PC or Mac for me?

[Misdreavus]

I'm getting a new laptop, and I'm debating on whether to buy a PC or a Mac. I will mainly use it for taking notes in college, doing homework, internet browsing, programming/coding, video editing, and multimedia playback. As such, I want a midsize laptop (portable enough, yet big and powerful enough to be my "at-home" computer). Good battery life is also important to me (I know it won't be as good as on a netbook though).

As far as video editing goes, I understand that Final Cut Pro is the gold standard and is only available on Macs. I really like Intel Wireless Display, and while Macs have a similar feature in Apple TV, that only allows streaming from iTunes and Netflix, while WiDi broadcasts a mirror image of your desktop, which allows video on random websites or programs to play on a TV (which I would like to do). I could obviously accomplish this by connecting a Mac to my HDTV with a cable, but that's a bit of a pain when my TV is in an entertainment center while I likely have my laptop by the couch. I use a few programs that are Windows-exclusive, so if I were to get a Mac, I would need to install Windows on it, or some sort of environment that would allow me to run Windows programs. I am also very familiar and proficient with Windows, while I know almost nothing about Mac OS. I really like the "pointing stick" mice, which are only available on PCs (and only a select few of them). I also want to be able to play (and possibly burn) Blu-Ray discs, which from what I hear is impossible on a Mac.

As you could probably imagine from the above paragraph, I'm leaning towards a PC, but I would like to get some second opinions. Since I don't know much about Macs, perhaps they have some features/advantages to suit my needs that I am unaware of. What do you all think?

Thanks!

 

[Shiny Mew2]

PC. Almost everything works with it, and I don't know what programs your college has, but PC will almost always work.



If you get a Mac, have fun being called a hipster

 

[Firestorm]

What's your price point and when are you planning to buy?

 

[Texas Cloverleaf]

Macs fucking suck.

Also Adobe Premier is also pretty damn good for video editing.

 

[Stratos]

macs are by far the better computer in every way possible, and if you find yourself having programs a Mac cannot run, you can even handily partition your hard drive so you can run the programs while still having a great computer! i think it's even reversible - not quite sure though. Steam even runs on Macs now! (there are many bluetooth mice available for Mac, so you can even game on them) (some even have a right-click)

On the other hand, Macs are expensive so if you just want some bullshit computer to get you through college and get replaced, go for the PC. the price difference is quite large and the ONLY thing that makes PC better than mac. IF you do go for the PC, though, prepare to bang your head against a wall as the hard drive randomly fucking melts and other assorted pains in the ass.

EDIT: oh you CAN burn blu-ray from a mac.

 

[tennisace]

If you get a Mac, have fun being called a hipster

You're not a hipster if the vast majority of people at your college have Macs... Anyway I started college with the recommended Dell and it didn't last more than 2 years before it turned to absolute shit. It wouldn't even run the engineering software I needed at the time correctly.

What you're getting with Macs is the package. Sure, you can build a "better" laptop with Windows for the same price, and yes you get access to basically every program you could ever want, but if you're not going to use like hardcore engineering stuff, Macs come with all the programs you could ever want right out of the box (and Microsoft Office isn't too much more).

From what you said though, you use Windows a lot, you need Windows only programs, and the only Mac feature you really want is the video editing capabilities. Go with a PC (as much as it pains me to say this). Get a good brand like an HP or Lenovo and you should be fine. Don't get cheap shit like Dells.

 

[Firestorm]

HP is not a good brand. I'd rather get a Dell tbh. If BluRay is for some reason important to you, it already disqualifies a Mac. Apple's really hard to beat when it comes to battery life and OSX is a much nicer portable OS than Windows I've found. As much as I hate HP, the HP Envy is the only thing that comes close at the moment.

Also, the next MacBook Pro revision looks like it's going to be major so getting one now might cause some regrets for you because of that...

 

[Eraddd]

macs are by far the better computer in every way possible, and if you find yourself having programs a Mac cannot run, you can even handily partition your hard drive so you can run the programs while still having a great computer! i think it's even reversible - not quite sure though. Steam even runs on Macs now! (there are many bluetooth mice available for Mac, so you can even game on them) (some even have a right-click)

On the other hand, Macs are expensive so if you just want some bullshit computer to get you through college and get replaced, go for the PC. the price difference is quite large and the ONLY thing that makes PC better than mac. IF you do go for the PC, though, prepare to bang your head against a wall as the hard drive randomly fucking melts and other assorted pains in the ass.

EDIT: oh you CAN burn blu-ray from a mac.

ITT: pwnemon has no idea what he's talking about. As per usual.

