Apple Mac vs. pc (possibly Dell)

D

doodles

Registered User
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Hi all,
I'm considering updating my pc at home. Am interested in moving to an Apple Mac (never having worked on them before) from a Dell. Which do you recommend and why?

Worth noting that I've seen the Apple iMac (20-inch, Aluminum) and used it in a shop and thought it was great and have only heard good feedback from those that I know have one-most of them switched from MSOffice based pc's to the Apple and would never go back. I think the Apple will cost a bit more than a Dell or other brand pc but is it worth it?

Is it worth waiting a while longer for any sales that might be coming up? And lastly where would you purchase your new pc from - a shop or online directly or possibly from UK? Any advice is appreciated.
 
If you're interested in the iMac you should wait for a while longer as the current range is well due an upgrade. Do a google search or have a look on the MacRumors Buyer's Guide which is useful for predicting Apple product upgrades. Oh, and whatever about PCs in general, I would stay away from Dell - I've had horrible experiences with them in the past - so much so that Dell PCs are the reason I switched to Macs and will never go back.
 
Personally I love the Mac but there is a price premium. There is an Apple Store in Belfast which is worth considering while Sterling remains weak against the Euro. The online Apple store (http://store.apple.com/ie) also has a refurbished section (http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/home/specialdeals/mac?mco=MTE2ODI) which can have some great deals.

As Sherman said the current line up of iMacs is due a refresh and once the new models go on sale the current models will be reduced further in the refurbish store, great value if you don't need the very latest and fastest configuration.

Other than that, Mac don't really 'do' sales!
 
Just buy a Mac if you are interested. No other way of finding out of you like them long term. I wouldn't buy a PC with Vista at the moment.
 
We have 5 computers at home (we run two businesses) - 2 Dell desktops, 2 Dell laptops and a Mac Mini. I use the Mac to create music; it does lots of things so much better, but after 3 years - and over 20 years on PCs - I'm still getting the hang of some of the brilliant Mac software. It's just so different. If the Mini died tomorrow, I'd be straight out to buy another though. Like you'd replace your pet cat or dog. Once you have one, they're hard to live without.

We've bought Dells for 12 years at least. In fact I bought a new Inspiron 1545 yesterday as our old laptop runs Windows ME! It still works fine but naturally won't run lots of stuff and is very underpowered by today's standards. I cn honestly say we've never had any significant (or even insignificant) problem with any of our Dells - except with the sales staff, and Microsoft.

So I don't think there's any right or wrong choice - it's all down to personal preference. Let me see, if I could only have ONE computer I'd have to choose a Mac because of the brilliant software that comes bundled and not having to worry about Firewalls and viruses. I'd run MS Office on it (as I do now). I think with the new Mac processors you can have the best of both worlds. Go on, do it. You'll be hooked!
 
mct1 said:
... I think with the new Mac processors you can have the best of both worlds...
Click to expand...

You mean an Intel Processor. Whats changed is not the processors but Apple have changed their software to run on Intel hardware.
 
As a mac user, I'd always welcome new recruits but would also say watch the cost. I suppose it depends on what you want to do with your computer as to whether the additional cost is justified.

If you only really do internet browsing with some occasional Office documents and the odd place to store pictures, then in reality I'm not sure the extra price justifies buying the Mac. If you are more inclined to do more with pictures, video and music, then in a heartbeat I'd recommend the Mac as the standard software is excellent and very user friendly. You would need some serious money to get PC software to equal the Mac standard and they tend to be nowhere near as simple to use.

If you do take the leap, be warned, you will change. Like a reformed smoker, PC users will be a constant puzzle to you and you will find yourself doing the Mac version ex-smoker's sarcastic cough whenever PC users mention Anti-Virus software and random crashes. You will bore them at get togethers and its likely that when you bipass the your newborn child to show off your Mac to your relatives, it may cause some problems with the family unit.

But you will be happy and that's all that counts. And it's surprising just how satsified you become living in a world of smug satisfaction.

Oh and the latest "I'm a PC" adverts will cause major pangs of anger and you'll shout at the tv about how it's typical that the PC basically ripped off the Mac adverts, just like they do with OSs (except this time they only took a year, usually it takes them about 10 years to get near to the Mac's OS).
 
Latrade sleeps with his Mac so take that into account.

