Windows vs. Mac: Are Macs really better?

So, i went to Best Buy the other day to pick up a USB TV Tuner and a laptop case to go with my new laptop (see the specs is my sig.). While there, one of the computer sales reps and I engaged in a brief conversation about Which computers are better between Vista Machines and Macintosh machines. So, he tries his best to convince me that MAC OS is soo much better than Windows machines now. Apparantly, they have more featured and use less system resources. He said, "With a Mac, you can do the same stuff with 1 Gig of ram that you can do with Vista that would take 3 gigs of ram and much faster." Also, Windows has all of this junk that runs in the background, most of it that comes pre-installed.

So, I want to know what you guys thought. Have macs become better than Windows machines?

 

Use the search box this has been discussed thousands of times

 

I think each OS has it's pros and cons. 1st of all, pretty much all of the "Junk that runs in the background" is added by the hardware makers themselves to make additional profit from software companies wanting to get their product in front of as many eyes as possible. You won't find a speck of it on a clean Vista installation, and you can detect a noticeable difference in performance with a clean install. As for RAM, most average people running Vista seem quite content with only 2 GB of RAM, still others are happy with 1. On OS X, I also feel that 1.5 to 2 GB is the sweet spot for great performance with room to grow, but, like Vista, you can make do with 1 GB.

It all depends on what you would be using the system for.

 

It depends on your needs

 

1GB same as 3GB? Nope, that's not possible. Video Encoding cannot take 600MB under MAC and 2GB under Windows.....

The reasons why MACs are considered better are:
A) Apple is the only one making MACs, so no compatibility hassle on the OS
B) It's less target than Windows by hackers.

 

Sure, Macs are better if you like paying a lot more money for a brand and looks.

A) No compatibility hassles with the O/S? Sure, if you say so, thats why most programs don't work on Mac anyways, sure there always Mac versions of programs, but they aren't made for every program. If you want maximum compatibility Windows is the way to go.

B) It's less of a target simply because there are less Mac systems out their, but its just as vulnerable.

 

It depends on your needs

But It depends on your needs

And It depends on your needs


Hmmm. thread can be Closed now?

 

I think the Bestbuy drone was just trying to sell you a Mac because it costs more.

 

I was talking about hardware. Like an unstable chipet drivers.

 

There is more profit in the salesman getting you fitted into a Mac...fact of life.

As for which is better, it can only be a personal decision. There are pros and cons of both, all of which become very equal in the end.

I, myself, am a IBM clone lover (aging myself here I know) yet I can't seem to get away from the MacAir commercials without thinking how I would like to throw the upcoming Mtron 128Gb ssd in that baby. That would be mean at 100MB/s read and write.

As far as their physical appearance as a desktop...EGAD!!!! My god, I cannot figure who they pay for designing these systems. Laptops.... overly priced now matter how you look at it.

You just cannot get the same Mac for anywhere near the price of its counterpart. The reasoning behind this is very simple. Although there is a world more of support for the Windows system which forces prices down, Apple knows in the bottom of their heart that they can keep their medium of those who will just pay more because....BECAUSE THEY LOVE THEIR MACS!

The truth is my son just went through this with me. He is in the Military and, well, we went through all the angles and explored just about everything...warranties available, support, configurability, pricing, appearance and so on. The decision in the end was totally his but, in the end...he agreed that Mac just can't compare as their are so many companies on the Winws side vying for top spot.

Maybe thats a thought eh. If Mac had some competitionin its own arena like Windows, they would be forced to improve in an effort to gain customer confidence. Nahhh. Instead they will allow EULA to put Windows on their computers but, in the same breath, not allow OSX to go on any machine other than a Mac. Ever wonder why? Maybe they are afraid of losing all their business because, in the end, its OSX that has a following now isn't it? Even I would love to get that on my system in a dual boot...I wouldn't break the law though.

 

Because? Don't keep us waiting!

 

A lot of uppity(sp?) people with money to burn will pay more for a machine bec ause whether its true or not, they believe that Higher Price = Better product = Not Cheap = Last Longer. But then, Why would people spend $300,000 on a bently when they can get a nice cadillac for $70,000? People like spending more money if it buys them more idolization from their peers.

 

Yup. Status and keeping up with the Joneses is an epidemic in this country. I'm not saying that everyone who buys a MAC is suffering from the epidemic, but what you say is true about a lot of people buying the more expensive product because they think the higher price means its a better or more effective product.

I've learned so much (a lot from NBR) about tweaking to make Windows more tolerable, at the very least. My XP desktop is incredible and my Vista desktop, though a bit slower, is very reliable. I intend on getting Vista x64 on my laptop (most-likely a Thinkpad). I'm not at all turned off by Vista anymore. I actually like a lot of the features. With a few more SP's, Vista should be just as good as XP is in terms of performance.

 

Well, no matter where you post this, the answers will be biased...in the Windows forum, you will obviously have more supporters, and vice versa in the Apple forum.

Its up to you. I will note that based on my personal experiences, Mac OS X Tiger and Leopard can run fancy graphic effects on 1 GB of RAM, while I don't know if its as smooth with Vista Aero on 1 GB of RAM. I personally like how everything works in Mac OS X, where things are, how to execute specific commands. Its not right for everybody, and nor is Windows, that is why there are Mac switchers.

If you have further questions regarding whether Mac OS X is right for you, you can post a thread in the Apple forum. Otherwise, given that this style of thread is often seen, you can search for some previous threads and read the responses (also check out the Apple forum side, that's where the majority of the threads would be). Thanks, and thread closed!