Quick Scan
- 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.
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.
- 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.
This button is an easy way to let readers bookmark articles on Digg, Del.icio.us, Stumbleupon, Google Bookmarks and other services with a single click. You can find out more about Social Bookmarking here.
|
||
|
|
||
|
||
Most Popular Articles
How Do I Make a Backup Copy of My Software DVDs?
What to Do When Your Mac Is Really Screwed, Or How To Reinstall Your Mac OS X
It’s Time For Apple to Start Lowering Macworld Expectations
The Next 5 Things to Do After Starting Up Your New Mac
Welcome New Mac Owners - Here Are Some Tips to Get You Started
Mac Link of the Day
Why I'd Buy Apple TodayRead the bottom half about buying a PC versus a Mac: "I'd rather get a second job in Starbucks and use the extra money to upgrade to a Mac."
-Wall Street Journal
Your Comments:
On a PC laptop, you end up moving your hand from the trackpad to reach for the button.
On a Macbook, your left hand is already on the keyboard and you can just tap the trackpad.
Alternatively, you could buy a Mighty Mouse, or a PC-mouse, or a tablet.
Sam Whitehall
07/27/2007 at 02:44 PM
Rebenga
07/27/2007 at 05:06 PM
Chris K
07/27/2007 at 05:08 PM
As someone pointed out a few pages ago, so many computer users are really clueless, so telling them about the variety of video cards their PC could take is really useless to them. They're probably never going to open the PC's case, let along upgrade the video card.
Also, while I often hear that avoiding viruses and spyware is "easy" on the PC (as long as you know how to do it), the fact remains that PCs still get viruses (I doubt they're all idiots) and even if they don't get viruses, PC users (especially ones who are less tech savvy) *WORRY* about getting viruses and spyware.
For people like my mom, Macs are a must. She feels more comfortable and secure on one, knowing that it's not going to be at much risk for viruses. (I understand that a risk always exists, but so far we Mac users are not shaking in our boots.)
Elvira S.
07/28/2007 at 04:17 PM
More reasons why PCs might be preferable: Definitely for the person who likes to tweak and tinker with the PC's insides. No question. For the rest of us, though, it really doesn't make any difference. Mac or PC--we're never going to do a lot of heavy-duty upgrading either way.
One of the reasons why I prefer to have a Mac (which can run both Mac OS and Windows) is that I'm not cut off from *any* programs. There are some Mac-only applications that I really love to use--Final Cut, Garageband, and now I'm learning Logic Express. If I bought a PC, I'd be cut off from these programs. Having a PC would not be about more choices for me, but less, since my focus in using a computer is software-driven. But, I also want to keep abreast with what is available on the Windows side, so I'm happy to have Windows XP installed via Bootcamp (and now VMware, which is awesome).
Elvira S.
07/28/2007 at 04:22 PM
Vista is the best thing to happen to Apple since the return of Steve Jobs.
I want an Apple :(
I'll live with Ubuntu for now.
TheGZeus
07/29/2007 at 09:17 PM
Neil Anderson
07/30/2007 at 11:19 AM
i don't have anything against Windows it's just not for me.
btw-9 of the last 10 Academy Award winning movies for special effects, those effects/composites were made all or in part w/ Shake, an Apple product. no big deal, just King Kong, War of the Worlds, Titanic and a few others.
dkj
07/30/2007 at 08:29 PM
Bjack
07/31/2007 at 12:26 AM
Darrin
08/08/2007 at 10:08 PM