This happens almost everyday </3 windows
Mac vs PC
-
phillipsted
- Member
- Posts: 3674
- Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2010 11:30 am
- Location: North Virginia
I gave up on expensive laptops a couple of years ago. I buy cheap-a$$ tablet-style netbooks and outfit them with big SSDs and a bluetooth KB/Mouse. About as disposable as you can get. I think I paid $350 for my last tablet (an Acer).
I then use one of the Cloud backup services (currently Carbonite is my favorite) to keep copies of everything on the tablet in near-real-time. If I lose or break a tablet, I usually never have more than a couple of hours of work that might not be backed up - and if it is really important, I just drop it on a USB stick when I'm finished as insurance.
Cheap, disposable, replaceable: "utility computing".
TedP
I then use one of the Cloud backup services (currently Carbonite is my favorite) to keep copies of everything on the tablet in near-real-time. If I lose or break a tablet, I usually never have more than a couple of hours of work that might not be backed up - and if it is really important, I just drop it on a USB stick when I'm finished as insurance.
Cheap, disposable, replaceable: "utility computing".
TedP
Well, the more I look into it the more I think I am going to build my own PC. I believe I can do it with all the help that is available. Mainly it will be a great learning experience and may save me some money. I also like to know that I made something and can tweak it the way I want to. I know I will never be a car mechanic but this seems possible. :)
One user has j_totler has been kind enough to help. Do any of you guys have advice I should hear?
One user has j_totler has been kind enough to help. Do any of you guys have advice I should hear?
The fun thing is that I can create a picture on which the PC is about as expensive as the Mac Pro. It's just a matter of what hardware you pick.
Does the PC mentioned above have a 'normal' Core i7 CPU, or does it have the Xeon processor which the Mac Pro has? Is it possible to add a second CPU? Is the memory standard unbuffered DDR3, or is it registered ECC memory? Is the PC _silent_ ? Does it have dual gigabit ethernet? Does it have triple Firewire800?
That all adds to the cost. I won't deny that the Mac Pro has a pricetag that's not very consumer-friendly, but frankly it's not a consumer machine. You should compare it to the iMac, which is a great machine, unless you want to roll-your-own, or add in a different graphics card later. In that case, the iMac (or actually any Apple product) just isn't for you. No big deal.
Aside from all the price and specs debate, it simply comes down to: do you want Mac OSX, the integrated Apple experience, no hassle, no 'tweak-it-yourself'? Get a Mac. If not, get a PC. It'll work just fine.
PS: I have multiple Macs, and a Thinkpad T410 with Win7. I love them all, the Thinkpad has really nice hardware. But for me, OSX gets the job done better.
Does the PC mentioned above have a 'normal' Core i7 CPU, or does it have the Xeon processor which the Mac Pro has? Is it possible to add a second CPU? Is the memory standard unbuffered DDR3, or is it registered ECC memory? Is the PC _silent_ ? Does it have dual gigabit ethernet? Does it have triple Firewire800?
That all adds to the cost. I won't deny that the Mac Pro has a pricetag that's not very consumer-friendly, but frankly it's not a consumer machine. You should compare it to the iMac, which is a great machine, unless you want to roll-your-own, or add in a different graphics card later. In that case, the iMac (or actually any Apple product) just isn't for you. No big deal.
Aside from all the price and specs debate, it simply comes down to: do you want Mac OSX, the integrated Apple experience, no hassle, no 'tweak-it-yourself'? Get a Mac. If not, get a PC. It'll work just fine.
PS: I have multiple Macs, and a Thinkpad T410 with Win7. I love them all, the Thinkpad has really nice hardware. But for me, OSX gets the job done better.
Macs are too low value for what they provide. If you already have a gaming PC, you should consider getting a Chromebook.
- Nearly instant booting
- Extremely secure OS, very little chance of ever getting any kind of malware
- Cheap
That said, there are quite a few limitations to Chrome OS. Do your research if you're interested, but I find the idea of a thin client based around cloud-computing appealing for the tasks the OP outlined.
Sorry couldn't resist :D
- Nearly instant booting
- Extremely secure OS, very little chance of ever getting any kind of malware
- Cheap
That said, there are quite a few limitations to Chrome OS. Do your research if you're interested, but I find the idea of a thin client based around cloud-computing appealing for the tasks the OP outlined.
http://s8.postimage.org/4orhc0tpf/1313528084616.pngWhieee wrote:The fun thing is that I can create a picture on which the PC is about as expensive as the Mac Pro. It's just a matter of what hardware you pick.
