pc-or mac?

jennikitten

Oh, also, you can get stuff cheaper 'ex demo' or 'refurbished'. Ex demo basically means it's been taken out of the box, switched on for a bit, then put back in the box again. They can have scratches and stuff though so that's something to consider if you want one in absolutely perfect condition (unlikely to happen whether you get new or old though tbh).

Refurbished ones have usually had something wrong with them that's been fixed. Like new and ex demo ones you should still get a warranty. Sometimes resellers describe ex demo ones as refurbished because of the way their sites/systems work though.

BillScarab

jennikitten wrote: »

Quote:
Originally Posted by gonzo127
due to the hardware inside Mac's being less powerful, software optimisation inside the Mac OS makes up for the lower powered hardware

What do you mean by 'less powerful hardware'? All the important components are made by the same companies for Mac and PC...Intel, nVIDIA, etc.

Who makes the kit is irrelevant, it's the performance that matters and Macs do tend to lag slightly behind the latest processors, video cards etc. t hat are available.

Quote:
Originally Posted by clivejohnson
Im not too worried about using windows on a mac, should i choose to get one, after all, if that was the case, I may as will go for another PC, right?:-)

Well no, because in three years' time your Mac will still fetch a nice price (particularly if you're lucky and Apple discontinues a feature that people like e.g. the black MacBook still sells really well) - whereas your PC will be worthless, and most likely not even recyclable!!

So a PC using the same components as a Mac is not recyclable and a Mac is? Also the better quality Windows machines are worth something secondhand, they may not hold their value as well as a Mac but they're a lot better than budget laptops.

Macs are built to last, and yes it's more money up front, but you save money (and the environment) by replacing them much less frequently.

The same can apply to the better Windows machines.

Plus you need to bear in mind that if you go for a Mac you can run Windows legally later on if you want, but if you buy a PC you can't legally run Mac OS X.

You can run it legally so long as you pay the extra for the license. The reason you can't run OSX on anything but a Mac is only because Apple like to lock everything down and control it.


Quote:
Originally Posted by marcusrapid
I am in the same position as the OP so found this thread very usefull indeed. Just one question = do apple have a control on all prices as there seems to be nowhere to buy the Imacs at reduced rates? If anyone can advise on the best places to buy please advise?

Thanks marcus

Yes they do. All their resellers make very little on their computers, which is why the prices vary so much. Don't buy from ebay if you don't know exactly what you're buying - and even the experienced should be wary as to condition and 'hidden' problems. If you buy from an authorised reseller then you'll get the full warranty and 90 days of free telephone support. Plus buy AppleCare if you're getting something expensive - it's definitely worth the money.

The only time you can get a deal on a Mac is just before the new ones are released (and I mean like the day before or the same day as the resellers don't really get told about new releases in advance). Then all the resellers try to get rid of 'old' stock (although the computers in question are usually very powerful and have the advantage that Apple's fixed all the bugs/problems with them unlike new machines).

Google 'apple mac reseller uk' or similar, and instead of looking at the online price, call up the reseller about the model you're interested in (don't say 'I need a Mac', refer to the product code or they might try to upsell) and ask what the best deal they can do is. Many places will negotiate over the phone. If you have any friends, relatives etc. who are students or work in education establishments you'll be able to get discounts from big resellers and Apple, although generally the resellers will still be better value. Remember they have to compete, offer a great service, next day delivery etc.

I don't want to mention any specific reseller names on here as I work for one of the biggest and cheapest, so I'm biased - sorry!

..........

jennikitten

[QUOTE=BillScarab;32758269
Originally Posted by jennikitten
Quote:
Originally Posted by gonzo127
due to the hardware inside Mac's being less powerful, software optimisation inside the Mac OS makes up for the lower powered hardware

What do you mean by 'less powerful hardware'? All the important components are made by the same companies for Mac and PC...Intel, nVIDIA, etc.

Who makes the kit is irrelevant, it's the performance that matters and Macs do tend to lag slightly behind the latest processors, video cards etc. t hat are available.

Quote:
Originally Posted by clivejohnson
Im not too worried about using windows on a mac, should i choose to get one, after all, if that was the case, I may as will go for another PC, right?:-)

Well no, because in three years' time your Mac will still fetch a nice price (particularly if you're lucky and Apple discontinues a feature that people like e.g. the black MacBook still sells really well) - whereas your PC will be worthless, and most likely not even recyclable!!

