Why are MBP better than PC Laptops?

[Hellhammer]

Mac laptop isn't any faster than a PC laptop. It has the same guts, however, current gen Mac laptops are actually slower due to lack of hardware updates (rectified later this week).

The build quality is really the same. The battery life on a MacBook Pro is laughable and probably not a good idea to boast about. We've replaced numerous batteries on our 2-4 year MBPs over the years. The things just don't last, even with proper cycling. MBP batteries are fail. It's even funnier that you compare a MBP battery to a cheap PC laptop's battery. Typically the cheaper PC laptops have smaller screens, consume less power, thus burn through battery power even less. FAIL example.

As for "stabler", whatever that is, running After Effects, Maya and the rest on a PC is a lot "more stable" than on OSX. Linux even more so. If gramps is buying a laptop, web surfing, excel spreadsheets and word are stable on any platform and a cheaper PC laptop would be a better buy, period.

I said those are debatable. OP was looking for more or less lousy excuses to convince his dad to buy him a Mac. This topic has been discussed to death too many times. The answer is MBPs are not better than PC laptops. Both use the same hardware and have their pros and cons.

 

[wct097]

my MBA screen is significantly better than my Vaio screen. Everything is crisper and sharper. The blacks are deep and rich, whereas on the Vaio they are washed out.

So your Vaio has a crappy display. Apple used a better one. That doesn't make Apple better than PC when it comes to displays.

I used to think people who bought Macs were the typical brand whores who sip Starbucks Mocha Caremachiato Douche and live in San Fran. But in my experience, the Macs are better in every way for the uses I have which are Office based work, surfing, email. I don't game.

I think people who buy Macs fall in to three categories. (1) typical general public with no clue, but like the fact that they can't screw it up as easily, (2) brand whores that want an Apple the same way they want a Chanel purse, (3) IT security people that like the usability of the underlying OS moreso than any Linux distro.

I'll go ahead and add a fourth minor category to contain myself. Someone that wants to develop for iOS in addition to Android & WM6/WP7 for a broader market share.

I'm personally brand agnostic. The only brand I avoid at all costs is LG (bad experience), and while I'll trend towards Samsung for displays and Seagate for drives, I've owned/used just about all of them.

 

[Beige Panda]

I would first suggest that the OP buy the laptop himself.

Aside from that, my experience with mac laptops tells me that the primary advantage is build quality, trackpad, and battery life. All of which may or may not be important to you and worth the premium you will be paying for an apple product. For me, those little things ARE worth it on a portable device... and I need something that can run Final Cut Pro anyway... so I'll be getting my first mac when the new MBPs come out.

I've heard alot about the displays but I haven't really been bothered to compare PCs and macs side by side. I do know that I'm typing this on a 22" LCD desktop monitor with 1650x1050 resolution and it is more than adequate for me, so I'm sure a 17" LED with even more pixels will look fantastic to me no matter which OS it used.

As for the OS itself, I have not interacted with them enough to say. But I will say that if you know anything about computers, viruses will not be a problem on a PC.

 

[ryannel2003]

In many people eyes, Apple is like a luxury brand. I mean, how man celebrities do you see using Apple computers and carrying around iPhone's? To them, it's not even about the operating system or the applications, it's about the design and that's why they use them. I like Apple products because the work well and they are beautiful... that's why I bought a 9 year old iMac G4. The design is just stunning, and most people don't see that with Apple anymore. They go around and brag about how much better OS X is than Windows and that everything Apple makes is superior. News flash... Windows 7 has caught up to OS X in quite a few areas, and is superior in a few.

BTW, those same people who buy Apple computers and sip Starbucks coffee are the same people who buy BMW's and Audi's. It's about the image, not about actually liking the product.

 

[nateo200]

This! I get so frustrated when I try to use other PC notebooks and find their touchpads to be really shoddy. It's the way that you interact with the computer and Apple really has gotten it right.

Everytime I go to use another track pad...I hate life; lets just say its like going from a 5 acre backyard to a new york city apartment.

Anyways its like asking why a BMW is better than a Ford...quality and build. Nothing I mean NOTHING beats the aluminum structure on the MacBook Pro. Also everything is right where you want it, I just can't explain it. I turn the machine on and without any experience with OS X I instantly new what to do. Not only that but the graphics were amazing, it was much much faster and the user interface that is the ease of use is like 999999x better. I don't hate windows I custom built my first PC Desktop with XP Pro.

 

[namtaB]

So your Vaio has a crappy display. Apple used a better one. That doesn't make Apple better than PC when it comes to displays.

Hmm. I've owned Dells, Toshibas, Thinkpads, HPs, and Vaios. The Vaio display was by far better than the others with the Thinkpad having the worst display. The MBA has a better display than the Vaio. So I can safely say its better than the Toshiba, Dell, and HP. I don't know about the esoteric PCs like Alienware and such, are they better than Apple?

