I'm thinking of switching sides

[Johnie]

Been a pc girl all of my life. My dad is very much pro pc. However I am now an IPhone convert.

So.....I'm looking for a good laptop. Something that is easy to use and won't have a bunch of problems. Everyone is swearing by Mac.

So....convince me. Also which one? And will it be easier to use than a pc?

I have a lot of stupid questions.....

[Keith]

There are a lot of advantages to Mac. Lack of virus/malware is currently still true although there's nothing REALLY magical which means there can't be more in the future.

The operating system is more intuitive, although your PC skills will be transferable.

The hardware IS more expensive but it's also really well made and specified.

There's a lot of support available from dedicated Apple Support at the shops, over the phone and from fellow Apple users.

I used to say to people go play with one, and I'd still say that, but what I've found is that playing in a shop is just enough to convince someone that "it's different" but not enough to really sell them on how nice it is.

The mac can also run windows, so if you really did decide that mac wasnt for you, you can just boot it into windows forever and you have a lovely machine which now runs windows.

So, I dont think you can go wrong with a mac. The most common one to buy is the macbook. For many many many years now, my favourite laptop has been the 15" macbook pro. It offers a bit more pro specification which suits me however Ive recommended macbook normal to people all over the place and never had anyone other than delighted by their choice.


Now, just to say. Apple people are very passionate (which tells you a lot in itself!) so you will get more passion pushing you towards a mac than you will on the windows/pc side. Really this is a very personal decision though and you need to try and put that aside for your decision and find what works best for you.

If it turns out that you're a windows girl rather than a mac then you'll get a much cheaper box for what you want. Like the Dell XPS 15 which I've looked at recently which is a superb piece of kit and Dell have even cheaper ones still! Toshiba likewise are fantastic laptops.

[catrancher]

Johnie,

I'm sure you know where my allegiances lie so I won't bore you to expounding on what Keith said or adding more to his statements. Suffice it to say that I agree with him 110%. Specifically though, here's some Apple resources that may help you with additional information:

Apple Videos

Beyond that, here's the Apple information on how to switch. They call it Switch 101.

Finally, for those new to the Mac, here's Mac 101.

Seriously, I hope this help you make a decision. FWIW, let me offer this one observation about Macs. I currently run on a Macbook Pro with a 17" monitor. My Mac was built in 2006. I've upgraded the internal disk drive a couple of times since I bought it and added an additional memory card to it but other than that, I've done nothing else to it. So, it's a 5 year old machine and it still runs perfectly adequately. It has never had so much as a hint of a problem. I'm sure you've also heard Tink mention how long they've had their Mac. The upshot of all this is that Apple builds quality products that just continue to run. Do they or can they have problems? Sure they can. They're machines like any other. But by and large, Macs are quite robust machines and will give you years of faithful service.

Oh, and they're fun to use. Just wait till you get a load of iLife!

If you've got any other questions, just ask!

Tom (... yep, it's me again!)

[uscwest]

I have given some serious thought to switching to Apple the next time I need a computer, but I'm having trouble justifying the cost.

[josh.p.]

I would fully recommend the MacBook Johnie. They are so robust and simply fantastic machines. OSX is fantastic It's a shame you can't borrow one for a week or two as I agree with Keith, you can't get a 'proper' feel for them in the store.

[foreverducky]

Once I'm done with school I'm going to get one.

[JStrickPhoto]

I ditched Windows-based PCs back in 2009. Bought my good friend's MacPro G5 Desktop. Still flies. But, I can no longer buy new software nor upgrade the OS. So, my hope is a new MacPro desktop sometime this year.

[Johnie]

I can buy a refurbed one on the Apple website for a reasonable price. Plus I'm told I can buy the AppleCare too.

[Skywatcher]

re the cost thing - this is often put forward as a reason not to go for a Mac and I understand on the face of it that the Macs are a lot more expensive

But and its a big one ( I like big buts, I cannot lie ) they seem to last forever

I bought a second hand Macbook pro from a reliable source - and although it was second hand it has already lasted longer than my Sony Vaio, Dell and Acer laptops combined that I had previously and this was a second hand model that alreay had a lot of use !! - there is no sign it will crumble into dust anytime soon either - and more improtantly it still works just as fast, if not better, than it did when I first bought it.

It is not a PC predjudice but EVERY PC I have ever owned and I think on last count it was 8 after the fist year or so started to get 'sick' no matter how many scans and cleanups I did they just eventually died or became unworkably slow to teh point they needed replacing

So yes they are more expensive to start with but in the long term I think they are an absolute bargain

The 27inch iMac is without question the finest computer I have ever used on so many different levels.

[catrancher]

I can buy a refurbed one on the Apple website for a reasonable price. Plus I'm told I can buy the AppleCare too.

Johnie, the refurbed ones from Apple are a really good deal!

They come with a one year warranty and like you said, you can get AppleCare for them. Right now it looks like they've got a pretty good selection of Macbook Pro's. I wouldn't go smaller than the 15.4 inch screen however.

Tom (... oh boy... another soon-to-be convert!)