Macbook or ? (1 Viewer)

[colyboy]

I know there a lot of very up date members re computers etc here on MHF.

What's the difference between a Macbook and what I would call a normal computer.

Or should I just keep a "normal" computer?


colyboy

 

[Jim]

Macbooks are quality laptops that cost nearly twice as much as the equivalent spec windows machine. But thats the only negative, it won't slow down like Windows machines, it's twice as easy to use and will last at least four times as long. Bargain.

This has just been typed on a 2013 macbook, I have at least 12 programs open that have been open for months, the Machine has not been turned off or rebooted in at least 4 months maybe more. With Macbook Pro machines, you really do get what you pay for. Top notch quality that lasts.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Macs and MacBooks are made by Apple.

The key difference is that they do not use the eternal disaster of an operating system that is Windows.

They use Apple's OS which works properly, is stable, doesn't crash and doesn't need updating and rebooting every 38 seconds.

Like Jim, I'm typing this on a 2013 ish MacBook Pro with multiple programs open and running. I can't remember the last time it was switched off or restarted. It is still as fast as the day I bought it and it's never missed a beat.

I use Macs and MacBooks everywhere, at home and work, with the exception of 2 machines - a desktop machine acting as a print server and a laptop - and that's only because the printer RIP and another of software I need to use for work are not available on any other platform but Windows.

There's nothing else that could ever convince me to buy anything other than Macs.

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[funflair]

And once you have your MacBook make sure the you have an iPhone as they work really well together, for example "airedrop" is great for taking a photo on your phone and then dropping it straight to your MacBook to attach to threads on FUN.

Martin

 

[The Wino]

Depends if for you the windows issues are frustrating enough to pay the extra cash. I have a windows laptop and desktop PC the desktop still works ok 5 years (or so )old in windows 7 and an android phone. Total cost about £450 tried to look for an equivalent MacBook and I-phone about £2200 that's a lot of bottles of wine!

 

[ymfb]

Apple every time, I currently use

MacBook Air
iMac
iPad
Mac mini
Apple TV
two iPhones

I’d be tempted to say I have no IT issues, but I do, they are all windows related to my office server.

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[two]

Macs may take a little time to get used to, but the Apple centres provide good support, and you may need to replace expensive licences (Office, Photoshop). You may have applications for which there is no Mac alternative but there are ways to run them on a Mac if you have to. Macs don't need antivirus (at the moment) but are expensive. You can get by perfectly OK on a much cheaper Windoze machine and afford to bin rather than update it.

 

[Clarky]

In the words of Steve Jobs, "It just works".

Richard.

 

[ymfb]

There are very few programmes which are not available on a MAC platform.

What I found was that using parallels as an intermediary was a frigging disaster. I think the only things I cannot use on my Mac are Sage, Access and some windows file types.

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[The Wino]

There are some who advocate linnux but I think you need to be a techie to get it sorted a lot of the benefits of mac at very little cost.

 

[Guigsy]

It's been proven time and again for about the past 10 years that Macs are measurably no more stable than Windows based PCs. There's a perception/halo effect that they are more stable, but it's just not true.

And Windows PCs are also facing the same thing that Macs are, mainly because processors aren't getting much quicker. If you bought a reasonable spec Windows laptop 5 years ago, it'll still be running fine today... especially if it has an SSD.

If you spend £300 on a basic Windows laptop, don't expect a luxury experience and you shouldn't be comparing the two. It's undeniable that MacBook hardware is very nice hardware (although I think they now look a bit dated, and 1 shared port for charging and devices!). However, if you look at more premium Windows based laptops, they have a similar quality hardware to Apple for a couple of hundred quid less.

The question is, what are you using it for? If you are posing in a coffee shop, just get a Mac. If you are just surfing the web and writing emails, anything will do.

MS Surface Pro/Book
Dell XPS 13
HP Envy 13 / Spectre / Spectre x360
Asus Zenbook

 

[colyboy]

Thanks for all input, very useful.

Colyboy

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[rich g]

I bought a MacBook Pro last Christmas to add to my collection of Apple products ,and I find it so much better than Windows in every way.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

and you may need to replace expensive licences (Office, Photoshop).

I don't think that's the case any more.

It certainly isn't with Photoshop and the rest of the Adobe suite. The current Creative Cloud licences are based on software downloads and a web log in to validate the licence. You can use the suite wherever you like and on whatever machines you like. It doesn't like you being logged in in more than one place but there are ways around that.

I don't use Office so I'm not 100% sure but I believe the most up to date Office 365 works in a similar way.

 

[Saint76]

2011 Mac book air still going strong goes every where with us.
Have an i phone 6 useless as a phone but does every thing else perfectly.
Have brought an i pad for the wife so will see how it compares(reason for purchase alot of the apps require an i pad).

