6 Reasons to Buy a PC Instead of a Mac :: My First Mac - Help Buying and Getting Started with Your New Mac

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You only have $300 to get a new computer.
You like to build your own computer.
You plan to pirate your software.
You live for the latest video games.
You need a program that is only available for Windows.
You want an ultraportable laptop.

Why Buy a Mac – What’s the difference, really?

Top 10 Little Known Cool Mac Tricks

6 Reasons to Buy a PC Instead of a Mac

By: Chris Kerins
Published: Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Categories: Before You Buy, Switching from Windows

No Joke; As much as we love Macs, we admit there really are reasons not to buy a Mac. Here are my top six reasons to buy a PC instead of a Mac.

You only have $300 to get a new computer. There is no disputing the fact that Apple doesn't compete in the market for cheap, POS computers. Today, a refurbished Mac Mini is going for $519 from Apple. It only goes up from there. Counterpoint: you can always buy a good used Mac for cheap on eBay.
You like to build your own computer. Some people like to tinker, and Windows or Linux PCs are the best way to do it. You can't just march into Fry's and start buying the parts to make a Mac yourself. Counterpoint: Unless your time is worth $3 an hour, don't fool yourself into thinking you are saving money.
You plan to pirate your software and all your sources use Windows. There is no denying software piracy is running rampant and by virtue of market share, there are far more sources of pirated Windows software than Mac software. Counterpoint: Macs come with most of the software you will need for free. Also, don't be a thieving asshat. You aren't entitled to steal someone else's work, even if it's Microsoft.
You live for the latest video games. You also don't mind dropping $500 for the latest video card to play them. Facts are facts: Computer games come out first for PCs and sometimes never even make it to the Mac. I've been waiting YEARS for Half-Life. Counterpoint: Go buy an Xbox.
You need a program that is only available for Windows and a Mac counterpart won't do. There may be tens of thousands of Mac programs available to you, but there still are gaps in very specific software categories. Counterpoint: Run Windows on your Mac via Parallels or Boot Camp to access that program.
You want an ultraportable laptop. At this point, the MacBook is Apple's smallest laptop computer, and it really doesn't compete in the ultraportable category where screens are small and optical drives and battery life are shed to save weight. Counterpoint: Get a job where you don't have to travel so much.

I'm sure I missed some items for the PC die-hards. What do you think? Use the Comments section below to take your best shot, but stick to reality. As much as you can.


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Your Comments:

Point #1 is hilarious. Mac Mini is a POS computer. If you bought a $599 Mac Mini with 1.67 GHZ and 512 RAM, you got ripped off, sorry.

$300 you can have a much better machine. :/

brian
07/14/2007 at 03:14 AM

People talking about the one button mouse... I have a Mighty Mouse and in the mouse options you are able to set it to enable a Right and Left click with the mouse.

Dominic
07/14/2007 at 03:23 AM

Found this on digg, nice site, don't listen to the <edited> who say its not very "Mac like". The reason I absolutely despise apple is the fact that they lock the OS to their hardware. I could never support a company that does something like that. Apple is no better then Microsoft on the evil scale. Really people should be switching to Linux.

BlackCow
07/14/2007 at 03:27 AM

Advocates of either system are idiots. Both seem to negate the positives of the alternative and the negatives of what they are advocating.

There are only 2 reason to get one over the other:

1) Personal preference.

2) Necessity.

Johnny
07/14/2007 at 04:26 AM

I agree with the last post in that the OS is the primary difference between PCs and Macs, but oh, what a difference that makes. Don't discount the extra mile or two Apple goes to design their hardware though. For example, my MacBook Pro is still the most beautiful IMHO laptop around plus the backlit keyboard, motion-sensing, magnetic power connector and built-in webcam set it apart from other laptops. While PC laptops have these features (except for maybe the power connector -- only Apple) Apple combines all of these features and more into a stunning laptop design.

I use Boot Camp to run Windows XP so I can play games but I use the Macintosh OS for everything else.

James
07/14/2007 at 05:29 AM

For me, the answer is as simple as this: Mac doesn't have the programs I want. Period. AutoCAD? Nope. SolidWorks? Nope. Matlab? No go.

It doesn't run the programs I want it to. It doesn't work.

TString
07/14/2007 at 05:57 AM

TString,

Mac*OS* may not always run the apps you want... but the Mac (computer) will. It's the most versatile platform on the market today being that it can run any OS.

Matt
07/14/2007 at 06:03 AM

Matt which platform is it ?Intel Platform ? Isnt the same as PC O.o

RK
07/14/2007 at 09:01 AM

My first OS X experience is from a "Hackintosh". At work, I convinced my boss to buy me a MacBook Pro to replace my 2 year old Fujitsu laptop with XP. Now, I find myself using Vista Ultimate most of the time. But I do have the best looking "PC" in the office.

Eric Pena
07/14/2007 at 09:49 AM

With Bootcamp problem 5 goes away...

Josh of Pixelton
07/14/2007 at 10:13 AM