The age-old question: Mac or PC

Student Lounge College Life
1

So I will be entering college in August and need to decide on a laptop. I know this question has been asked at least 1 million times on here so forgive me for asking again and just bear with my laziness at not wanting to look for a recent and relevant post regarding the topic.

I’m not pursuing a degree in engineering, architecture, or another convoluted area where I know there is a specific need for a Mac or programs compatible with such. I’m going for political science so I really don’t need much more than a word processor, internet browser, and compatibility with some other popular software which I know would be available (at least in equivalent forms) on both a PC and a Mac.

I grew up using PCs and am very comfortable with Windows, but, that being said, I have learned from experience that my Windows devices haven’t always seemed up to snuff. Quite frankly, I’ve often developed hardware issues or found my computer slowing down over the course of a couple of years. Granted, I realize this could be (and probably has a lot to do with) the fact that I don’t really have a lot of expertise when it comes to technological stuff, and often rely on my older sibling to help me fix, update, or generally improve my devices. He is very adept at working with PCs, so I know that I can use him as a resource, if not just in a communicative way while I’m off at school.

I have heard from friends and Mac users that Mac computers often last a very long time, and, if kept and used well, are a great computer to use for college. Obviously, by design, they seem to be much sleeker, less unwieldy (when compared to PC laptops, though obviously this is not an exceptionless standard), and generally easier to manage. I am not entirely unfamiliar with using a Mac (although I can’t say I’m more comfortable than on a PC), and, if given time, I don’t doubt that I’ll be able to adequately familiarize myself with the differences.

I understand that I’m not giving a whole lot up in terms of what I’m looking for; to be honest, I just need a computer that will get what I need done done when I go to do it. I would ideally like it to have a long battery life, reliability with usage, longevity in terms of the hardware (i.e. it won’t go outdated a year after I buy it) and speed. Some other perks would be a large amount of storage space (before the need of an external, if possible), good graphics card (or whatever it is that’s inside of them???), and the ability to (hopefully rather seamlessly) run multiple programs at once without slowing down or overheating the computer.

I know that a lot of this stuff comes down to preference, which is why I’d love some user input (especially those of you that have experience with both). If you only have a one-sided opinion, I’d rather it be kept to unbiased statistical and relevant info rather than “I used a Mac all 4 years and had no problems and I loved it.”

For the kicker, I know Macs run a bit more than standard PCs. I’ll just leave it with price is not a factor in my decision at the moment. Please don’t think that I have the money to easily buy a Mac for everyone in the audience like Oprah; I just want to make it clear that I’d rather hear “It’s worth/not worth the price because [this this this]” than “If you feel like shelling out $1,400 for a computer… [further comments bashing Macs].”

Sorry for such a lengthy post and, again, I apologize that this has been asked now 1,000,001 times. I appreciate any insight you all have and hope you all have a great day. Thanks!

2

MacBook Air would be perfectly fine for a Poli Sci major.

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I second the MacBook Air suggestion. It’s lightweight, great battery life, not to expensive, and is reliable.

I purchased a MacBook Air my freshman year and it hasn’t let me down yet. I’ve only had to force shut it down maybe two times in the years that I’ve had it. I am an engineering major and I have had zero problems regarding compatibility issued with the softwares I need to run. I upgraded a few things when I purchased my laptop so the machine would be able to hold more memory and process faster and I would recommend it to those who want some long-term use.

I had a Windows laptop before I bought my Mac. I still use it from time to time, but I prefer how the Mac handles file sharing and downloads and such. It’s quite user friendly and a pretty low learning curve.

4

Either a PC or a Mac will do what you need it to do. I think if you get comparably equipped PCs and Macs of similar quality, then the price will be similar, too. I agree that PCs tend to slow down over time and that Macs have a longer life.
If you get a Macbook Pro or an Air, go for the models with at least a 256GB hard drive, especially if you store a lot of music files on your computer. If you get an Air, go for a model with at least 8GB RAM.

One of the biggest factors in favor of a Mac is that you have much less to worry about in terms of viruses, malware, etc. Also, Apple has good service, unlike many PC vendors. On the other hand, after the warranty period, repairs and parts can be pricey. It’s worth it to get the extended Applecare. Many PCs might offer a longer standard warranty.

My biggest complaint about Macs is that the soft rubber insulation on Apple power cords is more about looks than durability. I’ve had to replace 3-4 of them over the past 5 years, and they’re expensive.

Some considerations:
What ecosystem do you want to be in? Do you use an iPhone or an Android phone? Do you use a tablet? This is a factor in terms of syncing data between your devices.
When Windows 10 is released, how much of an improvement will it be over the current Windows version?
I still use a DVD drive, although they are on their way out. The Macs don’t have one built-in anymore.

5

Respect yourself and get a PC

6

Of the two, I prefer PC, but it honestly makes almost no difference at all. Linux is where it’s really at. :wink:

7

Get which keyboard/touchpad/mouse setup u like better. And don’t get a huge 17" one that is difficult to carry around in your backpack.

Personally, I find the one-clickbutton mouse setup on macs to be annoying.

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@dextrous Oh stop. I’m a CS major and I’ve found that Macs are the superior coding computers when compared to PCs.