Its worth doing to avoid Vista and Virus hassles. Windows 7 which won't be out for a while is much better than Vista. If you want a machine now, I'd buy a Mac.

For a basic machine (if you choose to buy a basic machine) you are spending about 500 more to go mac. You can obviously spend as much as you want on a computer PC or Mac. You could spend 10k on workstation if you felt like it. Regardless of what Latrade says you can find good free & cheap software for the PC. Which will probably less easy (limited) than the supplied Mac software.

I don't think any of this matter. If you are interested thats reason enough. The only reason not to is if Price is all important.
 
Latrade said:
...just like they do with OSs (except this time they only took a year, usually it takes them about 10 years to get near to the Mac's OS).
Click to expand...

You mean the Apple OS that they ripped off from Parc. Or the Current OSX which derived from Unix, Next and Sun?
 
AlbacoreA said:
You mean the Apple OS that they ripped off from Parc...
Click to expand...
To be fair at least they worked with some of the Xerox guys, so it was an "assisted" rip-off.
AlbacoreA said:
... Or the Current OSX which derived from Unix, Next and Sun?
Click to expand...
As are / were VAX/VMS, AIX, Xenix, HP/UX, Osirix, all the packaged Linuxes and so on, and Next was Stevie's after all, developed when he was out in the cold.
 
My point was they didn't pull it out of a bag...

 
AlbacoreA said:
You mean the Apple OS that they ripped off from Parc. Or the Current OSX which derived from Unix, Next and Sun?
Click to expand...

Well yeah apart from that...though in fairness as pointed out, Next was Job's pet anyway.

The difference is Apple takes its "influence" (ahem) and makes it bigger, prettier and (generally) easier. Microsoft takes its "influence" and makes it uglier and broken.
 

So its ok to use your influence if it apple and not if its ms.

Most people have no problems using windows. Vista excepted.
 


I am another Mac convert - I used one for work, and now I am buying one for private use. Apple have brought out a new white MacBook which is considerably cheaper than the alu ones. Admittedly it took me a while to get used to my Mac, but now using a PC is simply an aggravation.

A bit more expensive though, but in my case (and I am by no means loaded) I consider it money well spent for the usability.
 
Thanks for all the great advice.
Latrade- I'm seriously thinking of making the change in the next month or two and after reading your love of the mac I think I'll like it.
AlbacoreA- Cost is a factor and I'm trying to justify the need for it. That said, I am thinking of opening a small online business at some point in the future when things, if ever, pick up and want a machine that can handle the needs of a small internet business. Do you guys think the iMac can handle this-was looking at the following:

iMac, 20-inch, 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Part Number: Z0FE
2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 065-7619
2 GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1 GB 065-7621
500GB Serial ATA Drive 065-7625
Apple Mighty Mouse 065-7633
Keyboard (British) & User’s Guide (English) B065-7638
iWork '09 preinstalled 065-8640
FileMaker Bento 2 preinstalled Z065-8306

I've had a look around at the iMac again in a local pc shop and it definitely stands out from the crowd. I've also checked out the apple website. After doing my homework and with all the mention of things being much cheaper in the North these days, I did a comparison based on the iMac version above + the 3 year warranty, purchased in:
- the Republic it would cost me, in euros, 1616.96;
- in the UK would be, in euros 1274.88
Difference of 342.08 (euros)! Not hard to believe though. There is an apple store in Belfast that I would consider driving to for the savings.

Again thanks for the info.
 

Any basic machine would handle that.
 
AlbacoreA said:
Any basic machine would handle that.
Click to expand...

Would agree with this, which is why I mentioned the issue of cost. In a general usage sense, there isn't much difference between having and having a PC. In an employment capacity this is different.

The thing to note is that a PCs, because they are far more common have more applications available (depends on if you plan to use anything over and above standard office applications). While Mac would have similar/equal to applications, there would be less options and in general may be more expensive.

Again related to how common PCs are, tech support would be easier and cheaper to access. While there are great online communities for tech support with Macs, if you need immediate and speedy help/fix, there's a much greater pool of PCs techs about than Mac.

If your business is more design and publication based/orientated, I'd say it's a very good idea to switch, as the tech support for mac is very good in those areas. For normal business use outside of standard packages like Office, I would consider the issue of initial cost and ongoing tech support.
 
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