Mac or PC: I am torn between the two options. Apple is gaining market share, and I can feel it around me: all my friends fall one after the other for the MacBook or MacBook Pro. And I can’t imagine how the sexy MacBook Air will appeal to them …
And I, myself, have now been considering the possibility of potentially contemplating the option of switching to Mac. What kept me from doing so is not my religion: I’m not a fan of windows, I like the appeal of Mac, I think Mac OS is easier to use and lighter than Windows, and, I must admit, I am very weak to well executed marketing. What kept me from switching to Mac are MacBooks’ prices.
I was discussing about this with a friends, Michael, who is in the same situation right now. We were not debating which system is the best one, this has been done number of times (by the way, a great contest from CNET here).
So the issue was not “who is better”, the issue was pricing and features of hardware. For Xmas, I bought an Acer laptop for my sister: for 600 EUR (+/- $900), I got a 17″ screen, double layer DVD writer, 2Gb of RAM, 160 Go HDD, 4 USB ports and 3 years guarantee. $900.
So Michael told me that it’s not about quantity, it’s about quality of the components.
Note: I mainly use my laptop for office apps (word / excel / powerpoint), to do some coding, communicate and surf internet, and of course (maybe 30%) for media consumption (movies and music both online and offline). And also, I’ve never had any bad experience with Windows (one way crashes, viruses, …, all those things that Mac zombies will spit in your face if you dare say that Windows does the job).
Well, I take Michael to the word and do my own comparison. I try to find Windows PC equivalents to:
- a 2.2Ghz MacBook with 2Gb RAM, 250Gb HDD,
- a 2.2Ghz 15.4″ MacBook Pro base model with 160Gb HDD.
A little digging and I found good products (Asus, Toshiba, Lenovo) 15% to 35% cheaper than the equivalent Macs. And of course, there are always promotions here and there, and you can get very good laptops for $500.
So my point/conclusion is this: for a cost-concerned not-marketing-attuned rational average (word / excel / email / internet) user, why switch to Apple when buying a Windows laptop can be 30% cheaper?
However, I am sure that Apple’s price difference is not a wallet barrier to the consumers (”too expensive, can’t afford it”) but a “rationality bridle” (”I would throw money by the window buying a $1,500 MacBook when I can get the equivalent PC for $750″). And I would bet that a price decrease for Apple MacBooks would get Apple’s market share to jump to a good 30% in the twinking of an eye.
This is what I found for the MacBook:
This is what I found for the MacBook Pro:
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Actually, I still agree with what I said: Mac components are exactly the same as any Windows-based PC nowadays, and when buying a Mac you kind of get “ripped off” if you stick to the components included in your laptop.
I’m still thinking about getting an iMac and the more I think about it, the more I understand that there is an irrational factor in the Mac user profile. You are “part of it”, you’re a special person, smarter and richer than the average computer user. Because, yes of course, Mac users are smarter people. They’re the only ones to know that their OS is far beyond Windows.
Well, you got my point, Apple relies on a very strong identity marketing. And they’re not the only ones, ever thought about Nespresso, the most expensive coffee in the world, that also is based on the “community” effect?
I was researching the same thing when I saw this.. I can not agree more - but I am still going to look for a better source
if u start ur business then how can u travel or share ur data if u have mac while people have pc.please mail
I am a graphic designer and we are renowned for using macs
I have macs at home and have macs at work but my newest job has pc’s
I dont’ find much difference as I am using the same software on both.
the differences I have found are these…
PC are more internet friendly and more email friendly
this however is not the fault of mac but the people who configure the sites or emails do not set them up for both platforms.
Mac’s do not need virus software - in my 13 years of design I have only come across 2 viruses that were made for the prepress industry hence macs
Mac’s software seems to have more options for prepress than their PC conterparts.
Mac is pc friendly can open pc files of same software and older versions
PC can open mac files of the same version and software but not older versions of same software
I prefer web, movie or 3d design on pc
I prefer graphic design for print or prepress on mac
PC better value
Macs are a rip off
PC spend money on virus and firewall protection
Macs save money on not need to buy protection
does anyone else have similar experience with both platforms
I laugh when I hear people fighting over which is better as I usually discover that the one they like is the one they use or know.
that is the key….
I use to only like macs for that reason
then I thought I should try pc and lo and behold …
I don’t have a favourite anymore as both have their qualities
I wish someone would come along and take the best features off of both and start a new brand One that is compatible with everything
they would make alot of money…
also new design software that is compatable with all other design software before it.
Dream on….
Thanks, that’s a good and honest point for once in the mac vs pc debate ;))
I was in the market for a laptop about 16 months ago and settled on a MacBookPro. I remember, at the time, debating the price, but when I configured a windows laptop with the same options as come standard on the 15″ Macbook Pro the MacBook Pro was actually slightly cheaper. (Granted my info maybe 16 month out of date but don’t forget about things like the built in iSight web cam). I look at it the same way new cars are sold. Japanese cars tend to be sold with a small number of option choices while American car makers tend to sell autos with a large choice in options. If you just want a computer for the daily business grind buy just what you need, if you are getting the other options anyway, don’t dismiss a Mac just because the it appears more expensive.
This is the first Mac I have owned since the “fat Mac” I bought in 1985. While I have owned nothing but windows machines in the intervening years and still have a Windows desktop it seems to get less and less use mainly because of the convenience of the laptop form factor, it is the little things in the operating system make a Mac such a pleasure to use. Perhaps that fit and polish make them worth the perceived difference in price.
