May. 11th, 2009 By Jeffry Thurana
Note: Before we begin, let us set something straight: Mac is actually a PC because PC stands for “Personal Computer”. However, to avoid confusion, within this article I’d follow the terms that everybody else uses: the Apple-manufactured personal computers with Mac OS are Macs, while the other personal computers (with Windows) are PCs.
Hi, I’m a Mac and also a PC. I live in both worlds and try my best not to take sides. But boy, that’s really hard!
While trying not to exaggerate, I have to say that from the personal computer user’s point of view who uses both, one is clearly more superior than the other. Maybe The Big M - who, along with its PC hardware vendors, dominate the majority of world’s personal computer market - also realized the fact and felt necessary to release the series of “kinda desperate” ads about “cheap PCs” (pun intended). I saw few of the ads in the series including the latest installment and was ’slightly offended’ by the way the company think of its consumers’ intelligence.
Personal feeling aside, there are real factors that set Mac and PCs apart. And here are the undeniable reasons that I can sort out which make Mac better than PCs. In no particular order.
Personal computers used to be boxy and dark grey until the candy colored iMacs and iBooks came along. Then everybody tried their luck with minimalistic white after the white iBook appearance. Everybody started their own music store after iTunes Music Store and everybody produced portable MP3 players trying to take down iPod. Every cellphone manufacturer creates their own iPhone-ish model with large touch screen and the round-edge-rectangle icons. Even the “i” in front of the product names are followed by everybody.
The list goes on and might not stop with more trends coming in the future. Shall we continue?
From Ridley Scott’s 1984 “Big Brother” to the “Envelope-thin Macbook Air” to the “Mac vs PC“; either in print or in multimedia; all Mac advertisements that I’m aware of are artistically designed and professionally produced. Many has become classic and iconic. You can see the proof by looking at some of the many parodies out there.
How many PC advertisements can you remember?
After the transition to Intel processor, all Mac machines can run Windows natively with BootCamp. And some even says it’s faster. Here’s a quote from PC World’s 2007 article about the most notable Notebooks:
No PCs to date can run Mac natively. Even if you count the Hackintosh community in.
I have to admit that I can’t find references on how long is the range between reboots on Mac OS X, so I just put my own experience here. I never really turn off my white MacBook. I just close the lid whenever I need to move between office and home. The last reboot that I can remember is about two or three weeks ago when I upgrade Glims for Safari.
How long can a PC survive without the need of rebooting?
Please note that I’m not saying there’s no virus for Mac. Maybe there is, but ever since I use Mac - back to my iBook clamshell days - I haven’t had to deal with one yet. Lucky me.
The office PC that we use on the other hand, always had an antivirus program installed and still got infected, crashed, and the Windows had to be reinstalled several times. And I can’t remember a time when the PC isn’t downloading the latest antivirus definition updates.
Pinch, rotate, swipe, scroll; even Windows users have to admit that this technology is cool.
Instead of explaining, I will just give you the direct links of articles:
And this also includes the mobile phone world:
I have to include iPhone in the discussion as the OS is based on Mac OS X. While I myself do not use either iPhone or Windows Mobile-based phone and can’t give fair comparison, I think point number 7 above on the smartphone will give you a picture.
But instead of debating over this fanboys matter, maybe what we really should do is just accept the fact that Mac users are fanatic users and try to find out how Apple can pull it off. Eventhough this is rather self explanatory after looking at point number 7.
But allow me to give my humble opinion: most PC users use PCs because they have to, while Mac users use Mac because they want to. I know many PC users who willingly switch (or half-switch) to Mac, but I don’t know any Mac users who switch to PC because they want to. But then again, maybe I just don’t have too many friends?
I know the statement will enrage many Mac haters out there, but allow me to explain. Many Mac users challenge PC users to compare both product using the same exact configuration, differs only in the OS; but that is not what I mean here.
Let us examine the whole user’s experience of using Mac versus using PC. If you include the whole headaches and time wasted of trying to make the best out of both products, I think using Mac would turn out cheaper.
Also consider this fact: the G4 800 iBook that I bought back in 2002 is still up and running using the latest version of Mac OS X. Slower, but still usable. Can a 2002 PC do the same with the latest version of Windows? So, if you also calculate the hardware upgrades needed to always keep up with the latest OS, PCs can’t beat Mac.
This one is a bonus point. I don’t really get the paperweight joke thing, but it always comes out in every flame war between Mac and PC fanboys. But even if PC users called Mac “a very expensive paperweight”, Mac is still a nicer paperweight considering the product design.
And to keep my judgement within the objective side, I’d like to close with the only reason I could find why PCs are better than Mac: wider options.
Only one company makes Macs while who knows how many are producing PCs (the hardware). So I think it would be logical that people could find (or build) PCs (the hardware) in any configuration and budget imaginable. That side of the PC world could not be competed by Mac.
At the end, the users will choose whatever product to use based on whatever reasons they have. Not everybody can or want to be a Mac user. So, if you want a good personal computer with an affordable buying price you can buy a PC and install Linux on it.
I tried to keep my list from growing way too long, so I’d stop here. Feel free to add more in the comment below.
Note: Before we begin, let us set something straight: Mac is actually a PC because PC stands for “Personal Computer”. However, to avoid confusion, within this article I’d follow the terms that everybody else uses: the Apple-manufactured personal computers with Mac OS are Macs, while the other personal computers (with Windows) are PCs.
