PC vs Mac vs Chromebook...which one?! 31 May 2014 at 5:16PM edited 31 May 2014 at 5:27PM in Techie Stuff 22 replies 1.4K views

gino76ph

Hi. Been a Windows user for almost all my life. Then had the Macbook (Air) for the past 2 years and i found it very quick, smooth, user-freindly, excellent build quality but as time went by the battery life went down and support seems very expensive after a certain time i.e. when warranty stopped you have to pay a certain amount. And its expensive.

Then i bought an Acer Chromebook and i liked it. As most of my everyday involves and revolves everything Google (Gmail, Maps, Drive, Youtube, etc.). Setting-up and updating the software was 4 minutes (vs 4 hours with a quad-core 2Ghz PC or 2 hours or less with a 1.7Ghz dual-core Macbook Air). But i'm finding the 2GB RAM and processor a bit tad slow for my multitasking, downloading stuff, viewing videos, documents, etc.

I'm aware there are new Chromebooks coming but should i wait? I have heard those Microsoft Surface Pro laptops/tablets are quite speedy than any other laptops out there. Is this true? Need something with at least 2 x USB 2/3.0 and a microSD card slot.

Any advice please?

RobTang

I very much doubt anyone will build a chromebook with decent specs, You only option for that is a Chromebook pixel.
The surface 3 looks good but is silly expensive, any other ultrabook should be just as good unless really need the tablet form factor.

jaydeeuk1

Surface 2 pro 64gb can be had from microsoft for £489 which is pretty good value. Its really quick and has excellent battery life for an i5.

Johnmcl7

The Surface Pro's are no faster than any other similar laptops using the same low power processor platform, the internal hardware of the Surface Pro is the same as many other Ultrabooks and similar devices. They only have a single USB port and internally they're difficult to service or repair although that's the same with most devices in this category. The main advantage of the Surface Pro's is the tablet form factor with Core i series processors, an integrated kickstand and a lightweight attachable keyboard.

Anything with the Core i platform and an SSD should be quick and responsive to use, the main choice is the form factor - some devices are primarily tablet based like the Surface Pro's, there's a variety of hybrid devices like the Sony Vaio Duo 13, the Dell XPS 12 and the Lenovo Yoga 2 plus standard laptop form factors. The Dell XPS 12 can be picked up cheap off the Dell outlet with a decent specification and its internal parts are relatively easy to access (aside from the ram which is soldered on), it has a pair of USB ports although unfortunately no card reader.

John

paddyrg

Chromebook Pixel looks awesome. Not just by chromebook standards, but by all hardware standards.

gino76ph

If the Chromebook Pixel retails for around £499 today then i'll buy one today. Had a Lenovo Yoga 2 a month ago. Returned it to John Lewis and bought the Acer C720 CB instead.

My observations with the Lenovo PC:
1. Even after having "more than decent" specs it took me more than 4 hours for the compete initial setup and installing of important updates. If there are updates it still install slower than expected even though nothing is running in the background, etc. (Chromebook took me 4 minutes to setup completely and updates are done automatically)
2. The keypad was far from perfect and there were many gestures missing and sometimes just wouldn't respond even thought the PC was days old.
3. Lack of a backlit keyboard. Yes the Chromebook doesn't also have that. A Macbook and a Surface/Surface Pro 2 has (with the attached keyboard)
4. The Windows OS for me is still as bloated and confusing vs Chrome OS and Mac which are both more simplier, cleaner, user-friendly.

If i will get a Windows PC then that would be the Surface 2 based on my budget. But even with decent specs i fear it would still take 4 hours in setting up and i will still have slow downloading/installing of updates.

Is there any assurances that (based on what the MS CEO said) a Surface 2 is "lighting faster" than any other PC out there?

paddyrg

gino76ph wrote: »

If the Chromebook Pixel retails for around £499 today then i'll buy one today. Had a Lenovo Yoga 2 a month ago. Returned it to John Lewis and bought the Acer C720 CB instead.

You'd want to double that budget and add a little for the pixel. It's not playing in the cheap laptop arena, but in the premium one. It's one heck of a device, but if a Mac was also one of your options you're not primarily looking for cheap anyway.

gino76ph

I'm thinking wether to keep my Asus C720, sell it and buy the Surface 2 or wait for the new batch of Chromebooks?

standinman2009

Why don't you have a new battery installed in the macbook air and keep using that ,its better than your other options .

gino76ph

I didn't realise that you can have the battery of the MBA changed. But i can only assume its gonna cost. A lot.

Johnmcl7

gino76ph wrote: »

Is there any assurances that (based on what the MS CEO said) a Surface 2 is "lighting faster" than any other PC out there?

As I explained above already, no - the Surface uses the same hardware as a large number of other machines and performance is the same. I find W8 machines quick and responsive particularly with an SSD and have not needed four hours setup time on any PC nor had any issues with updates silently installing in the background however if you didn't like Windows on the Yoga then I doubt you'll like it on any other Windows PC.

John