's run Windows in Bootcamp and play games? Sure.

Mac's all come with mobile class CPU's and GPU's, except the Mac Pro, which is expensive and hasn't been updated in a while. Native Mac games don't run as well under OSX as they do in Windows on the same hardware.

You can build a Windows 7 Desktop for $1000 or less and play the latest games.

If games aren't your thing, then ignore this reply. 🙂
 
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Yaboze said:
I would say Yes, but with pause...

If you are a gamer, then No. I don't mean a casual gamer who plays Solitaire or Angry Birds.

If you want the latest and greatest PC games and MMO's, buy or build a PC.

Can Mac's run native games? Sure. Can Mac's run Windows in Bootcamp and play games? Sure.

Mac's all come with mobile class CPU's and GPU's, except the Mac Pro, which is expensive and hasn't been updated in a while. Native Mac games don't run as well under OSX as they do in Windows on the same hardware.

You can build a Windows 7 Desktop for $1000 or less and play the latest games.

If games aren't your thing, then ignore this reply. 🙂
Click to expand...

This is a great answer. For me sure - no question the Mac is the way to go. For most of the people I know, it is the right answer.

However, there are certainly people for whom this is does NOT make sense, and Gamers are one of them.

Cost is another issue. If you feel you should be able to get a $500 laptop or a $400 desktop machine, then no, a Mac isn't for you.

Unfortunately I know ALOT of people in this group. I just quit helping them with their PC issues - why keep on enabling them?
 
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