Please Sell Me the Apple

[Canonman]

I have taken a bold step into this Apple forum for a little guidance. From what I understand, Apple make excellent products and an excellent laptop, now I need you kind folks to sell it to me.

A little about my background, about five years ago I bought an excellent computer system from a company that builds custom computer systems (ABS). The machine has been very good to me. (P4 1.7 with 2G.) I have replaced the hard drive only to get a bigger drive. I have never had any malfunctions. I use the computer for photography, two Canon 5d’s and Photoshop CS3 with a couple of add-ons. My computer is starting to get really, really slow. Many people in my photography circle continually tell me I must get an Apple, it is so much better. When asked why, I always get some vague response like, It just is or it just works. I’ve asked a couple of people to let me use their Mac Book Pro overnight but they wouldn’t part with them. So off to the Apple store I go.

I have been to two different Apple stores twice. The Chicago store and the Woodfield Store. At the Chicago store, both times I couldn’t even talk to a salesperson; they were that busy, the same happened at the Woodfield store the first time. I went back a second time and I swear the sales person wouldn’t be able to sell ice water in a heatwave. He had little drive or ambition. He asked what I was interested in and guided me to the Mac Book Pro and left me!

I am at the point where I need to buy a new system and I have it down to these choices:

• Buy a new motherboard, CPU, video card and memory and upgrade my computer. Approx cost $600.00 for a system that will last another five years -quad core.
• Buy a new laptop $2800 –quad core! see here :
http://www.sagernotebook.com/product_customed.php?pid=29175&action=customize
• Buy a Mac Book Pro at a minimum cost of $2700 plus all new software.

In the end, Photoshop is Photoshop, no matter on what machine it is running, at least that is my understanding. If I’m wrong let me know. I also need to be sold on the Apple computer in general.

Any input will be appreciated.
Many thanks.

 

[MacAficionado]

My 2 ¢

Canonman,

I don't know what your experience has been with Windows over the years, but the reason people say that Macs just work, is because they do not go through the problems most associated with with Windows. Specifically sluggishness after a period of time, I had to get a scanner to work today for my brother in law and I spent an hour just to do that. First, I had to get the PC to be responsive to my speed, even then, I had to wait for the computer any time I clicked on a step of the setup for it to respond. What took me an hour, should have been a matter of 10 minutes.
I'm not going to say Macs won't fail, they fail. Hard drives go south, RAM can go bad, but the Mac OS, as long as you shut down the computer properly, will not fail. You may get a kernel panic (crash), but when you do, you know there is something wrong. To put it simply, I have had a Mac since 2001, I had 6 crashes in the first year of owning a Mac and that was only with Mac OS 10.2. Since installing Mac OS 10.3 I have not had a single system crash, and this happened in 2002 or 2003, can't remember.
Before this I was dealing with Windows 98 and ME which would crash 6 times a day, less after discovering the Mozilla browser.

Anyway, Apple Store have a personal shopping system where you can have somebody reserved for you at a specific time, so you don't have to wait for a sales person. From what I understand, there are absolutely no strings attached, they will not push a sale, just ask questions.

http://www.apple.com/retail/personalshopping/

Good luck and use this forum to get you through the transition if needed!

 

[Morod]

Hello Canonman,
Pleas do yourself the favor and get an Apple computer. Unfortunately, I stuck with PCs for far too long, simply for the goofball reason that "Well, I know how to work them". I've had my iMac for two months now and couldn't be more pleased. Every time I sit down to my computer now, I literally get a smile on my face because I know I am going to get something accomplished and not have to get into a wrestling match with a PC.
Virtually no routine maintenance, no virus scans, my time here is spent doing something I want to do.
I visited my local Apple Store several times armed with questions, reserved a Personal Shopping time for more questions, then simply bought it and have not looked back! One of the best decisions of my life.
Unfortunately, right now is Spring Break in a lot of school systems and the local Apple Stores will be very busy until it's over. I know, I need to get down there and pick up an AirPort Extreme Base Station.
So, make an informed decision on what will work best for you. I hope in your case Apple comes out on top because it is truly a pleasure.
Morod
PS... While you're here, have you visited the Digital Photography forum? Lots of like-minded people who can no doubt help you with any specific questions. It's here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/83/

 

[stainlessliquid]

Build the pc for $600 and get a regular Macbook. Seems like a win/win, and you end up spending less.

 

[Neil321]

I have to work in a windows fueled gloom 5 days a week,coming home and using my Mac is like a breath of
fresh air,do yourself a favour and buy a Mac.

 

[lightwavejunkie]

Hi canonman,

I too was skeptical at first, Id built my own PC it done my video editing (kinda) it ran photoshop just fine, it even rendered my 3d animations from lightwave (eventually).

I was reluctant to "Switch" as the pc gave me what i needed. But after a while, I realized i was coming home from work, fixing my pc, tweaking everything for a bit and THEN i could play with it.

After my PC died quite catastrophically, i was left with a choice. Rebuild a new PC or spend a bit more and buy a mac.

I nervously got myself a macbook to use while I tried to resurrect my pc. I never got round to fixing the pc. I only wanted to use my macbook. Everything made sense.

If you want to move a file to an application, drag it there. If i was unsure how to do something, i asked myself "How would i want it to work" and guess what, it was nearly always right.

I sold my macbook now, upgraded to a macbook pro, have a quad core mac pro and an iPhone, and of course an ipod.

Switching to macs let me enjoy my computing again, something I lost a long time ago.

My advice, stop worrying, book a session at your local apple store to talk to a "Genius" and ask them your questions as to what you need.

You will not regret it I guarantee it.