Genevieve
Marquette
Clare
Jodi
Victoria
Michael
If you're thinking of switching from a PC to a Mac for personal or business use, you should consider a few things first... After two and a half decades of using PCs exclusively, I recently opted for a MacBook Pro when I needed to upgrade my home laptop. The prevailing reason for this was because I do a lot of personal multimedia work at home (video editing, audio production, etc.), and Macs are ideal for this kind of work.
You've seen the "Mac vs. PC" commercials on television. And what they're saying is true. Apple's hardware is, indeed, superior to PCs; the Mac operating system (OS X) is more streamlined and stable than Windows. But just because the hardware and platform are better, doesn't mean Macs are best for everyone. There are other factors to consider.
In addition to my personal multimedia work, I also needed this laptop to act as my remote machine for work. Unfortunately, the tools I use for work are not supported by the Mac operating system or the Safari web browser. This may be the case for you, as well.
The way I got around this was by installing a Windows partition on my Mac, where I could install all the Windows programs I needed and access them for work. You can either boot your Mac in Windows, or you can access your Windows programs side-by-side with your Mac programs using VMWare Fusion or Parallels software. This gives you the best of both worlds – superior hardware & the operating system/software of your choice.
If you choose to go this route, you'll need to purchase a copy of Windows XP or Vista to install on your Mac, which can be a big additional expense.
One downside to installing a Windows partition on your Mac, is it can take up to 32GB of hard drive space. Since you may only start with 120GB (depending on what model you choose), this really limits the amount of storage you have on your laptop. Since I do a lot of video editing, I need as much free space as possible. I had to remove my digital music collection, in order to free up additional space.
Since you can run both Mac and Windows programs on your MacBook or MacBook Pro, you don't have to spend money on any additional software (other than Windows OS and VMWare Fusion/Parallels). But if you, like me, want to eventually switch over to all-Mac software, you will find that you do, indeed, live in a Windows world – many of the software utilities you use on a daily basis aren't available in Mac versions. And even if they are available on the Mac, they're usually limited in functionality compared to the more robust and fully-developed Windows versions. For instance, the AIM client for Mac is less functional than the Windows version. Other utilities (like FTP clients, bit torrent clients, etc.) rarely come in two versions. You'll have to find completely different Mac products to complete these daily tasks.
If you're a corporate user tied to Windows software, there is a Mac version of Microsoft Office. Or, if you want to save a substantial amount of cash, you can opt for iWork '08, which has comparable programs that can export (or save) in Microsoft file formats.
One thing you won't ever get on a Mac is a version of Internet Explorer. Microsoft stopped making Mac versions of its dominant web browser a while ago. If you have online tools you use for work that aren't supported by the Safari or Firefox browsers, you have to have a Windows partition on your Mac to run Internet Explorer.
The other big difference between buying a Mac laptop and a PC laptop is price. The Mac will cost roughly twice as much as a PC. This, above all else, is the biggest barrier to switching to Mac. Not only is the software selection miniscule compared to Windows, but the cost of the hardware is a show-stopper for most folks.
The Macs are superior products, and if you are financially able to get one, you should. Just know that you're going to have some growing pains on the software side. And be prepared to spend even more money to create a Windows partition for your work programs.
And be aware... Once you switch to a Mac, you'll never go back.
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)
21. I switched to the iMac, macbook and the iPhone. I am happy until I need service. Everytime I call about anything the Apple Store support can not answer questions their solution is to pack up my equipment and bring it into the store which can be a huge set back in my time. If you damage your iPhone they offer no insurance so nothing you gotta buy a whole new one. I wish they were as sleek in their service as they are in the product itself.
Posted at 11:00AM on Jun 24th 2008 by Rain Davis
22. I bought a Sony laptop with Vista when it first came out, I wanted to go Mac but was not impressed with the way I was treated at 2 Apple stores. Not quite a year later, and after having to tweak and work with Vista more than I wanted I, I bought a Macbook partly on the fact that Apple became customer oriented and really impressed me with their store capabilities and staff knowledge(I was Ipod shopping)to evaluate its OS compared to Vista. Travelling alot, I had both laptops with me.In RV resorts with Wi Fi internet. I found the Mac picked up the signals more readily than the Sony given equal distance from an antennae. The built in programs such as Iphoto are actually easier to work than Bridge or Lightroom, my favorite Adobe products.
A month ago I bought an iMac for my main desktop at home(screen glare is not an issue where I have it) I am impressed even more with the Mac OS!I have time capsule now for back up and airport. I seem to be able to reach out to more networks in the neighborhood than with the Linksys it replaced. I still get bumped now and then and have yet to figure out why. Sometimes I get a weak signal upstairs and other times it is just fine- Linksys had the same problem.
