I have a 3 year old Dell XPS that is still pulling its weight just fine... If build quality is your reasoning for going apple consider i've dropped this laptop of my dorm bed twice. I had one of those beds that were built high so you could store stuff under it... still runs fine... Vista that came on it was horrible but now windows 7 resolves that and really i couldnt be happier with this 3 almost 4 year old laptop that is begging to be replaced for an overall hardware upgrade... maybe another XPS i dont know? I have to admit i am drawn to the prestige of ownership that comes with the mac but its not worth it when i could pay 3 quarters of the price.
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Why don't more people buy Macs?
- Thread starter psychotron
- Start date
9to5cynic
Android Expert
I agree, my dell (from summer 2008) is still working fine. I do everything on it. No issues at all hardware wise. I did put XP on it (came with Vista - which I didn't mind... though I have had many less blue screens).
Here's how I look at it. I'd really like to learn OSX. I think macs are good hardware, look great, but cost too much. Here's what I'd buy in order (desktop, laptop, then mac). (Of course, that's if I had money.)
Here's how I look at it. I'd really like to learn OSX. I think macs are good hardware, look great, but cost too much. Here's what I'd buy in order (desktop, laptop, then mac). (Of course, that's if I had money.)
ScottColbert
Well-Known Member
I have no idea where you get all the viruses from. My first computer was an old 286 with two 5 1/4 drives back during the late 80's early 90's and have had Win computers since then, that's well over 20 years, and I had exactly one, just one virus, and I got that from a friend who had an infected disk that I used.
My last laptop was a Toshiba and had that for 4 years, before I got a new one this past March. Prior to that I had built virtually every other desktop system, without a problem. I'm no computer guru, but know more than most I would say, and having dabbled in Apple PC's, would never consider moving to one. Aside from the fact, I detest Apple as a company and always have, my experiences with Windows (except for Windows ME) has been trouble free.
Perhaps you should stop visiting pr0n sites and downloading pirated software. And you can't go blaming Windows for crashing hard drives. If a hard drive is defective and is going to crash, it's going to crash, no matter what computer it's in, Apple, Acer, HP, whatever.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
Bad HDDs do happen. But Mac is no better or worse than Windows. For every Win hater out there, one can find a Mac hater. For every Windows machine out there with problems, there is a Mac with issues. In many cases, I suspect, the reports you read come from clueless people that make their own problems.
And there is no shortage of people --usually newbies--that hear the Mac is bulletproof and they spread the BS along. They believe what they read on the net and they really do not know if their Macs are better.
Lots of well engineered and constructed Windows computers out there. Mac build quality is good, but they are not the only company making well built machines.
Not absolutely certain of this, but does Apple make their own hard drives, PCBs, memory, or LCDs? It is likely that the manufacturers of Apple drives also makes them for Acer, HP, Dell, and others. So I am not sold on the idea that if it is in a Mac it must be better than if it is in a Windows machine.
Windows is prone to virus issues because there are many more millions of Win boxes than Apple boxes. Simple math. If Macs were predominant, Macs would suffer virus issues.
My first PC was a 8088, with 512 MB of memory and no hard drive. Since then, there have been a few replacements including an Apple Powerbook. Had more problems with the PB than I ever had with a Windows computer.
Virus issues usually arise because so many people prowl the net looking at things they should not look at; downloading warez, porn, music, what have you. They are careless in their day to day maintenence and they insist upon opening email from cretins and spammers.
So please stop with the endless and non-winnable argument that Macs are perfect and Windows sucks. Simply not true.
I would rate the build quality of my PC as perfect. I built it my self though, so I may be biassed
You can build your own Mac, sure, but you're relying on people creating drivers for your chosen hardware. That's far from ideal.
Windows is required for the majority of programs I use anyway. So purchasing a Mac would mean paying a premium for a less capable machine.
You can build your own Mac, sure, but you're relying on people creating drivers for your chosen hardware. That's far from ideal.
Windows is required for the majority of programs I use anyway. So purchasing a Mac would mean paying a premium for a less capable machine.
NYCHitman1
Gun for Hire
I would rate the build quality of my PC as perfect. I built it my self though, so I may be biassed
You can build your own Mac, sure, but you're relying on people creating drivers for your chosen hardware. That's far from ideal.
For me, windows is required for the majority of programs I use anyway. Purchasing a Mac would mean paying a premium for a less capable machine.
What are you running under the hood? I've been debating adding an SSD to my arsenal of awesomeness.
I have heard running your OS off an SSD makes a pretty big difference, although I haven't got one my self. I'd like one, but the price is still pretty high for the storage you get - it seems that unless you really shell out you'll probably end up juggling files/programs around all the time.
NYCHitman1
Gun for Hire
Yep yep, that's exactly what I want it for. I don't want a huge one or anything like that. Just a simple 20/60 GB SSD will do. I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a good deal.
It does. I've got a UMPC with a 128GB SSD and it boots Windows 7 in about 30 seconds from cold, applications load really quick.
What you can do is have the OS on the fast SSD, and your data, documents, music, photos, etc, on a large capacity much cheaper mechanical drive, where access times are not nearly as critical. If it's a laptop though you got no choice really, unless one has a bulky heavy two drive laptop.
NYCHitman1
Gun for Hire
What's your take on perhaps loading games onto the SSD? Unnecessary?
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
I would rate the build quality of my PC as perfect. I built it my self though, so I may be biassed
You can build your own Mac, sure, but you're relying on people creating drivers for your chosen hardware. That's far from ideal.
