Mac and PC, which one is better?

[Synaesthesia]

The reason to get a Mac is OS X. Awesome software.

Also they have the best laptops.

@ limnos, you can run OS X on a PC.

 

[Synaesthesia]

Mac OS X hacked on a PC is better than Windows!

 

[PeterCH]

hahaha, PeterCH does it again!!! 408 vs ????? Cummon man, only activisionBlizzard really care about us mac users when it comes to games...

So you mean these games suck:

# Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
# Age of Empires III
# Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs
# Age of Mythology
# Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties

and these

# Civilization IV: Warlords
# Civilization III
# Civilization IV
# Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
# Command & Conquer: Generals
# Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour
# Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3

and these

# Europa Universalis III: In Nomine
# Europa Universalis III: Napoleon's Ambition
# Europa Universalis II
# Europa Universalis III

this is just a small selection of the strategy sim genre available for the Mac.

People who play some of these games, why should the care that you can't play Crysis or some other game natively on the Mac?

I mean phiber, where do you get on your high horse telling people what games they should like?

I mostly only played these sort of games - AOE, AOK, American Conquest, Civilisation, etc.

And Consoles have a greater variety and better games then PCs anyway.

Let's just get over ourselves here, phiber, PC is not the be all and end all of gaming. Many people don't even own a PC. PC gaming is only really about a specific genre of FPS games, and even there you can play all the Quake and DOOM games on the Mac and you can play the same FPS games on the console. Not to mention that MOST PC users don't have dedicated 3D hardware GPU accelerators. Most cheap laptop sold are Intel GMA and most PCs sold are that too or have low power GPUs which won't play the latest 3D games. PC gaming is really there for a small minority of teenage geek gamers. And yes a Mac owner can buy a cheap generic PC with 2 GPU cards in SLi mode for that. In fact I already own a 30 inch S-IPS 2560 by 1600 display (connected to the Mac) I could hook up to a cheap PC and enjoy Crysis in better resolution and better colour and contrast than most PC gamers on this forum with 6 bit TN based 23 inch Acer/Samsung Screens. But who really cares. This screen is not for gaming. Becoming a gamer for me, for example, with a screen used for non-gaming activities on the Mac would be easy.

 

[PeterCH]

People if you can't afford a Mac, tough. Get a better job, or get a promotion. You don't whine you can't afford an 740i or a CLK500 MB.

 

[PeterCH]

Yeah but lets be honest 407 of em probably suck.

Gaming = bootcamp . . . or a console.

I use a PC daily - it stops the door of office from slamming shut on windy days.

I use a PC too.

In my PC game playing days since the 90s I've played:

Unreal
Shogo
Duke Nukem3D
Doom (orignal)
CIV
TNFS series
Age of Empires
Age of Kings
American Conquest
DOOM II and Expansion (game from few years ago)
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Half Life
Quake Series (1 to 4)
Oni
Final Fantasy 7
Grandia 2

And let's face it MOST of these games are available on the Mac, the remaining ones can be played with Bootcamp.

EDIT: Only saw the white text later. I thought bwana became a PC user - fell for Steve Ballmer's charming huffing and puffing "I am a PC and I am this company!" ads.

 

[phiber]

Man asked for a gaming PC and said he will do office management on it. You restrict him to a machine that can play a grand total of 407 games ??? I personally think mac are better all round machines, but when it comes to gaming in general (and this was quite a general gaming question) they fall way short. PeterCH you need to start answering peoples questions and not just going everywhere bashing windows and promoting mac...

 

[PeterCH]

Man asked for a gaming PC and said he will do office management on it. You restrict him to a machine that can play a grand total of 407 games ??? I personally think mac are better all round machines, but when it comes to gaming in general (and this was quite a general gaming question) they fall way short. PeterCH you need to start answering peoples questions and not just going everywhere bashing windows and promoting mac...

I have answered his question. I posted a link to the list of games available for the Mac.

Obviously the selection isn't as large as that of the PC but if he plays, Age of Kings for example, he's set. It depends on what he plays and he can also run Bootcamp. Alternatively he can just get the Mac and a 'cheap' PC - with a R3000 GPU, R1000 mobo, R1000 PSU, R1000 of RAM, R1000 of HDD space and R2000 for Windows 7 OEM = R9,000 but a PS3 is now R3.5K.

 

[macboer]

windows for gaming
mac if you want to be productive

 

[Synaesthesia]

Exactly.

 

[reedOsama]

I have answered his question. I posted a link to the list of games available for the Mac.

Obviously the selection isn't as large as that of the PC but if he plays, Age of Kings for example, he's set. It depends on what he plays and he can also run Bootcamp. Alternatively he can just get the Mac and a 'cheap' PC - with a R3000 GPU, R1000 mobo, R1000 PSU, R1000 of RAM, R1000 of HDD space and R2000 for Windows 7 OEM = R9,000 but a PS3 is now R3.5K.

i smell a large amount of sarcasm... lets cut that price a bit

R1000 for RAM... for gaming?
R3000 GPU... getta 4850/70/90 for cheaper?
R1000 HDD... 500gigs for R600 should be fine.
R2000 for 7... rather get xp...

still not 3.5K but you'll save with the games



Macs sure are pretty though... seriously

 

[Drunkard #1]

The PC is better. It's cheaper, faster, more upgradeable, compatible with a LOT more software (IE: don't forget to add R 2000 to the price of the Mac, for Windows), and while you may save 30 seconds of boot time by buying a Mac, you'll loose 6 weeks of productive time it the machine ever needs repairs. My beige box needed repairs: the onboard LAN and audio systems got zapped by lightning, it took all of 2 hours and R 200 to get the machine up and running again. How long would it have taken, and what would it have cost, with a Mac?

