Mac users - How good are they?

Brit Rider · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 8:53 am Post subject: Mac users - How good are they?

OK I'm about sick of Windows PC's right now; I find them unreliable, poor quality (unless I'm prepared to pay through the nose) and Vista grinds my gears big time. I am bugged with break downs, hardware faults, poor performance and an irritating interface.

So if I was to go out tomorrow and replace my PC, Laptop and external disk drive with the following:

MacBook Air, Entry level Mac and a Mac Time Capsule (which would then supply my house with wirless and offer all the computers in the house a place to print from) - would this be the best thing I ever did or a fast way to lose $2000?

Any of you guys made the switch? Its probably just the marketing screwing me over but it all just seems like a ridiculously simple easy to use, safe, and reliable system that will out last PC's. Plus I cna load MS office onto it and not have to learn how to use the mac stuff (and bring all my files with me).

Any thoughts?

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

The MacBook Air would be more than 2000. Once you start configuring, you will want to add the solid state HDD, the external DVD, etc etc. You will hit about 3,000 USD without even trying.

3,000 is about average for a MacBook Air sale, according to my brother, who is head of their inbound sales department.

My next PC will be a Mac. It will run both Leopard and XP Pro.

churchy · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 8:59 am Post subject:

I hear the Mac Air is sheot. (not the sheot)

Brit Rider · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 9:03 am Post subject:

haha sorry I meant £2000.

Mac Airs are going to be around 1100 here (2200 bucks), Macs are about £800 and time capsules about £300

So total: £2200 ($4400)

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

churchy, I've heard the opposite - but only if it has the solid state drive. That is the dealbreaker.

64gb flash? Yes please!

Broccoli B · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 9:18 am Post subject:

chavez, how much is that option $800?

Broccoli B · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 9:21 am Post subject:

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

It's $1000 (appx).

Broccoli B · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 9:25 am Post subject:

double post

scott a · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 9810

Remember that you'll need that $99 cd/dvd player...

nmballa · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 9:41 am Post subject:

I've had one mac and several pc laptops. I think it was a powerbook g4 or something. You couldn't pay me to take another mac. Never had so many issues. Maybe I was the exception but that thing was junk. Very unstable os as well. I have imb thinkpad, installed vista on it several months ago. Couldn't be happier. Very stable. No issues except for minor hardware conflicts, mainly printers.

scott a · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 9810

You can still buy new computers with XP, btw. Dell, Toshiba and Fujitsu all have optional solid state harddrives, too.

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

scott a, that's one thing I don't understand why people are so set on installing Vista and such as soon as it comes out. IMO Much better to wait about 6 months til' they sort out the major issues (or avoid disaster like ME). What's the rush?

Canucked · Addict Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 873 City: Edmonton

Am I the only one that thinks it weird that people compare their $1,000 PC to a $2,500 Mac? From what I see you pretty much have to take what you would spend on a PC and double it to buy the Mac that your looking at.

I don't compare a $50,000 Lexus to a $20,000 Ford Focus

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

Canucked, ?

Mac and PC are very close in price for anything decent. The very bottom end market is not - but if you get in to anything with decent specs and they are quite similar.

Because of this, we might buy our next office workstation from Apple. If function is equal, and price is almost equal, then I am going to pick the one that is more aesthetically pleasing. Especially for my boss' office.

lcap · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 10973 City: Homeless

I wouldn't give two hoots for anything that runs on MS software! PC's are good for the geeks, bad for business. MAC's are good for the general population, bad for geeks.

I'd take my MAC over any PC any day of the week. Unfortunately, my world runs on programs that will only run on a PC platform so I'll never get away from it, but I cuss them everyday. Even our e-mail system is broke. How difficult is it to deliver the mail?

scott a · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 9810

ontrider,

and then they complain because their computer from yesterday can't keep up with the rigors of today's software. OMG Vista totally crashes all the time and it's soo slooow! And the same goes with running Adobe's CS3 software on an older computer...it's just not gonna run it as well as on a brand new computer.

But it's in people's nature to be idiots.

Broccoli B · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 10:22 am Post subject:

I think there are 2 keys to helping a PC run smoothly.

1) make sure there isn't a crap load of stuff running in the system tray.

2) Reboot daily.

Canucked · Addict Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 873 City: Edmonton

chavez,

So the low end Macs compare to the mid range PC as far as performance goes?

My Toshiba laptop has all the bells and whistels (i would say) and was $2,000. My sister in laws mac notebook was $4,000 with all of her upgrades. I can't imagine that it is THAT much better of a computer than mine.

That doesn't take in to account that a computer has a life of maybe 3ish years before a user wants to replace it.

