<p>Supposedly, its the $100 yearly fee that Mac users pay for incremental features in the upgrade to the new OS.</p>
<p>Who says you have to upgrade the OS if you don't want to? I probably won't get Leopard, and it will have almost zero effect on my computing.</p>
<p>The only problem with Linux for an "average" user is the lack of professional support. If my Mac breaks down, I drive to the Apple Store, drop it off, and pick it up a week later.</p>
<p>My Toshiba had to be mailed in every time something went wrong. It took 2 weeks or more every time. Same thing with my Dell. That's one very nice thing about Apples.</p>
<p>I don't pay $100 bux a year so I have no clue what that guy is talking about.</p>
<p>This damn topic keeps coming up over and over again. Its simple if you are a gamer get a damn pc if you are artsy get a mac.</p>
<p>If you are neither get one pc and one mac close your eyes and do eeny meeny miny moe. </p>
<p>The thing is if your just some sort of run of the mill like to surf the internet and make documents user you will not really notice the advantages or disadvantages of having one over the other.</p>
<p>I prefer PC over Mac hands down. I've been a windows user since '89 & I find it nearly impossible to do anything I want to do on macs & the no right-click button screws with me constantly because I'll still click the mouse as if it's there. I know the new macs can dual boot & do windows - that's the only redeeming quality they have.</p>
<p>But aside from the personal preference of operating system, there are much more important factors to consider - mainly hardware, size, weight, & price. For an equally well equipped computer, you can find a PC that is cheaper.</p>
<p>"But aside from the personal preference of operating system, there are much more important factors to consider - mainly hardware, size, weight, & price. For an equally well equipped computer, you can find a PC that is cheaper"</p>
<p>Quality of hardware comes into play here, as well as compatibility issues and driver overhead.
As a general rule, yes, Apple hardware is more expensive than PC hardware because it is proprietary. This is actually an advantage, though, in that Macs avoid the kernel overhead inherent in a Windows system due to unnecessary system drivers. Because Apple actually builds OS X for their Mac systems' hardware specifically, OS X's kernel comes optimized, which allows it to run more quickly and stably than a PC-based system running at several times the clock-speed.</p>
<p>Additionally, you cannot actually compare an Intel Pentium IV processor to the Intel Core 2 Duos in use in MacBooks...</p>
<p>I have a PC (Windows), and I think it's time to taste something new... a Mac!</p>
<p>apumic: since when did any PC laptops use Intel Pentium IV. Theres loads of PC that uses intel core 2 duos.</p>
<p>Has anybody here used business class PC laptops? Since Macs charges more because of their reliability, why not compare them to business class PC laptops who also sell higher for their reliability.</p>
<p>fastfingers,</p>
<p>I say quite often that if I were looking for a business-class notebook, I'd definitely consider a Lenovo.</p>
<p>I have a Lenovo Thinkpad T60, its a business class PC. Its nice and all, I haven't had any problems with it. I also have an iMac that I use when I'm in my dorm, I prefer to use the mac but my Thinkpad has had absolutely no problems and it doesn't really matter which you get. Personally I would have rather have gotten a mac because I prefer the asthetics and its simpler to use. I have a two button usb mouse so I have no problems with the one button only thing.</p>
<p>Just get whichever computer you want to get, neither choice will leave you with a bad taste in your mouth unless its a low quality machine and breaks all the time.</p>
<p>so basically, to make the pc not suck, your going to have to spend the money it costs to buy a mac. go with the mac itsa...verrry nICe!</p>
<p>I just had to jump in here to clear up a few misconceptions and put in my own $0.02, as someone with extensive experience using Macs, Windows PCs, and Linux boxes. I have built many a computer in my day, and have done all sorts of tech support, etc. for both Windows and Linux platforms. At the end of the day, though, I'm a hardcore Mac devotee. </p>
<p>First of all, the concept of a yearly "mac tax" is absurd. Tiger (OS X 10.4) came out almost two years ago, and Leopard (10.5) isn't expected for another few months. </p>
<p>Normally, the phrase "mac tax" is used to refer to the fact that Macs cost more than PCs, which these days is a bit of a misconception. I'm going to focus on laptops, as I imagine that is the main focus for a college student. If you start looking at the $1000 level, a MacBook or MacBook Pro has specs comparable to or slightly worse than a similarly priced PC. However, the components are usually of a much higher quality. </p>
