Sunday, June 1, 2014

Laptops: Mac vs. PC?




Collin S


I am going to be a freshman in college next year and my grandparents are buying me a laptop. I will be using it for not only school work (writing papers, ect.) but for entertainment purposes as well (pictures and music). I would like something that also can connect to wi-fi networks because my school is totally equipped with wi-fi. Any pros/ cons to Mac's and PC's? If you were me what would you get? Portable would also be nice so I can carry it around easier but not top priority.


Answer
For Vista, look at the MS requirementsâ¦and double it at least and make sure it's certified. Triple if you can affordâ¦then Vista should rock your socks. If you learn how to use it, Vista features and technology blows XP awayâ¦when it works. ;) You want it to last so get 64-bit Vista Home Premium or Ultimate.

But if you have old programs, they might not work (esp. with 64-bit version). Google âVista compatibility listâ. Knowing a bit about computers helps getting the old problematic ones to work (Internet has a lot of solutions that smart people share).

Ultimate is the best but if you donât think you need anything that fancy, Home Premium is good too. Get a good video card if you want Aero graphics (at least 256MB 128-bit in the newer cards). Better if you can afford.

Recent release of Service Pack 1 made things better and more compatible with hardware. Unfortunately, Microsoft marketing made people think it will work with old computers but itâs very risky so thatâs why there are so many problems. Itâs too far ahead in technology and requires new hardware and too many manufacturers sell cheap computers that donât run Vista good.

Vista uses extra RAM to store commonly used files in a new activity known as âdisk cachingâ. The computer determines which files will be accessed most and copies it to RAM (where it is much faster than accessing your hard disk). This includes components of the programs you use on a regular basis. When you need more RAM for programs you launch, etc. the computer purges the âleast likely usedâ files from RAM to make room for the new program. Thatâs why if you look at the performance monitor, Vista always has near zero âfreeâ RAM. So in theory, the more RAM (for disk cache) you have, the faster your computer will operate. This can also be done to a lesser effect with a USB flash drive with a technology called ReadyBoost.
http://blogs.technet.com/askperf/archive/2007/03/29/windows-vista-superfetch-readyboost.aspx

Vista Home Premium and Ultimate has Media Center, where with a TV card/USB adapter (if not integrated) of the type that fits your TV, acts similar to an advanced TiVo. You can play your videos, schedule recordings, etc. As an added bonus, you can get a wireless keyboard / mouse or gyro-mouse and it will be sort of like remote control.

Deals of America and Tech Bargains catch good deals on HP and Dellâs and sometimes you can get like $500 off! XPBargains has deals on Tablet PCâs!
http://www.dealsofamerica.com/
http://www.techbargains.com/
http://www.xpbargains.com/best_deal.php/tablet_pc_deals.htm
â

Unless you are an artist, most Universities (and programs) as well as the rest of the world use Windows. WinMacs are popular (of the 7% of Mac usersâ¦5 of 7 are WinMacâers). Google âmarketshare hitslink 11â. But for the price, Macs donât run Windows as well as other brands.

Macs are durable because many have an accelerometer in there that can "increase the chance" of saving your hard drive when you drop it. Like those used in airbags. The power cord is also magnetically attached so it reduces the chance that you yank it off the table.

OSXMacs can exclusively install Final Cut Pro (which is good for media work). Adobe CS is also good and available for Windows but works better on OSX. The Windows version actually looks like an OSX port.

Most Mac users eventually use Windows on it however (of the 7% of Mac usersâ¦5 out of 7 are WinMacâers). I would suspect that many OSX keepers are artists as usual. Emotion workers are generally not as good with computers as logic workers so OSX's are good for them.

Windows runs better on windows machines of course, but sometimes it doesn't really matter that much to most users.

