[Technology] P.C. or Mac?

[Bodian]

We have PCs / Windows at work - so I can't be bothered having a completely different system to get used to at home.

However, my (relatively new) laptop apparently does not have the capability to upgrade to Windows 11, and support for Windows 10 is going in October. And I'm hoping to retire in three years. So, it may be timely to look at a Mac. I mainly use a computer at home for NSC and Lightroom.

 

[Audax]

Phone: Android
Tablet: iPad
Laptop: Windows
Desktop: Windows

I've never got on with Apple, other than the iPad (used an iPhone from work for a while as well, it's fine, great device, but I just prefer Android). It's one of those things - some people's brains work differently from others. For me, Windows just "makes more sense" to me and is more intuitive. I've tried Macs at various points in time over the decades (although not for over a decade now!) and never really "clicked" with them. They've always frustrated me quite rapidly.

More importantly: I'm happy to tinker. Android on my phone has always won out because it's always been ahead of Apple in that regard (eg widgets). Windows laptops / PCs I'm happy to take apart and do my own repairs / upgrades. My last desktop PC I bought the parts individually and built the machine myself at home. Our current laptop I've had the back off it a couple of times to add extra hard drive capacity (it came with a small SSD which is now exclusively for Windows, I added a HDD for storage, and a larger SSD for games installs). That laptop is now 5 years old and still doing the job ... although it is showing signs of being used hard over those 5 years, not helped by the fact my wife has so many Chrome tabs left open that the RAM is constantly near 100% utilisation when she's using it.

I'll be getting a new desktop later this month, and it'll be Windows (prebuilt this time, I don't have time to faff about with the research to do self-build again).

I was persuaded to switch to Macs at Currys many years ago. I was there to buy yet another Hewlett Packard PC that would die, like all the others, after about two and a half years.

I told the sales guy I wasn't a big fan of Macs as I used them at work and always found Windows to be better.

He pointed out that a Mac would last much longer and work out cheaper in the long run. He was right.

Over the years I've now probably bought 10 Macs for home and work use (I have a small team) and also have Mac laptops, iPhones and iPads. I guess you have to choose a side and I went with Apple.

The machines are pretty good but I've had to have hard drives replaced a few times. The Mac expert who does the job points out that it's now very hard to repair a Mac as Apple has designed the hardware that way. So more unnecessary landfill. I also don't like the fact that after about 10 years, even if your machine is running fine, it's basically obsolete and you can't download the latest OS.

Suspect your problem was the repeat purchase of HP. Others may have a different experience, but I've always found them to feel more at the budget end of the spectrum and long term reliability suffers as a result. I had similar issues with Compaq (both before and after HP bought them) way back. Both of them would look like great value off the shop floor, work great for a couple of years, and then need replacing for one reason or another. Meanwhile, the more expensive (but still cheaper than Apple) brand devices my mates could afford would keep going much longer.

You may have solved your problem just as well without needing to switch to Apple by simply switching brand for your Windows solution.

 

[schmunk]

You may have solved your problem just as well without needing to switch to Apple by simply switching brand for your Windows solution.

I've always found Microsoft laptops / tablets /convertibles to be very high quality. Similarly the higher range Dells (XPS or Latitude). Comparing a £300 HP shitter with a £1,200 Macbook is never going to be a fair comparison.