Choosing a computer for college? Mac or PC?

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>I’ve seen a myriad of posts in my short(but fantastic) time here at CC. I figured since I have replied to most of the threads, I’d write an article on the topic. Hopefully this will keep the posts about the subject down to a minimum and help out anyone that’s having a hard time deciding what’s right for them.</p>

<p>Table of Contents:</p>

<p>Chapter One: Laptop v.s Desktop</p>

<p>Chapter Two: Mac or PC</p>

<p>Chapter Three: Printers and Additional peripherals</p>

<p>Chapter Four: Additional Information and Link</p>

<p>Chapter one: Laptop v.s Desktop</p>

<pre><code>In todays society, portability has become a deciding factor in decisions amongst consumers. Laptops are obviously the most convenient option, but are they just as good and do they provide the performance you’re use to with desktops? If you had asked me this five years ago, I’d have laughed at you. Now? I’d have to tell you that, yes, in fact, they do provide similar performance and reliability as the desktop computer.
</code></pre>

<p>Now, if you're an animator or CG Artist, a laptop may not be upto your standards yet, not because of how they perform whilst creating the content, but how hot and cumbersome it will be to render out your material. </p>

<p>For the most, unless you're a major gaming geek, a hermit or someone that loves to pretend old stuff is better; go with a laptop. But, to make things fair for good ol’ desktop, I’ll compile a list of pros and cons.</p>

<p>*Desktop pros:
- Can be slightly more powerful than a laptop, depending on your configuration.
- Can be upgraded very easily to the latest hardware.</p>

<p>Desktop cons:
- It’s big, it’s lanky and it has a ton of cables. In other words, it takes up a lot of space.
- Not portable.</p>

<p>Laptop pros:
- Ultra portable, you can take it anywhere.
- No cables, unless using a printer or wired ethernet connection.
- It’s almost as powerful as a desktop, and can be more powerful.</p>

<p>Laptop cons:
- Slight drop in performance.
- Battery life can be good or bad depending on who you buy your computer from, but expect only around four hours out of your battery. Additionally, over time your battery will loose it's ability to hold a full charge; thus reducing battery life.
- Generates heat easily.
- Touchpad on a notebook may be weird to use for long time Desktop users. Easily fixed by using a portable mouse.*</p>

<p>Verdict: Get a laptop</p>

<p>Chapter Two: Mac or PC?</p>

<p>Coming Soon</p>

<p>Cheers,
Alex</p>

<p>PS: It took a bit of time to write, and if you're interested in the other chapters, it'd be motivating to hear some feedback; I will update it as I find mistakes.</p>

<p>Also, if you find any mistakes or think I'm wrong about something let me know and I'll change it :)</p>

<p>Mods: A sticky would be cool if you think it's helpful</p>

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<p>I think in the laptop con list you should add that the battery tends to hold less and less charge since (at least macs) have litium batteries. Mine started out with a 4 hour charge but now it's only 40 minutes if I don't run any program.s</p>

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<p>karen and ninja: Awesome suggestion, I added it :)</p>

<p>Thanks guys!</p>

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<p>One more con to laptops...easily remedied but still...touch pad mouse and funky keyboard hurt overall usability and writing is (for ME) more difficult. Overall though, thorough and helpful, thank you. I'll just upgrade my desktop slightly and get an ultraportable laptop. What's wrong with the best of both worlds?</p>

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<p>Don't forget about price. In the long run it's better to invest in the option that suits your other needs, but cost is not something most people ignore. It is still a simple fact that a laptop will cost more than the desktop of comparable power.</p>

<p>Don't forget to add "what you buy is what you're stuck with until you get a whole new system" to the con list for laptops; with few exceptions (mainly RAM, which is still a pain to change) what you purchase in a laptop is what you use until it dies.</p>

<p>A possible con for the desktop is the peripheral set. Yes, it makes the computer HIGHLY customizable, but it also means you shell out more for a new/bigger screen, a mouse, a keyboard, speakers, etc. Of course it gives you the option to optimize each option to your specifications at the same time.</p>

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<p>i would love to see the rest of this article, its very informative so far.</p>

<p>i see a future sticky......</p>

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<p>Hmm, is there a reason why I can't edit the original post?</p>

<p>Thanks for all the opinions so far!</p>

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<p>desktops are easier to upgrade.</p>

<p>btw you should be more objective. just present the facts and try to give as little opinion as little. no need to say that reader should most likely buy a laptop. the reader should be able to make that choice with the facts you present.</p>

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<p>I guess I'll have to break it up into posts now</p>

<p>To anyone reading the post; just watch other posts for more information about the subject you're interested in, as I can't update the original post, everyone can just chime in as to their own opinion. :)</p>