I haven't been sold on Mac yet (aside from the fact they are prettier)

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

scott a · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 9810

Chavez- I priced out a Dell Precision lappy and Macbook Pro out of curiousity yesterday- both 15" with 160gb HD, 2.6gig proc, 4gig RAM, 3 year warranty, Dell had a nicer video card, and was still cheaper than the MBP by a grand. Plus if I make the switch I'll have to drop coin on new software.

Broccoli B- there's nothing wrong with letting your computer stay on all the time. My 5 year old PC doesn't ever get turned off, but as you mentioned in your other point, I am careful what I install on it. And then I run a couple pieces of software that keep things all nice and tidy. Slow computer = user error. Mac only makes things better because they don't let the user make the errors! Laughing

lcap · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 10973 City: Homeless

chavez,

I blame the server software, not the IT person. Blackberry cannot retrieve Exhange E-Mails from Server. Maybe it's time it s can the entire newer is better b.s. and go back to pop accounts.

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

lcap, we run Exchange 2003 SP2 here and we have zero issues with it. Maybe it's time to get rid of that RIM crap and go to WM6 platforms?

scott a · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 9810

You bought a Precision? How are you liking it? Any issues?

QFT?

lcap · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 10973 City: Homeless

chavez,

Never thought about that, I bought the BB on a knee jerk reaction. I have clients who can schedule meetings with me if they see my calender is free without a notice to me. I don't look at my calender and missed a meeting. Client was more upset than I feared. Went out and bought the BB just so it would sync with my calender. Never thought of the BB OS system though.

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

scott a, I didn't buy it for me. It was for a friend of the boss man who is a HEAVY PS user - she is a very busy wedding photog.

Once she got everything situated, she loves it. 100 fold improvement over the previous. It's pretty decked out with max ram (4gb - only 3 or so usable), quad core processor, raid 0, sas drives, etc.

It's a desktop machine, btw.

QFT = quoted for truth

numbfoot · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 11:09 am Post subject:

It seems like apple is putting out a lot of propaganda.

I'm not saying their product is bad, but they sure seem to be hyping it up. Confused

And it really bothers me that the people who complain about how PC's are always getting viruses usually run something like limewire or some other sketchy freeware on their computer, or don't have any anti-virus software.

oshensurfer · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 11:14 am Post subject:

I'm looking at a new laptop for work. I had a high end IBM Thinkpad previously and liked it alot. If I were to get a kick butt machine, what should I get? A precision? Thinkpad? Mac? Does anybody have a suggestion on a few machines to point me in the right direction.

Essentially, I run alot of large spreadsheets, ACAD occasionally, large file viewing/modifications, Google Earth Pro, wb.com Laughing

, among other normal stuff like email etc.

gswake · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 11:15 am Post subject:

oshensurfer · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 11:17 am Post subject:

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

oshensurfer, given what scotta said, I'd look in to the Dell Precision line.

I can give you the # to my rep at Dell if you like. He is right there in Austin. I will never order from Dell any other way again.

arof · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 11:48 am Post subject:

oshensurfer, because you run spreadsheets, you'll want an XP system.
numbfoot - isn't it the JOB of companies to hype up products?

That said, I really like my Mac. I installed bootcamp, so any time I need to use excel (just for school use right now) I switch OS to XP and use the excel there.

Mac positive:
-start-up speeds
-overall ease of use (best touchpad I've ever used, especially 360 degree control and two finger scrolling) - with the new airs, the touchpad capabilities are out of this world
-media capabilities (esp. iPhoto) - note that I don't do graphic design)
-ability to install Bootcamp and use XP when wanted
-a lot nicer to look at
-if you switch everything to MAC, everything will run smoothly all the time. EXAMPLE: My brother has switched to 100% MAC - mac desktop, apple TV, buying shows off Itunes(and streaming to apple TV), MAC routers and airport express etc etc etc. - EVERYTHING is plug and play
- good customer service
- no risk of viruses, blue screens, laggy performance

Negative:
- MS Office is stuff. I can use Word, but don't even want to touch excel. This is probably due to the fact that I really know how to use excel in Windows, use excel in windows ALL the time for work, and just don't want to train myself to use it for MAC when I won't need excel for personal use after this year. I can and do use word, just not quite as user friendly and easy to learn for me
- you WILL need to learn some new commands. Not having the right button on the mouse throws some people for a loop.

I also love all the Macbook Air. I wish I could warrent buying a new computer.

nmballa · Posted: Jan 22, 2008 11:54 am Post subject:

I keep hearing that vista keeps crashing out. I havn't had any crashes. My opinion is that vista is way more stable than xp. Nothing but smooth sailing for me. The os I had on my mac was by far the most unstable i had tried. Do keep in mind that this mac was purchased in 04' so it is a bit ancient. I'm sure it has been improved.