Does the PC mentioned above have a 'normal' Core i7 CPU, or does it have the Xeon processor which the Mac Pro has? Is it possible to add a second CPU? Is the memory standard unbuffered DDR3, or is it registered ECC memory? Is the PC _silent_ ? Does it have dual gigabit ethernet? Does it have triple Firewire800?
That all adds to the cost. I won't deny that the Mac Pro has a pricetag that's not very consumer-friendly, but frankly it's not a consumer machine. You should compare it to the iMac, which is a great machine, unless you want to roll-your-own, or add in a different graphics card later. In that case, the iMac (or actually any Apple product) just isn't for you. No big deal.
Aside from all the price and specs debate, it simply comes down to: do you want Mac OSX, the integrated Apple experience, no hassle, no 'tweak-it-yourself'? Get a Mac. If not, get a PC. It'll work just fine.
PS: I have multiple Macs, and a Thinkpad T410 with Win7. I love them all, the Thinkpad has really nice hardware. But for me, OSX gets the job done better.
Sorry couldn't resist :D
I'll never have a desktop again. My last three PC's have been laptops. I bought the one I'm using "write" now for the keyboard. I like some tightly sprung travel on my keys and tried out all the laptops I could get my hands on. Fortunately for me I found a laptop with a great keyboard which also lights up so I can type in the dark. I often get up before dawn and, as I have a nice armchair in our bedroom, I can surf and tap away with out disturbing my wife. I got an Alienware M11x R1 for $650. The Thinkpad also has an excellent keyboard and a very good Trackpad which my wife uses exclusively. Like the M11x it was an old version and was just $350.
I like Macbooks but they have one way of doing things, take it or leave it, and I don't care for their keyboards.
If you do build your own, spend some time and money on the keyboard and mouse.
I like Macbooks but they have one way of doing things, take it or leave it, and I don't care for their keyboards.
If you do build your own, spend some time and money on the keyboard and mouse.
Our reason is quite satisfied, in 999 cases out of every 1000 of us, if we can find a few arguments that will do to recite in case our credulity is criticized by someone else. Our faith is faith in someone else's faith, and in the greatest matters this is most the case.
- William James, from The Will to Believe, a guest lecture at Yale University in 1897
- William James, from The Will to Believe, a guest lecture at Yale University in 1897
-
Fred Sanford
- Member
- Posts: 5736
- Joined: Fri Jun 02, 2006 12:41 pm
- Location: Ohio, USA
I'm a MCSE, Linux+, MCP+I certified network administrator for an NFL team. I've been doing computer/network/server/cisco stuff for 13 years now.
I think MacOS and Windows both have their places. I however, am typing this on a MacBook Pro booted into OS X Lion from Google Chrome. I also have Windows 7 64-bit loaded on this MBP via BootCamp. So, when I need to use Windows 7 for something I can, for everything else I use MacOS.
I have a Windows Desktop in the other room and I rarely use it. I use my MBP 90% of the time. My next "desktop" for home will be a iMac 24" if they still have them when it's time to look.
Side note: At work we rarely have problems with the Macs. We have Windows issues all the time (with users getting malware/viruses etc). Never happens on the Macs at work. Only time we have a problem is hardware. When that has happened we have replaced the bad part and been back up with no problems. Cake.
I think MacOS and Windows both have their places. I however, am typing this on a MacBook Pro booted into OS X Lion from Google Chrome. I also have Windows 7 64-bit loaded on this MBP via BootCamp. So, when I need to use Windows 7 for something I can, for everything else I use MacOS.
I have a Windows Desktop in the other room and I rarely use it. I use my MBP 90% of the time. My next "desktop" for home will be a iMac 24" if they still have them when it's time to look.
Side note: At work we rarely have problems with the Macs. We have Windows issues all the time (with users getting malware/viruses etc). Never happens on the Macs at work. Only time we have a problem is hardware. When that has happened we have replaced the bad part and been back up with no problems. Cake.
"I'm calling YOU ugly, I could push your face in some dough and make gorilla cookies." - Fred Sanford
This.
- Attachments
-
- pcvsmac.jpg (55.36 KiB) Viewed 3205 times
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] <--- My Spydies <click the dancing banana!>
Comparing PC to a Mustang Mach 1? Please.
No PCs have been that classy since the VooDoo Envy and the HP Blackbird.
