 You may be rolling your eyes and thinking... "Oh No, not another teen diatribe!", don't worry we'll try to be mature about this. Over the past few months we have received numerous enquiries from our clients seeking detailed information on Apple products, in particular, MacBooks and Apple Desktops, and whether or not it is worth making the switch. So, my premise to this article is that: by no means is it intended to end all debates on such feud, nor is it intended to be a highly technical faceoff between the two platforms; it merely aims to help our inquisitive customers with some sort of information on the basis of which they can formulate their own opinions, and maybe clear some misconceptions they may have. If you thought the rivalry between Arsenal and Chelsea was a bitter and bloodthirsty battle, let it be known to you that the feud that exists between Apple and PC supporters may very well be just as gory.
While the internet is ripe with discussions and debates over the superiority of either system; there is an abundance of discussions, many of which become tinged with slights of animosity, which ultimately end unresolved. So being of the PC persuasion, it is hard for me to be unpartisan (who really is anyway?), but I must say that both teams have their strong points and both struggle to hide their weaknesses. I can however enumerate the cons and pros of either, but ultimately you can only make up your mind on your own and your choice ultimately boils down to what you feel comfortable with. Now I’m not implying that you go out and buy a MacBook, well... not this one at least, but you will need some time to become fully familiar and comfortable with OS X. Round 1 : Hardware
Perhaps until January this year this was a relevant issue when comparing the two formats: the Mac was built with the PowerPC G5 processors developed in conjunction with Freescale (formerly Motorola) and IBM, now however Apple is completing the transition to Intel and expects all Apple Mac platforms to be built with Intel Core 2 Duo (two processors in one chip) by the end of 2007.
So both platforms are today taking advantage of the Intel Core 2 Duo platform, but the results are much more evident on the PC than on any Mac system. While in this transitional phase it is still possible to get your hands on a brand new iMac bundled with a G5 processor, and from an end-user’s point of view there is minor improvement of the Intel iMac over the G5 iMac when compared to the enormous difference the Intel Duo 2 Core makes on Windows based PC’s. This is not to say that the Apple platform completely dropped the ball, on the contrary rather it’s more of an appraisal to the OS X’s more advanced scheduling than that of Windows, which works so poorly to create a severe hindrance in performance on single core processors.MacBook is that big and ripped guy in the gym who has a perfect concentrated exercise technique, while Windows is the guy that swings and struggles to lift half the weight of the MacBook. The following analogy works well: Mac Book is that big and ripped guy in the gym who has a perfect concentrated exercise technique, while Windows is the guy that swings and struggles to lift half the weight of the Mac Book. While a personal trainer will help Windows immensely in his form, he will still be far behind in putting on mass; the Mac Book, on the other hand, can benefit somewhat but was more than capable before.
But for home users today it’s simply not an issue anymore, with CPU’s at least, as the CPU will spend the majority of its time idle and waiting for the user to interact with the system.
The cost of Apple Mac’s has always been notoriously high. While this may hold some truth, it is somewhat inaccurate. When compared to an assembled PC the cost difference between the two platforms may seem exorbitant, but when compared to the cost of branded Pc’s (Dell, HP, Compaq, Sony, etc.) with the same computational power as a Mac, then the difference in cost no longer matters, the price ranges oscillate in favour for each. In some cases, provided your main use for the system is not games, the Mac Book turns out to be the better choice.
| |  |  | | Model | Apple MacBook - Core 2 Duo 2 GHz | Sony Vaio FE45G/W Core 2 Duo T5600 / 1.83 GHz
| | Dimensions | 32.5 cm x 22.7 cm x 2.8 cm
| 36.6cm x 27.5 cm x 3.5 cm
| Built-in Devices
| Speakers, Wireless LAN aerial, Camera, Bluetooth aerial | Speakers, Wireless LAN aerial, Bluetooth aerial
| | Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo 2 GHz (Dual-Core)
| Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 1.83 GHz (Dual-Core) | Cache
| 4MB - L2 Cache | 2MB - L2 Cache
| | RAM | 1 GB (2 x 512 MB ) installed -
DDR 2 SDRAM - 667 MHz | 1 GB (1 x 1 GB ) installed -
DDR 2 SDRAM - 667 MHz | Hard Drive
| 80 GB - SATA 150, 5400 rpm
| 100 GB - SATA 150, 5400 rpm
| | CD/DVD | CD-RW / DVD-ROM combo | DVD-RW/DVD-RAM
| Display
| 13.3" TFT active matrix -
1280 x 800 (WXGA)
| 15.4" TFT active matrix -
1280 x 800 (WXGA) | Graphics Controller
| Intel GMA 950 | NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600
| Battery Autonomy
| 6 Hours
| 2.5 Hours
| Price
| $1,599.00 AUD
| $1,699.00 AUD
|
Round 2 : Software
Historically the PC platform has had this area covered in terms of sheer number of products supported and available, yet the Mac has its own share of “killer-apps” and the fundamental areas of work and recreation are brilliantly covered, with Office for Mac, Safari Web Browser and Final Cut Pro to name a few. So, while the belief may be true that the Mac has significantly less applications when compared to the Windows platform, it can be said to its advantage that Mac values quality over quantity, whereby the applications available for OS X 10 are inspired softwares that engage the user in a more satisfying and pleasing experience, specifically that they are as functional as top of the line Windows based software, and aesthetically rich and rewarding from visual and audio perspectives.The Mac has always had a tight grip on the market of creative professionals, whereas hardcore gamers will prefer the hardcore scalability of the PC and also because of the lack of games available to the Mac Platform. The Mac has always had a tight grip on the market of creative professionals, whereas hardcore gamers will prefer the hardcore scalability of the PC and also because of the lack of games available to the Mac Platform. For years this has been the resolving argument leading to the PC choice, but since the migration to the new Intel chipset it is possible to run Windows on Macs at near native speeds, so with dual operating systems installed the gaming dilemma can be resolved.
