Would you ever contemplate buying a mac?

***Zardon*** · Apr 14, 2007, 06:49 PM

I have owned a few in the past and I still have an old G4 powered mac in a cupboard. I used them in my work for many years with mainly photoshop/quarkxpress.

I do however feel that windows and building my own hardware is a more viable proposition as I have access to more software and higher support. I also don't like the fact very few are upgradable and you pay through the nose for less powerful hardware than the PC equivalent....

So any mac users out there? why do you use it? Anyone thinking of buying one as a secondary or even main machine?

Discuss.

**dj_stick** · Apr 14, 2007, 08:14 PM

yes

i plan to buy a mac pro when i can afford to, mostly for my music production (my software only works on mac now)

of course i'd be dual booting windows on it for general purpose usage

Vampyromaniac · Apr 14, 2007, 09:46 PM

Not at the present time as I have no need for one, and it would be more money for a more limited platform.

But who knows what the future holds.

***temeteus82*** · Apr 15, 2007, 02:46 AM

If I get to school I would get MacBook Pro

zaim · Apr 15, 2007, 02:50 AM

nope considering they use same hardware as a pc now... it's all eye camdy

i'd rather VM Ware it

Erroneus · Apr 15, 2007, 04:43 AM

Not really, there is nothing there which really intrigues me that much.

Is nice and all, but there are to many program for Windows i would prefer to use.

But it looks like my work is going to buy me one, as we has to include Macs in our projects (I'm a network administrator / system administrator / it technician), since more users are beginning to get macs, *sigh*

***Zardon*** · Apr 15, 2007, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erroneus

since more users are beginning to get macs, *sigh*

really?

Sandok · Apr 15, 2007, 06:01 AM

I'd get a mac, but only end up isntalling windows on it... I like the macbook...

BlueMak · Apr 15, 2007, 08:00 AM

I might get an mini for my mother, but for myself? I don't see any reason to. I also don't like the much higher prices for upgrades and the monopoly of Apple on eh, Apple computers. (yes yes I know)

I might get one after a couple of years for my job, but not entirely sure yet.

Lowfat · Apr 15, 2007, 09:17 AM

If i wasn't such a gamer/overclocker Mac's is all I would own. I plan on buying a Mini in October'ish and use it for day to day tasks, and use a PC for gaming/benching. I use a Mac 8 hours a day at work and when i come home to windows I am dissapointed lol.

**Vikingod** · Apr 15, 2007, 10:48 AM

My sister has a nice Mac, I was fairly impressed with it, and the OS is good. Problem with Mac is the price and the fact that I game with my PC. Performance wise, you can get a PC much cheaper, and for what I use mine for, there really wouldnt be any advantage to using a Mac. But, if I got a good deal on it, and was looking for a laptop, I might consider a Mac.

Erroneus · Apr 15, 2007, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zardon

really?

Yeah, the organization I work for, administrate a lot of higher education schools and the students is really in to mac.

niceguyrichy · Apr 15, 2007, 02:06 PM

once spring and summer are done with I'm planning on getting back into recording music big time again, and given my previous experience with macs and music production I'd definately have one if I had the cash

they are definately over-priced though , unfortunately

***Zardon*** · Apr 15, 2007, 02:11 PM

did you play in a band richy? what instrument and genre?

swimtech · Apr 15, 2007, 03:45 PM

Right now, of course this could change, but the Macbook is the number one selling laptop model at our University. Small wonder really, it does everything well - except 3D gaming, for $1100.00 complete - and I wouldn't consider that overpriced but quite competitive really - no offense...

One major problem though - no accidental coverage available. Gateway, Dell, and the others offer it - not Apple. It matters bigtime on a laptop purchase. You don't want to know how many spills I've seen in laptops over the past three months...

Lowfat · Apr 15, 2007, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swimtech

Right now, of course this could change, but the Macbook is the number one selling laptop model at our University. Small wonder really, it does everything well - except 3D gaming, for $1100.00 complete - and I wouldn't consider that overpriced but quite competitive really - no offense...

I always suggest to people who need a notebook to get a MacBook

IMO they are the best budget portables computers out there.

Vampyromaniac · Apr 15, 2007, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swimtech

I wouldn't consider that overpriced but quite competitive really

I just did a quick price check, and here's what I got for the closest notebook I could spec from Dell (some of the options don't go as low as Apple's.)

Apple ...... Dell
$1099 ...... $978
13.3" ...... 14.1"
1.83 GHz ... 2.0 GHz
512 MB ..... 1 GB
60 GB ...... 80 GB
Tiger ...... Vista Premium
..GMA 950 graphics..
..24x CDRW/DVDROM...

I wouldn't consider that quite competitive.

Lowfat · Apr 15, 2007, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vampyromaniac

I just did a quick price check, and here's what I got for the closest notebook I could spec from Dell (some of the options don't go as low as Apple's.)

Apple ...... Dell
$1099 ...... $978
13.3" ...... 14.1"
1.83 GHz ... 2.0 GHz
512 MB ..... 1 GB
60 GB ...... 80 GB
Tiger ...... Vista Premium
..GMA 950 graphics..
..24x CDRW/DVDROM...

I wouldn't consider that quite competitive.

With an education discount the MacBook drops to $1049 and add Wireless N and Bluetooth which are standard on the MacBook, the price of the Dell goes to $1029. Not much of a difference then.

Vampyromaniac · Apr 15, 2007, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowfat

With an education discount the MacBook drops to $1049 and add Wireless N and Bluetooth which are standard on the MacBook, the price of the Dell goes to $1029. Not much of a difference then.

Fair enough, $50 less for students. The Mac does not have wireless-N, though... only 802.11g. Bluetooth is $20 from Dell, but since most students don't need it, maybe it's better that it's an option.

Even so, the prices may be closer but you've forgotten the important specs. I still wouldn't consider it quite competitive.

Lowfat · Apr 15, 2007, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vampyromaniac

Fair enough, $50 less for students. The Mac does not have wireless-N, though... only 802.11g. Bluetooth is $20 from Dell, but since most students don't need it, maybe it's better that it's an option.

Even so, the prices may be closer but you've forgotten the important specs. I still wouldn't consider it quite competitive.

I work for Apple, i know it has wireless N

They just don't advertise it because you need to either buy an Airport Extreme Base Station or pay the $2.99 to download the firmware update for it.

swimtech · Apr 15, 2007, 08:42 PM

...there's a little camera in the Macbook too - and the software for that device in OSX is a hoot! It works in Windows now too, but very basically. I still think a 10% price difference is "competitive" though

.

But, you can get a Dell for less - that's what they do best.