It definitely is harder to get a virus/trojan/unwanted add on for a mac in my opinion. It's not unable to get one, but you get sent through more defaulted checks before you allow access to one than default Windows 7 at least. Maybe it improved in 8, but the default Mac settings I have do a really good job of asking 3-4 different ways "are you sure you want to do this?"
I made the switch to Macs a few years ago in 2011, and I'm very happy with it. I had used Windows computers exclusively from when I was a child, through law school. It took me about 2 or 3 days of using my MacBook before I felt comfortable with the differences, and if you buy it from an actual Apple Store you can ask the salesperson to throw in free training and they'll do it. I'll start with the drawbacks. The biggest and most obvious one is cost- a MacBook will cost you several hundred dollars more than a Windows equivalent. There's no sugarcoating it or getting around it. The other major drawback is that some specialized business type programs (i.e. some architecture development software) only work for Windows, but that doesn't really apply to you since you're not using it for that purpose. Al the normal business type programs, you can just buy the Office for Mac program and use the same ones you're used to (as I did.) The other drawback is that MacBooks are not very upgradable- few if any of the components are user upgradable, whereas with a PC you can save some extra money by getting the cheapest RAM option and installing top of the line RAM yourself. The cost factor is not a huge deal when you consider how much you're going to be using your computer. The difference between one that you really want, and an okay one- if that's just $300 or whatever - you spread that out over the 3 or so years and it's really trivial. As for the lack of a CD drive, it's actually not as big of a deal as you'd think. My MacBook Pro from 2011 does still have a built-in CD drive, but for the newer ones that don't have that, you can still buy a plug-in USB CD drive. The Apple one costs about $80, but there are third party ones that cost $25 or whatever and probably work just as well. It's a little extra clutter, but for most people that shouldn't be a deal breaker. I do use the CD drive to upload CDs into my iTunes account, but if I had to plug in an external CD thing I wouldn't mind at all. You can also buy music digitally, like you said, but if you have a CD collection you shouldn't re-buy digital versions. One of the great things about Macs is Apple Aperture, and iPhoto (which is the free version of Aperture.) Both of them are excellent for managing your photos, compared to anything I've seen on Windows computers. Rather than organizing the photos into normal folders, you can manage them in the photo app, and it shows a map of the world, with pins where you've taken photos. So you can click over to your photos from whatever vacation pretty easily. You can also make Smart albums that automatically group together photos with certain parameters (i.e. location.) I sort my photos into folders similarly to how I would in a Windows computer, but the program lets you do a lot of other things with your photos easily. In general, it's just fantastic for managing your photos. I have the Aperture version ($80) which also has some solid photo editing tools that are easy to use. The photo managing stuff alone is one reason why I'll never use a Windows computer as my non-work computer. The trackpad is excellent. The Windows laptops that I've used that have had trackpads, all of them were absolutely terrible. My old PC laptop's trackpad was horrible to use, and just got in the way by accidentally moving the pointer when I was typing. When I'd go to disable it in the settings, it would always re-enable itself after a day or two and I never knew why. Maybe now there are Windows laptops with good trackpads, but I can say for sure that the Mac ones are perfect. Macs are also immune to Windows viruses, which includes most viruses. Although Macs are getting more popular, and more viruses are being written to target Macs, there are computer science reasons as to why Macs are inherently less vulnerable than Windows computers. Windows is a trusting system, and the registry key it relies on is easily manipulated. Macs have their origins in Unix, and don't have a Registry Key or let new files alter critical system files so easily. (It's too late for Windows to fix this problem, they would have to re-write a new and incompatible operating system, which they will never do because of the compatibility problems that would rock the computer world and possibly destroy Microsoft.) You can still get viruses with a Mac, but the infection process generally requires you to do something stupid, like open a fishy e-mail attachment or installing a shady file. If you turn off Java and don't install Flash, you're highly resistant to viruses. (Google Chrome can be used to watch YouTube since it has Flash built-in. YouTube is the only reason I'd need Flash at all.) Another benefit is that there's no bloatware that comes pre-installed on your computer. It's clean, without all these ridiculous unneeded and hard to delete programs pre-installed. It's also easy to transfer over whatever files you want from your old computer. When