The Big Mac vs PC Debate (1 Viewer)

Andrew Clarke · Sep 28, 2012

After years of using Windows at home, and invariably finding my machines eventually slowing down etc - despite freeing up memory, running system scans and maintaining good security software - I'm now considering a major shift to Apple. I hear good things about them from geeky friends.

I had a look in the local PC World the other day to drool over iMacs etc and even the assistant there said her 2 yr old windows laptop was giving her grief.

Main question is: would any of you converts ever consider going back to PC after using macs?

I know many people use the one system at home and another at work - any problems?

Pros/cons?

I realise that most Birdforumers are probably wandering around coastal tussocks trying not to squash teeny locustellas at this time of year, but if any of you could spare the time to share your experiences/comments/advice it would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks!

Andrew

hampers · Sep 28, 2012

Andrew Clarke said:
After years of using Windows at home, and invariably finding my machines eventually slowing down etc - despite freeing up memory, running system scans and maintaining good security software - I'm now considering a major shift to Apple. I hear good things about them from geeky friends.

I had a look in the local PC World the other day to drool over iMacs etc and even the assistant there said her 2 yr old windows laptop was giving her grief.

Main question is: would any of you converts ever consider going back to PC after using macs?

I know many people use the one system at home and another at work - any problems?

Pros/cons?

I realise that most Birdforumers are probably wandering around coastal tussocks trying not to squash teeny locustellas at this time of year, but if any of you could spare the time to share your experiences/comments/advice it would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks!

Andrew

Andrew
I fall fairly and squarely into the converts category, moved from PC to Mac about 3 years ago. Now I would never contemplate going back. People would ask why when you pay more, my answer would be reliability, ease of use - my wife uses the Mac and I don't get any questions about 'how do I'. I have now integrated all devices, iMac, iPad, Macbook and iPhone and run everything seamlessly across them all. Yes Mac is more expensive, do I personally consider it worth it - undoubtably yes, every single penny.

Will you get other opinions, no doubt. As with everything it is down to personal taste and preference. I have never had a virus or hint of one on my Macs' either. No hardware problems and no creeping slowness. As I say my opinion and I'm sure you will get people with equally as strong views for PC's.

Good luck with your choice.

Phil

socksitis · Sep 28, 2012

I am also considering the move - all of a sudden the printer does not work with the laptop, always has done, nothing has changed! Laptop (Dell) only 2 years old in February, but it is not reliable anymore. So I shall be interested in this thread.
May I ask about transferring documents and programmes between the two should I change?

hampers · Sep 28, 2012

socksitis said:
I am also considering the move - all of a sudden the printer does not work with the laptop, always has done, nothing has changed! Laptop (Dell) only 2 years old in February, but it is not reliable anymore. So I shall be interested in this thread.
May I ask about transferring documents and programmes between the two should I change?

I had no problem as bought Office for Mac but there are other, cheaper options around now. I am gradually moving to Pages and Numbers, although I don't feel they are as sophisticated. My use is home only so sufficient and they use iCloud seamlessly.
I use Lightroom and Adobe allow download in either format, think I emailed them about it.
Certainly lost nothing in making the change.

Phil

Mono · Sep 28, 2012

Computers are devices to run software, most "professional" software is available in Mac and Windows although if you already own the Windows version you will have to buy new. Which may not be a problem if you upgrade when each new version comes out, but needs budgeting for. When it comes to open-source or freeware home-brew software then there is a lot less available for the Mac. I don't know what programs you use for what tasks but if one you use is not available for the Mac then you are need to factor a time and hassle factor to learn the alternative. Any files you have will be transferable unless they are propriety files of a program that is not available on the Mac, even then it may be possible to export them in another format.

As regards what's in the box, modern computers are basically the same, no matter what operating system they run. You do pay more for Apple products but they are a higher level of finish, that said one can get Windows products of similar build quality for less money than the Apple equivalent. Macs do come bundled with iPhoto, iMovie etc which are capable programs, if Microsoft bundled Windows with such things it would get sued to high heaven!

You may also need to change printers, check if drivers are available.

I do know folk who have moved back to Windows, it has been to harmonise with work computers or for gaming. All computers get slower with age and the next whizzy thing comes along.

It is your time and money, only you know if it is worth it.

JTweedie · Sep 28, 2012

If you've got Windows programs that you really like or must keep using, then you can install Windows on the Mac, either through an emulator, or on a separate partition on the hard drive, that way you still get the best of both worlds.

I did this, but I only use Windows for my OU work - most of the tutors use Windows, and I've found consistent, albeit small, incompatibilities between LibreOffice/Pages etc on the Mac and MS Office on Windows, the difficulties have been substantial enough for me to install Windows just for this purpose.

McMadd · Sep 28, 2012

worth it not to have the constant hassle of "this anti-virus, that malware-blocker" discussion...why use a programme that invites attackers in...that's Microshite...

chris butterworth · Sep 28, 2012

I went mad last year and took the plunge buying an iMac, mainly for the ease of use, greater security and, I admit, aesthetics ( gorgeous thing just sitting there.... Sorry). I still have Windows on a laptop but, for me, Mac's the dogs.

