GuitarAngel.net

Funny you post about this, I have been weighing my options on the same thing lately and I’m stuck as well. I honestly don’t know which way i want to go :(.

I would say it depends entirely on what you see your future as. It is pretty much the “industry standard” for designers to work on macs. Developers/coders on the other hand seem to be a much more mixed bunch. Knowledge of both the Mac OS and Windows will fare you will in any job though, really.

The biggest problem with Macs IMO (apart from the fact I don’t like the OS, but that’s irrelevant) is that they’re both expensive to buy AND to upgrade. You have infinitely more options available in upgrading a standard desktop than you do an apple. If future upgrading is not an issue you see yourself having, then that in itself shouldn’t impact your decision.

I don’t understand the fascination with buying an Apple only to run Windows on it 90% of the time. If you see yourself doing that, you might as well just buy a custom desktop and a Windows license.

Apple apparently gives excellent customer service. Yeah, that’s pretty much the only pro I can think of. You know I hate the whole Apple hype. I’m trying desperately to be unbiased here but it doesn’t seem to be working too well. Really, the only person who can make the decision is you.

I recently got myself a MacBook Pro and I’m very happy with it. It’s incredibly fast, the display quality is amazing, and it works. I’m not a total Mac enthusiast, I know that Apple occasionally does questionable thing, but as I said, I’m very content with my MBP. The only thing that I don’t like about it is that there are no possibilities to get around the DVD region codes, as I have DVDs of multiple regions. The only way is buying another external DVD drive for another region. Still, installing BootCamp or Paralells with Windows would probably solve that problem too, but so far I’ve been too lazy to do that.

I was in the same situation you are now about a year ago. (See? http://dubious.nu/forum/index.php?topic=303.0)

I bought a Dell.
Reason #1 was because I needed a computer for uni (my old one went kaput) and I had a bunch of software for a PC - not for a mac though.

Reaons #2: Macs are too expensive. I spent €1800 (about $2600 - wow, 1 Euro is 1,50 dollar now??) on my dell including a wide monitor.

There are some things on MAC that bother me, like the mouse and other things which seem so simple on a PC, but on a mac I’m like “afghhreoifgggrg!!!” Of course, you get used to those things after a while.

I love the design of Mac, but that’s really not reason enough to spend so much money on it. For me, it isn’t.

ZOMG I HATE APPPLLLLLLLEEEE!!!!

Just joking, I actually like them.

Usability: There is no question that Apple’s are very user friendly. The UI is very user friendly and you will be able to open and close programs easily. My parents just bought their first apple and within a week my tech-illiterate mother (nearly 60) was showing me all the cool features. PC’s are farmilliar

Reliability: Malicious programs (viruses, trojans, spyware) all tend to attack the registry files, which is a group of folders that contains all the data that makes Windows run. This is (I think) the fundamental flaw in Windows. With Apples you don’t really need to worry about virus protection.

Compatibility: While it is true that most programs are available for macs (especially nowadays) you may still run into the occasional hiccup while installing X program/game/whatever. Furthermore certain websites may look a little funny and certain drivers may or may not need to be re-installed. Don’t get me wrong, most everything can run on Apples, but you may need to spend some time getting whatever to work. In all honesty the same types of things can happen on PC’s, but generally not as frequently.

Price: THIS is the reason why I don’t have a mac. They are great computers, but they are also overpriced. I don’t have actual figures, and the Alienware computer may be a comparable price depending on what model you get, but overall I feel that they are top quality for over the top dollar.

In the end the choice is yours. Alienware makes GREAT computers, but also consider if you’re ready to switch to VISTA or stay with XP. I would choose depending on what your main use for the computer is. If your main use is gaming then I would likely go for Alienware, since their PCs are made for gaming. If you think you may do some video or audio editing/graphic design then I would consider a mac, since they excel at those tasks.

One other thing is that the price of RAM has dropped significantly. If you’re comfortable around PC’s, it may be cheaper to buy a PC with 256 ram and double it yourself. That’s what we did in the office to save money!

