Mac versu PC,{snicker,snicker}

[Ron99]

Originally Posted by Slick Fork

That doesn't mean it will run todays software. I have an ancient toshiba "laptop" sitting in my basement, it doesn't even have an optical drive... running windows 95. It fires up just fine, all the programs on it still work, but I don't kid myself into thinking that it is an acceptable alternative to anything unless I have a burning desire to run 15 year old programs. My Iphone has more computing power than that thing.

Any computer, whether it be a mac or pc will cease to be current in 6 months and obsolete in two years. If all you want to do is surf the web then yes your 10 year old G4 tower is just fine. However if that's all your doing a $200 netbook will outperform that and be portable.

Doug: I would absolutely suggest that if the Toshiba is almost half the price then that's the way you should go. Unless you NEED a certain program that only runs on one or the other than go with price and $500 buys a lot of other nice things.

Actually, I have to disagree. Macs can usually run the latest software and operating systems for many years. I have only upgraded machines every 4 to 6 years. And most of my older Macs have seen service for years after that with other people who didn't need to do anything fancy with them. Apple made the transition to intel processors almost 5 years ago and only over the last 6 months has software and the new version of the operating system been released that only supports the intel processor Macs. And with intel processors in all new macs you probably won't have to deal with that kind of transition for the foreseeable future.

Any Mac you buy today will happily run anything you need to for years to come. The only reason to upgrade a machine every year or two is if you are a hardcore gamer and need the latest greatest top speed components or you are an imaging pro who needs the fastest speed you can get for work efficiency.

[Doug]

Just as a point of fact. I,m no gamer. I surf, e-mail and do lots of photo stuff, {one reason the Mac appealed to me.

Thanks for the info Slick Fork. And Ron also. Will consider it.

I was factoring costs today. Looked at the HP, pretty fast and with a 17in. screen. But figured on adding the 3yr. warrenty, price comes out the same as the mac, which I figure can get by on its 1yr. warrenty because of its reliability. So if I went Toshiba, I wonder if this would be similar and an extended warrenty required.

Also as mentioned in regards to photo editing, Mac has a very good one. With the pc I would just use the crappy one I have now or purchase a decent one, which now again adds to the price.

[Doug]

Plus another $100 for set up on the pc,s because they have so much crap on them and being the computer dufus I am, I cant do it. Its my belief thats not really needed on the Mac?

[Ron99]

Originally Posted by Doug

Plus another $100 for set up on the pc,s because they have so much crap on them and being the computer dufus I am, I cant do it. Its my belief thats not really needed on the Mac?

Correct. No need to remove bloatware on the Mac

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Doug

Just as a point of fact. I,m no gamer. I surf, e-mail and do lots of photo stuff, {one reason the Mac appealed to me.

I do a tone of phot editing also. not a reason to get a mac. the photo editing is why i bought that pen pad and then spent a whopping 99 bucks on photoshop elements 8. years ago I would have had the suite for free but I can proudly say everything on my computer is legal now. well in canada anyways

the money you save buying the toshiba will buy you the bigger pen pad, awsome software for editing photos and a few corals for your tank.

Steve

[Doug]

LOL Steve. This is a great thread with lots of info for others looking without great knowledge like me.

I disagree, the photo editing on the Mac is an important reason to look at them. Thats why I said if I could keep the Toshiba,s end cost well under the Mac, then it would be a shoo in but seems not to be the case.

What software. Dont think I have any extra but then could and dont know it.

Laurie, When I look at the pro, the price is close enough to the iMac, so I cross the isle to look at it again, with its large screen.

Anyone think the larger 17in. screen HP is a decent deal @ $700, but with 3 yr. warrenty added? It has the cheaper company processor, dont recall the name, but at least its their new model. Ot better to stick with Intel processor.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Doug

LOL Steve. This is a great thread with lots of info for others looking without great knowledge like me.

