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Need new Computer- PC or MAC?

nalismom

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Let me preface this with the fact that both my husband and I use our current PC basically for email and surfing the net. It is running extremely slow and I am assuming it is because it is 7 years old and technology has changed dramatically...it's so slow I dread backing up my IPhone and IPad.

I have been considering making the switch over to an Apple product but I am ignorant of the pros and cons of switching from a Microsoft system to an Apple system. The biggest difference I see from using my IPad is There are certain sites I either cannot view or have limited viewing due to Apple not supporting flash.

What are others thought regarding these to systems?
 

pjrose

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You'll find a lot of Mac-Lovers on this forum, and also the PC types, so this is likely to give you a variety of perspectives.

I'm die-hard Mac, using them since the first day of Mac in January 1984. I also use Windows PCs periodically, and used to use them quite a bit.

My main love about Macs is that they work, they just plain work. They don't crash as much. Their owners probably don't swear at them as much. Their assorted applications tend to share information more seamlessly, using the same user interface - that means a graphic from one application can likely be edited in another, copied over to a word processing document, moved to a presentation.....smoothly and seamlessly. When you get a new Application you can usually just load in the CD or click Download, click Install, and you're done. There's no new learning curve, because most applications are arranged the same way, commands in the same menus, windows and menus looking the same, etc. (SOME companies have ported stuff from a different environment to Mac without rewriting, and it'll be awkward on a Mac, but all the apps from the main companies work with the same Mac user interface).

The days of "Macs don't run as much software" are long gone; most if not all of the biggies (MS Office for example) are on both platforms, and files from one can easily be moved to the other (e.g. home to work and back). Of course there are specialized applications that run on only one or the other, but it doesn't sound like that's your need.

The flash issue with the iPad is not an issue with a Mac, not at all.

A Mac will do everything you want, probably do it more easily and more quickly than a Windows PC. BUT it comes at a price - Macs are more expensive. The least expensive way to get one is to go to apple.com, then store, then, on the bottom left, look for refurbished ones. Same warranty, you won't be able to tell them from new, but a few hundred $ less expensive. Might be a 6 month older model, might have been returned....all are thoroughly gone over and thoroughly warranted. Only once did I get a refurb that had an issue; it took one phone call and I had a new replacement overnight along with a free shipping label to send back the first one in the same box the other came in.

The Windows operating system is a copy of the Mac's - and I feel that Macs just do it better than the copy.

I'm sure you'll hear from the PC side too....and also, do search this forum for Mac and Windows and laptop and so forth; you'll find several lively discussions.
 
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ace2000

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Macs are better, PCs are cheaper. For that reason, I choose the PC. :)

The other big reason is that Macs own about 10% market share, PCs own the other 90%. If you're a software developer, what platform would you choose?
 

pjrose

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Macs are better, PCs are cheaper. For that reason, I choose the PC. :)

The other big reason is that Macs own about 10% market share, PCs own the other 90%. If you're a software developer, what platform would you choose?

Mac b/c I want to make great software for a market segment that will really appreciate it and be loyal to it and my other software :D
 

Clemson Fan

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I switched to an iMac several years ago because I go so disgusted with Vista. However, I have a Windows 7 laptop which I prefer to the iMac. I still use the iMac for iPhoto and iMovie and to synch my iPhone and iPad, but I like the underlying OS of Windows 7 better.
 

Elan

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If you're the type that can't understand why anyone would drive a stick over an automatic, buy a Mac. Otherwise, buy a PC. Actually, buy 2 or 3 PC's for the same money. :D
 

timeos2

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Mac b/c I want to make great software for a market segment that will really appreciate it and be loyal to it and my other software :D

Unfortunately for MAC the real world developers pick the 90% because that's where the reliable money is and they appreciate THAT! Only the die hard believers pick the underdog to support as most like to eat and prefer to drive a fancy car vs a beat up Accord/Fiesta. Few MAC only developers make a big living while hundreds or thousands of Windows developers do.

Remember too that the MAC OS is just an interface on Linux. If ever Apple decides to license that to non-Apple hardware like Jobs always demanded not to do they would likely own the majority of desktops in a year or two. Maybe it will happen now. John Scully started to do it when he was in charge but Jobs killed that off when he returned. Sony got burned by that fiasco & many dealers walked away later when Apple turned the screws on them back in the nineties. Apple is just a smaller version of Microsoft it seems. I can't support either group.
 

geekette

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PC.