Good luck sweetheart!

As far as I’m aware, it’s so much more easier and cheaper to replace a broken/outdated component in a PC than in a Mac. I don’t know if there even is a way to do anything to the Mac hardware yourself (feel free to correct me if I’m badly mistaken).

I also had something else to say, but it escapes me now. Hm.

I’ve had 4 Apples and 1 PC (3 if you count work comps) and Apple blows PC out of the water as far as I’m concerned. As much as I love Jem I think PC’s 8 bijillion new viruses a minute is a big minus and that’s still not a concern for Apple. My Macs have always been super reliable and durable, my PC’s are always monsters and then die after making us both suffer. Not super qualified, except I’ve owned Macs since they were invented, if that’s anything, who’s to say!

I love Macs. There’s a learning curve, sure, but once you know how to use one, everything is way simpler than on a PC. Yes, they are expensive, but I think they’re ultimately worth it.

The only reason I hate Macs is because of the commercials. So the only thing I have to say about Mac is “OMGZ don’t get Mac!! They’re meanies!”

By the way, I’ve been thinking this same thing last night.

You’re going to end up paying out the nose if you get a Mac. If that’s not reason enough to skip on the shiny Apple logo, then I don’t know what is.

While Macs are more “user friendly” (aka cater to those who are technologically stupid) but PCs are more “open source” (in my opinion). You have more options with a PC when it comes to not only games and software, but operating systems and more. I’ve used both types, and I prefer PCs.

Oh and in response to Jem’s Apple customer service bit:

Their phone service is shitty. My husband has had endless problems with his MacBook Pro and the few times he called, was put on hold indefinitely. The people who work at the Genius Bars are usually pretty helpful, but they all seem kind of snobby. Like, “we’re in the Apple club, and you’re not.” Ya know?

Oh, and random funny mocking of Apple users: http://tinyurl.com/37pzjx

Hi,

IMO, an alienware computer would be your best option due to the fact that you are a gamer. PC would be a lot cheaper for one, future customization is a heck of a lot easier (and cheaper), and trying to run a “PC” game through an emulator on a MAC is no fun. I’ve tried it and gave up very quickly. You spend more time trying to set it up correctly than just playing the game. Also the PC emulators rob more resources that could be used for the program your are trying to run. Don’t get me wrong, I do love Apple computers (and their other products), but for gaming and cost, it can really shoot the enthusiasm of the new computer down very quickly. Hope that helps some.

P.S. This is Cristina’s boyfriend in case you didn’t know….

I use a MAC at work occasionally, and I find that it bogs down really quickly. After awhile everything takes longer to load, and there is a constant need to reboot. Granted our computers here all do that (not just the macs), but I’ve found that the macs are worse about it.

I find there are quite a few compatibility issues with MAC and sometimes it requires added downloads to run certain programs (Open office is an example)

I do internet tech support, and I find that when troubleshooting issues on MACs there is less that you can do, the connection usually works, and there isn’t much you can do at times when it doesn’t.

I also hear quite a few complaints about Vista OS, but I don’t really have a problem with it. I use it on my Sony Vaio and it’s GREAT. Just make sure that you don’t get the Home Basic… Home premium works better. The only downfall to Vista, is the constant annoyance of “windows needs your permission to continue” and I constantly have to right click on certain programs (such as my anti-virus/spyware programs) and make sure that I’m running it as administrator.

Alot of people around here talk about Linux, and Ubuntu, but I have no idea how to troubleshoot any kind of issue on those kind of computers, and I have NO clue what kind of support network there is for these freeware OS’s.

I’ve also grown up using PCs before getting a Mac (MacBook in early ‘07 and MacBook Pro early this year). If you’ve never used a Mac before and are extremely comfortable with Windows, you might have a difficult time with using a Mac (BUT since you said you’ve used Macs before and aren’t biased toward/against any computer, you might not have this problem).