Mac Pros:
OSX stability
OSX is easy to use
Dual-bootable to Windows
More durable than many brands
Trendy

Mac Cons:
Not as much peripheral support
Not as much software support
Windows doesnât run as good
Expensive
Minority: currently Only 7% use Macs [2% OSX, 5% WinMac] (91% use Windows PC)

Windows PC Pros:
More customizable
More choices
More styles
Cheap hardware
Vista has best gaming capability (Direct3D 10)

Windows PC Cons:
Less stable (unless you are an IT pro)
Many are relatively not as fashionable
Not as user-friendly
Some extra features in Windows requires advanced knowledge to use
The extra features require better hardware despite your use of them or not

Details of features can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Vista
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X

Some brand statistics: In terms of recent sales, the top 3 manufacturers are HP, Dell, and Acer (Gateway). Apple is #4 in USA.
http://community.winsupersite.com/blogs/paul/archive/2008/04/24/mac-q1-2008-market-share-3-26-percent-worldwide-6-26-percent-in-the-us.aspx

Pretty good deal on a powerful laptop:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834101154

MAC vs. PC laptop for college (please help me SOS)?




holst_henr


So i am going to major in environmental science, which i do not think will need the higher- abilities that MAC's offer in presentational devices. I also play World of Warcraft, and for this i have heard nothing but go with PC's for numerous reasons. Now i do not want to chose a brand based on video games, but if it doesn't really matter then...

HELP



Answer
The PC is the better Choice, here is why...

======================================...
Contrary to belief, Macs are not better quality. They use a lot of the same parts as PCs. Apple also has been changing suppliers to try to "lower the price" and thus lowering quality. Even with the lower prices, Macs still cost more, they spend a higher percent of budget trying to make it look pretty, and marketing.

I Would also install Avira AntiVir on the Vista since there is a FREE version and works well.
I Would also install Comodo FireWall on the Vista since there is a FREE version and works well.

======================================...
LINUX OS

Easily turn your system into a Dual booting computer with Linux, fast, safe and secure, easy to use (contrary to belief). You then get the best of both worlds (Windows with all of its supported products, freely go online without the worry)

My Recomendation would be either Ubuntu (Most popular and well supported linux), Kubuntu (KDE version of Ubuntu),
Freespire (has all windows codecs for watching videos, dvds out of the box),
PCLINUXOS (very nice Linux, easy to use and polished),
There are so many good versions of linux besides these.

PLEASE NOTE: In linux there are many forms of Windows Environments, the two main ones are KDE (K Desktop) and GNOME. Ubuntu uses GNOME, KUBUNTU is a KDE version of Ubuntu, PCLINUXOS, Freespire use KDE... The differences in the window environments (DESKTOPS) control how you configure, open close the windows, the appearances of the windows... linuxfoundation.org/en/OpenPrinting helps with printer support. ScreenCasts.ubuntu.com shows video and non-video help with learning to work with Ubuntu.

There are many good Linux distributions for different reasons, distrowatch.com, polishlinux.org, desktoplinux.com
are good websites for overall understanding linux.

Installing Linux in general is very simple and much more secure than OS X(Macintosh) and FREE.
Also, most Linux distributions have a LiveCD which means you can try without installing...
UBUNTU, KUBUNTU, FREESPIRE, PCLINUXOS, etc.. all have live CDS.
All you have to do is..
A) to download .iso file off the internet from the Linux website
B) burn the .iso file to a CD or DVD (Make sure your burning software can burn an ISO)
C) restart the computer with the CD in the drive
D) As computer is restarting, press on F12 Key a bunch of times to get a boot menu
E) Select the option to boot from CD or DVD.

ANOTHER QUICK NOTE: People have been able to run OS X on a PC since the PC and Mac use the same hardware. THIS IS NOT LEGAL and I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT FOR SECURITY AND LEGAL REASONS.
But, I have included a link to show you, purpose is to show that there is nothing special about the MAC.

**************************************...


A)Price...
A similar equipped PC is much cheaper to purchase than Mac. Lets use Dell (but you can compare with another PC Brand if you like)

*****************(LAPTOP)
Dell Inspiron Laptop $849
15" Screen
CPU: (upgrade to) 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
Memory: 3GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Hard Drive: 320GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
Optical Drive: Blu-ray Disc Combo (DVD+/-RW + BD-ROM) - WRITES DVDS,CDS, READS Blue-Ray Disks

Macbook $1349
13" Screen (SMALLER)
CPU: 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (SAME)
Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 (SAME)
Memory: (upgrade to) 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (LESS RAM)
Hard Drive (upgrade to) 250GBSerial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm (SMALLER HARD DRIVE)
Optical Drive: (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) - (Writes CDs, ONLY reads DVDs, cannot read Blue-Ray) (WORSE)

****************(DESKTOP)

PLEASE NOTE: Some responses might be that below is not a FAIR comparison but it is SINCE this is comparing Apple Mac's BEST DEAL vs Dells BEST DEAL. If you decide that you must have an all-in one. The Dell all-in-one has more ram, WIRELESS keyboard and mouse and equivalent to $400 for free making the Imac still more expensive when you upgrade the Imac to try to match. Personally I don't think the ALL-IN-ONES are a good choice, and consider them overpriced, lack expandability and repairs both more expensive and require the entire computer. To me it is NOT a good deal.

