6 Reasons to Buy a PC Instead of a Mac

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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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I've got friends bailing from the "PC" market left and right because they don't want to run Vista. Right now if you are in the market for a new machine, if you buy it "pre-built" you are solidly stuck with one of the most annoying excuses for an operating system I have ever had the displeasure of placing my hands on. Between compatibility issues and an over all level of sheer annoyance, OS X is the way to go. Not to mention many of my friends that are bailing come from Unix systems administration jobs... since its a *nix under the hood, the temptation of going the way of Apple is just to much!

 macfpp
 07/14/2007  at  06:46 PM

It's hard to say that the Mac comes with "everything you need, for free" when you're paying a premium for the hardware (inextricably linked to the software)...

Also, don't forget that Apple likes to change their entire schematic every few years, so be prepared to keep buying new machines once the old one becomes antiquated. There is little in the way of backwards compatibility when it comes to Apple.

I've worked with both Windows & Mac, I prefer the windows environment for simple accessibility points, however I've owned a few iPods, and am a happy iPhone owner.

 Nathan Matthews
 07/14/2007  at  09:12 PM

If you need a tablet. Are there any Apple Tablet's coming out any time soon?

 X
 07/14/2007  at  09:49 PM

I am a frequent user of both the Windows OS and Mac OS X. Personally, as an college student who uses both "platforms" regularly, I'd have to throw in my opinion that I prefer Windows XP over OS X.

Now before you start calling me a "Microsoft brain-washed computer illiterate user", there's some major qualms I've had about the presented article.

1. This site is all about the mac. Hence the name. Therefore, it is not unlikely that everything that you read in here is...how can I say...Mac-pro in almost every aspect.

2. The article written above states 6 reasons to buy a mac instead of the PC, but in every reason stated, it's been drenched with the utmost disgust and unfair judgment at the Windows system.

A) Every rebuttal is dripping with either ignorance or a lame excuse.

 KnowledgableConsumeristWT
 07/15/2007  at  04:04 AM

I)Point in case:

1)you can always buy a good used Mac for cheap on eBay.
+Rebuttal: The same can apply just as readily for PCs.

2)Unless your time is worth $3 an hour, don't fool yourself into thinking you are saving money. +Rebuttal: For those of us that know how to build computers, we ARE saving money. I don't know about you, but I'd certainly like to buy the SAME or BETTER hardware that is also compatible with my new PC/Mac from sites such as http://www.NewEgg.com, rather than ponying up $30-$90 more dollars (USD of course :D). If you don't know how to install it yourself, there are always websites to help you through the installation process, such as this site or by searching on the web for any aid. Or you could have that nerdy nephew of yours look into it

3)Macs come with most of the software you will need for free. Also, don't be a thieving a**hat. You aren't entitled to steal someone else's work, even if it's Microsoft.
+Rebuttal: Legal software can be obtained for the Mac and Windows systems for free that don't suck. Again, look to the web. VirtuaDub for video-encoding/editing (though there are better ones for these jobs that I can't remember the names to), the G.I.M.P. for photo-editing (for both MacOS X and Windows), and OpenOffice (which a lot of universities now use) for everything that Microsoft Office can do, just to name a few.

 KnowledgableConsumeristWT
 07/15/2007  at  04:05 AM

4)Go buy an Xbox.
+Criticism: Wow. I thought that Mac addicts were supposed to be nice. Turns out that you're exactly the same as those PC fanboys screaming "w00t", "U suxX0rz", and all that jazz. Now on to the rebuttal: While a console will not need an upgrade to play the latests games, your same logic applies equally as well to the Mac. Actually, it doesn't, since it doesn't *at the moment...hopefully soon...hopefully* have a large game base and well...none of them can't be handled with an average graphics card. Furthermore, the PC HAS the latest games out (that aren't console exclusive). The addition of the keyboard and mouse is very convienient, and the ability to just plug in your headphones so you won't bother your companions who are studying is very welcome. While some games do support keyboard/mouse on the consoles, it's not necessary since the games have already been designed in mind to be played on the controller (duh!). This is illegal, but don't forget all of the supported emulations on Windows. There are so many more (and need I remind you illegal) roms to play, ranging from the old gameboy to even the PS2 (the last I heard about anyways...and once again, ILLEGAL).

 KnowledgableConsumeristWT
 07/15/2007  at  04:06 AM

5)Run Windows on your Mac via Parallels or Boot Camp to access that program.
+Rebuttal: Boot Camp (while free in itself) requires that you have a windows install disc...and a key of course. Pros: doesn't cost you money. Cons: restart required to go back to OSX. Parallels actually costs more for you to run an "emulation" of windows. While its nice to transfer files and switch between the OSs without the need to restart, the software would not run as well as it would natively. Pros: no restart needed to get back to OSX or to Windows (from 98 to XP...not sure about Vista, but who would want to run that right now?). Cons: costs you $$$ and is slower than just booting into Windows.