The Macbook's unibody design has everything bolted onto it, including the Hard Drive and the Motherboard. When you bump it against anything, the shock is transferred to the mobo, eventually leading to solder joint failure and a slew of other issues with the Hard Drive (bumping your hard drive constantly isn't a very good idea). Plus, there's no resilience on the aluminum used; it feels hard, but once you dent it, you can't bounce it back. As a college student, you're probably going to want something more sturdy and the unibody doesn't lend itself to that.

Plus there's a slew of thermal problems with a very small cross section for ventilation and the heatsink being painted black (interferes with heat absorption) and the air outflow vent is a thin slit, which is probably the worst for airflow.

Anyways I'll stop here.

Anyways, as Firestorm mentions, it depends on your budget. Personally, I'd go with the Lenovo Thinkpads. A few of my friends have picked up the T series laptops and one friend the W series laptops; all achieve battery lives 8-10 hours battery lives. The W series is also lighter than the macbook pro and the thinkpads carry magnesium roll cages and glass/carbon fiber (elastic + absorbs shock well) for pretty much max protection. If you're the type who wants longevity in a laptop, the Thinkpad is great. It'll cost less than a macbook, but it'll still cost quite a bit (Lenovo has 40% coupons however, which help bring down the cost).

Otherwise, if you're on a budget, go with Acer. They have some of the lowest prices for the best specs, and have a good warranty system (at least where I live). I've had my Acer laptop for about a year and a half, and the only thing wrong with it was that the HDD was dying which Acer replaced. Bought it for 800 dollars, runs all modern games (i5 and Radeon 5650). Best bang for buck in my opinion.

 

[Misdreavus]

What's your price point and when are you planning to buy?

The laptop is a Christmas gift from my parents (I just haven't picked one yet), and they've told me that price is pretty much a non-issue. As soon as I choose (which I'm hoping will be within a week or so), they will buy it for me.

Also Adobe Premier is also pretty damn good for video editing.

Unfortunately, Adobe Premiere is also pretty damn expensive, but from what I've heard, it might be worth it.

 

[Wichu]

You can get the Elements version quite cheaply. I'm not sure what's missing in it compared to the Pro version, but I'm pretty sure it should be adequate. Alternatively, try looking for a copy of an older version.

Also, Macs are pretty awesome if you can afford them... But if you want bang for your buck, get a PC. I inherited a 2007 Macbook when its owner upgraded to a Pro, and it's definitely nice; however, if I was buying a laptop myself, I'd go for a PC.

 

[iDunno]

Until recently, Macs were by FAR the better choice for buying a new computer. They used to be built in America, but now Apple has started assembling their computers in China like most other companies so they are made much more cheaply. While Macs used to have far longer life-spans than PCs (I had been using my mac for around 6 or seven years before getting a new computer and even then the mac was still working superbly - I just wanted a new computer :P) they are now pretty much the same as their competitors in that regard. However, when comparing Macs with PC's Mac's tend to come out on top due to their durable construction and reliability. Plus, they still have a longer lifespan than PC's even if it might be shorter now. Many PC laptops are built in a way where internal components get knocked out of place easily and due to the fact that the casing is comprised of multiple parts, they are not only less aesthetically pleasing but also more prone to being damaged by small splashes of water (obviously it isn't guaranteed to happen but still). Obviously some PC's are better than others, but if you are shopping for a PC laptop, these problems tend to be universal.

Although Mac laptops are more durable than PC laptops, PC's come with hardware components that are in some cases somewhat better for their price. While you can buy a Macbook Pro for 1200 dollars and get 4GB of RAM and 500 GB of storage and a 2.24 GHz processor, you can buy a Toshiba Satellite for 800 dollars and get 6 GB of RAM and 600 GB of storage with a 2.20 GHz processor. There is one spot where Mac laptops far outshine the generic PC laptop and that's is the video card. Although the 1200 dollar Macbook Pro runs on Intel HD graphics just like most PC laptops, the 1800 dollar 15-inch display model has a AMD Radeon 6650M graphics card, which allows for the play of most games that can run on Mac computers from Steam. However, generic PC laptops are pretty much the only laptops it can outshine in this department, as there are gaming laptops that offer similar graphics cards like the HP Pavillion which has an AMD Radeon HD 6620g card and only costs 600 dollars.

It really just depends on what you're looking for in a laptop. If you want a laptop that looks nicer and will last longer without crashing/slowing down and the price isn't a factor, get a Mac laptop. If you want higher quality components in a less reliable overall system for a MUCH lower price, get a PC laptop. As for software, Mac provides a wide array of video editing software that Windows can only dream of.

