Lots of people ask me all the time, what’s the best computer to purchase these days.
The answer is:
It’s up to you
However, the average person doesn’t put much consideration into their purchase and that’s where mistakes are made. Let me give you an example of some pro’s and con’s for each item.
Let us first contemplate the MAC vs. PC argument for a minute. It is interesting to note, that many who don’t know what they like don’t understand that fact that they are both so similar. The computer hardware that runs them are identical! The Windows and Mac operating systems needs lots of constant fixes and upgrades that get released all the time.
So what one is better ?
Neither…. it’s like comparing cars from Ford or GM, in the end they are the same, but in some ways so different. Here is a little explanation of these differences and perhaps you will see where you are drawn to.
PC – any computer running Microsoft Windows.
Gives you the most choice and selection. Windows can run on any computer and which in turn created a massive industry with many different companies selling different computers under different brand names. This creates price wars and keeps prices down. Walk into any computer store and 99% of what you see will work with your Windows computer.
This is what makes the PC so popular, and it is because of this popularity that problems have ensued. Viruses are created with the PC in mind, as there are only 7% MAC users globally. If you were to make a virus, would you want to infect most computers, or just a few?. You would pick the mast marketed PC, so that’s the main reason why the PC has over 90% of the viruses lurking around the internet today trying to infect them. There is the odd one made for the Mac computers, but they don’t get much attention because there are hardly any Mac computers out there compared to the PC.
There are also a lot of free programs on the internet to download that offer different things like screen savers, or weather reports for example. A lot of these free programs are not tested well and they sometimes mess up Windows or slow it down. Many of these free programs don’t work on the Mac so they have less chances of slowing down.
Learning how to use a PC means most likely if you go to work, school, or someone else’s place that has a computer, you will know how to use it since most of the world runs on a PC with Windows. As your Windows gets older it will mostly still connect and do everything that newer versions can do. The Mac requires its users to upgrade more often Windows users.
HOW TO GET THE BEST OUT OF A PC
A PC will save you money over a Mac. You will have the best selection over software, and hardware. For example you may buy the cheapest printer you see on the shelf, but if you were a Mac user, that printer may not work for you and instead of picking any printer, you may only be limited to what works with your Mac, and this may cost more. Since most of the world runs on a Windows computer you can be sure that you are compatible with everything. If anything new comes on the market it will work on the PC first before anything else.
But these advantages are a double edge sword, with all the good comes viruses and free programs from the internet that clog up or stop Windows from working. These programs don’t magically install or infect Windows. The user installs them without thinking about the consequences. A little street smart computing will go far. That way with a PC you can be virus free, running fast, be more compatible with others.
You also need to consider that there are a glut of very cheap PC’s on the market. Some of the cheapest ones work slower than a cheap cell phone, you get what you pay for.
ADVANTAGES: Cheaper – universal –best selection – most options.
DISADVANTAGES: Viruses – free internet programs that clog up Windows – below grade models that are poor quality.
MAC – any computer or laptop made by Apple.
Apple has a monopoly over what computers can run its Mac operating system ( the operating system is what Windows is to the PC – but different ). Only computers built by Apple can run the Mac operating system. So Mac sets the price and there is no shopping around. Mac’s business model is more of a direct approach. Very few computer stores sell Mac, most customers buy directly from Apple. This in turn prevents most places from servicing Mac computers too. Since the PC is universal and Mac is not, there is an extra level of quality control.
The hardware that runs on a Mac is the same as what goes into a PC, but Apple technicians make a slight change to it, not to make it better, but to ensure quality control standards are met. Apple will only let the Mac operating system work on hardware that Apple gives the ok too. So it is fully tested by Apple and there will not be any problems with it.
It’s a little looser in the world of the PC, quality control is up to the one who makes the computer, not the parts. This leads to some confusion to consumers as they will find that some companies are great and others are not, but with very little idea which is which forcing a bit of a gamble.
With a Mac computer, only Apple makes them so there is a high level of quality and no guess work. With this monopoly comes higher prices. A PC that sells for $1000, to get the same power in a Mac you will pay $500 to $ 800 more. Software, printers, and other accessories are sometimes higher in price too.
One reason for this is that less people own Mac computers, so if you made a printer would you want to sell it for the Windows market that has over 90%, or the small Mac market. Because of this the PC gets the better prices and selection, and it costs more to own a Mac.
This big disadvantage is what keeps it free from Viruses and free programs from the internet the slow down or mess up your computer. The people who make these viruses and free programs want to attract the masses, and that crowd is not Mac since there is so few of them. Most Mac users have no virus scanner installed. Most Mac users don’t have as many crashes or problems that the PC crowd has – mainly because the PC crowd has more garbage programs they can download for free or devices that they can plug into their computer, most of this stuff is not of good quality and that’s what get them into trouble, Mac users don’t have this option.
HOW TO GE THE BEST OUT OF A MAC..
Don’t buy a cheap one, spend over $ 1500 and it should last you a long time. You will trade quantity over quality. You will not have a big selection of software, or hardware to buy from but what you do will be tested well, so less chances of problems compared to some of the cheap products the PC word has to deal with. Of course this will also cost more, Mac users can be worried about keeping costs down like a PC user can. Getting the latest Mac operating system will keep the Mac most compatible with future products and software. If there is a program that you need that only runs in Windows you have an option of installing Windows into your Mac so you can run that Windows only program, now you got the best of both worlds.
ADVANTAGES: Almost virus free – less programs and products to crash it
DISADVANTAGES: Higher cost – not as universal as the PC – tends to get users to buy the upgraded Mac operating system more often than Windows – big learning curve for PC users.
VERDICT:
If money is no option and you do the basics with a computer, get a Mac. There will be a learning curve if you already know Windows. Sometimes if there is something new on the market or in the world you may not be able to be apart of it because it will work on the PC first before or if not at all on the Mac. The PC can work as well as the Mac with a lower cost and no learning curve if you do your homework. By buying a good quality computer and getting a small internet smarts education from a good computer dealer you will be on your way without any problems, a few extra bucks in your pocket, and you will be compatible with the world and any new changes that come.
Lots of Mac users will give you examples and tell you why they switched from a PC to a Mac. One person bought a Mac and got rid of his PC because his kids kept downloading viruses on the computer. So now on his Mac the kids can’t go to some of the places online and get the stuff they did for the PC, so problem solved. Later he needed to run a program for work so he had to load Windows on the Mac. Over $ 2200 later he was set, and had no problems for years. Meanwhile a PC user can do the same thing for $ 950 and just be careful about the internet. Don’t forget many Mac users run a copy of Windows in the Mac. It’s still a Windows world out there but it’s nice to see a second option to it with the Mac.
Now the question is, where do you fit in ???