Windows is required for the majority of programs I use anyway. So purchasing a Mac would mean paying a premium for a less capable machine.
How does the average budget conscience person build a Mac? Not easy or simple and likely will end up costing them more than a new Mac. Don't you need a Mac first and doesn't building a Hackintosh require that you violate Apple's IP?
Pitamakan
Android Enthusiast
Outside of little self-selecting groups like this one, the number of people who build their own computer (of any sort) is so small these days as to be irrelevant. Heck, most people wouldn't even bother replacing a hard drive that failed nowadays ... they'd just junk the whole computer and start over.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
Seems reasonable. I remember the 'good old days' when people did build their own computers. Why bother these days, anyway. Off the shelf computers are cheap and fast.
The problem with these forums is they tend to gather those that want to build computers, root/Jailbreak, change things around, and they tend to look at the world differently. We like to do it ourselves. We do not e-speak for the general public that can't even solder or would want to try.
Pitamakan
Android Enthusiast
Yep. I definitely wouldn't call it a "problem," though ... it's what keeps places like this interesting.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
Yep. I definitely wouldn't call it a "problem," though ... it's what keeps places like this interesting.
Perhaps not really a problem, I'll agree. Not surprising that every group or forum has the same "problem." The general public out numbers us and we tend to argue the finer points about something that does not matter to the majority.
Snow_Fox
Android Expert
As someone who has built a few computers..
I am horrified Apple gets away with the claims of quality which in many cases is an out right lie.
They use rather generic parts honestly.. Toshiba hard drives, I don't even remember what ram it was.. but it wasn't impressive..
Intel processors..
As someone who does a lot of research on the quality of parts, and which brands are "better".. I really find apple computers are charged premium prices using mediocre parts.. They aren't bad parts or anything.. But, nothing I would stick in my own personal rig, save maybe the processors.. intel isn't a bad company.. but intel powers millions of computers apple or not.. so really.. it isn't like the intel processor makes macs magic or anything..
I mean, I do my best to not be brand bias.. But, everything has a 'premium' version these days.. and I absolutely laugh my butt off when people say macs are "premium" computers.. Because they are composed of "standard quality" parts and sold at premium prices..
*EDIT* Also, macs will *NEVER* give me the performance I want in my computer.. They just can't perform for a lot of task. (particularly task involving two graphics cards ;D)
EDIT2* If the average person can't replace their own hard drive.. Maybe I should consider going into computer repairs.. I need a job these days.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
So what exactly is a "standard quality" part? We built millions of Palms using "standard quality" parts. We built millions of modems using standard quality parts. We manufactured vast numbers of MP3 players using standard quality parts. Palm Pilots were manufactured with SQ parts. We used the same Rockwell Microprocessors most manufacturers used.
We manufactured modems for Apple using standard quality parts.
Can you point to specific examples of where a Mac is or is not superior to a PC (or vicey versey) because of these standard quality parts?
Saying this is higher quality than that requires a few examples. And keep in mind that there can be better quality parts, but the costs might prevent their use and if a manufacturer used higher quality parts, the advantages might not be worth it. In our case, a few cents more for a component costs the manufacturer lots of cash.
I wonder how people would write about the PCMCIA Modems and Combo-Cards offered by Dell, Gateway, Apple, IBM, everyone else, if this were ten or so years ago. Would Dell modems be better than IBM modems? Would Apples PCMCIA modem be better than a Windows modem with essentially the same technical specs? We manufactured the vast majority of these kinds of devices so the quality is the same.
My guess is Apple uses many of the same parts every other manufacturer uses and the quality is roughly equal. Apple has high standards and the manufacturer decides build quality in some cases; the product must meet certain specs.
andruoid
Android Expert
Its like buying anything else: do your research. Problem is most of the world is too busy to care. They (the consumer) want everything yesterday and have no patients to learn, they just want it to work. The danger is lack of knowledge, eg; throwing out a perfectly good laptop just because of a dead HDD. Therefore they spend more money than they have to.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
If they release a Mac version, yes. If not, no. What is your point? Do you really expect a Mac to run Word for DOS?
Smiley.
Probably, if you use Bootcamp and boot it into Windows. Probably wont run very well on a Mac Mini though. Just like it wouldn't run very on a low-specced PC. It certainly wouldn't run on a netbook.
TBH if one is going to be playing games, one is better off with a gaming rig, rather than using a Mac.
9to5cynic
Android Expert
Hmm.. I was expect those as hyperlinks...
I don't think that 30 Seconds is too impressive. My dell laptop from summer 2008 can boot in about 30 seconds... but I'm on XP and haven't tried this comp with 7.
But I do really wanna build a desktop with a SSD for the OS. Alas, to do so, I'd need some cash.
30 seconds from cold seems OK for me, that's including POST. This is a coat pocket sized UMPC with Atom CPU. Suspend and resume is instant, as to be expected.
It takes my crappy school desktop PC nearly 2 minutes to boot into Chinese XP, but then it's an ancient "Great Wall" Pentium 4 and probably full of Green Dam and other junk. Often I'll boot it into Linux Mint from a USB stick.
It takes my crappy school desktop PC nearly 2 minutes to boot into Chinese XP, but then it's an ancient "Great Wall" Pentium 4 and probably full of Green Dam and other junk. Often I'll boot it into Linux Mint from a USB stick.