I am biased, being a Windows software developer. Need a piece of custom software to solve a very specific business problem? If you're running Windows, I can hook you up. Running Mac? Um, maybe Google for someone to help ...

Don't base anything on Flash. It's going away as a standard and it's unknown what will replace it (altho Flash will be with us for a long time to come as most any obsolete technology hangs on and on ... JLB might still be running Win 98...)

focus on your priorities. is cost one of them? is prevalence of support an issue? Is your favorite handy-geek "bi-platformal"? Is the software you want available?

Go with what will fit your needs, your life, your wallet, best. I'm a PC and I don't see that changing.
 

malonem68

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I'm a PC guy myself. My MIL just got a Mac and because it is a different operating system she is really struggling with it.

Here is a thought....if you are ONLY using it for email and surfing the web then why not just forget about the computer and only use an Ipad (that's right.....ipad is the best tablet out there) :)

Also, I do computer repair. There are several things you can do to make your machine run faster. If you are only using it for those two things I would probably just get it cleaned out and you should be fine. If you get blue screens, etc.....well that is a completely different story.
 

ronparise

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I own both and use both...

If you buy a mac. you buy the machine and the OS from Apple. If you buy a pc you are buying the machine from one company and you are buying the os from Microsoft. If having the hardware and software are designed one for the other makes a difference to you, buy the Mac as another poster said, they just work...I have a Mac from 1989 that still works on my desk
I keep my old Macs, I toss my old pc's

Having said that you probably dont need to toss your pc Im working on a 10 year old Gateway that shipped with Windows ME.. Ive upgraded to OS to XP. When mine starts slowing down, its not because of its age,,its spyware., or adware or viruses...I back up what I want to keep and re install windows...works great..for internet browsing, email, photo editing etc...It is too slow for games, but thats not for me anyway
 

timeos2

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MAC, nuff said

I can crash a MAC in 3 minutes - just like Windows. So what am I paying 3X as much for the same underlying hardware for?

And it no joke trying to find support. Unless you plan on driving to the Apple Atore for every little thing you had better be sure there is a MAC geek nearby willing to help. And forget easy to find accessories. It is the life of an off brand type existence.

Believe me I wish Windows would just go away - NOW! (and in fact that does appear to SLOWLY be the case as smartphones / tablets based on far more reliable and tny OS's are taking over). But Apple is not the answer. It's just trading one problem for another equal at best for big money.

Wait a bit or find a smartphone / tablet that can do at least 90% of what you need. Thats better than most Macs can do, it's cheaper & far more portable than any laptop including Macs.

The PC world is evolving towards smaller, faster, non- Windows and thats good. We don't need another locked down OS like Windows or even IOS to replace it. There are far better options and they are leading the charge to change.
 

pjrose

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If you're the type that can't understand why anyone would drive a stick over an automatic, buy a Mac. Otherwise, buy a PC. Actually, buy 2 or 3 PC's for the same money. :D

I LIKE driving a stick in a sporty car....and I'm a Mac.


And clarification - the correct usage is Mac, not MAC.
 
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nalismom

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Well not being a geek or having a readily handy one nor having the temperament for all things mechanical it frustrates me when my desktop doesnt work the way it's suppose to. I have Norton for anti-virus and I know its up to date but at least several times during day I get high CPU usage and high memory usage alerts and then everything slows to a crawl. I think Norton is notorious for slowing down systems so I don't know if that is it or not. I am not getting the blue screen of death or anything like that. It is running XP2. I can't imagine what would be eating memory or CPU use and really don't know a lot about the underlying file extensions when they come up.

My iPad works fine for what I need it for but my husband uses the PC to do taxes online and research financial info for personal use. It's just nice sometimes to work with programs/apps on a bigger screen. My husband knows even less than I do about all things technological so it's kind of like the blind leading the blind when something doesn't run properly. Neither one of have the inclination to spend hours trying to figure it out either.....much easier to call someone when there is a problem. This is what is leading me more towards an Apple product since anytime I've had issues there I could call and someone would walk me thru the problem rather my dropping off my machine and waiting a week to get it back.
 