Try the 2012 Civic, maybe. Decent "car for the money"... But literally everything inside is hard plastic. Or a Prius, since it gets 50 mpg driven aggressively but is a crappy drive, and it creaks and stuff.
I heard mention of Lenovo in this thread.
Are their computers high value? Not really. If you consider what they ask in terms of MSRP, it's worse than Apple. Is their build quality high value? Depends.
Note that Lenovo in particular have terrible customer service (they outsource it to people who can only read off lists), and some (x1200e) have had loads of issues the customer had to deal with.
Dell customer service is bad too.
Sony's is garbage, I had the Vaio Z generation before this. They couldn't fix my issues and it took them literally 5 months to get me my money back. Yes, they held my $1800 for 5 freaking months.
Asus (Had a G73jh) has the worst customer service I've ever dealt with. They literally sent me to the ghetto to a gated service center they outsourced and probably never visited for fear of their lives, and didn't even fix my issue (which rendered the computer unusable). Note that my computer from them was $1400, more than a MacBook. Never again.
PC Computer boutiques? Oh my... I know you're not considering this personally but I'm posting this as a warning here. I've competed at the highest levels of "mousesports", so I know a lot of suckers that have purchased "customs", which are just clevo/sagers or painted overpriced shitboxes that might as well be clevo/sagers (Falcon Northwest).
Customer service? Forget it. Quality? They got Unskilled labor in the back putting your computer together while they count the money they reamed you for. For gaming, desktops or bust.
Apple's CS is generally excellent in my experience and the experience of everyone I know. They have a lot of flexibility in what they can do for you. If one store won't replace something, try another and ask more nicely. Apple's replaced an out of warranty phone, and an ex's out of warranty MacBook screen. She's super cute though, YMMV.
Then again, if you build your own computer you are your own customer service.
No PCs have been that classy since the VooDoo Envy and the HP Blackbird.
Try the 2012 Civic, maybe. Decent "car for the money"... But literally everything inside is hard plastic. Or a Prius, since it gets 50 mpg driven aggressively but is a crappy drive, and it creaks and stuff.
I heard mention of Lenovo in this thread.
Are their computers high value? Not really. If you consider what they ask in terms of MSRP, it's worse than Apple. Is their build quality high value? Depends.
Note that Lenovo in particular have terrible customer service (they outsource it to people who can only read off lists), and some (x1200e) have had loads of issues the customer had to deal with.
Dell customer service is bad too.
Sony's is garbage, I had the Vaio Z generation before this. They couldn't fix my issues and it took them literally 5 months to get me my money back. Yes, they held my $1800 for 5 freaking months.
Asus (Had a G73jh) has the worst customer service I've ever dealt with. They literally sent me to the ghetto to a gated service center they outsourced and probably never visited for fear of their lives, and didn't even fix my issue (which rendered the computer unusable). Note that my computer from them was $1400, more than a MacBook. Never again.
PC Computer boutiques? Oh my... I know you're not considering this personally but I'm posting this as a warning here. I've competed at the highest levels of "mousesports", so I know a lot of suckers that have purchased "customs", which are just clevo/sagers or painted overpriced shitboxes that might as well be clevo/sagers (Falcon Northwest).
Customer service? Forget it. Quality? They got Unskilled labor in the back putting your computer together while they count the money they reamed you for. For gaming, desktops or bust.
Apple's CS is generally excellent in my experience and the experience of everyone I know. They have a lot of flexibility in what they can do for you. If one store won't replace something, try another and ask more nicely. Apple's replaced an out of warranty phone, and an ex's out of warranty MacBook screen. She's super cute though, YMMV.
Then again, if you build your own computer you are your own customer service.
"████ ██ █ ████ everything ███ █████ is █████ ████ ████ fine ████ ███ █ ██████ love █████ ██████ ███ your █████ ████ government."
-
razorsharp
- Member
- Posts: 3069
- Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:41 pm
- Location: New Zealand
You know that a top-of-the-line Xeon Westmere by itself costs over $1000. So getting a Mac Pro with TWO of those will cost you well over $2000. In fact, it will cost you a lot. That said, Apple overcharges on SSD/hard-drives and memory. But that's noting new. HP, Dell, Lenovo, etc all overcharge on those components.mil wrote:Macs are too low value for what they provide. If you already have a gaming PC, you should consider getting a Chromebook.
