PC or Apple

[Bozza]

Always use a work laptop for everything, in the office and out. But with Broadband getting close to where I live (275 interests, against a trigger level of 300) thoughts go to getting my own machine for the first time in a few years.

I want something of a reasonable spec and was looking at a P4 3Ghz, 512mb, (at least) 120Gb. I want to be able to take stuff off my camcorder and burn DVDs, have enough power for new games etc. etc.

I have often looked at Apples and the new iMac G4 has taken my eye - if only because it is a lovely looking piece of kit and I think it will be just as good, if not better, for DVD authoring work. Also, the iMac is small enough that, with a wireless setup, I could easily move it to any room in the house to use - a PC desktop is just too bulky to do it too often.

But I always have this nagging doubt with Apple - are there going to be things it won't do as well as a PC? Will I be able to get broadband-ed up just as easily, when available etc. Are TV cards available reasonably for the Mac, and what about a cordless keyboard and mouse.

Appreciate views from anyone more experienced than me - which is probably most.

 

[Kylies Stunt Arse]

I'm not very clued up on Apple stuff, but isn't there a new model due out soon? A G5?

 

[Lush]

I am a computer dunce but I love my iMac and, like most people who've worked in advertising/design I've always had Macs. I've never found anything difficult - broadband-ing up is easy. Only confusion comes when people tell you to "right-click" on something. And they look really cool.

 

[bhaexpress]

There are two problems (such as they are) with Macs. First of all they're more expensive and secondly you're slightly limited by the availability of software.

It used to be true that Macs were more reliable but of late, since Windows 2000 & XP that's no loner the case.

I'd buy a PC.

 

[Wozza]

Despite what your hubby says, that's not actually an iMac, Lush.

 

[REDLAND]

PC Bozza, but you really already knew that

 

[Lush]

AND they very rarely get affected by viruses

BTW Wozza that iron looks nothing like MY iMac

 

[fatbadger]

I swear by Macs (I currently have a PowerBook G4), but that's due to my needs. Word for Mac is infinitely better for long documents than Word for PCs, and I work with long documents. I believe, however, that Word for PCs is better for short documents, reports, that sort of thing.

As for multimedia stuff - with the exception of three people (two musicians and an animator) everybody I know that works with music or film would never contemplate anything other than a Mac. Don't ask me why - it has something to do with their own needs, obviously, which I don't understand. Of the three that use PCs, one believes PCs to be better, one works in a PC factory so gets free parts for PCs with which he builds his own, and the other teaches the use of animation software on PCs and thus gets free software from work (whereas he would have to shell out hundreds if he was to buy the software for a Mac). So, even of the PC users I know, only one uses them because he thinks they are better.

 

[US Seagull]

Mac is wack. Don't buy one, more expensive for something much less useful (due to lack of software) why hobble yourself?
You can find PC cases that are every bit as snappy as an iMac and every bit as non-bulky too. PC's come in all shapes and sizes so you should have no trouble finding something to suit. If moveability is an issue you might want to look at the semi-portable boxes that Geeks take to LAN parties (I know there's a name for this type of box, but I can't think of it right now). They are often small (maybe a little larger than a large shoebox) and some even have a handle molded to the top. I think they tend to be fairly high-end game boxes, so they might be more than you need.

 

[bhaexpress]

AND they very rarely get affected by viruses

BTW Wozza that iron looks nothing like MY iMac

Neither does mine as I have both a decent anti virus and a firewall. People don't tend to write Virai for Macs as they're quite rare.

 

[Bozza]

Despite what your hubby says, that's not actually an iMac, Lush.

That'd be the fella. The 20" looks tempting but not sure the extra money would be worth it for my usage.

 

[Bozza]

Mac is wack. Don't buy one, more expensive for something much less useful (due to lack of software) why hobble yourself?
You can find PC cases that are every bit as snappy as an iMac and every bit as non-bulky too. PC's come in all shapes and sizes so you should have no trouble finding something to suit. If moveability is an issue you might want to look at the semi-portable boxes that Geeks take to LAN parties (I know there's a name for this type of box, but I can't think of it right now). They are often small (maybe a little larger than a large shoebox) and some even have a handle molded to the top. I think they tend to be fairly high-end game boxes, so they might be more than you need.

I'm not sure they will still be as portable as the iMac though (see picture from Lush) since it's just one 'thing' to pick up, if you have a wireless keyboard and mouse due to the TFT screen being integral.

