Are Macs actually better than PC's?

[JamesHanvey]

Thinking of getting a laptop, don't know whether to get a windows or Mac though.

Are macs actually better or is it just something thats said in an attempt to justify the price tag? I've used both and they just annoy me, the single click button especially.

If they are actually a lot more stable then Im sure I'll find time to get used to one, my PC does a lot of annoying stuff like completely not work anytime I put a 2nd hardrive in

[RealDannyFloyd]

If you have the budget for it and don't do any serious gaming then I think it's absolutely worth it for the build quality, customer support and ease of use. Nothing wrong with PC either though; especially if you're on a tight budget

[fragments]

I built my own Windows 7 production desktop 6 years ago and it still kicks ass and is stable as hell. Granted, I rarely get on the internet with it or download anything.

These days besides a small subset of people who prefer them because of the way the industry developed (graphic designers etc) really they are built for people who want the Apple logo or people that don't know anything computers. You can't really customize them or upgrade them yourself (which is also true of PC laptops mind you). And yes they are good computers, but I think they can be a tad pricey for what you get (I spent 1k building my computer). So, I'm talking if they were a few hundreds cheaper...

The problem with the PC versus Mac comparison is you've got a dozen or more companies making PCs using all kinds of parts of different qualities. If you are going PC I think Asus, Dell Corporate, Leveno and Sony are probably the best bets. Acer and HP are both shit.

I bought a 400 dollar referb Asus laptop that has been stable as hell about 3 or 4 years ago--it travels 5 days a week in a canvas messenger bag through weather and is still great.

IMO if you want a computer that is just always going to work and you don't have to know shit about computers (for example, you not being able to install a hard drive, that is probably the easiest thing to do in upgrading a PC...sorry, just saying...) then buy a mac.

TBH though I hear way more complaints about Mac OS updates fucking up people's systems/software than I do PC. In almost a decade of making music with software I've never had a windows update fuck up my system. No major catastrophes in my memory.

If I were a touring DJ as my job I'd probably buy a Mac laptop if I could afford it.

[Samuel_L_Damnson]

Sony make awful computers I have to say but other than that fragments is right.
I built my PC for 300 quid AMD its far more powerful than i could have hoped I just bought slightly outdated components (1 yr old) and went ati over Intel.

In studios they often have macs cos of the stability when running protocols and the fact that not many PCs work with HD systems.

For u, unless u desperately want to run logic or throw tons of money at something shiny then get a PC.

[hubb]

or run logic from 2001 like a boss

i can send you the bits

but get reaper instead

[fragments]

Sony make awful computers I have to say but other than that fragments is right.
I built my PC for 300 quid AMD its far more powerful than i could have hoped I just bought slightly outdated components (1 yr old) and went ati over Intel.

In studios they often have macs cos of the stability when running protocols and the fact that not many PCs work with HD systems.

For u, unless u desperately want to run logic or throw tons of money at something shiny then get a PC.

My only experience was with their Sony Vaio series when it first came out. We had a desktop and one of the super thin laptops. Both solid as hell. I actually made music on that Vaio desktop for a loooong time. But it could be that they are mostly crap : )

[Samuel_L_Damnson]

my mates sony vaio keyboard fell out. he sent it back and the same happened again loool

[JamesHanvey]

You can't really customize them or upgrade them yourself (which is also IMO if you want a computer that is just always going to work and you don't have to know shit about computers (for example, you not being able to install a hard drive, that is probably the easiest thing to do in upgrading a PC...sorry, just saying...) then buy a mac.

I built the computer I'm using now with help from a friend, about the harddrive thing; no idea what that's about, probably corrupt because it's been used on a Mac prior to my computer and i didn't format it right. PC i have now is fine, I've had it for about 2 years and its still just as fast. I had a pc laptop before it ( funnily enough it was a dell) which was dogshit so that's why I'm asking about laptops. Think i might just go for a 2nd hand macbook because i do intent to travel/dj etc. Plus, i wouldn't mind having a go on logic X. Thanks for the help

[legend4ry]

There are windows laptops with the same build quality as Apple laptops and come in at the same price.

Don't forget, that yes Apple may be a HUGE company but their products are quite 'boutique' in terms of the computer world. Limited options, high quality materials, meant for enthusiasts. They just had a REALLY good marketing campaign (and budget) when they almost dipped into oblivion in the mid-late 90s.

If you want a Macbook style Windows laptop, they exist but don't expect it to be cheaper.

https://www.venomcomputers.com.au/Produ ... ckbook-15/

Check out the Venom blackbook.

While not exactly pretty but made of premium materials. While a bit more geared towards gaming, its just an example that you don't have to buy Dell or HP when talking laptops.