<p>Somebody mentioned earlier in this thread that Macs are more expensive to upgrade because parts need to be Apple-approved. This is not necessarily true; if you want to have an upgrade performed in an Apple Store or through Apple directly, it needs to be something that Apple approves of. Other than that, Apple does not force hardware manufacturers to conform to a specific standard. On the contrary, one of the reasons Macs work so well is that the hardware they use conforms to industry standards on a much stricter level than cheap PC components. It is basically the same concept as Apple not offering a sub-$1000 laptop: it isn't that Macs are inherently more expensive than PCs, it's just that their product line starts at a higher quality level. If you know what you are shopping for, you can easily buy your own replacement parts and pop them in yourself. </p>
<p>As for gaming. Yes, you can install Windows and play games natively (i.e. without Windows emulation slowing things down). However, if you're looking to play the most current games, you need a MacBook Pro. The integrated graphics in the regular MacBook line won't get you much farther than CounterStrike or WoW. If that's all you want, great. If you want more, a MacBook Pro can handle it. </p>
<p>And YES, Photoshop is available for the Mac. The reason Macs became the industry standard in the design field is that for years the Mac version of Photoshop was lightyears ahead of the PC version. That is no longer true, but the fact remains that the Adobe Creative Suite is certainly available for the Mac. </p>
<p>To settle the right-click nonsense. Yes, Macs can right-click. And no, it's not just by doing ctrl+click. If you plug in any PC mouse, it will work, right-click and all. The Mighty Mouse, the only mouse that Apple currently sells, has a right-click (the mouse has a smooth surface, but can detect which side of the mouse you clicked on). The trackpads on MacBooks and MacBook Pros, although only featuring one button, allow you to right-click by putting two fingers on the trackpad and then clicking. </p>
<p>Personally, I think if you are looking for a quality laptop, there is a much stronger case for buying a Mac than a PC when approached from a purely hardware-only standpoint. As I said earlier, the Mac's components are of a very high quality. Beyond that, the MacBook and MacBook Pro designs are easily (in my opinion, at least) the best in the notebook industry. In a college environment, having a magnetic power connector can be the difference between a working computer and a broken one (for those not familiar with the hardware, the power cord connects magnetically, so if somebody trips the wire it simply disconnects instead of taking the computer down with it). Because of the way the fan vents point up through the keyboard instead of out the bottom of the computer, MacBooks don't heat up as much as most other laptops. I could keep giving examples, but long story short I think it is safe to say that the MacBook and MacBook pro are head and shoulders above any other laptop out there. If you don't want to run Mac OS, you can just buy the hardware and install Windows.</p>
<p>Beyond that, though, I personally feel that OS X is the operating system best-suited for the majority of computer users. I'm not going to prosceletize. I would just recommend going into a Mac Store and just letting a salesperson give you the ten-minute tour of OS X. It certainly worked on me. It is robust, it is user-friendly, it has a robust Unix interface for techies, and most importantly it just works. </p>
<p>That being said, if you want something cheap, I will once again concede that PCs reign supreme in the sub-$1000 level. Unless, of course, you want to buy a used iBook or PowerMac. Make sure to install at least OS X 10.3, if not 10.4.</p>
<p>Pc..........</p>
<p>depends on what you do</p>
<p>
[quote]
Supposedly, its the $100 yearly fee that Mac users pay for incremental features in the upgrade to the new OS.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You don't HAVE TO upgrade to Leopard just as you don't HAVE to upgrade to Vista. Apple actually DOES have help for Tiger as well as Leopard. Apple support site has help sections for OS 9, OS X Jaguar, OS X panther and OS X tiger. Unlike microsoft, Apple realizes that you don't have money to fork over or time every year to upgrade your OS.</p>
<p>Although a mac would be cool, I have had a pc my whole life and dont plan on switching, since I am so comfortable with it already.</p>
<p>if you play video game... don't buy a mac</p>
<p>"You don't HAVE TO upgrade to Leopard just as you don't HAVE to upgrade to Vista. Apple actually DOES have help for Tiger as well as Leopard. Apple support site has help sections for OS 9, OS X Jaguar, OS X panther and OS X tiger. Unlike microsoft, Apple realizes that you don't have money to fork over or time every year to upgrade your OS."
I don't get this. Microsoft has support for their operating system too. In fact their knowledge base is awesome for users with problems.</p>
<p>
[quote]
if you play video game... don't buy a mac
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Except that you can play games on the Mac. But I won't tell anyone. ;)</p>
<p>I have no doubt mac is much better than PC>>> it has an easier system to use and for college sutednt it is really good</p>
<p>
[quote]
Except that you can play games on the Mac. But I won't tell anyone.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>there are some emulators for playing games on Mac. By the same argument I could also say, my linux box can play windows games but honestly it's better to play PC games on windows :)</p>