Finally, the Mac was always the preferred machine for creative professionals, mainly for graphic design and video editing, but now PC’s have managed to equal the Mac on its home ground with the release of solid and superior creative suites and software packages.
Round 3 : Operating Systems
This is really what it comes down to, isn’t it? OS X vs Windows. At the end of the day, if you’re not a power user or a business user (although the Mac shows impressive potential at someday becoming an enterprise machine), it’s entirely up to you to decide according to your personal preference. Both operating systems are more than competent at completing the majority of tasks that common users require, and despite the negative press and opinions floating in the breeze both are usable, friendly and efficient.
 What we can say is that, even though not flawless, OS X does implement the best security, while Windows based platforms, since day one, have be the target of constant attacks. Also, OS X, since based on Unix, is much more stable than Windows... but neither Vista nor XP are as sluggish or hopeless as they would have you believe. So, if you value performance, security, and stability over compatibility then you're leaning towards OS X. Both OS X and Vista, however, are impressive systems that have innovated and both have their quirks, so let’s embrace this feud and view it as a competition between top athletes that will drive both platforms to better themselves in order to triumph over the other, and who knows... maybe we’ll benefit from it by having better operating systems in the future. If you value performance, security, and stability over compatibility then you're leaning towards OS X To conclude, if you’re seeking a system to perform basic everyday activities and general commercial tasks then either option is valid, perhaps for the typical home user a Mac is the way to go as it provides greater stability and security over PC's, and also because the Mac is brilliant with multimedia management (games excepted). OS X ultimately casts a huge shadow over Windows when it comes to Human-Computer Interaction, even when comparing Microsoft's war-horse Vista with Apple's year old OS X 10.4 Tiger. This is due to the mission focus that Apple gravitates around when conceptualizing and designing: to allow the user to complete tasks in simple, clear and intuitive ways. So while OS X feels like it was designed with the end-user in mind, Windows feels like it was designed with the programmer's mind. But like I’ve said previously, it all boils down to your personal preference and to which one you're more comfortable with.
Now if we really want to make this a little more interesting and controversial, then we could have: Windows Vista vs. OS X Leopard vs. Ubuntu Linux, but let's leave that for some other time.
Videos: Hello, I'm a Mac...
The following selection of video was part of a popular advertisement campaign developed by the prolific minds behind Apple's marketing success. These small ads poke the PC market and point out the numerous shortcomings of the PC, and subtletly to the Windows operating systems.
| It's a well known fact that Mac's are far less subject to Viruses and Malicious Code
due to its Unix based core and to the fact the less Viruses are directed towards
the Mac's operating system. This entails greater security and peace of mind
for the user. |
| The Mac is a brilliant multimedia manager, and has the best in terms of bundled
software, making it the ideal choice for the average home / recreational user,
and also a strong choice for creative professionals. |
| PC's often come inclusive of redundant and unnecessary applications as the clip
mentions, while the Mac offer all the necessary applications that a user may
require. The strong point of the Mac's applications is that most of these programs
are all designed to run and coexist seamlessly together, acting as a dedicated
package of sorts. iLife is one example of such environment. |
| It's true that the Mac with new releases of OS X doesn't require any upgrades in
order to run new operating systems smoothly and sufficiently as the OS X is fully
aware and designed for the Mac's hardware configuration. This though can also be
a slight disadvantage as when your Mac becomes obsolete and you feel the need
to upgrade you will be required to purchase a completely new system, whereas
with personal computers simple upgrades can be the most cost effective solution in
the long run. |
| While there are notoriously less malware threats directed to Mac's and while the
PC seems to receive the most damaging attacks, both are susceptible to some
form of malicious attack. Though the PC is much more vulnerable, Vista is
showing vast improvements in security, but it is also very early to determine how
successful it really is. So, if security is a more pressing issue for you than
software compatibility then the Mac would win you over. |
| As stated before the Mac is brilliant at Multimedia Management and for years its
video editing applications have been renowned for the power that is attainable
with their sheer simplicity of use. While Mac's video editing applications have
been the pinnacle for recreational users, they have had vast popularity with
television industry professionals. Over the past years, however, it can be said
that there have been made available numerous, and equally as impressive,
solutions for the PC. |
| The PC has always been the business machine of choice for most enterprises,
and the most supported when speaking in terms of business applications. The OS X
shows great potential at someday becoming a valid enterprise machine, but for
the time being it is far behind in this sector. |
We would love to hear what you have to say about the whole Mac vs. Pc argument, but, please, let's keep it above the belt.
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http://www.macvswindows.com/index.php?title=Main_Page 
Proof that PC IS BETTER THAN MAC 