PS: Apple was smart, they know that they must make Macintosh look different than PC so all Macs except the Mac Pro will not have a Tower Option. This is not good for the consumer since it lacks expandability but it makes the Mac "look different", if Mac had a tower for low-end, more people would realize the simularities between the two and apple would loose people. In other words, in my opinion, it is "Style over Substance"

Dell: (Right Now) Specs Below costs $809
CPU: 2.4 GHZ Dell Inspiron QUAD (4 Processor) CORE
SCREEN: 20inch Screen
MEMORY: 3GB Ram
HARD DRIVE: 500 GB hard Drive
OPTICAL DRIVE: 16x DVD/CD Read/Writer
GRAPHICS: (upgrade to ) ATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO 128MB

The Best Deal Mac is not the Mac Mini since it has no monitor, keyboard, mouse, very skimpy on options and setup... IMac is better price than the Mac Mini.

IMac ($1400)
CPU: 2.4 GHZ DUAL (2 Processor) CORE (SLOWER CPU)
SCREEN: 20inch Screen
MEMORY: (upgrade to) 2GB Ram (LESS RAM)
HARD DRIVE: (upgrade to ) 500 GB hard Drive
OPTICAL DRIVE: 8x DVD Reader/Writer (1/2 speed)
GRAPHICS: ATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO 128MB

************************END OF DESKTOP

======================================...

B) SECURITY:

Mac OS X was hacked in 2006 under 30 minutes, and hacked within 2 minutes in a contest in 2008. Linux and Vista were not able to be hacked until another day when restrictions were lowered.
All macs are standardized with Cameras, if your system gets hacked, the hacker would more likely be able to turn on your camera.
Please Note: All OS's have vulnerabilities.

======================================...
B2) VIRUSES

The argument that OS X has less viruses is true, but that is against XP, BUT Mac OS X has viruses, a friend of mine has a VIRUSED MAC. As more users use Macs, more viruses will come out for it. Especially when users think "they are safe". Linux is also very low in viruses and is free with plenty of free software.

Google/Yahoo Mac Viruses

======================================...

C) Windows License is discounted with PCs..

You do not pay the full price, for instance Dell -> you pay $50 or less for Vista Home Premium If you buy a Mac and want Vista, you pay full price.

======================================...

D) EXPANDABILITY & REPAIR...

With AppleCare you have to put down $300 and there is no guarantee the computer will be fixed, may cost more.. Repairs are more expensive than PCs since the IMac, Mac Mini are compact units, and Apple charges a premium for their services. Some repairs can be done by another repair service but the compact design of the computer causes problems.
With an IMac, if the problem is with the monitor, the whole computer would have to be brought in.
IMac and Mac mini lack expansion.

======================================...

D) BUGS

Macintosh's are far from bug free despite their fan base claiming so. Sample of problems: Overheating Macbooks, OS X- not responding to keyboard, some units with 16bit screens, etc.. True, all computers have their issues but Apple Fans tend to hide their problems which makes it tough to trust any statistics about Apple.
Apple is lowering prices which means you can expect lower quality than in the past. Apple had switched the manufacturers producing parts.

NO MORE THAN 10 Links were allowed... Here are the ones that I could not add..
www.ubuntu.com/
www.kubuntu.org/
www.freespire.org/
www.pclinuxos.com/
distrowatch.com/
polishlinux.org/
www.desktoplinux.com/
xwinman.org/gnome.php
xwinman.org/kde.php
help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsAppli...
help.ubuntu.com/community/SwitchingToU...
www.linuxalt.com/
screencasts.ubuntu.com/
www.linuxfoundation.org/en/OpenPrintin...
www.free-av.com/
www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/
Google/Yahoo OS X on PC




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