Elan

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Well not being a geek or having a readily handy one nor having the temperament for all things mechanical it frustrates me when my desktop doesnt work the way it's suppose to. I have Norton for anti-virus and I know its up to date but at least several times during day I get high CPU usage and high memory usage alerts and then everything slows to a crawl. I think Norton is notorious for slowing down systems so I don't know if that is it or not. I am not getting the blue screen of death or anything like that. It is running XP2. I can't imagine what would be eating memory or CPU use and really don't know a lot about the underlying file extensions when they come up.

My iPad works fine for what I need it for but my husband uses the PC to do taxes online and research financial info for personal use. It's just nice sometimes to work with programs/apps on a bigger screen. My husband knows even less than I do about all things technological so it's kind of like the blind leading the blind when something doesn't run properly. Neither one of have the inclination to spend hours trying to figure it out either.....much easier to call someone when there is a problem. This is what is leading me more towards an Apple product since anytime I've had issues there I could call and someone would walk me thru the problem rather my dropping off my machine and waiting a week to get it back.

At least go download Tuneup Utilities and run it to see if it doesn't address your current "slowness" issues. Might take an hour of your time. It's a free download and therefore infinitely cheaper than buying a new system. Wouldn't you rather spend that money elsewhere?

Big Green Button with "CNET Secure Download" on it:

http://download.cnet.com/TuneUp-Utilities-2012/3000-2094_4-10206416.html
 

timeos2

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Well not being a geek or having a readily handy one nor having the temperament for all things mechanical it frustrates me when my desktop doesnt work the way it's suppose to. I have Norton for anti-virus and I know its up to date but at least several times during day I get high CPU usage and high memory usage alerts and then everything slows to a crawl. I think Norton is notorious for slowing down systems so I don't know if that is it or not. I am not getting the blue screen of death or anything like that. It is running XP2. I can't imagine what would be eating memory or CPU use and really don't know a lot about the underlying file extensions when they come up.

My iPad works fine for what I need it for but my husband uses the PC to do taxes online and research financial info for personal use. It's just nice sometimes to work with programs/apps on a bigger screen. My husband knows even less than I do about all things technological so it's kind of like the blind leading the blind when something doesn't run properly. Neither one of have the inclination to spend hours trying to figure it out either.....much easier to call someone when there is a problem. This is what is leading me more towards an Apple product since anytime I've had issues there I could call and someone would walk me thru the problem rather my dropping off my machine and waiting a week to get it back.

That is the "classic" issue with Norton - as well as it's propensity to miss far too many infections. Get Trend Micro, Bitdefender or even the free AVAST! - they all are at least as good or better as Norton and don't kill performance. DON'T even consider Computer Associates as it's even worse at killing your CPU.
 

cp73

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I purchased my first Mac in October 2011 a 27" imac. I have been using PCs since around 1981 on an Osborne which came out several months before the IBM PCs. If you like your IPAD and Iphone then you will love a Mac. Its just easier and it runs all the time. No long boot ups. You may have some challenges in what programs your currently running when you switch to the MAC. I would research all the programs you use before you switch so you know up front. Also I suggest keeping your PC along side for a few months after you make the change just in case there is something you forgot about.
Most the programs are available but some are different or not quite as good such as Quicken and Borderbunds Printshop. I am now thinking about moving my 85 year old father to a Mac. Based upon what you said you want to do it will be an easy move and you will be very happy once you did.

I had been thinking about moving for a while. I purchased Apple notebooks for two of my daughters about 3 years ago and a Dell notebook for my other daughter all around the same time. The Dell notebook is dead (she moved over to Macbook Pro) and the other two Apple notebooks are still cooking along. I have never had to fix anything on the Apple notebooks and never any software issues. With the Dell we seldom went six months without something acting up.

Once you go to Mac you will never go back!
 
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mshatty

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If you want to be able to surf and operate on the entire internet get a PC. Otherwise, a Mac will only surf and operate on about 90 to 95% of the internet. You will have to purchase virtual machine software as well as a OEM copy of a Windows operating system to run on your Mac.

This can be a real problem for some.

Also, Quicken for Mac won't work on the newest OS for Mac; it hasn't deemed it important. To use Quicken for Mac, you have to keep the prior generation OS.