At first, I thought it was all in my head. But funny enough, my friend in Hong Kong emailed me a picture and in the background there's a glass building. I've opened the pic both on my MBA and my Vaio standing side by side and the visual on the MBA looks crisper, sharper, and shows more reflection from that background building than the Vaio does and the Vaio is technically a desktop replacement. Amazing.

 

[wct097]

Hmm. I've owned Dells, Toshibas, Thinkpads, HPs, and Vaios. The Vaio display was by far better than the others with the Thinkpad having the worst display. The MBA has a better display than the Vaio. So I can safely say its better than the Toshiba, Dell, and HP. I don't know about the esoteric PCs like Alienware and such, are they better than Apple?

At first, I thought it was all in my head. But funny enough, my friend in Hong Kong emailed me a picture and in the background there's a glass building. I've opened the pic both on my MBA and my Vaio standing side by side and the visual on the MBA looks crisper, sharper, and shows more reflection from that background building than the Vaio does and the Vaio is technically a desktop replacement. Amazing.

You do realize that display technology has been improving over the years, right? My new Samsung LED-LCD looks a lot nicer than my old Plasma. Likewise, my current Dell looks a lot better than my old Gateway that looked a lot better than my old Powerbook, which in turn was head and shoulders above the grayscale Powerbook before it, the LCIII before it, and the Apple IIe before it.

Have you compared your MBA's screen to any other LED lit screens? LED screens today are 100's of times better than LCDs two years ago.

 

[namtaB]

You do realize that display technology has been improving over the years, right? My new Samsung LED-LCD looks a lot nicer than my old Plasma. Likewise, my current Dell looks a lot better than my old Gateway that looked a lot better than my old Powerbook, which in turn was head and shoulders above the grayscale Powerbook before it, the LCIII before it, and the Apple IIe before it.

Have you compared your MBA's screen to any other LED lit screens? LED screens today are 100's of times better than LCDs two years ago.

Yes. I go through laptops like a chick goes through clothes. Not b/c I'm a tech geek, but b/c I like clean, new machines. Those brands I mentioned are 09,10 models with better resolutions than my MBA.

Now you do have a point about LED v. LCD. I'm not sure if any were LEDs, I'd have to go back and find the stats on them.

But the screens are just one piece of the puzzle. The multi touch trackpad, OS, and unibody build quality also play an equally important role to me. I probably would not have bought a Mac prior to 2009 since I didn't think they had anything to offer. But the trackpad, unibody construction, and their OS X changes the playing field.

 

[nefan65]

You do realize that display technology has been improving over the years, right? My new Samsung LED-LCD looks a lot nicer than my old Plasma. Likewise, my current Dell looks a lot better than my old Gateway that looked a lot better than my old Powerbook, which in turn was head and shoulders above the grayscale Powerbook before it, the LCIII before it, and the Apple IIe before it.

Have you compared your MBA's screen to any other LED lit screens? LED screens today are 100's of times better than LCDs two years ago.

The point of discussing displays on this thread are focused on laptops, not monitors. There's a difference, and really not relevant at all. I have a 13" MBP, and the display is far superior to other laptops it's size, with higher resolution. This all comes down to those folks who are spec whores. Sorry for the language, but its' true. Having THE fastest CPU, MOST RAM, BEST Graphics Card doesn't mean it's THE BEST system. It may have the best specs, but that doesn't guarantee the best computing experience.

I fully agree with others here who have compared the MB/MBP to the VAIO. Our boss had to have the latest/greatest, best 13" VAIO. The screen, touchpad, and overall experience is horrible in comparison to mine, and it cost well over $2K. Better specs, and all...yet it's not as good as my entry level 13"MBP...

 

[wct097]

Now you do have a point about LED v. LCD. I'm not sure if any were LEDs, I'd have to go back and find the stats on them.

I'll put my money on LED being the difference there. LED lit LCDs look beautiful in anything from a handheld device up to a big-screen TV.

But the screens are just one piece of the puzzle. The multi touch trackpad, OS, and unibody build quality also play an equally important role to me. I probably would not have bought a Mac prior to 2009 since I didn't think they had anything to offer. But the trackpad, unibody construction, and their OS X changes the playing field.

Subjective pieces of the puzzle. Personally, the touchpad annoys me, and I'd rather have buttons. The OS doesn't seem to buy me anything more than battery life and the ability to run xCode. The Unibody is nice, but I'll have to point out that it's far easier to replace a cracked plastic palm rest on a Dell than it is to repair a bent unibody on a MBP.

 

[wct097]

The point of discussing displays on this thread are focused on laptops, not monitors. There's a difference, and really not relevant at all.

Not sure what you're getting at here, but yea, I was talking about laptops. Display technology as a whole is relevant though. The difference between LCD and LED-LCD can be seen as easily in a TV as it can be on a laptop.

I have a 13" MBP, and the display is far superior to other laptops it's size, with higher resolution. This all comes down to those folks who are spec whores. Sorry for the language, but its' true. Having THE fastest CPU, MOST RAM, BEST Graphics Card doesn't mean it's THE BEST system. It may have the best specs, but that doesn't guarantee the best computing experience.

