Should I get a Mac

Alrighty, the thread title sums a lot of it up, but let me lay down some ground rules for this discussion.

This isn't a chance to say "Macs suck because that's what everyone says" or "I've been using Macs and wouldn't switch to a PC because it's ugly." I am in legitimate need of advice from people who have had proper experience with both types of computers.

I have been a Windows user since my first PC, although I have always admired the Macintosh interface. For compatibility reasons, however, I never saw the switch as one which would be seamless. However, these days it seems as though Macs are less limited in what they can do and would actually be very busy to work alongside a Windows machine. In fact, I'd love to have a setup running Mac OS X Leopard as well as Windows Vista - is this possible yet?

A lot of the software I use is already available... Firefox, Adobe Products, Microsoft Office (I'm loving 2008 previews), Zend Studio, etc... However, are there any key points I'm missing? I'm more of a developer but I do enjoy doing some designing and video editing, which I have heard Macs have an edge on.

I'm looking at the Mac Book Pro 2.4Ghz and comparing it to (most likely) a Dell Vistro or other comparable Windows notebook.

Lastly this is not a "you should switch" thread, I'll make that decision for myself. Rather this is a "here are some things I like about X, here are some things I dislike about X"

Thank you and I look forward to hearing some suggestions, I'm very stuck!!

Best Regards,
Patrick

I made the switch about a year ago. I haven't been happier. No major problems with the mac, loving Leopard and all of the great features with it.

Unless you're a huge gamer I would say you shouldn't have any issues adjusting to the mac. Whatever current programs you use on a PC you'll find the same or similar on a mac.

I can say you will be paying a lot more for a mac compared to its windows counterpart. But that wasn't a problem for me. I knew what I was getting myself into.

With Boot Camp now coming pre-installed on Leopard you now have the option if you wanted down the road to put Vista (prefer XP) on your shiny new Apple.

Just to let you know what I'm running. 2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Macbook Pro with 2GB of Ram.

Hope my mumbled response helps.

I made the switch on July 27th and am very happy. I used all these windows programs and thought oh no when i switch i will be using Paralells all the time. I quickly find out there are so many mac alternatives and havnt used it once :O. The intergace makes everything so much quicker, its just a breeze.

i have blackbook ( black macbook ) made the switch [pc died] about 8 months ago. Already looking at new macs, would never turn back.

Made the switch in February ... and it was the best thing I could have done, money well spent too.

No blue screen of death [ignoring the leopard issues] ... no virus and spyware crap, faster integration with Adobe software .. everything is easy to use.

Installing apps is just dragging them into the app folder... and reverse for uninstalling them.

Vista ... it can be done, so no problem there, and if your a coder/designer, I think it would be a good change :]

Go into an apple shop and play around with one, see if you feel comfortable with it. I have the MBP and to begin with everything was wierd, but you get used to it very fast ... and everything computer wise just becomes easier.

Microsoft Products like Word and Excel, there are free alternatives like NeoOffice which do everything for you.

Hope that helps :]

Awesome. I was planning on buying a MacBook Pro in the near future, so this thread really helps me make my decision as well. All I have heard was great things so far about this.

PatrickPaul,

I'll come right out and say I'm a Mac 'fanboy' as you may call it. But I hope this statement doesn't stop you from reading my posts.

I used to be a hardcore PC user, building my own etc.. As we all do sometime in our lives (*nerds*) but I did see a difference when switching to Mac. No they're not better, PC and Mac are along the same lines in technology and usuability and you could even say reliability. But I find using a Mac much more easier and "well thought-out". The simple tasks I once used to do using my PC would have taken a while, when switching to Mac i noticed i could execute those little tasks into even littler tasks on my Mac.

I'll put this in context. I do a lot of video editing, HDV and DV. I found that editing video on my PC was great but at times I could see my PC "crashing" or "locking up" which used to annoy me. I moved to Mac because I heard a lot of stuff saying Macs don't crash, well they do! They just don't operate the same way as a Windows would crash, with Windows the whole system locks up but in Mac the application will lock-up, allowing you to force quit it and carry on, with Windows I started to find it very annoying having my task bar disappear then having to restart most likely to get back to normal, with Mac and it's technology it's so well put together there's little lagging or having to wait for something to happen.

I could go on all day, but depending on your needs of a Mac you'll want it to do different things, and you'll want a comparison for those things. With Leopard I've already noticed a huge difference with Core Animation technology.

There are some points on this page; http://www.apple.com/getamac why you should consider a Mac but take into account what you need a Mac for, and if it would help.

Best of luck! We're all here to help if you do make the switch and need any assistance! You shouldn't though, it's all straight forward enough.

Windows has tons of software, for everything you can think of. If you're getting a notebook for designing, windows is a good choice because you are already familiar with windows. Photoshop isn't any better on a mac, the white casing on the macs don't make you design better.

But then again, OS X is very smooth. It very rarely crashes. It has lots of stunning visual effects. More and more people are starting to write software for OS X nowadays, but it is still no where near as much as windows, and probably never will be.

Of course, Vista is a very nice operating system, but it does have bugs. That shouldn't be a big problem for long because there is a service pack coming out for it soon. Honestly, I think Vista is a great operating system, and it has a sexy look to it.

Performance wise, nowadays, both are about the same. Macs tend to be a bit overpriced, though recently Apple has been reasonably with prices.

You could probably find a PC with the same specs or better than a nice mac, and save money.

It just depends on which OS you like better to be honest. I don't really like OS X because the close buttons and such are on the other side, and I actually don't really enjoy its theme, which can barely be changed.

Personally, I'd go with Windows.

Like Village Idiot and Patrick, I have the same idea of switching to mac but what annoys me is the price.

You're paying for quality, and the brand of course. But like anything, what's the point investing in something cheap if it's going to last you a week, why not invest in something expensive that will last a bit longer eh?