There isn't really pros and cons above each other when talking Apple Vs everyone else unless you want Apple based software exclusively. Os-X is just as much a buggy piece of shit that Windows is. The standardized hardware means yes, that the OS is optimized to work well with that hardware but the cooling on macbooks is fucking awful and threading is handled really badly in general.

Ever noticed the infinite spinning wheel on a Mac? Yeah, the way they deal with GPU/CPU threading basically means it instantly kicks into top gear and ramps up rather than giving a gradual increase to work fans properly and it does the same coming back down.. If it ever does.

If you want stability, get a desktop. Either a MacPro, Hackintosh or hand built PC.

[travis_baker]

Lenovo

[legend4ry]

Honestly though. If you buy the premium range of the main laptop makers, none of them are /that/ bad.

If people buy a laptop for under 700 then you're going to have a bad time. Just need to understand how difficult it is to get a stable laptop...

They're building something which is supposed to fit mid sized tower PC in something thinner than a childs' hand span.

Macbooks are priced about 150-200 more than equivalent spec machines but the build quality (though its been shitty last few years i've seen) should be worth that extra. Like I said in my post above though, you're buying 'boutique', thats how Apple price and market themselves.

I think the argument of "it just works, its simple" is a really awful excuse if coming from someone who is investing their creative time If you don't know how to use a computer to at least above average level then you should work on hardware yo haha.

Oh and if you're going to get one of the new ones... Get the Air, the Pro is barely worth it, get a refurb of the current generation if you will.

[Be-1ne]

Personally I would always go apple, but to be honest the last 2 operating systems have been utter gash and made me think of not even bothering having a computer anymore. Window's I personally never got on with. It just annoyed the hell out of me.

[Ray_Bwoan]

I'm in the bizz of computer for a while. I can say that production wise you should buy a diy PC as a tower and a mac as a laptop.
95% of the laptop i've seen and i had have problems with fans. Apple laptop are better on this. And having a permanent (shitty) noise coming from your laptop while producing is super annoying.
+ the trackpad is way better. They can say what they want but honestly there is nothing close to apple trackpad. The thing that usually piss me off too is the reflective screen. We need either a protection or a native one.
And it's about it..

like legend4ry said you can go for a refurbished one. Wait two weeks looking for a nice one and you can get a noice bargain. The air is now better than the normal macbook with his 0.1 port.. Then choosing between them is more about money than anything. Not sure which one is better it depends on your need. Paying half the price for a air let you change it faster when it's not getting along anymore

[Samuel_L_Damnson]

Just wanted to write in here that I still make tunes on my laptop from 2008 that cost me 300 quid refurbished. I can still run ally software fine and make the majority of my tunes on it. So its all about finding the right computer then looking after it (hardware and software wise)

[_Agu_]

It also depends on what are you missing (if anything). Logic Pro X is cheap as fuck (180€/$ or something) considering how much quality stuff you get for your money. I started to feel absolutely shit when I remembered how I paid 350€ for Reason. DJs prefer MacBooks for reliability. If you're aiming for pure processing power and that's it, then you get more for buying PC.

[scherou]

the cooling on macbooks is fucking awful and threading is handled really badly in general.

Ever noticed the infinite spinning wheel on a Mac? Yeah, the way they deal with GPU/CPU threading basically means it instantly kicks into top gear and ramps up rather than giving a gradual increase to work fans properly and it does the same coming back down.. If it ever does.

If you want stability, get a desktop. Either a MacPro, Hackintosh or hand built PC.

i have a macbook, and from my experience the cooling system is actually quite impressive - the laptop gets very hot but the temperature always caps out at around 80C, which is absolutely fine because the components are built to handle that sort of temperature. the performance of the mac in the long term is not affected by heating etc., i remember seeing someone on a forum somewhere who said that he ran his mac at 99C for an entire week, straight, and it had absolutely zero impact on the machine

worst comes to worst (which it really shouldnt, ever), the fans on a macbook will maybe need replacing (after like 10 years), which will cost you all of about 20 quid

[Samuel_L_Damnson]

macs do handle cooling well cos the body is basically a heatsink lol
If u keep them away from soft surfaces like sofas and beds u wont have a problem with any laptop imo

[test_recordings]

Build your own PC, best value for money. Think, why do you really need a laptop? Why would a laptop be better than a desktop? The only advantage is portability, otherwise the desktop wins on every other category.

If you REALLY need portability though, Apple stuff is fine if you have that much money to blow. If you dig a little though, I think a made-in-Japan non-Mac would be better.

[_Agu_]

I've been using this sort of pad (mine just looks like shit) under my last 3 laptops, 1 being mac, 2 being PCs, no cooling problems with any.

[Samuel_L_Damnson]

I uses to do this but using 4 old case fans that I rested my laptop on all wired into a USB connector. #ghetto

Should have just bought a cooling tray but it seemed to work