That being said, I’d recommend the Mac, especially if you’re going into a non-technical field. They’re easy to use and unless you’re a heavy duty gamer, then a Mac should have everything you need. Also, if you want to run a Windows OS on your Mac, you can do it through Parallels or a Bootcamp Partition. This way you can have 2 OS’s running on one computer, a feature that is difficult to manage on a PC.

9

Superior? Not in any chance. Don’t pay more for a downgrade. Given that you already know how to use Windows and find it comfortable, it’s a no-brainer.

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Macs are very easy to use, relatively problem free and make you more productive.

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@dextrous Fight me, yes they are. Do you know how easy it is to code in Terminal with a Unix based OS? And how easy it is to run multiple OSs on a Mac? It’s bae. PCs are great computers (I use them at work), but I will defend my Mac to the death.

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That’s the thing about mac users, they are always so defensive about their macs. Macs have one thing going for them, it’s easy to use … by removing a lot of functions. If you’ve already used a PC before, it isn’t like it suddenly becomes harder to use because a Mac user gripes about how hard it is. If the selling point is that you can run windows, what’s the point lol just get windows. Also, heard of Hackintosh? I’ll stop adding any more posts here because as you already know, you can find this discussion just about anywhere else.

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And that’s the thing about PC users, they’re so snobby about their PCs. With ease of use, you don’t have to spend as much time removing viruses(and what nots) so you can actually get stuff done. The amount of time my friends wasted on laggy connections to Virtual Machines via Putty last semester was ridiculous and it was much easier for me to finish my projects. And Windows has lots of great features and supports software that isn’t easily supported on Macs, which is why adding the extra OSs to Macs means that you get double the bang for your buck. And I’ll also stop tagging onto this thread because this sub-discussion is not useful to OP. I’m mentally kicking myself for dragging myself into one of these discussions.

Point is is that both systems are great. PCs are generally cheaper, support more software programs, are more customizable and more powerful(good for gamers). Macs are great with supporting other OSs, easy to use and probably safer if you’re not very computer literate and can’t recognize dangerous (as in virus ridden) material on the web. It’s your choice.

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Honestly after the train wreck known as Windows 8, I’ve contemplated getting rid of Windows altogether after using it for basically my entire life. I’m going to wait and see how Windows 10 works out, but I’m worried that it’s just going to be a ‘patched up’ version of Windows 8. We’ll see.

I definitely won’t be giving up my Linux system anytime soon.

Really though, I don’t think any OS is inherently superior to the others. It’s largely a matter of personal preference. The hardcore devotees on either side will argue until they’re blue in the face, but at the end of the day it still basically comes down to personal preference.

I think it can be reasonably argued that a hardcore gamer is better suited with a PC while someone that uses their computer for a lot of artistic endeavors is better suited to a Mac. I’m currently in an internship at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and Linux is a huge advantage here. The central computing systems here all run on Linux, as is the case for many large scientific research facilities like Fermilab, SLAC, CERN, Brookhaven, and many others. Even still though, there is an equal prevalence of Mac, Windows, and Linux users here, and none of them are at any kind of significant disadvantage.

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I’d get a Macbook pro 13" 16Gb, 512GB disk w applecare. Pay with an Amex for an extra year warranty. Make sure to get 16Gb because it is soldered on. That will get you through your undergrad completely covered by warranty. Get a copy of office for mac and parallels from your uni plus any other software recommended, windows 8 and office 365 from Microsoft dreamspark (free) . You can get a copy of Adobe Creative ($17/mo) Cloud if you want to do photo, web or video production.

The new MBP supports the latest intel processors and 2 4K external monitors/TV’s. I’d also get a docking station for your apartment or dorm room if you use an external monitor, an HDMI cable (I use one to use campus monitors), and an extra power charger.

The MBA is OK but it only supports 8Gb and has a slower processor, insufficient to run any large windows program with parallels.

To get the best price, compare on-line retail and apple direct pricing. If you live near a sales tax free state (NH, Delaware, Wyoming, etc…) , apple will let you pick up your computer at the apple store there.

16

I would purchase a laptop that either:

  1. you are familiar with
  2. the IT people at your college are familiar with

If you have only used PCs and now are going to go with a Mac you will not be as familiar with it (and visa versa).

17

Macs a cheaper over the long run because you don’t have to deal with all the antivirus, repairs, etc that comes with PCs (or more specifically those of us who aren’t computer wizards). So if you are the average person and Mac will be cheaper over time.

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"I would purchase a laptop that either:

  1. you are familiar with
  2. the IT people at your college are familiar with"

It’s extremely unlikely that you would have any difficulty finding IT people familiar with Macs at a college. That’s a totally irrelevant consideration, especially for a student who just wants to use a computer for day-to-day school tasks. The average user with a PCs is much more likely to require IT help. It’s a different story in the corporate or government world, but in those settings the IT people only favor PCs to perpetuate their jobs.

19

I have a Macbook air and I love it. It’s a little more expensive than Windows, but I think it’s more reliable, runs faster, and is very easy to get the hang of. Mac systems (and all Apple products) are actually made so that everything you need to do can be done in two or more ways, which in my opinion makes learning how to use it much easier.

20

Get whatever you’re comfortable with.

I like Macs and have a Mac Pro desktop, but I can’t stand the Pro laptops. To me they are uncomfortable for typing long documents, the metal edge digs into my hands. That’s me though, it may be the exact opposite for you. You’re going to be the one putting the miles on this laptop, so pick the best fit. Go to Bestbuy, try them out.