Lush/anyone - do you do much/any PC emulation? What is the performance of that like?

 

[bhafc99]

Macs look better, run better and avoid viruses better (almost all of which are aimed at PCs and Windows). Unless you want something totally obscure in terms of software, cross-compatability is NOT a problem. If you want to do anything at all creative_– photo manipulation, music etc – Mac utterly trounces PC, and is used by absolutely everybody in creative industries (graphic, film, music etc).

PCs are better if you want to run spreadsheets, accountancy packages, build large networks and so on. Zzzzz.

 

[The Large One]

What do you need the computer for? Work? Home?

The PC is a toy, little more. Its main purpose as a computer is to play games on. PCs are affected by too many viruses. When you hear about these viruses going worldwide, we are talking PCs basically.

My AppleMac is the absolute dog's bollocks. As a designer, I find a PC (which the occasional design company uses) is a laughing stock. Ditto for music composition and recording. An AppleMac does everything a PC can do - and them some, by a country mile. PC files work on Macs much better than Mac files on PCs. You can get wireless mouses, broadband connections - the lot.

Macs are a little more expensive, but then you get what you are paying for. The main dealer in the city is Solutions in Old Shoreham Road, Hove. They are not cheap, but their backup is OK. There is another shop virtually on the corner of Queens Road and North Road.

You can buy Macs from PC World, but my advice is DON'T. They may be cheaper, but if something goes wrong, you are basically stuffed. Their backup is awful, and they send you from pillar to post, refusing to take responsibility.

In short, DON'T GO ANYWHERE NEAR A BLOODY PC, THEY'RE FOR BEGINNERS.

Oh, and Macs are much easier to use.

 

[Lush]

Lush/anyone - do you do much/any PC emulation? What is the performance of that like?

No, I have no desire to emulate a PC. But if I did, I expect I would be able to pull off a stunning performance.

*runs off to consult computer manual*

 

[The Large One]

I've got Virtual PC for my Mac. (I didn't want to have to buy it - it was about £150 three years ago.) It's fairly slow emulation, much slower than is good for you. And it takes out a fair slice of your hard drive if you wanted to make it work. You have to install it as a virtual slave drive.

 

[US Seagull]

I'm not sure they will still be as portable as the iMac though (see picture from Lush) since it's just one 'thing' to pick up, if you have a wireless keyboard and mouse due to the TFT screen being integral.

Fair point. I thought you were thinking more along the lines of Wozza's picture. But if movability is really that much of a problem, why not get a laptop? Or just put the whole thing on a cart with wheels?
I still wouldn't buy a Mac, not even if it came glazed in honey. It's more money for a less useful machine that you can't ever upgrade. Why bother when you can have a PC, set it up however you want it, swap in a bigger hard drive when you find the old one's not big enough, stick in some more memory if you want, change the video card and stay upto date and you can even have a friggin' floppy drive! Not to mention all the PC gaming goodness you'll miss out on with a Mac. You can go with Mac's one size fits all solution, or you can configure a PC to do exactly what you want, no more, no less.

 

[Bozza]

Right...

The machine is for home use only. I'll still have my work (Windows) laptop for that. But there are restrictions on what I can do with it, or feel comfortable doing on a work machine where everything is going through a work run firewall and proxy server etc.

I do most stuff sitting on the sofa in the lounge - means I am not being quite so anti-social. Whatever I buy will be housed in the study but I am doing something that will take a while it would be good to cart the thing into the lounge. As above - I perceive there being just too much to make this practical with a PC desktop. With the iMac and Airport Extreme wireless networking, I think it would be much more workable.

A Windows laptop you say? I fancy a bigger screen than the 15" or so that I'm likely to get and spec-wise you get less than with a desktop. A P4 3Ghz, 120gb+, 512mb laptop will cost a lot more than a comparable desktop.

I know I'll be better off with games on a PC and that is a real consideration. Does not much get ported onto a Mac?

 

[CAFC Matt]

Whenever I have used a Mac they have never worked properly

 

[US Seagull]

I know I'll be better off with games on a PC and that is a real consideration. Does not much get ported onto a Mac?

I can only speak from personal experience, but I haven't even seen a Mac section in a computer games store for years (but then I haven't been looking) and they always used to be much smaller anyway - maybe it's different in the UK, but I doubt it. I also haven't seen any Mac gaming magazines for ages (if ever). I think very few game publishers bother with the Mac anymore - that, above all else, is why I won't buy a Mac. I like games!