I put Fusion on the iMac so I could run my current Photoshop on the PC side. An advantage of Fusion over Bootcamp is that I can put a photo from a Mac window onto the Fusion PC Photoshop window and do my heavy editing.Don't think you have that ease via Bootcamp! Printers have their drivers on both platforms so I can print from either Mac or PC side. Still tweaking to fine tune the system. But Iam finding alot to prefer on the Mac side of the computing world that meet my needs better than the PC side. As has been pointed out, it depends upon your needs. I have found the cost side not to be an issue with comparable machine capabilities.
The last point I will make is that my wife who uses the computer much less than I, has taken over the Macbook do to its ease of use. As to operating systems, my preference now is Leopard vs Vista or XP.
Posted at 10:42AM on Jun 24th 2008 by hotel6
23. I have had a dell notebook for three years now and I have never had more problems in my life! pop-ups, viruses and it crashed about four times. I don't even use it for intense stuff, just to write some papers and to manage my music. I just graduated from high school and made the switch to a macbook and i have never been happier. Not one problem. Yes, i have had it for a little over a month, but i can not believe how smoothly it runs. I reccomend this notebook to any college student. The microsoft office programs that come compatable for mac are very similar to the old programs and easy to get used too. There is no boot or load up time, and the battery runs great! The computer does what you want it to do, no questions asked! Another thing that i think should be mentioned, is while the mac can be pricey, the mac store gives you a huge band for your buck. I got a student discount off my computer, a free printer/scanner/copier in one, 100 dollars of the three year apple care plan and a free ipod touch, which by the way, is the coolest thing ever!
PC's work, but they are frusterating and have a lot of issues. Go with the mac. it is so true, you will never go back.
Posted at 10:51AM on Jun 24th 2008 by Chelsie
24. I just bought an iMac and, so far, I love the way it runs and love learning the new system, which is so smart! But,my questions is when will the software companies see the HUGE market hole for mac users? I didn't do enough research before buying and was so disappointed in the few options available for macs. The jury is still out for me, but so far, I'm enjoying NOT dealing with pc issues. Perhaps what I've had to sacrifice will be worth what I have gained. And I have had NO problems with our linksys wireless network. We run the iMac, macbook AND a Dell laptop, as well as an ancient Dell desktop.
Posted at 10:56AM on Jun 24th 2008 by Melissa
25. I switched to the iMac, macbook and the iPhone. I am happy until I
need service. Everytime I call about anything the Apple Store
support can not answer questions their solution is to pack up my
equipment and bring it into the store which can be a huge set back in
my time. If you damage your iPhone they offer no insurance so nothing
you gotta buy a whole new one. I wish they were as sleek in their
service as they are in the product itself.
Rain
Posted at 11:06AM on Jun 24th 2008 by Rain Davis
26. Susan: I use a G-4 i-mac with the lincsys wireless: the big problem I had was with the install to my high speed internet. ATT help told me to shut off all the power for a minute and turn on the interconnect box, the lincsys and the computer in that order and everything worked. Fingers crossed, for 9 months now. Good luck with yours.
Posted at 11:23AM on Jun 24th 2008 by Ken
27. Well more from me :( i read a few comments about short cut keys and i agree here that short cut keys being different is very disturbing but its understandable that 2 different OS take commands different. anyone know about linyx and the difference in shortcuts?
possible this is just me but its extremely dumb to not offer a warranty on a product but thats a question you should have asked before you bought it... personally im with verizon and i have a voyager (knock off i phone) i love it and it has a warranty...
as for the having to take it in.. yea its a pain in the butt, but if your having a problem you cant get walked threw, your probably gonna have to take it in anyways. i can only think of one time when i had a problem that was able to be fixed over the phone, (on a pc) after that i either had to wipe the hard drive or take it in if i needed the information on it. also if you have bought the mac warranty on your computer you should not have to pay anything unless you hit it with a hammer or something like that. i have always had to pay for my pc issues even with a warranty (unless sent back to the manufacturer dell, hp, gateway). very few places check out your computer for free. if bought from best buy and under warranty they check and repair, a lot of times while your in the store 1-2 hours for free. (or go have lunch/dinner)
also another thing best buy sells macs now. i wanted to check there knowledge and the sales personal are decent but there repair personal are very limited.
Posted at 11:48AM on Jun 24th 2008 by Blake
28. I have had a PC since I was 5 years old(yes, i am part of the techie generation). I had a windows 95, I have been threw every OS windows has made since then, and it is true windows freezes a lot. But it is much better now, and it usually freezes because of viruses and the computer is not being taken care of well.