Chris

John Fleet · Sep 28, 2012

Andrew

The learning curve switching to a Mac is now much less than it was a few years ago as successive iterations of Windows become more Mac like and all the points others have noted apply. Apple kit is invariably more expensive, but it is equally invariably more stylish, virus free and will retain its value better over time (should that be a consideration).

There is less software available - birding apps - being a good example - that runs natively on the Mac, but if you do have a specific requirement to run Windows software with no Mac equivalent, you can easily do this for a price. Either use the Mac's built in Bootstrap feature an install a flavour of Windows which effectively turns your Mac into a Windows machine or install Parallels or VM Fusion again with your choice of Windows and then you can have Windows and OSX running at the same time.

Like many others I use Windows kit in my day job and Macs for everything else. Given a choice I would always choose the Mac route accepting the price premium for the integration between software and hardware, ease of use, reliability and the sheer pleasure of using kit which has a definite design ethos and a quality build.

Others will have different views but I suspect that very few people who've made the move from the dark side have regretted it.....

Pinewood · Sep 28, 2012

Hello Andrew,

I bought an iMac, more than seven years, ago, and now have my second iMac, running Mountain Lion. Until January of this year, when I fully retired, it was PC at work, and Mac, at home. It was not very difficult working in either system. Rather like switching from French to Italian, when you know both languages.
Like others, I find that the Apple environment is friendlier, more intuitive, as you go along, than the Windows environment. Some years, ago, Apple made their mice work like a Windows mice, and it got even easier.
I have been advised, that Windows runs better on a Mac than it does on a PC. I know that the Apple spreadsheet program, Numbers, cannot do a "pivot table," which makes it unsuitable for some number crunchers, but Apple programs work for me.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

Andrew Clarke · Sep 28, 2012

Hi all

Just got back home to check this thread out (after another trip to look at Apple hardware amongst other things!) and I've been pleasantly surprised by the responses - sincere thanks to all!

Be great to hear more experiences from the Birdforum community,

Best wishes

Andrew

peteh · Sep 30, 2012

I've used pcs and laptops since 1995 and always had an "anti-apple" stance. 2 years ago I bought a MacBook Pro to try out. (This was to use alongside my powerful desktop pc which I use for photo editing.)
It took a few weeks of being confused but I eventually got the Mac OS ways and since then have loved it. It runs effortlessly and even though my mbp is nowhere near as powerful as my pc it nearly runs program's as fast! It also lets you run oracle virtual box which is free. This lets you run windows in a seperate desktop window so I can run any program's that are windows only.
If I could afford it I would ditch my big pc and get a top of the range 27inch iMac.
In my opinion macs are totally worth the extra cost.

redeyedvideo · Sep 30, 2012

Don't Buy Yet!

I use a 6 year old iMac with a 20 inch screen which still runs like clockwork even with only 2 gig of ram.

The new iMac is way overdue, rumours were for a date in May so it can't far off. I'd recommend you wait for a couple of weeks if you can to see what will be on offer, the older Macs will be cheaper too.

I bought Word for Mac through an employee scheme for £8 - the only thing on the Mac that needs security updates installing virtually every time I use it!

So my advice is - Windows for laptops, because they're cheap, Macs for desktops, because they're awesome. :t:

Duke Leto · Sep 30, 2012

Yeah moved from pcs to apple a few years ago, now the whole house has moved across and my night are no longer spent sorting out the children's pc woes. Run parallels on my mac with windows xp loaded in case I need to do anything microsoft based, this is very very rarely. Go to an apple and you'll thank yourself for ever

Mono · Sep 30, 2012

Macs for desktops, because they're awesome.

My whizzy new Windows desktop sitting next to me cost £950 to get the same power in a Mac would cost in excess of £2000.

peteh · Sep 30, 2012

Mono said:
My whizzy new Windows desktop sitting next to me cost £950 to get the same power in a Mac would cost in excess of £2000.

It might have the same power but it won't run program's as quick. The great thing about Mac OS is it hardly uses any overheads unlike windows which gobbles up tons of resources just to run and then of course on windows you have to run anti virus and anti malware all the time which takes more resources. On macs you don't have to run anything in the background.

Andrew Clarke · Sep 30, 2012

Interesting responses so far - seems like there are many happy Mac users out there...

socksitis · Sep 30, 2012

Where are all the happy PC users? Perhaps they are still trying to load the webpage?

Duke Leto · Sep 30, 2012

Mono said:
My whizzy new Windows desktop sitting next to me cost £950 to get the same power in a Mac would cost in excess of £2000.

but in 2 years when you chuck £950 quid away the mac will still be going strong. In 4 years most people I know are on their second laptop / pc I'm on my original I-mac which cost a princely £900, money very well spent

redeyedvideo · Sep 30, 2012

Duke Leto said:
now the whole house has moved across and my night are no longer spent sorting out the children's pc woes.

Spent half the day trying to get my son's zoostorm PC working, egg timer's still going now. Spent £100 on a 15 month old HP laptop to get the fan replaced last week.

Mono said:
My whizzy new Windows desktop sitting next to me cost £950 to get the same power in a Mac would cost in excess of £2000.

I'm pleased for you.

The Big Mac vs PC Debate (1 Viewer)

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