Hi, I’m a Mac and also a PC. I live in both worlds and try my best not to take sides. But boy, that’s really hard!
While trying not to exaggerate, I have to say that from the personal computer user’s point of view who uses both, one is clearly more superior than the other. Maybe The Big M - who, along with its PC hardware vendors, dominate the majority of world’s personal computer market - also realized the fact and felt necessary to release the series of “kinda desperate” ads about “cheap PCs” (pun intended). I saw few of the ads in the series including the latest installment and was ’slightly offended’ by the way the company think of its consumers’ intelligence.
Personal feeling aside, there are real factors that set Mac and PCs apart. And here are the undeniable reasons that I can sort out which make Mac better than PCs. In no particular order.
1. Apple is one of the almost-unrivalled worldwide trend makers
Personal computers used to be boxy and dark grey until the candy colored iMacs and iBooks came along. Then everybody tried their luck with minimalistic white after the white iBook appearance. Everybody started their own music store after iTunes Music Store and everybody produced portable MP3 players trying to take down iPod. Every cellphone manufacturer creates their own iPhone-ish model with large touch screen and the round-edge-rectangle icons. Even the “i” in front of the product names are followed by everybody.
The list goes on and might not stop with more trends coming in the future. Shall we continue?
2. Macs produce better advertisements
From Ridley Scott’s 1984 “Big Brother” to the “Envelope-thin Macbook Air” to the “Mac vs PC“; either in print or in multimedia; all Mac advertisements that I’m aware of are artistically designed and professionally produced. Many has become classic and iconic. You can see the proof by looking at some of the many parodies out there.
How many PC advertisements can you remember?
3. Mac can run Windows natively
After the transition to Intel processor, all Mac machines can run Windows natively with BootCamp. And some even says it’s faster. Here’s a quote from PC World’s 2007 article about the most notable Notebooks:
The fastest Windows Vista notebook we’ve tested this year is a Mac.
No PCs to date can run Mac natively. Even if you count the Hackintosh community in.
4. Mac OS X can survive for weeks without the need of rebooting
I have to admit that I can’t find references on how long is the range between reboots on Mac OS X, so I just put my own experience here. I never really turn off my white MacBook. I just close the lid whenever I need to move between office and home. The last reboot that I can remember is about two or three weeks ago when I upgrade Glims for Safari.
How long can a PC survive without the need of rebooting?
5. Mac OS X has no virus headache problems
Please note that I’m not saying there’s no virus for Mac. Maybe there is, but ever since I use Mac - back to my iBook clamshell days - I haven’t had to deal with one yet. Lucky me.
The office PC that we use on the other hand, always had an antivirus program installed and still got infected, crashed, and the Windows had to be reinstalled several times. And I can’t remember a time when the PC isn’t downloading the latest antivirus definition updates.
6. Mac has multi-touch technology
Pinch, rotate, swipe, scroll; even Windows users have to admit that this technology is cool.
7. Apple gives the customer the best support - survey said
Instead of explaining, I will just give you the direct links of articles:
- Apple Tops PC Customer Service Rankings - NYTimes
- Apple tops Consumer Reports tech support ratings - MacWorld
And this also includes the mobile phone world:
8. Mac makes better phone platform
I have to include iPhone in the discussion as the OS is based on Mac OS X. While I myself do not use either iPhone or Windows Mobile-based phone and can’t give fair comparison, I think point number 7 above on the smartphone will give you a picture.
9. Apple creates really fanatic users
But instead of debating over this fanboys matter, maybe what we really should do is just accept the fact that Mac users are fanatic users and try to find out how Apple can pull it off. Eventhough this is rather self explanatory after looking at point number 7.
But allow me to give my humble opinion: most PC users use PCs because they have to, while Mac users use Mac because they want to. I know many PC users who willingly switch (or half-switch) to Mac, but I don’t know any Mac users who switch to PC because they want to. But then again, maybe I just don’t have too many friends?
10. Macs are cheaper than PCs
I know the statement will enrage many Mac haters out there, but allow me to explain. Many Mac users challenge PC users to compare both product using the same exact configuration, differs only in the OS; but that is not what I mean here.
Let us examine the whole user’s experience of using Mac versus using PC. If you include the whole headaches and time wasted of trying to make the best out of both products, I think using Mac would turn out cheaper.
Also consider this fact: the G4 800 iBook that I bought back in 2002 is still up and running using the latest version of Mac OS X. Slower, but still usable. Can a 2002 PC do the same with the latest version of Windows? So, if you also calculate the hardware upgrades needed to always keep up with the latest OS, PCs can’t beat Mac.
11. Mac is a nicer paperweight
This one is a bonus point. I don’t really get the paperweight joke thing, but it always comes out in every flame war between Mac and PC fanboys. But even if PC users called Mac “a very expensive paperweight”, Mac is still a nicer paperweight considering the product design.
Closing: One reason why PCs are better than Mac
And to keep my judgement within the objective side, I’d like to close with the only reason I could find why PCs are better than Mac: wider options.
Only one company makes Macs while who knows how many are producing PCs (the hardware). So I think it would be logical that people could find (or build) PCs (the hardware) in any configuration and budget imaginable. That side of the PC world could not be competed by Mac.
At the end, the users will choose whatever product to use based on whatever reasons they have. Not everybody can or want to be a Mac user. So, if you want a good personal computer with an affordable buying price you can buy a PC and install Linux on it.
I tried to keep my list from growing way too long, so I’d stop here. Feel free to add more in the comment below.
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