- Nearly instant booting
- Extremely secure OS, very little chance of ever getting any kind of malware
- Cheap
That said, there are quite a few limitations to Chrome OS. Do your research if you're interested, but I find the idea of a thin client based around cloud-computing appealing for the tasks the OP outlined.
http://s8.postimage.org/4orhc0tpf/1313528084616.png
Sorry couldn't resist :D
Try to compare a Dell Precision workstation to a Mac Pro. That's actually a proper comparison, and you'll find out that the Mac Pro isn't that much more expensive. But trying to bash on Apple by comparing a Mac Pro to a consumer desktop is like saying Spyderco overcharges because the Ti-Mil is more expensive than a $30 Buck.
You won't buy a Mac Pro is you're looking for a gaming machine. Games usually don't use more than 2 threads, so having TWO 8-core Xeons (with hyperthreading, so total of 32 threads) won't make performance any better. Neither will having registered ECC memory, nor will having a Quadro workstation GPU.
What will help is a kickass dual-core i7 (way cheaper, but for gaming actually better), unbuffered DDR3 (same) and consumer GPU (less geometry precision needed, so drivers are optimized for fill-rate -> that's what you want for gaming).
Getting a Mac Pro (or a Dell Precision) for gaming is like getting an axe for peeling oranges. It'll work, but a $2 kitchen-knife will do the job better.
Just comparing by price and MHz is pure ignorance.
Lol
- Attachments
-
- pcvsmac (3).JPG (50.6 KiB) Viewed 3233 times
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] <--- My Spydies <click the dancing banana!>
I would hope that it's good, something needs to justify that price. I think it's important to note that the customer support you are talking about comes at a price. You have to purchase Applecare on top of the price of your Mac. Other companies have similar support. I have an HP laptop that I purchased their accidental damage extended service plan. My experience couldn't be more different than what you described. I can literally back over my laptop with the car and send it back in pieces for a replacement. I have found that with any company once you are in the "pay for support" group, your experience changes a bit. YMMV. I understand how after a few bad experiences it's hard not to judge an entire platform. But I really do think comparing Apple and PC is futile. They are both fine, different strokes. I use PC right now because I have more software I already invested in for PC.Macaulay wrote: Apple's CS is generally excellent in my experience and the experience of everyone I know.
If I compare my -similarly priced- Thinkpad and MacBook Pro, here's what comes out:
Specifications and build-quality:
The Thinkpad is well-equipped. It has a slightly slower CPU than my MacBook Pro, but a beefier GPU, more USB ports, it has eSATA, it has both VGA and Displayport, it has a matte display (big win) but color accuracy and brightness are actually quite ****** You can swap in a bigger battery if you want. It's robust but the case has quite some flex above the optical drive, can take a beating, and even the accidental water spill. The Thinkpad has a little LED-light above the screen to illuminate the keyboard in the dark. It's a little low-tech, but it works. The Thinkpad keyboard is legendary, and for a reason. It's great. The touchpad is kinda 'meh', and the trackpoint is very good - if you like trackpoints.
The MacBook Pro has a slightly faster CPU, but has no dedicated GPU. Too bad, but since I bought neither the Thinkpad nor the MacBook Pro for gaming or serious 3D work, I don't really mind. The MacBook Pro has less USB ports, no eSATA, but faster Firewire and it has Thunderbolt. It has a glossy display (epic fail) but the color accuracy is fairly good. Brightness and contrast are awesome, and make up for some of the reflections. The battery is non-removable, but considering it lasts for over 7 hours, I don't really mind. The MacBook Pro is robust with NO flex AT ALL, but an accidental fall will damage the MacBook Pro more than it will the Thinkpad. It's also allergic to water. The MacBook has a backlit keyboard with ambient light sensor. To me, it sets the standard. It's not the very best keyboard on the market, but from all chiclet-keyboards I've tested (a lot) I like this one the most. The multitouch trackpad is fantastic. In fact, it seems like Apple is the only manufacturer who seems to get buttonless multitouch trackpads right. HP and Lenovo do a mediocre job, most others just suck.
Warranty:
The Thinkpad came with 3 year pickup-and-return next business-day warranty, which is really nice. I have dealt with customer service once (recovery media was broken) and they were friendly and resolved my problem quickly.
Apple offers 1 year of carry-in warranty standard, which is sub-par in my book, considering the price you pay. However, I have had multiple cases in which Apple took care of issues way beyond that year. I refuse to pay 400$ for AppleCare, but Apple's customer service -to me at least- is great.