6)Get a job where you don't have to travel so much.
+Rebuttal: this is just like your response to gaming and software. It is an undeveloped and untasteful response (possibly a joke?). People have jobs. They'd like to hold onto them as the state of our economy kind of sucks right now. If that means that they should have a notebook, then so be it. But take into note that MacBooks AREN'T the smallest laptop computer. They're even laughed at in Mac forums because they're so underpowered (great software is great...if you can run it).

 KnowledgableConsumeristWT
 07/15/2007  at  04:06 AM

B) You have to realize that the Mac line is considerably more expensive than the PCs are. Yes, you addressed this in your first "counterpoint", but take into note that for the SAME specs that'd you find on a Mac, you'd find on a PC for much cheaper at the store (and consistenly cheaper online too). At the moment, I kind of find this funny. I came into the decision of buying the very laptop that I'm typing on right now, not too long ago, versus purchasing a Mac Book. For a 160 GB HDD, 15.4" widescreen, AMD-64 X-2 Dual Core 1.6 GHz processor, 2 (yes 2!) Gigs of RAM, Windows XP Media Center Edition, and a descent video-card, I'd have to say that this was MUCH better of a bargain (for about $960 without taxes) than say, a MacBook that had only a measley 60 (or maybe it was 80) gig HDD, 13 inch display, Intel Core Duo 2 (1.33 Ghz or was it 1.5 Ghz?), 512 mb of RAM, and of course, OS X, for roughly $1,100 without taxes.

1) Upgrading costs a LOT if you have the manufacturer do it for you. For some reason, Apple likes to throw in really crummy graphics cards as its base for their products and then charge you loads of cash so you can upgrade to a descent one. Windows will usually throw in crummy to average graphic cards and won't charge as much for upgrades for a slightly better one, whereas Apple will.

2)The quantitative amount of things that are compatible with the Mac are much less than in Windows. You have more options open.

 KnowledgableConsumeristWT
 07/15/2007  at  04:07 AM

3) I love OS X, but all of you have to admit it how absurd you can be at some times: "Hey, I just got a Mac! It's soooOOo sweet. Much cooler than your PC" "...Cool dude. I'm going to go play some computer games now". "Hold on man. Just let me reboot". "What? You can play GOOD games now?" "Yeah, check it out!" *rebooting* "Uh...that's the Windows logo". "Yeah?" "Let me get this straight. You buy a Mac...so you can go ON to Windows?" "...uh...yeah".

For most people, you can already get everything that you want done on a Mac ON the PC. Sure, with the new Intel Processors on the Macs will let you run everything that you Windows PC can, but what's the point of buying the Mac in the first place if all you're going to do is just jump onto Windows? Does that even make sense to you guys? "Hey, I'm going to buy a Mac because it can run Windows and then I can run all of the things that I used to be able to do". You go right ahead and blow $1000+ (don't forget those taxes and/or shipping/handling) for a Mac and then you can spend another $100-600 for a Windows copy when you could have spent that $1000 on a DESCENT PC that can run what you needed to do.

 KnowledgableConsumeristWT
 07/15/2007  at  04:08 AM

+Yes, I know that I made some rude remarks there, but sometimes, the amount of people that attack the PC base is just so infuriating (as I'm sure the PC zealots have done to the Mac's fanbase as well), but its all very logical. There hasn't been a time that I needed to finish what ever I had to do ONLY on the Mac. There has always been, for me anyways, ways to start and FINISH on my laptop what I couldn't do on my underpowered, overcostly Mac.

3) The one-button feature that PC bashers have used against Mac users is stated by morons who haven't really used OS X at all. They are right however, that Apple needs to change their one-button mouse solution standard. I read somewhere by a user that you can set up OS X to have two button functionality by going into system preferences. AS IF THAT WASN'T OBVIOUS. He/She also stated that after applying these options, you could simply apply pressure at the other side of the mouse for it to perform a "right click". YOU NEED A FREAKING MOUSE THAT HAS SENSORS IN THOSE LOCATIONS FOR IT TO WORK.
Go ahead and buy your Mighty Mouse (you can use any other USB mouse for that matter) before you do what that idiot posted. Your one-button mouse will simply not work. When using the Mighty Mouse and some other mice, you may have to install drivers for your computer to fully use/recognize your mouse.
+Its getting late into the night and it is obvious that I have started to become a bit cranky. I'm going to finish this soon.

 KnowledgableConsumeristWT
 07/15/2007  at  04:08 AM

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