I've had Windows computers, they've tended to start slowing down after the first few months. (The lone exception to this was a Windows 7 computer, but they switched to Windows 8 shortly thereafter and don't sell Windows 7 computers anymore.) My Mac hasn't slowed down at all so far. Apple doesn't have a history of releasing horrible versions of its operating systems- like Vista. Also, upgrading to the new operating system is a very simple process (and it's free), whereas with Windows computers, there seem to be problems when you upgrade the OS from whatever was factory installed (at least, that's been my experience.) Also, Microsoft charges so much for an OS upgrade that you're probably better off buying an entire new computer for another hundred or so dollars. Microsoft also makes you pay extra for better versions of Windows- they deliberately remove features from the "home" version, and then make you pay extra if you want the "premium" version of the operating system. With Macs, they used to sell the new OS for about $10, but recently started making new OSs free upgrades. You obviously can't do that with a 10 year old laptop, because the system requirements creep forward, but you can get more years out of your MacBook Pro if you're so inclined (and this offsets the higher price.) I like the feel of the keys when I type. I like how they're backlit. And I also really appreciate how the keyboard is made so that dust and stuff doesn't easily get inside- you never have to take a vacuum to the thing. The screen's colors are excellent. A lot of laptop monitors I see, the color black is actually just a darkish gray- problems like that. Most people don't seem to notice or care about those things, but colors are very important and noticeable to me. It's also really nice to be able to manage my iTunes account for my iPhone and iPad from my laptop. If you have iStuff it's a bit easier to manage them because iTunes was written to work most optimally on Macs, the Windows version is a lesser priority and doesn't work as smoothly. MacBooks also have great battery life- maybe things are different now, but the Windows laptops I owned all had maybe 2 hours of battery life, max. I also like the App Store- it's a convenient and trustworthy platform for finding and downloading new programs. Let us know what you decide! Whatever you get, I'm sure you'll like it a lot.
This is a great writeup but it also highly based on your previous years with Windows, which by your post, was well over three years ago. Battery life? My S7 last about 9 hours. Back-lit keyboard? S7 is built exactly like a Mac keyboard including the trackpad and chiclet keys. Bloatware? Not on mine. It was completely free of any software that was causing the system to slow down. Software upgrade? Now free with my computer. Whenever Windows upgrades to a new software, I get the upgrade at no charge. Cost? The S7 cost me $1300 out the door. Not cheaper than a Mac. Screen resolution? Better specs than Mac and is in 720p with absolutely stunning clarity. It is an entirely new world with the new ultrabooks being released. You have a valid argument with the old Windows based laptops, but the newer ones will blow your mind. Another thing I love is the new Sky Drive Windows has. Syncs with all your phones and tablets. Acts as a cloud based system. Another awesome thing? Microsoft Office now gives you access to every document you need on your smartphone. Let's you view and edit with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, all from your phone. Free of charge when you purchase office. LOVE that!
I believe it's both, one in part consequence of another. From what I understood, Mac OS is hard to crack and so not many are even trying.
I have a PC desktop that is a beast, but I paid the price. Also two laptops what do the job. But I am in the market for an Apple Mac Pro for to my foray into digital art, because even though the price is high, If probably pay just as much our more for the capabilities I need to do this business. Both have their benefits.
Lol dude, you should have just made a thread titled "tell me why it was smart of me choosing a mac". You haven't even given anything else a chance lol and honestly, that's cool, there's nothing wrong with that if you wanted a Mac, but don't pretend like you wanted other opinions lol The problem is that you drive yourself over to Best Buy and play with the Windows machines that are sub $700 and compare them to that of a $1000 Mac. If you wanted a real comparison, you'd do your research and visit a Microsoft Store and really delve into the windows machines that are right in line with Mac. Enjoy your Mac, but if you were really looking to compare and talk about the "Mac vs PC" debate, you dropped the ball on that one.
have the exact same computer. Tremendous machine. Not the biggest windows 8 fan but it's growing on me. Apple is an indoctrination.
Oh cool man! I haven't run into someone with this machine yet. I fuckin love this thing! Like I said, my girlfriend has a MacBook and she can't get over using my S7 haha she loves the thing
I think I have the V7 actually, which is the newest edition, but same idea. My favorite part is the hybrid graphics, which turn on when necessary and turn off when not to save battery life. It's a very smart machine.