<p>Chapter Two: Mac or PC?</p>

<p>In case anyone is wondering, a PC is generally referred to as a computer running the Windows OS(Operating System). A Mac, on the other hand, is a computer running the Macintosh OS. In this chapter we'll look at how each serves it's own purpose and how you can go about picking the one that's right for you.</p>

<p>First, lets compare the two OS(s).</p>

<p>The majority of the public uses Windows, it has a 92-93% market share and pretty much monopolizes the OS market. Mac, with 5% market share is increasing in popularity. It's an OS that a lot of people(myself included) think is more reliable and easy to use compared to Windows. Does this make it better? It depends on what you -- the user -- needs to do.</p>

<p>A Mac is generally known for being a creative powerhouse. It's a fantastic OS for anyone in a creative field(i.e.: Music, Video, Art). A PC is most commonly known to be more of a business platform. It is typically better at networking and development(software) than a Mac. Needless to say, if your studying programming, it's going to be on a PC, so don't buy a Mac. </p>

<p>If, on the other hand, your any other type of Major. I can't not recommend a Mac. I was a long time Windows user up until a few years ago. Now Mac OS X is my OS of choice.</p>

<p>For me, Windows is a very messy OS. It lacks, should I say, the polish that OS X has. Additionally, there is 0(and I literally mean 0) Viruses for the Mac. While there is thousands and thousands for the PC(none of which can be run on a Mac). </p>

<p>The latest addition of Windows(Vista) took some of the features of OS X, and incorporated it. Stuff such as Gadgets, Easier Search Functions, Authentication to run programs and much much more.</p>

<p>With a Mac, you can run both Mac OS X and Windows. This is near impossible to do with a PC(legally). So a Mac is the only computer in the world that can run all of the mainstream OS's.</p>

<p>Lets get down to the last point of interest: Price. We've established it's probably best to invest in a laptop for college, but unless you have a budget over 1,000, it's going to be difficult to get a Mac as their lowest notebook(the MacBook) weighs in at $999(well over 1k after tax). PCs can be purchased for a lot less; you can generally find Windows Notebooks suitable for college needs for around 600-750 USD.</p>

<p>Lets summarize what we've learned, then.</p>

<p>Windows is a great OS suited toward the developers and business-men alike; it's mainstream, meaning most applications are written for it. The newest version of the OS incorporated some features from OS X(which is a very good thing, I assure you). PCs are generally less expensive.</p>

<p>Macintosh is a great OS suited toward the common-folk; the artist; the musician; the average joe. Basically, anyone can find a way to use a Mac to suit their needs. Yes, even the business men. Boot-camp allows users to run both OS's. Macs are pretty expensive, but they are well worth it.</p>

<p>Verdict: I recommend a Mac, but that's not to put any shame on Windows. It's a fantastic OS and I recommend trying both before making a decision. You can visit an Apple Store and demo OS X. If you find that you like OS X, drop the money for it, it's well worth it.</p>

<p>As always, everyone give their opinion and add to the post. Anything you think should have been in this article, post it :)</p>

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<p>Whew! As a devoted Mac user, I don't come across too many PC vs. Mac arguments like that. I do think you should mention iLife suite. iTunes/iPhoto/iMovie/iDVD/GarageBand all bundled into every Mac for free; the easiest and best photo manager, movie maker, DVD maker, music maker all working together. For my parents, iLife + Mac OS X = heaven.</p>

<p>When we used to have Dells, I remember saying to myself, "XP is good enough, why switch", and once I did, absoltutely NO regrets. In fact, there is absolutely NO incentive/reason for me to go back to Vista, nor do I have any desire to.</p>

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<p>Macs do have viruses, just not many
<a href="http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/osxleapa.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/osxleapa.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>I forgot to mention iSight/iChat AV, how it's perfectly built-in on the screen; it's great, but now my mom says she wants to "see" me everyday at college next year...</p>

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<p>Unpolloloco, It requires the user to type in a password. it's the equivalent of saying "Yes, go ahead and screw my computer up". It's kind-of like commiting suicide.</p>

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<p>OMG! A built-in camera?! Seriously, the arguments used here are pointless. There are tons of PC laptops with built-in cameras and you can use thousands of different video chat programs.</p>

<p>Also, look into your major at college. Sometimes, you have to use certain programs and they are windows-only. So fi you do get a mac, you'll have to get XP as well.</p>

<p>The bot camp argument is very weak. Hardly anybody actually does do it, so it really is like macs can't run windows, since your average joe won't spend XXXX on a laptop then XXX on a separate OS.</p>

<p>If you're a smart, responsible user then get XP. If you're loaded, download lots of random crap, and can't figure out anything, then macs are for you.</p>

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<p>Ooh, I disagree with many points here, so let me itemize it.</p>