Mac don't really get viruses or freeze, because as he said, only 8% of computers are macs. There are very few hacking programs or viruses that have been made for the group of computers, but as the percentage moves up, more viruses will be made.
Of course, right now that is not a problem, just something to think about. I like Macs, I won't deny that. And I am considering right now to buy one for college next year because I can get the editing software I want and the Ram and Memory I want. But I just don't like OS X. I don't like my lack of knowledge about OS X and wonder if I can search and sift threw all my computer files like I could on a PC.
For video editing, you really need extra memory space. Also, if you fill everything up, it will slow your computer down severely. That is why, instead of a partition or something else to put windows on my mac, I would just get I really cheap $400 dollar computer. Dell is saying it will come out with one soon(though I here it has bugs cuz they are tweaking the OS or something)
If you want to check out a cheap laptop, look here.
http://eeepc.asus.com/global/
>It is small and easy to carry around.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/144222/hps_2133_a_tiny_laptop_an_adult_can_really_use.html
> An article on a cheaper new mini computer
There are a few others, all very basic, but as a backup, you dont need much more.
Posted at 11:52AM on Jun 24th 2008 by Lindsay
29. I say Macs are better macs dont have as many glitches as windows does and when u perform updates on a mac they are updates for programs not security patches or service packs like windows. Also macs run faster then pcs. It might take sum getting used to a mac but its worth it i have had my mac for a year now and i love it and i can do everything on it that i can do on my pc and i do not have windows installed on my mac. Also for u pc users cant u tell windows is like copying things from mac such as widgets and the search bar is like spotlight on mac so i say go with MAC
Posted at 12:01PM on Jun 24th 2008 by don
30. MACS rule! Ive had my iMac for about 6 years now and it NEVER had any issues, no problems, no freezing, no viruses (ofcourse). I want to get the new mac just because my old one is so old, and i want more space, new versions of programs ect. but not because something is wrong with the computer at all. I was a PC person before i went to college, I majored in Graphic Design, and this is what i do now for a living. We used Macs in college, and we use macs at work now. They are simply BETTER computers. The BEST for graphics, Adobe suites ect. If you use your computer just for checking emails, or using word, or excell ect, then yeah you dont need a mac. But if you do any sort of art, or video or sound or editing or anything CREATIVE go with a mac for sure! My roommate got the vista and she HATES it! she says how annoying the pop up alerts are every time you try to do anything. And its super slow, always running Norton anti virus crap or doing something on its own. Macs dont have to worry about viruses. They cost more because they are build with BETTER materials, which means it will last longer (like my 6 year old imac) than a PC. I will NEVER go back to using a PC. the Mac is by far superior, easy to use, and visually appealing, inside and out. People that bash macs only do so because they either never used a mac, or never learned how to. And funny how all PC people now have to download iTunes just to get their ipods working right. All the mac programs are the BOMB! by far better in every way. TRUST ME you cannot go wrong with buying either a mac book or desktop. HELLO, Vista was designed using the Macs OS X as a platform blueprint! and they still got it wrong because vista just suckkks!
Jen from New York
Posted at 1:48PM on Jun 24th 2008 by Jen
31. I go way back with computers. My first being a TRS80 then Apple 11, then I switched to PC's. I decided to try my sons MacBook Pro, by the way which is required at his University for graphic design majors. What a difference. I bought my MacBook Pro in March and so far I am satified. I did get a virus which apple helped me get rid of. I'm still learning how to use the Mac, and I just might want to split my hard drive to use internet explorer. Not sure how to do that but maybe someone here can help me out. I don't miss paying out for Security or Virus software each year.
Posted at 11:29AM on Jun 25th 2008 by David
32. I have always owned a PC, my desk top had Windows XP and I loved it. Last year I bought a lap top because I travel a lot work and it has Windows Vista, I hate it. I have had nothing but problems and the store where I bought it just told me to hang in until the first service pack comes out. It did and now it worse, my lap top freezes constantly. My son bought a Mac and I have tried it and I really like. I am getting ready a new lap top and a new desk top and they will both be Mac's. If I could say one thing to Micro Soft, it would be "Thank you for Vista, it made a Mac user out of me!!!"
