Mac vs. PC

[Sput]

Bu...

I...

You....


ARGH

[all new Phil]

I love my MacBook. It's pretty, everything's straightforward to do, and it's as fast as the day I bought it, coming up to three years ago. From pressing the power button, I have probably about ten seconds to wait before I can be online.

I don't think I have ever used a PC that doesn't creak its way unresponsively through starting up.

[cwathen]

I'm not anti-mac, they are a fine well built product and what they can do they do well. But as sexy as they look I just cannot justify their high cost when a PC of equivalent performance can be had for much less, and also the limited software and lack of legacy support for old software/hardware I would find too restrictive.

Also, I have long been sold on building my own PCs. The last time I bought a complete new machine (or rather, the components to build it) was in 2001. Although what I have now no longer uses any of the original parts (nor even the original case), it is nevertheless a direct evolution of it with various bits being replaced over time. For me this is a brilliant route - I never have to fork out for an entire new machine at one time, upgrading in areas I do need doesn't mean being forced to go for a wholesale higher specification in areas I don't, and because everything that runs on it has been installed by me at my choice, I don't have a machine bogged down with manufacturer's bundled crap.

I can never envisage give up this approach and going back to buying complete desktop systems again, which pretty much rules me out of ever going mac.

[Sput]

Do you not find it more expensive to build than buy nowadays, cwathen? When I used to build it was markedly cheaper but now there aren't really any small manufacturers out there, the OEMs have cleaned up and I find it's now cheaper and easier (given bundling of windows and 12 month warranties) to just get an off-the-shelf machine for a PC that'll be used for all but very specific purposes.

[cwathen]

Do you not find it more expensive to build than buy nowadays, cwathen? When I used to build it was markedly cheaper but now there aren't really any small manufacturers out there, the OEMs have cleaned up and I find it's now cheaper and easier (given bundling of windows and 12 month warranties) to just get an off-the-shelf machine for a PC that'll be used for all but very specific purposes.

Certainly the price advantage has gone - the first time I did self-build was in 1999 when I put together a machine with £400 worth of components which at the time would have cost well over £1000 to buy and you could never hope to do that now. As you say there are occasions when self building costs more than buying, and the best you can usually hope for is for it to cost the same (although I wouldn't say that's *always* the case - recently I quoted a basic system unit for someone which came in at less than £200 including my build fee).

Admittedly I am a bit naughty in that I've got the same copy of XP Home installed on countless machines whereas really there should be another £80-£100 per machine added for a windows licence but I have no problems with warranties; most components come with warranties longer than the 12 months you'd get from a manufacturer any way and the supplier I use (CCL) have always been most efficient at swapping out the tiny number of faulty parts I've had.

As I said though, with my own desktop machines I no longer have the expense of building a complete machine at one time (and the inconvenience of moving computers which is always an annoying process no matter how shiney your new one is); rather what I have just evolves as various bits get replaced until finally none of the original parts are left.

This certainly is more cost effective for me because I don't have the expense of replacing the entire machine at one time and that's really why I hold onto self build.

[Sput]

Okay, now I think we can ALL agree they're overpriced, even with student discounts of 10%

New 2010 macbook pros:
13" starting at £999 (Core 2 Duo)
15.4" starting at £1499 (core i5)

I shall have to resort to refurb, eBay or PC. I have yet to find a PC I want as a laptop though

[Pete]

I hear Dell are exquisite and the cause of no problems and or stress.

[Sput]

I hear Dell are exquisite and the cause of no problems and or stress.

I heard it was because of their amazing RAM and Motherboards

[lukey]

Ignoring the fairly grim after-sales experience, this Dell laptop (all of 3 weeks old) was £680 which, when trying to recreate the spec for a MacBook Pro, comes to £2100, while still having an inferior processor and graphics card. Absolutely bizarre.

[Pete]

I hear Dell are exquisite and the cause of no problems and or stress.

I heard it was because of their amazing RAM and Motherboards

Pah, there was nothing wrong with the motherboard, it was either the PSU or RAM. Idiot tech support.

[Ant]

I've always been a PC but, although overpriced, I feel Macs just have something which PCs don't. I suppose it's a bit of a status thing but they just look and seem to operate much better. I couldn't use another phone since getting the iPhone.

I'm still on a PC which runs perfectly but it doesn't quite feel the same. Maybe if I win the lottery I'll get a Macbook...