Operating System and software:
The Thinkpad came equipped with Windows 7 Pro 64bit and the Thinkvantage utils. Most of those utils are -to me- totally unnecessary, so I don't use them. That said, for a Windows machine, it's not that bad. Most come with tons of crap-ware.
The MacBook Pro came -obviously- with Mac OSX, and iLife. No trialware, and no crap-ware. iLife is actually very nice.
Battery life:
Lenovo has made some huge steps in the newer version of my Thinkpad, and with the 9-cell battery, it lasts for about 8 hours, but my version (T410) is actually pretty crappy when it comes to battery life. I get about 3.5 hours out of the 6-cell battery, but only if I dim the screen and use some of Lenovo's "battery stretch" thingies. My MacBook Pro gives me about 7-8 hours easily without dimming the screen or disabling bluetooth or wifi. So this category is a big win for Apple.
So, which one do I like more?
Well, it comes down to the operating system. Both machines have their strong points, and I actually use both. However, I use the MacBook Pro way more.
I really don't like Windows for anything except gaming, so I dual boot my Thinkpad with Windows and Linux (currently Arch). I like Linux a lot, but for desktop use, the ease of use that Mac OSX gives me is way better. So for me, the Mac is better. If you don't give a rat's *** about OSX, your choice probably will be different. If you really like Windows, don't buy a Mac. Windows drivers for the Macs are mediocre at best, and OSX won't suit you unless you're fine with letting go of all your Windows-habits
Specifications and build-quality:
The Thinkpad is well-equipped. It has a slightly slower CPU than my MacBook Pro, but a beefier GPU, more USB ports, it has eSATA, it has both VGA and Displayport, it has a matte display (big win) but color accuracy and brightness are actually quite ****** You can swap in a bigger battery if you want. It's robust but the case has quite some flex above the optical drive, can take a beating, and even the accidental water spill. The Thinkpad has a little LED-light above the screen to illuminate the keyboard in the dark. It's a little low-tech, but it works. The Thinkpad keyboard is legendary, and for a reason. It's great. The touchpad is kinda 'meh', and the trackpoint is very good - if you like trackpoints.
The MacBook Pro has a slightly faster CPU, but has no dedicated GPU. Too bad, but since I bought neither the Thinkpad nor the MacBook Pro for gaming or serious 3D work, I don't really mind. The MacBook Pro has less USB ports, no eSATA, but faster Firewire and it has Thunderbolt. It has a glossy display (epic fail) but the color accuracy is fairly good. Brightness and contrast are awesome, and make up for some of the reflections. The battery is non-removable, but considering it lasts for over 7 hours, I don't really mind. The MacBook Pro is robust with NO flex AT ALL, but an accidental fall will damage the MacBook Pro more than it will the Thinkpad. It's also allergic to water. The MacBook has a backlit keyboard with ambient light sensor. To me, it sets the standard. It's not the very best keyboard on the market, but from all chiclet-keyboards I've tested (a lot) I like this one the most. The multitouch trackpad is fantastic. In fact, it seems like Apple is the only manufacturer who seems to get buttonless multitouch trackpads right. HP and Lenovo do a mediocre job, most others just suck.
Warranty:
The Thinkpad came with 3 year pickup-and-return next business-day warranty, which is really nice. I have dealt with customer service once (recovery media was broken) and they were friendly and resolved my problem quickly.
Apple offers 1 year of carry-in warranty standard, which is sub-par in my book, considering the price you pay. However, I have had multiple cases in which Apple took care of issues way beyond that year. I refuse to pay 400$ for AppleCare, but Apple's customer service -to me at least- is great.
Operating System and software:
The Thinkpad came equipped with Windows 7 Pro 64bit and the Thinkvantage utils. Most of those utils are -to me- totally unnecessary, so I don't use them. That said, for a Windows machine, it's not that bad. Most come with tons of crap-ware.
The MacBook Pro came -obviously- with Mac OSX, and iLife. No trialware, and no crap-ware. iLife is actually very nice.
Battery life:
Lenovo has made some huge steps in the newer version of my Thinkpad, and with the 9-cell battery, it lasts for about 8 hours, but my version (T410) is actually pretty crappy when it comes to battery life. I get about 3.5 hours out of the 6-cell battery, but only if I dim the screen and use some of Lenovo's "battery stretch" thingies. My MacBook Pro gives me about 7-8 hours easily without dimming the screen or disabling bluetooth or wifi. So this category is a big win for Apple.
So, which one do I like more?
Well, it comes down to the operating system. Both machines have their strong points, and I actually use both. However, I use the MacBook Pro way more.