I have a Mac and PC. I like both. I just wish Mac was more compatible with the real world.
 
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wackymother

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For years I worked for a company that was one of the largest buyers of Macs in the world. They had thousands of Macs around the world. I used my Mac. It was okay. It crashed constantly, but it was okay.

After I left that company, most of my other employers used PCs. After that initial struggle to figure out how to file things, I realized that my PC worked a lot better than my Mac.

Today I still think PCs are better for any kind of non-design application. If you do design or graphics work, then there's no question that you have to have a Mac. If you work with text and the web, PCs are better.
 

Elan

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I've had 4 desktop PC's in the last 20+ years. A 90MHz P2, a 300MHz Celeron, a 2.4GHz P4 and the current 3GHz Thuban. All of them were pretty middle of the line units, the first 2 being Micron brand, the third one a Dell and the current one home built. I've never had a problem with any of them. I got the BSOD on the Dell a couple times when the video card was going out. That's it as far as problems. Oh, I also own a Dell laptop, new circa 2004, that still runs fine. Bought my mom an inexpensive Compaq around 2005, and it still runs fine. Every one of the desktops was still running great when I yanked the hard drive out and threw or gave them away. I don't run any active anti-virus on the current machine, but I do scan with malwarebytes occasionally. Current PC is used by the entire family, including 3 kids.

I've never seen any reason to spend 2 to 3 times more for essentially the same hardware. I'd rather spend my money on vacations!
 

Glynda

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Love my Mac

Was self-taught PC person, probably doing everything the hard way, and got tired of the slow shut down and start up of my PC and constantly having to ask for help. Bought the MacAir and paid $99 for a year of one on one support and project help. I love, love, love my Mac! Not only is is light and not hot on my lap, but it boots up and shuts down in a second. It seems so much easier than a PC. The one on one classes at the store, free workshops also at the store, and the step by step help on the support site online have allowed me to start off with a new product from scratch and learn how to use it. Wouldn't want to go back!
 

Mosca

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Man, I use Macs and love them.

If all you're doing is email and surfing the net, the first thing you should do is a "tuneup". Clear your cookies and cache, run an updated scan of something like Superantispyware (free). If you don't feel confident doing it yourself, take it somewhere where they'll do it for a small fee.

Otherwise, you're using it for email and surfing the net. Mac is overkill. Get the cheapest Windows PC you can, get a fan to go under it if it's a laptop, and don't look back.
 

ricoba

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I am posting this from an iPad, I work on a Mac at work and have a desktop PC to do most of my everyday computing on.

To me a computer is basically a tool. Both do the same things, just differently. For design/ creatve work, it's hard to beat a Mac. For most everything else a PC works just fine.

My home PC, the Mac and iPad have all crashed and or frozen up. My PC is new and hasn't been to the shop yet, but our two year old Mac has been back to the Apple store a couple of times. To me they all have their own bugs and idiosyncrasies.

I also have another view and that's the view that lots of Mac users (my boss is one) are kind of fanatics when it comes to Apple products. To some it is almost cult like!!! ;) :p :D

I'd buy a computer based upon intended usage and your budget.

Just my two cents. :)
 

Talent312

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I concur with Rick, the last poster.
Apple fans go for the style, simplicity and integration, and pay $$ to get it.
PC's may be a bit clunkier, but have approached Macs in their ease of use.
Plug'n Play standards makes syching nearly seemless.

Disclosure: I've been a PC-guy almost since the inception, beginning with IBM-AT's running MS-DOS.
 

ScoopKona

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Let me preface this with the fact that both my husband and I use our current PC basically for email and surfing the net. It is running extremely slow and I am assuming it is because it is 7 years old and technology has changed dramatically...it's so slow I dread backing up my IPhone and IPad.

If it were my computer, I would:

  1. Back up the important stuff
  2. Format (wipe) the hard drive
  3. Reinstall an OS. Probably a stripped-down version of XP that I keep around for older computers.
  4. See if that makes a difference

Doesn't cost anything other than a few hours time. Your computer is going to get bogged down over time because Windows is horrible at cleaning up after itself. A reinstall isn't going make your computer a powerhouse, but it will make it like it was when you first got it.
 
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