As far as the software is concerned, umm…one thing about them that I find annoying is that I sometimes can’t find software for Mac OS X. Or if the developer does have something for OS X, it’s sometimes outdated. (I’ve installed Wine, but it pretty much never seems to work with any of the applications I’ve tried with it. And CrossOver’s not free, so…)

Since OS X is a Unix-like system (like Linux), you could use Unix shells in Terminal if you know how to.

In terms of hardware, I haven’t had to upgrade, so I can’t really speak about my experience there (I’ve only own their laptops, which I hear are pretty hard to modify, even for PCs). I have had some problems with the display being unevenly illuminated on my MacBook Pro, but it doesn’t happen very often. Battery life on said computer is pretty good (lasts abour 3/4 hours).

Customer support from what I hear is ummm…mixed. Some people were able to get Apple to fix their computers with no problem. if you have a warranty (AppleCare), you might be lucky. Other times, depending on the problem, they may put the blame on the customer (way it was used, cosmetic issues, etc—kind of like the discolored palm rests on the earlier MacBooks: http://tinyurl.com/6k5lhy ).

I’m actually not a big fan of Apple either. I only like their Macs (if that makes sense :P). I really don’t see myself buying any of Apple’s other products, and I was so against getting a Mac because of my dislike of Apple. But it looks good on your resume if you mention that you could use both Windows and Mac OS X, so if that’s the reason why you’re considering a Mac, then go for it. (It’s the ultimate reason why I caved in. :P)

Of course, there’s also the issue of price. I was able to get a discount through a relative (who works for Incase, which makes cases for Apple products), so if it’s a Mac you want, you might want to check and see if you have any family or friends you can get a discount from.

Your dream machine does sound hecka sexay! I’d so go with it. When I told Josh to read your post he was inspired to build his dream laptop which totaled about $5500, LOL! Needless to say he’s putting that project on hold for awhile!

I have a custom spec Sony Vaio that I bought direct from Sony Style, got to choose everything inside the box, but it wasn’t cheap! I say, get what will make you feel good every time you look at it

I have nothing to say except I have wanted an Alienware pc for years & years. I know a lot of help I am. I dunno which I’d want though since I hardly game anymore except Pirates Online. And with that yer gunna lag no matter what cuz Disney has craptacular servers. Just let us know when you get it so I can seethe with jealously.

As much as I love Jem I think PC’s 8 bijillion new viruses a minute is a big minus and that’s still not a concern for Apple.

…only idiots get viruses, irrelevant of their OS Actually, that’s not true and I am generalising (this is the part where someone pipes up with “but zomg I’m not an idiot and I’ve had a virus!”) but assuming you’re not stupid enough to a) open html emails from people you don’t know, b) download attachments and files from people/websites you don’t know and c) download software from P2P sites then there’s no reason why you can’t run a Windows machine virus free. I’ve been working with windows for what.. 9-10 years now? The only virus I’ve ever had was one I installed myself.

I saw a few people mention VAIOs. Well, I loved my VAIO and still have it even though I bought the newer Dell, but they are hellishly pricey just like any Apple machine.

Macs are superb for working with graphics, movie editing, etc. They just can’t cut it when it comes to gaming. Sorry to burst any bubbles out there. They are also tremendously expensive to buy and upgrade (as has already been stated).

On the PC front, you have a ton of options. Alienware (now owned by Dell) is overpriced. If your willing to build your own system, you can save quite a bit of cash. If you must go with Alienware, then spend the money now. Make absolutely sure you get a system disc. I can’t recall if it’s included or they make a backup partition on your hard drive. Back up partitions are really useful if your hard drive dies…

As far as operating system, I’d go with Vista. You can turn off user authentication (the annoying pop-ups). Even vista 64 is a pretty nice OS (using it now), and I’d highly recommend Vista 64 ultimate. Stay away from the home edition. Also, consider the other software you want to pick up as well in the cost of your new system. Software adds up fast.

Good luck, and if you have questions about hardware you can visit our boards over on VN at http://vnboards.ign.com/pc_generalhardwaresoftware_tech_support_board/b22497/p1