As for your Intel wireless display issue for the Mac, you could always buy a wireless keyboard and mouse and connect your computer to your TV using an adapter. That way you can sit on your couch and control your computer from far away using your TV as a display.

 

[Firestorm]

If you're purchasing it, Adobe Productions Edition CS5.5 is about $380 which is cheaper than buying either Premiere or After Effects seperately - and even if you get Final Cut Pro you're going to have to get After Effects as well. This is under the assumption that you're doing this as your major / will be doing this professionally. If it's just an afterthought you may not need to bother.

Remember to get something with a decent resolution. 1280x800 really sucks for video editing...

 

[Eraddd]

Until recently, Macs were by FAR the better choice for buying a new computer. They used to be built in America, but now Apple has started assembling their computers in China like most other companies so they are made much more cheaply. While Macs used to have far longer life-spans than PCs (I had been using my mac for around 6 or seven years before getting a new computer and even then the mac was still working superbly - I just wanted a new computer :P) they are now pretty much the same as their competitors in that regard. However, when comparing Macs with PC's Mac's tend to come out on top due to their durable construction and reliability. Plus, they still have a longer lifespan than PC's even if it might be shorter now. Many PC laptops are built in a way where internal components get knocked out of place easily and due to the fact that the casing is comprised of multiple parts, they are not only less aesthetically pleasing but also more prone to being damaged by small splashes of water (obviously it isn't guaranteed to happen but still). Obviously some PC's are better than others, but if you are shopping for a PC laptop, these problems tend to be universal.

Read above post. If you're comparing a 1.5k mac to a 600 dollar Windows notebook from HP or Dell, then yes you're probably correct. But properly built ones like the Lenovo T series or even the HP Envy are built much more rigorously than the Macbook Pros at the moment.

I don't get why people are in love with the notion that Macbooks are high quality engineering. It's not, it's just aesthetically pleasing. Much of the engineering design is pretty inefficient (usage of two heatsinks while painting them black, adding weight and inefficiencies for one) and there's many more examples out there like it.

Then again, the Mac OS is pretty hot.

 

[symphonyx64]

I really like Intel Wireless Display, and while Macs have a similar feature in Apple TV, that only allows streaming from iTunes and Netflix, while WiDi broadcasts a mirror image of your desktop, which allows video on random websites or programs to play on a TV (which I would like to do). I could obviously accomplish this by connecting a Mac to my HDTV with a cable, but that's a bit of a pain when my TV is in an entertainment center while I likely have my laptop by the couch.

I will make a more elaborate post some point later pertaining to your entire question if needed. But, the next version of OS X, Mountain Lion, due out in the Sunmer will have AirPlay Mirroing built in. Using an Apple TV, you will be able to beam your whole desktop to your TV just like an iPad 2 and iPhone 4S can already do and Intel's technology.

 

[Killah]

There are pros and cons for both. Any non gamer that is certain that one or the other is better is clearly mistaken! Obviously if you plan on gaming at all the PC is a better fit, as Macs tend to overheat and the non-pro versions have a rubber casing that will begin to peel off if you play any kind of modern gaming on it.

If you want a Mac, the cons are obviously the price and the processor/RAM, which PCs are far superior in. However, they have better interfaces with their PC counterparts and tend to last longer (though as iDunno has said, that longevity has been shortened recently). They also tend not to get viruses, so expensive antivirus software is usually not necessary.

If you are in a program-reliant major (various engineerings, computer anything, physics, those kinds of things) PCs are generally better simply because you don't have to go through the trouble of partitioning your hard drive or downloading an emulator. I own a Mac currently, and I can honestly say that it is frustrating to attempt to get a non-Mac compatible program working on a Mac. Partitioning the hard drive also requires you to purchase/pirate a copy of Windows, but afaik that's getting difficult to do without registering the program online (aka you'll have to buy it).

You also would have to buy a microsoft office package, which is generally pretty expensive (unless you pirate it, of course).

PCs, on the other hand, are the opposite in all of the categories; cheaper, generally more powerful, etc. Viruses and longevity are my two biggest issues, but these are generally offset by the lower price. However, since there are dozens of companies that make PCs while only Apple makes Macs, you are liable to find a very good computer at a reasonable price if you put some effort into it.


I currently own a Mac and love it, but I will probably be buying a PC the next time I buy a computer unless Apple really steps up with their next line of Macbooks.

 

[Chou Toshio]

MAC...

and then use virtual desktop or partition to get windows... :}

keep in mind when using that your partition can get viruses~ D: I basically never use a web browser from my Windows partition.