It's a far cry to call people spec whores for balking at paying top dollar for technology that's years behind.

I fully agree with others here who have compared the MB/MBP to the VAIO. Our boss had to have the latest/greatest, best 13" VAIO. The screen, touchpad, and overall experience is horrible in comparison to mine, and it cost well over $2K. Better specs, and all...yet it's not as good as my entry level 13"MBP...

I've personally never liked Sony's computers, so I can't really comment other than I'd expect a plain Macbook or MBA to be many multitudes better than any Sony laptop.

 

[torbjoern]

It's a far cry to call people spec whores for balking at paying top dollar for technology that's years behind.

Good point. After all, specs DO matter.

 

[namtaB]

Subjective pieces of the puzzle. Personally, the touchpad annoys me, and I'd rather have buttons. The OS doesn't seem to buy me anything more than battery life and the ability to run xCode. The Unibody is nice, but I'll have to point out that it's far easier to replace a cracked plastic palm rest on a Dell than it is to repair a bent unibody on a MBP.

I'll agree that they're subjective factors. But I have a feeling if you did an anonymous survey vis a vis laptops and asked people whether they would prefer a multi touch trackpad v. a standard trackpad, unibody aluminum construction v. plastic construction, and greater battery life, the overwhelming majority would pick the qualities that embody a Mac. Simply b/c these factors make computing life easier.

This is the crux of the whole Mac v. PC debate for the general user IMHO. Currently, the Mac makes my computing life easier. If PCs can catch up and offer unibody aluminum construction, greater battery life (even with Windows and the antivirus program I would have to be running in the background), and a multitouch trackpad, then I'll probably buy a PC as my regular machine and keep my MBA as a backup.

 

[namtaB]

Good point. After all, specs DO matter.

True. But I'm more focused on their practical application. What's the whole point of having a better CPU if your PC is slower than a Mac? My MBA with SSD smokes everything else I've used and this is with the old Core 2 Duo. Sort of like how the Nissan GT-R with the VQ based engine (in production since 1994) smokes just about anything on the road including Ferraris, Lambos, etc.

 

[Politis]

Think of it like rental: $$$

...

To share an anecdote, I bought a 500MHz TiBook basically as soon as it was announced at the end of 2000. Five years later, I was using it to review proofs with my publisher at his office and it was running like a charm with the then-current OS. It would go on working for another year, and honestly was still pretty much OK when I needed an Intel-chip Mac to run a Windows-only program in 2006.

Unfortunately, you will have to shed any new-gadget-ism -- at least on the level where you must actually OWN the item. But, hey, that's good for you (and your wallet)!

Dude, even after 5 years, your Mac will have cost you at least £1/$1.24 a DAY. That's plenty of $$$$ a month and, for that matter, you cannot use it as a phone. If you look at it like a 'rental' then you have equivalent and cheaper choices.

 

[nc26]

I would first suggest that the OP buy the laptop himself.

I am, just need a reason to stop the old man from whining and giving me the lecture about saving money

 

[wct097]

I am, just need a reason to stop the old man from whining and giving me the lecture about saving money

Something to be said for that too.

I've been saving for about a year now to purchase the MBP I ordered today.

 

[Blu101]

I need a good point/excuse to buy one, and convince my dad that it's not an over priced piece of metal! I've got a 4 month old home built win7 desktop that's fairly powerful, but I'm missing the mobility of a laptop. Discuss please

Mac OS X.

The operating system makes aaaaaaaall the difference in the world.

 

[Blu101]

I am, just need a reason to stop the old man from whining and giving me the lecture about saving money

That's easy - just tell him that, between the higher efficiency and lower downtime of OS X and Mac apps in general, you're going to save more $$$ in the long run of ownership (vs a PC) (time is money)

 

[8000rpm]

A performance pc is like a used corvette. A macbook pro is like a Mercedes diesel.

The corvette will get wherever faster. But it will stop more often for gas etc.
It makes more noise, more heat and it's looks are highly subjective.

The benz looks amazing. everyone likes it. kids, moms, grown ups, dads etc. the look is modern, simple, elegant and lightweight.

The chevy has horrid warranty, reliability and a horrid dealer network. the benz is like walking into an apple store, minus the hot azns.

i could go on... but having said that Im choosing to go with the dodge viper of pc, the alienware r3... well still on the fence but more than likely will order another.

the viper(m17xr3) has a 2820, 6970 2gb gpu, 1600 mhz capable memory and a truly childish exterior, much like the viper. the r3 will blow the 17 pro out of the water and at a savings of over $600 to boot. Now i differentiate laptops like alienware from other generic brands (sony, hp, toshiba) because I feel they are like hot rod musclecars. there is an aftermarket and owners will tinker. it creates a following like a car club and makes modifying and fixing much easier. it makes me feel better about owning a pc knowing it is highly upgradeable and that everything can be fixed without having to mail it back to the manufacturer, providng a cc number and bending over for a repair bill.

that's my .02 anyways lol