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[Jim]

It's been proven time and again for about the past 10 years that Macs are measurably no more stable than Windows based PCs. There's a perception/halo effect that they are more stable, but it's just not true

In my experience its very true and not a perception. I'm always having to reboot windows machines to claw back resources, and that is with high end Dell laptops and previously HP machines. Fact is they don't even come close.

 

[two]

I don't think that's the case any more.

It certainly isn't with Photoshop and the rest of the Adobe suite. The current Creative Cloud licences are based on software downloads and a web log in to validate the licence. You can use the suite wherever you like and on whatever machines you like. It doesn't like you being logged in in more than one place but there are ways around that.

I don't use Office so I'm not 100% sure but I believe the most up to date Office 365 works in a similar way.

That is probably true, now. But I still prefer the off-line method, rather than being hooked into a subscription service.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

That is probably true, now. But I still prefer the off-line method, rather than being hooked into a subscription service.

Doesn’t bother me. My Creative Cloud subscription is a business expense.

To be fair there’s not really any reason why 90% of home users need full Photoshop never mind the rest of the CC suite. Elements is perfectly adequate for almost all amateur/hobby users.

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[gerry mcg]

I am still using a 2013 MacBook Air with absolutely no problems at all - super bit of kit.
I wouldn't go back to a PC now (with my own money) - they aren't cheap but the backup and hardware is super.

 

[lawry]

Apple all the way

 

[Guigsy]

In my experience its very true and not a perception. I'm always having to reboot windows machines to claw back resources, and that is with high end Dell laptops and previously HP machines. Fact is they don't even come close.

Really? My home desktop has an up-time of weeks... My work laptop only gets shutdown at weekends. Most Windows 10 updates no longer require a restart.

If you are looking at how much memory is free, you don't know how a modern operating system works. Windows 7 and later keep loads of stuff in RAM to fill the empty space as its effectively an unused resource with instant access. It actively pre-loads stuff you frequently used while its idle, hence the continuous drive grinding. Stuff that's just there for pre-loaded caching can be instantly dropped if you open a different app that you've not used in a while.

BTW, I actually prefer Linux. My home servers have an uptime of a year, and that's only because I moved house. My personal laptop is Linux too... just if you want to game, you need Windows. My frustration is that many people that evangelise about OS X never get out of the browser.

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[jtp890]

I may be a computer idiot, aged 67 I used microsoft for years and find the adjustment to using a mac very hard. Cant get used to filing systems and constantly loose things. Bought as a present from son so persevering, but for a ludite from north its hard work.

 

[Melvin]

I m a convert to Apple as I’m a complete illiterate as far as computers go ,I don’t want to be asked wether I want to download this that and the other and to be told that it’s now going to close down to install updates or do I want them. I just want to use it as a tool and it makes life a lot easier.

 

[Jim]

If you are looking at how much memory is free,

In My experience of windows, which ended with v8, you don't need to look at resources, when it finally stops working, reboot and it will be OK for another 90 minutes.

I agree with you about Linux; the best thing you can do with windows machine is put a copy on it.

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[Tanya_and_Mick]

Mac

Looking at problem management stats across large organisations of various industries their Mac devices typically cause less management and issues then doze

 

[Dazzles]

It's been proven time and again for about the past 10 years that Macs are measurably no more stable than Windows based PCs. There's a perception/halo effect that they are more stable, but it's just not true.

I’d love to see reputable findings to back this up.

 

[Paul an Jane MK]

MAC's seem far less prone to viruses, probably as limited understanding of how to actually write them for MAC's and I have been told MAC's are far harder to hack in to so safer for online banking etc.

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[Guigsy]

I'm not saying that Windows is more stable than OS X. I'm saying that Windows has improved a lot since Windows 98 (and early Vista). The difference is now small enough to be negligible. My wife NEVER restarts her Windows 7 laptop, but then she only really surfs the net on it... she just ignores the 'critical' restart requests (much to my annoyance).

The 'immune to viruses' thing is bunk too, just as it is for Linux. There are always holes software. There are more than enough OS X users out there to be targeted by hackers, so there are viruses. Your online safety is mainly down to your browser, and Safari is no better than Chrome or Firefox and probably Edge.

And there are plenty of security issues with Mac too. Only a couple of weeks ago, OS X rolled out a new encrypted storage system which required a password to unlock. Issue was that the password was displayed when you clicked on the 'password hint' button...!

I just think that there's a lot of myth and halo around Mac, and most of it isn't justified. Objectively, there's not much between them anymore... much like in the mobile space (argument for another day).

 

[Mr Dog]

My paws like the Mac

 

[Tanya_and_Mick]

Agree on virus comment and probability of being attacked and breached

I’m not bought into there being a negligible difference between the OS’...

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