 

[Eraddd]

Dear god if you're an engineer please make sure not to get a regular GPU but get a workstation GPUs. It'll definitely make your programs easier and faster to operate.

 

[Firestorm]

If you're in engineering or computer science you're almost guaranteed to be able to get a two free copies of Windows 7 through MSDNAA / Dreamspark. Search your school here: https://www.dreamspark.com/Institution/Subscription.aspx

I always used to be a Windows only person but I really do like Apple's laptops. That's also because I have a powerful Windows desktop for gaming and the most important thing for me about my laptop is battery life though.

 

[Fishy]

it's one thing to dislike Macs because there are definite quality and function differences between most mac and windows programs, but it's annoying to dislike macs just because it is a bigger "brand" than windows itself. personally I am a die hard apple fan, and that's purely because apple products are a cohesive ecosystem with one another. it's great! my ex boyfriend is a certified mac technician and basically lives off of their products. he has a G5 MacPro, basically the most powerful computer that apple has in stock today, but it's not a laptop, so not what you're looking for.

that being said, what I've gleaned from seeing him use that computer is that it makes video editing a breeze. I'm not sure how heavily you will be concentrating on that for your laptop use, but I can't imagine video editing being easier with anything other than Final Cut Pro. although, be wary - the latest Lion OSX isn't compatible with certain versions of Final Cut Pro, and apparently Final Cut Pro > Final Cut Pro X. I don't know the specifics, but there are a lot of compatibility issues and changed interfaces with Final Cut Pro X which turn people to continue using Final Cut Pro. that might take a little more research on your part if you care to see which would truly be better for you to use.

if you want your laptop to be a sturdy workhorse as Eraddd has suggested, then get a PC. Macs are toootally aesthetically pleasing little machines, but that doesn't mean that they are not just as powerful and useful as a PC. And hey, maybe just take very good care of it since you're paying more for it anyway? I currently have a macbook AIR that I am in love with, and it's probably the most portable laptop out there, besides a netbook or some of the skinnier acer models (which are totally copying the air).

as tennisace said, you can also partition your hard drive on a mac so that you can still use all your windows programs in tandem with your mac ones, and really don't have to make a decision between which OS you're more comfortable with. The Mac OS is very user friendly, especially OS X. If you've ever played with an iTouch or iPhone, you know that you can get the hang of it fairly quickly. That's the way Apple likes it.

regardless of what you buy, as long as the software is up to date and fully functioning, there's nothing you can't do on a PC that you couldn't do on a Mac, and vice versa. there are different programs on each that can reach the same ends you're looking for. it's just about preference! though I cannot stress enough that if you buy a macbook with the higher end hard drive space, you can partition it and still run windows on it! switching between the two OSs is pretty seamless, so it's not as if you'd be wasting time switching back and forth between the two if that's how you would prefer to work. why not have the best of both worlds? :3

 

[Myzozoa]

If you're paying for it get a PC it's way cheaper, if your parents pay get a mac because it will last a really long time (in my experience).

 

[danilo]

There's almost no advantage of having a PC over a Mac. My dad has had his Mac since like 2003 and it still works. Get a Mac

 

[Atlas]

ive had my pc since 2000. advantage pc

 

[Nietzsche]

MAC...

and then use virtual desktop or partition to get windows... :}

keep in mind when using that your partition can get viruses~ D: I basically never use a web browser from my Windows partition.

Operating systems don't get viruses. Morons get viruses.

 

[Dozz]

It's mostly been covered, but, you can video edit perfectly well on Premiere Pro, which I personally think is as good as, if not better than Final Cut. You can get that on PC and Mac, so go on price? I have a MacBook froom 2009, and it still runs like a dream though.

I've had this deabte wayy too many times.

 

[Misdreavus]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I didn't intend for this to become a generic PC vs. Mac debate; I just wanted opinions on which would be better suited for me given my wants and needs.

I am currently a Computer Science major, but I am likely going to switch to Film (with a specialty track in technical aspects such as editing) or Digital Media (with a specialized track in web design). Something like IT or MIS is also a possibility for me.

As far as longevity is concerned, I generally get a new laptop every 4 years or so simply due to the new and better technology that becomes available, so I don't need something that will last 9-12 years like Sir's dad's Mac and Atlas' PC.

I know that a lesser susceptibility to viruses is a classic pro-Mac argument, but in 10 years or so of using Windows with the internet, I've only ever gotten 1 significant virus (under the watch of Norton), and I'm pretty sure I brought it on myself by being careless with downloads (it was back in 2004 or 2005 when I didn't know as well). In fact, I no longer spend money on anti-virus programs; I use Avast!, which is free.