<p>First:</p>

<p>That's not a Mac vs. PC comparison. That's a MacOS vs. Windows comparison. Yeah, Windows isn't the most perfect operating system in the world. However, I would never go pure Mac, if only because I know there will be stuff I need that doesn't work on MacOS. Boot camping is a decent idea though. In a Mac vs. PC comparison, for anyone who doesn't need a ton of computing power with upgradability (which you can't get, de facto, on any computer that runs MacOS), or who doesn't want to do any gaming, or who doesn't want to use large productivity apps, MacOS is best.</p>

<p>I do have some issues with MacOS though. Firstly, it's only able to maintain its current stature because of its small market share. Once more people start using it, you can say goodbye to relative freedom from viruses, meaning AV programs have to start being developed. Who's going to do that? Well, it depends, raising my second issue. Apple keeps taking good software ideas and integrating them into the OS and coding them themselves. Doing this is nice for seamless integration, yes, but in the long run it's going to drive small development houses out of the MacOS market. That's just a philosophical point though. I happen to also dislike some of the difficulties in customizing the OS to my liking, but as a person who's very knowledgeable about computers, that may not be a concern shared by many others.</p>

<p>As for arguments about MacOS's superiority, some are flawed. The virus one, for example. Viruses are starting to be developed, and will continue at an increasing rate, especially since Mac has moved to Intel-based systems.</p>

<p>Second:</p>

<p>The Mac vs. PC comparison was badly articulated here. </p>

<p>Macs are very expensive for their relative computing power, and have little flexibility for upgrading. For the amount of money spent on a Mac, someone can get an unbelievable PC.</p>

<p>Furthermore, PCs aren't restricted to Windows. How about Linux? Or any of the other PC operating systems? This is not a simple operating system-driven choice - there is flexibility in it. As for your comment about it being illegal to run MacOS: so?</p>

<p>I somewhat agree with your operating system analysis, but vehemently disagree with your analysis of the actual computers. I would go with a PC every time at the moment - until Apple starts providing the flexibility I want at an effective price, it's going to be a PC. I'm just not interested in spending money on aesthetics. (that is what you're paying for with Apple hardware)</p>

<p>Third:</p>

<p>Laptop vs. desktop? How about both? I know that's what I'll be bringing. :P</p>

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<p>1of42:</p>

<p>You certainly make some excellent points, thanks for sharing.</p>

<p>Generally, a PC is Windows. I clearly mentioned that was the context I was speaking in so Mac vs PC; Mac vs Windows, it's all the same.</p>

<p>As for the Virus comment, sure they will, but most will require user interaction. It comes down to common sense, don't open it if you don't trust it.</p>

<p>I disagree with some things as-well. You certainly aren't just paying for aesthetics. Apple Hardware is very much upto date. And is soon to be updated again, with the Santa Rosa platform intel is launching.</p>

<p>Please, Linux? This is a for college thread. Most college students have no idea what Linux is. You have to admit Mac and Windows are the two main players, and the ones worth comparing. Also, what do you mean so? It's illegal ... O_o I think that was worth mentioning.</p>

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<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CIpwV4KqNc%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CIpwV4KqNc&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>You can get OS X on a PC if you're poor but still want OS X for whatever reason.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
As for the Virus comment, sure they will, but most will require user interaction. It comes down to common sense, don't open it if you don't trust it.

[/quote]
this is kind of a moot point... it's not like windows has a huge number of viruses that install themselves automatically and completely cripple your computer... if people didn't download so much shady stuff, then their computer is pretty safe from viruses. i agree it's harder to catch a virus on os x but that's because nobody cares about os x. yet.</p>

<p>
[quote]

I disagree with some things as-well. You certainly aren't just paying for aesthetics. Apple Hardware is very much upto date. And is soon to be updated again, with the Santa Rosa platform intel is launching.

[/quote]

again, a moot point because it doesn't really matter if apple is up-to-date so much as YOUR computer is up-to-date and in that category, apple makes it's hardware components A LOT harder to access. with a "pc" laptop, it's fairly easy to take out a couple of screws then swap in a processor or ram or even hard-drive so you wouldn't need to buy a completely new laptop. with an apple, all i can say is good luck. </p>

<p>that said, everyone should try out different os's and see which one they're more comfortable with.</p>

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<p>i'll give you the second one. </p>

<p>Yes, Windows XP has tons of viruses that install itself. Luckily this has been fixed in Vista by using the same method OS X uses. XP, however, isn't as luckily.</p>

<p>A lot of people care about OS X. Do you know how big 5% market share is? Besides, it's not like their aren't any capable hackers or programmers using OS X; who wouldn't want to be the one that "broke OS X" it's like a hackers dream :P </p>

<p>Cheers,
Alex</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Yes, Windows XP has tons of viruses that install itself. Luckily this has been fixed in Vista by using the same method OS X uses. XP, however, isn't as luckily.

[/quote]
ya but my point was that if someone didn't go to every porn site or shady site they wouldn't have that problem to begin with.</p>

<p>1 final word: Gaming.</p>