I can't vouch for laptops, but I switched to a desktop Mac three years ago. I had previously used Macs in my work (from about 1991), and then switched to PCs because (have to admit it) I wanted to play some of the great games that you just couldn't get on a Mac. My work is just writing, so I didn't need much else by way of software. Over about a 10 or 11-year period, I went through three Dell desktop models. Each started fine, then started to slow down under the weight of the endless Windows updates, until they started chugging like heavy industrial machinery and taking an age to start up. A couple of times I restored them to factor settings and they were lightning fast again, until all the Windows updates were re-installed (proving, I think, that it's an issue with Windows, not the hardware itself). In three years of running my iMac, using Adobe Premiere to edit HD videos of my kids birthday parties etc., it has not even started to slow down. It is still whisper-quiet in operation (my old Dell had its fan running on max all the time), renders video amazingly quickly and is, to all intents and purposes, as food as when I first got it. I'm never going back to PC again.
Well yeah obviously I had a bias, I've always had Windows and honestly I am looking at the Macs more than Windows. Every PC I've ever owned after about a year they start to slow down. I love some of the programs in windows like Excel and Word but I'm not sure I am willing to invest 7 or 800 dollars into a Windows machine knowing the potential downfalls and risks between viruses and the constant updates. I've been told by people they have their Macs 6-7 years and it still runs without any problem. I don't know if I've ever owned a PC that has lasted that long. I enjoyed your write up on the new S-7 but I can't justify spending 1300 dollars on a computer. Right now I'm looking at about 1K for the Mac I like obviously before tax. I am actually going to head into the Windows store fortunately we have one here in Vegas that I can check out. I thought the post I quoted was very well written and offered me what I was looking for. I am big into photos and media so if windows can offer me something similar than what the Mac does I might consider it but I am terrified of viruses and malware and trojans because I've gotten quite a few from Windows over the years and I don't download anything that I don't know. Sure I look at porn and that's probably where most of them come from but based on what I've read it seems that the security for a Mac seems to make it much for difficult for these malicious bastards to get into your system.
Fair enough. I just want to point out to you and the couple other posters on here who have referred to the "slowing down" of a PC. There are two things to that argument: 1. The comparison is most likely flawed. Why? Because the average user is comparing a sub $600 Windows computer to a $1k+ Mac. You can't expect a cheap Laptop to have the same specs as a $1k Mac. Of course the Mac will run faster. 2. When comparing the proper two computers, the new Windows will perform as fast or faster than a Mac for the same amount of time. Why? Because the advancement in the Windows platform has been HUGE. What used to be, is no longer true. If you want to truly compare the two, you need to look at the present and not resort back to the past. Unlike popular opinion, Macs are not built for the average person. While usability is pretty simple, the machine starts at $1k and only sky rockets to well over $2k depending on the machine you buy. That is not the average user. The reason Macs are so widely used is because of two reasons, quality build and pretty design. Macs have become a fashion statement now. When you look at a Windows machine, there are TONS of options for every user available. If you want a small portable laptop, you buy a Netbook. If you want a cheap laptop for your high school or middle school child, you can buy a $300 chrome book. If you want a bad ass gaming laptop, you can buy a $3k Asus. If you want ultra portability with a touch screen, you can get a $900 ultrabook. There are TONS of different options for every step of user. The problem with that? People like to compare that $300 chrome book to a $1k Mac. It's never gonna line up, ever. I paid $1300 for my S7. It is a work of art. Solid aluminum frame, chiclet keyboard, huge aluminum trackpad, touch screen, gorilla glass on both the inside screen and outside cover, 9 hour battery life, less than 1 pound, tons of storage, and fast as hell. I paid $1300 for a ultrabook that honestly, blows away my girlfriends Mac. Worried about Viruses and Malware? Understandable. Download a highly rated Antivirus and Malware program and never worry about them again. Granted, getting Viruses on a Mac is much more difficult, but I can guarantee you I can keep them off my Windows! In the end, you make the decision based on your field test. But please, don't fall into the old ways of Windows and the comparison of two totally different machines.
Acer gives you a lot of machine for the money, I have an Acer Aspire 5670 that I bought in 2008 and it runs like a champ, 4 USB ports, SD card, internal DVD tray, Bluetooth, wifi, micro USB port, camera, there are some other slots, and ports that I don't even know what they are used for. To this day just takes a couple of seconds to load everything and I'm on my laptop. * disclaimer: I also have a desktop Mac and like it very much, bought it for my daughter because she wanted to take up Graphic Design, that did not pan out but the machine also runs excellent to this day.
To be fair the best dam computer I ever used was an Alienware (sp) that my brother in law let me borrow. That thing was incredible but I also believe it was in the over 2K range and this was abut 3 years ago. It blew me away with the speed and resolution but that's way out of my budget.
The sp7 you were talking about, was $1300 base price, or already with all necessities like Office and antivirus loaded?