I disagree, the photo editing on the Mac is an important reason to look at them. Thats why I said if I could keep the Toshiba,s end cost well under the Mac, then it would be a shoo in but seems not to be the case.

What software. Dont think I have any extra but then could and dont know it.

Laurie, When I look at the pro, the price is close enough to the iMac, so I cross the isle to look at it again, with its large screen.

Anyone think the larger 17in. screen HP is a decent deal @ $700, but with 3 yr. warrenty added? It has the cheaper company processor, dont recall the name, but at least its their new model. Ot better to stick with Intel processor.

would need to see the modle numbers.

Apple used to be the choice for graphic design about 20 years ago. but now there is no differance in which computer to use. I just looked up the Iphoto to see what it was like. it is not a real photo editor, it is a organization/share/red eye fix up program like windows photo editor. so if you want to do more advanced photo editing you will still need to buy something on either computer. is it an AMD processor? I wouldn't realy call them the cheeper company.. prices are lower but chip is not cheeper, I personaly prefer AMD chips over Intell, but I would need to know which chip to know how good it is.. best thing to do is to go to FS again and write the modle numbers down for the two computers then post them so they can be compared.

Steve

[Doug]

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...03eb47191fen02

[Doug]

Here is the Toshiba thats on this week. Regular is $799

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...c54377c962en02

[Ron99]

Originally Posted by Doug

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...03eb47191fen02

What I don't like abut the HP:

1. Decent graphics processor but no discreet graphics memory. It shares systme RAM with the video processor.

2. No Bluetooth.

3. No firewire. May not be important to you but the Macbbok pro has it.

Originally Posted by Doug

Here is the Toshiba thats on this week. Regular is $799

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...c54377c962en02

Toshiba:

1. Again, no discreet video RAM, it shares the system memory for that. and the graphics processor is inferior.

2. No Bluetooth

3. No Firewire.

So if you are going to com,pare to the Macbook pro you have to keep in mind it has discreet video memory for better graphics performance, built in Bluetooth, built in Firewire etc.

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

comparing apple vs PC is useless, it is a brand other than thet they are the same thing.. chev vs ford, and all the other brand wars. apple dell, toshiba, ect they are all the same thing and acomplish the same thing although the directions may get there in a different way.

To get a 17" screen size on a mac at London drugs you are spending 2600.00, so I check bestbuy the same thing.. for 800 your getting a 17" HP . I just looked up a comparable mac system to my new laptop. I can get mine for 1000.00 now, the mac book with the same speed processor, same ram, hard drive, ect is 2100.00 so ya. a mac is still double the price, and now that they are using intell chips you have the same problems. I do like the fact they are using the same hardware now, as it is easier to compar them.

Steve

Possibly true for 17" screens as Apple only offers high end configurations there. But not true for 15" laptops. You can't look at Apple's cost for HD and RAM upgrades as that skews the price. the same upgrades can be had for far less from third parties. Futureshop's website is working right now but let's do some proper comparisons:

1. 15" Macbook Pro with a 2.53 GHZ processor, 250GB HD 4GB RAM. $1800 retail. If you want to buy a refurb unit from Apple (I have bought several Apple refurbs and they look and function as new and come with the same 1 year warranty) it is only $1500.

2. http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...nufacture=Acer Has same amount of RAM, slightly larger HD, no firewire but otherwise close in specs. $1530. So difference is $270 ($30 more when compared to the refurb) but also no included software such as iLife.

3. http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...acture=Toshiba this has very similar specs to the MacBook Pro but is lacking Firewire. Price is $1600 so $200 more for the Mac (or $100 less for the refurb Mac).

4. http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...lett%20PackardThis one has a slightly larger HD but only VGA graphics output? Price is $1650. $150 less than the Mac or $150 more then the refurb.

You have to look at similar specs. I can pretty much be sure that any Windows laptop of decent quality with similar specs will be close in price. Not anywhere near half the cost of a Mac.