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for the comment, we get your point i guess.
However, when i did that analysis back in January, I really compared face to face the MacBook Pro and PC competitors, trying to find the closest match if not perfect. The result was still a lower for the pc …
But again, as I said, this was only a comparison on price/components ratio !
I think you also have to look at customer service. Apple is consistently far beyond any other manufacturer (see consumer reports, for one). Warranty service is outstanding.
My wife had a Toshiba that went south on her and it was the worst experience. A 3rd party took care of Toshiba’s warranty back then and they could give a crap. Never again.
Some good discussion here:
http://technologizer.com/2008/08/14/are-macs-more-expensive-lets-do-the-math-once-and-for-all/
http://technologizer.com/2008/08/16/are-macs-more-expensive-round-two-survival-of-the-cheapest/
also realize that mac’s product cycles ‘fluctuate’…when the new macbooks come out in september, things change again..
fun fun…
Well, as i read…it seems about right that a pc would be cheaper. but now that macs can run windows via bootcamp, it is no longer a pc vs. mac debate.
i am on the verge of buying a macbook mid-level model. so that i have the reliablity of mac hardware, but the comfort of windows.macs hardware is from what i have discovered more stable since pc’s normally have components from third party company’s.
with that said..erm typed, i also am justifying my future mac purchase with these thoughts:
an average pc laptop can last an average of 2 yrs…
so every 4 years(about) you’ll spend twice what you paid for
with a mac, it will last about an average of 4 yrs..not precise since most mac uers keep them almost religously.
either way when all is said and done, macs have a higher resale value. then again this is from the research i have done thus far.
i myself am a pc user, but i am inclined to get a macbook, and run windows with the bootcamp partition maker.like having to computers in one for the price of one macbook and windows software.
Excellent comments. I’m in the market for a laptop and am torn between the two choices. My needs are business: Excel, Word, Access, Visio, and intranet access to client platforms/systems. With that in mind, I hestitate getting a Mac because of potential challenges in compatability. Also, the other three desktops (at home) are PCs with a common router, modem. Problems, challenges? I’m not keen on researching nuances before buying a Mac, then finding out I missed something after buying a Mac. Obviously, (based on my comments) I am not a techie, just a beancounter trying to make the right decision.
I just bought a macbook (the white one before they came out with the new sleek one), and I have no regrets whatsoever. I use MS Office, Adobe Creative Suite, and basic things like surfing the net and downloading music, etc. and am constantly running a billion programs at once. I was SO reluctant to buy a mac because I didn’t understand and didn’t want to understand how to use a mac - what’s with the red, yellow and green dots?! Why is the right-click option so difficult to find? But as I got used to it, I noticed that my peace of mind was astounding. No popups, no reminders to renew registrations for this spyware or adware program and NO virus alerts! No regular maintenance like defragmenting or cleaning the registry! No wondering why the hell my computer is so damn slow right now! Some people say macs are for dummies, and maybe that’s the case - but I’ll happily say I’m PROUD to be a dummy. This is the BEST computer I’ve ever had. It’s ALWAYS fast, never lags, and everything I need to look for (system preferences, programs, etc.) is easy to find. Not only that, but the warranty is great. I don’t understand why people keep focusing on the price of a pc vs. mac, when the bottom line is that yes you pay more, but a mac lasts much longer and the ease of use and peace of mind is well worth the extra money! And think about it, once you buy all that virus protection and other maintenance programs, and pay your IT guy to save your life when it crashes, aren’t the prices pretty on par? And MACS may not have all the software choices PCs have, but slowly they’re getting there, and all the cool widgets and other things on my mac are so awesome that I almost don’t care when there’s the odd compatibility issue. Also, I’m the only person in my house with a mac and we have no pc/mac compatibility issues with internet. My new Airport Extreme (PC/Mac compatible, though pricey) is so damned fast it’s like the internet goes back into time! Don’t be put off by the price or the stylishness like i was - if you’re not super techy and you are an average person looking for a computer that runs like heaven then get a mac! It’s well worth the investment. I LOVE my Mac. I’m going to keep it forever.
SO i am in the market to purchase a new computer and as most here I am unsure of what to purchase. My family is split in two, half love Mac and half love PC. From my experience using both platforms the MAC definitely seems to be the most reliable but the inconvenience of having email providers, corporate offices, university computer requirements all not compatible with Mac scare me. Does anyone have any advice?
I am considering buying a laptop. My requirements are email, Microsoft Office (mainly Word and Excel), Digital photo storage and recently HD video editing using a Sony camera with memory stick. I have a wireless home network with a Desktop PC. I have looked at the Macbook which I think would do the job pretty well. However after editing HD video, I guess I would have to burn HD DVDs, which could only be played by a Bluray player which I do not have. (I have a HD capable TV with HDMI input). Would anyone know what the capabilities are of the mini display port of the Macbook and whether this can be used to feed a HDMI input to the TV. I know there is an Asus PC that does have a HDMI output connector, which I suppose would do the job, but I like the idea of the macbook coming complete with most of the software (apart from Microsoft Office) I would need.
Hey I’m going to university next year and are looking for a solid and reliable laptop. Currently I’m interested in the 13′ Macbook. I tried it out at a local Futureshop and I think i’m hooked. But is it worth the price? I know that what you pay is usually what you get. And would this be a good choice entering university? Thanks