Posted at 12:24PM on Jun 24th 2008 by Stephen Fischbach
33. I have always owned a PC, my desk top had Windows XP and I loved it.
Last year I bought a lap top because I travel a lot work and it has Windows Vista, I hate it. I have had nothing but problems and the store where I bought it just told me to hang in until the first service pack comes out. It did and now it worse, my lap top freezes constantly. My son bought a Mac and I have tried it and I really like. I am getting ready a new lap top and a new desk top and they will both be Mac's. If I could say one thing to Micro Soft, it would be "Thank you for Vista, it made a Mac user out of me!!!"
Posted at 12:25PM on Jun 24th 2008 by stephen.fischbach
34. I have used Macs for the better part of 20 years. I've had to own PC's running Windows, but I've always remained a Mac owner as well because the platform has always outperformed Windows.
Now with Mac's Intel computers and the ability to run Windows, I have Mac desktops and laptops running Windows XP because Vista still isn't up to speed. I get the best that Mac has to offer in an operating system and running programs very efficiently, but when I HAVE to run a Windows program, I can, without having to worry about the hardware breaking down - just the the Windows XP problems.
No matter what, Mac is the way to go.
Posted at 12:27PM on Jun 24th 2008 by listwithchris
35. for lindsay
a little information for you.
windows max ram is not 3.5g i believe.
a new G5 is 32g if im not mistaken.
personally i like macs file system better. and yes you can sift threw like a pc. macs offer 3 different ways to sift threw information, all it takes is a simple click of a mouse at the top of the window.
also i would suggest that you check into your college and see if they use avid (pc based) or fcp (mac based) or both. these programs are not compatible without a program called automated duck. its not cheap either. still either way buy external hard drives for your videos. and "jump drives" for backups of files and they are also a great way to transfer information back and froth from macs to pc or any computer. (they dont require a specific os either)
for all: there are several very small laptops coming out. i saw one at a convention 30g hard drive 8 in screen and the cost was $300 the owner said.
Posted at 12:31PM on Jun 24th 2008 by Blake
36. This is baloney!
Most all of the software available for PC is available for Mac.
What this idiot FAILED TO MENTION is that the Macintosh is virtually virus and hacking free. No need to purchase Virus defense software.
The ONLY reason NOT to get a Mac is if you have software that is SPECIFICALLY designed for PC.
I am truly ashamed of AOL for allowing this person write this column, amazing lack of research.
Posted at 12:34PM on Jun 24th 2008 by tigger
37. Your last comment in your post is wrong, "Once you switch to mac you'll never go back" I recently had a new imac, kept it about a year and got rid of it, couldn't wait to go back to windows. I have the new Dell XPS One and love it better then the imac. It does much more and looks nicer. I will never go back to a mac.
Posted at 12:46PM on Jun 24th 2008 by WooHoo!
38. I work on PC's , have since 1998 . I repair them and service them . I switched to Mac in 2006 and will not have a PC in the house . The big thing that is not being said about why the mac is better is because the software is built for the computer's hardware . You are not programming software for over 10,000 + configurations and when you are programing you use very basic perimeters like so much cpu , ram , directX 10 , very basic things that most pc's will have . With a Mac the software is designed to utilize all of the capabilities of the hardware because the hardware is known ( a iMac will have this , an MPB will have that , a mac mini will have this ) . Any system that has software written specifically for it's hardware will perform better . Windows for pc's can't do this no matter how hard it tries . Case in point an xbox , if you look at the hardware it is nothing but a very outdated pc ( and if you had a pc trying to play a game to look like the one on the xbox it would have to be twice the system ) but it's OS is built for the system and therefor can do a great job and be reliable . Mac's are the better and the software is better and more reliable .
Posted at 7:19PM on Jun 24th 2008 by csummers1968
39. for WooHoo:
stupid name by the way.... and whats your reason? just saying that makes you look foolish.
also most gamers cannot use a mac unless they run vista. there are a few games out there that are dual platformed. Blizzard is the company i know of off hand.
and by the way a dell XPS laptops or desktops are not the best thing out there. my work has 4 they are large, they heat up very easy, and they have no more capabilities then any other computer with equal hardware.
also if you want to go PC based. dont buy from dell, hp or anyone else for a desktop. you can build the exact same computer for half the price. get your office or find a friend that is a "tech" and have that person do it. you will save a ton of money. (and most will be happy you are not buyin a mac)
Posted at 1:05PM on Jun 24th 2008 by Blake
40. I am another recent convertee to the "temple of Mac" & it's great.
I have an iMac and use VM Fusion for a few work related programs only available for Windows OS ( usual story)
My question is: do I need to install anti- virus software into the Virtual windows partition ? If I go online, while using the virtual ware for Windows is my hardware at risk ??
Posted at 1:12PM on Jun 24th 2008 by suzannah wilson