I really don't like Windows for anything except gaming, so I dual boot my Thinkpad with Windows and Linux (currently Arch). I like Linux a lot, but for desktop use, the ease of use that Mac OSX gives me is way better. So for me, the Mac is better. If you don't give a rat's *** about OSX, your choice probably will be different. If you really like Windows, don't buy a Mac. Windows drivers for the Macs are mediocre at best, and OSX won't suit you unless you're fine with letting go of all your Windows-habits
-
computernut
- Member
- Posts: 232
- Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 12:20 pm
- Location: Canada
D1omedes wrote:Hey guys. I know there are some pretty tech-savvy members on the board and I thought this would be a good place to ask something. I am going to be in the market for a new computer within a few months and was wondering if it was worth it to consider an Apple computer. Do any of you have any advice?
To clarify, this will be my home computer. Portability is a plus but reliability is more important. I plan on web-surfing and typing up documents. I have experience with MS Office but not iWorks. Gaming/movies will not be a big deal since I have a videogame system.
I know that if a PC laptop has an issue, there's really no point in repairing it. The cost will be close to the price of a new laptop. Does this apply to Apple laptops as well? I managed to get 5 years out of my Dell laptop before something fried on the videocard and now I'm unable to use it.
I'm a Unix admin (Linux, HPUX, Solaris) and have a FreeBSD server, a PC gaming machine, and a Mac Mini at home. I'd say if you know how to fix your own computer and can build one, get a PC (Win7 is pretty good), if you want a laptop or need to take your computer to someone else to fix, get a Mac. PC vs Mac is like asking people what their favourite car or knife manufacturer is, they usually tell you to buy what their favourite is rather than what is right for you. Macs suck or PCs suck is just closed minded thinking. With Apple products you need to factor in the Apple Care warranty (don't buy some Best Buy extended warranty) as it'll keep your laptop from turning into a boat anchor before its time. There are certain applications that are better suited to one or the other but a MacBook is a nice laptop for most uses. I tend to prefer smaller screens for portability and hook up to a larger monitor when at a desk.
I'm going to refrain going car geek on you for that statement.Macaulay wrote:Comparing PC to a Mustang Mach 1? Please.
No PCs have been that classy since the VooDoo Envy and the HP Blackbird.
A 1964.5-1965 Mustang with some add-ons and a 1969 Mach 1 (first year) have very little in common past the 2 doors and 4 wheels.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang_Mach_1
Back to the topic :) .
I think most people here have been civil and open minded. Perhaps sarcastic on both sides but that's all fine if people aren't getting hurt feelings.
Apple makes a good product. They have a great OS which really is their saving grace. Even once people start writing more viruses for it, it will still be a very efficient platform. I don't buy the Genius team as being the end-all of customer service even though they get payed more and Apple has higher employee standards/training than some other places (like the Geek Squad). I have Genius buddies and they used to be Barista's at Starbucks, so. :rolleyes:
PC products are subject to the critique of various makers from Asus and Lenovo to Acer. Basically its the "other guy" whenever someone has a bad experience from a $300 crap box to something snazzy. That isn't to say they can't be made efficient or reliable (software wise) nor that the hardware can't be of the highest quality as 3rd party warranty companies have been proving for years now. Yes, Apple products break too :eek: .
I would probably have a Mac if a few things changed.
1.) If my family's requirement of stats was lessened I could buy a similar Mac for the same money.
2.) If I had all the money in the world and didn't care I would probably have a house full of Mac's. Paying $5,000 for a home computer that will keep up with our $1,300 one wouldn't matter. However, I would rather deal with my tattooed game junkies any day than a squad of shirts who make me stand in a queue with a broken product in my arms.
3.) My view of a computer (especially laptop) would have to change from a tax depreciated wear product to something I have more affection for. Namely I would have to deal with a slower unit that is more susceptible to hardware failures. As a previous poster mentioned, for me laptops are a portable work station which should be backed-up frequently. Period.
Personally I haven't had a hardware problem in years (which all computers have occasionally) or a true software problem either unless you count Adobe's lack of coding polish. The learning curve of Windows is steeper and more glitchy but not black magic. Also, since I don't need an electronic product to put forth a superiority complex a PC is just fine. :)
PS: In the event it wasn't made clear enough, laptops suck but are tolerable as a necessary evil. Expensive laptops suck more. Gaming laptops suck so bad that makers should be imprisoned for extorting money from n00bs with more credit line than sense.