So a PC using the same components as a Mac is not recyclable and a Mac is? Also the better quality Windows machines are worth something secondhand, they may not hold their value as well as a Mac but they're a lot better than budget laptops.

Macs are built to last, and yes it's more money up front, but you save money (and the environment) by replacing them much less frequently.

The same can apply to the better Windows machines.

Plus you need to bear in mind that if you go for a Mac you can run Windows legally later on if you want, but if you buy a PC you can't legally run Mac OS X.

You can run it legally so long as you pay the extra for the license. The reason you can't run OSX on anything but a Mac is only because Apple like to lock everything down and control it.
[/QUOTE]

1. Tell me more.

2. Macs are made from highly recyclable aluminium, and obviously the casing is the largest part of the computer.

3. Apple is the only company whose computers all meet Energy Star 5.0 and EPEAT Gold requirements. For a novice to be able to pick out a value-for-money higher-spec Windows machine (especially a laptop) and have these environmental benefits would be pretty rare.

4. Ok, maybe 'legal' was the wrong word to use in this context...legitimate would probably have been better.

BillScarab

1. Have a look at the iMac range they're all core 2 duos except for the top sepc one which is a core i5.

The top end Intel procesors are now Core i7 and Core i3/i5 processors are replacing the Core 2 duos. It's easy to buy a Windows PC with the latest Intel processors (if you have the budget). But you can't buy a MAc with them until Apple decide to update their range so they always tend to lag a bit behind. The same applies to graphics cards.

[Deleted User]

jennikitten wrote: »

and most likely not even recyclable!!

Are you really claiming that an old PC isn't suitable for recycling (hint: Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive)) , because if you are that's a foolish comment to make. Infact, we don't recycle anywhere near enough of our obsolete equipment.

velvetybubbles

mac everytime ... would never go back to pc

POPPYOSCAR

I had always used a PC and had to be convinced by the OH to change to Mac but I am so glad I did.I love it. My stepson used ours and he has now gone from PC to Mac.(If you do decide to get a Mac always negotiate with the store and students get a discount - handy if you know one.We did a really good deal with student discount free ipod free printer and free training(you can go into the store for a year and have one to one training on anything you like about using the Mac)I found the store very helpful.

Marty_J

BillScarab wrote: »

1. Have a look at the iMac range they're all core 2 duos except for the top sepc one which is a core i5.

The top end Intel procesors are now Core i7 and Core i3/i5 processors are replacing the Core 2 duos. It's easy to buy a Windows PC with the latest Intel processors (if you have the budget). But you can't buy a MAc with them until Apple decide to update their range so they always tend to lag a bit behind. The same applies to graphics cards.

Just to clarify: the iMac is available with a Core 2 Duo, a Core i5, or a Core i7. The 15 and 17 inch MacBook Pros are available with a Core i5 or a Core i7. The 13 inch MacBook Pro uses a Core 2 Duo because of the squabble between Intel and NVIDIA. If Apple used the i3, they'd have to put an Intel integrated graphics chip in it. This isn't a problem on the 15 and 17 inch models, as Apple have also included a dedicated GPU. However, doing so on the 13 inch model isn't really an option as there's no space. So when deciding between a modest CPU speed increase or a big GPU speed increase, Apple chose the later.

Apple are only one company, and so of course you'll have less choice compared to every other manufacturer combined. That's not necessarily a bad thing though.

gonzo127

jennikitten wrote: »

What do you mean by 'less powerful hardware'? All the important components are made by the same companies for Mac and PC...Intel, nVIDIA, etc.

Hi Jenni

as has already been mentioned the reason for the less powerful hardware comment is because Mac's tend have 'older' parts if you look at a Mac and a PC of roughly the same price and JUST look at the hardware you will see most of the time the Mac will be running less powerful hardware however the software optimisation within Mac-OS does make up for this in omst cases

for example (just a very quick look at apple store and cyberpower)

Mac
21.5inch 1920x1080 screen
3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB memory
500GB hard drive1
8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics
£969.00

PC
22inch 1920x1080 LED backlit screen
2.8Ghz Intel Core i7 930
6GB DDR3 1333Mhz RAM
ATI radeon 5670 graphics card
500GB sansung F3 HDD
Lite-On Blu-Ray / DVD RW
£978.00

Marty_J

Gonzo, is the computer you're comparing the iMac to an all-in-one design?

If not, it's not really a very fair comparison.

The only "traditional" desktop design Apple have is the Mac Pro, which is extremely powerful.