Also, if your looking at laptops Lenovo is more reliable than Apple. OK so that's just one study, but never let PeterCH convince you that Lenovo is built to a lesser standard. And that study included (I presume) all Lenovos, even the cheap crap that they sell these days; Include only ThinkPads and watch the gap between them and Apple grow.

 

[w1z4rd]

Dont listen to PeterCH, he has trouble learning icons and knows nothing about gaming. If you want a decent gaming machine go PC, for all else a Mac is fine, but over priced and expensive to upgrade.

 

[killadoob]

Dont listen to PeterCH, he has trouble learning icons and knows nothing about gaming. If you want a decent gaming machine go PC, for all else a Mac is fine, but over priced and expensive to upgrade.

Buy both if you really want but whatever you choose do not base the decision on anything you heard from peter.

You seem to really want a mac so go for it, you can get a good gaming machine for cheap as well. Also for gaming you do not really need to buy windows 7 ultimate you can get windows 7 home premium which is about 900 bucks of course peter would never tell you this .

 

[PeterCH]

i smell a large amount of sarcasm... lets cut that price a bit

R1000 for RAM... for gaming?
R3000 GPU... getta 4850/70/90 for cheaper?
R1000 HDD... 500gigs for R600 should be fine.
R2000 for 7... rather get xp...

You kinda need Win 7 because of DirectX 10 and 11.

You know you could take a few bucks off but if you really want to game for more than 1-2 (max) years you'll get the best card available and R3000 is not even a best card - new cards come out at R5-6000.

R1000 for 4GB of DDR3 or whatever you need to play new release games.

Then I did not include a Mouse (decent one to game) - say R300, and a keyboard - also about R300 and an anti-virus - say R300 again per year.

still not 3.5K but you'll save with the games

Sure, but what about the games you can't play?

And a PS3 is also a BD player.

Macs sure are pretty though... seriously

Macs work. I for one couldn't give a darn what they look like as long as they are built functionally and solidly.

 

[d0b33]

Dont listen to PeterCH, he has trouble learning icons and knows nothing about gaming. If you want a decent gaming machine go PC, for all else a Mac is fine, but over priced and expensive to upgrade.

Looks like the mac is rubbing off

Won't be long before Wiz comes out the closet

 

[PeterCH]

Dont listen to PeterCH, he has trouble learning icons and knows nothing about gaming. If you want a decent gaming machine go PC, for all else a Mac is fine, but over priced and expensive to upgrade.

Wizard, don't assume everyone here is 1. Dirt poor. 2. Doesn't use their Mac to make money (earn a living). People who use Macs to make money recoup their extra costs within hours.

Of course I'm not in IT and this is a distant hobby for me, but I can hold my own with IT professionals like Wiz.

 

[PeterCH]

Looks like the mac is rubbing off

Won't be long before Wiz comes out the closet

He doesn't know himself what he wants and he doesn't know how to read English because I gave some examples, take Age of Kings as one, where
the same game is available on the PC and Mac. Someone who uses a Mac may just as well order AOK for Macintosh and use that instead of buying a whole new PC for R9000 to play a few games he enjoys. Now hardcore PC gamers need a PC, but hardcore console games need a console. Someone who plays OSS network Sauerbraten may just as well keep his Mac as the game is free
and works on PCs, Macs and Linux distros.

The argument that Macs are useless for games is a worthless one. You need to quantify it. Most PC users are corporates and businessmen and don't play games. Most home PC users are young children, older people with no interest in games or play something like SIMS which is available on the Mac. Many people play MMO's and these are often available on the Mac. Many hardcore FPS games like DOOM, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Unreal, Quake series are available on the Mac. In the end it is only a small subsection of games which are PC exclusives and many of those can be found on the console and all can be played under Bootcamp on the Mac. Let's also not forget that most PCs and laptop PCs bought by most people are with below par 3D hardware - Intel GMA graphics.

To me the games argument is lame and only applies to a small group of hardcore PC game enthusiasts who have a dedicated games only machine anyway and upgrade their machines' GPUs every year and for two new release cards that can cost R12,000-14,000 per year to have the latest and greatest.

 

[w1z4rd]

Wizard, don't assume everyone here is 1. Dirt poor. 2. Doesn't use their Mac to make money (earn a living). People who use Macs to make money recoup their extra costs within hours.

Of course I'm not in IT and this is a distant hobby for me, but I can hold my own with IT professionals like Wiz.

Thanks for that, reread what I said.. "for everything else a mac is fine". You dont have to be poor to be penny wise. Now get back to your icons.

LOL @ the AOE example... /me counters with minesweeper. The games you mention are crap and old. LOL @ "hardcore FPS" like Wolfenstein. LOL!!!!! I used to play that game on machines that would run nothing else. LOL.

Dude, you couldnt hold your own with Windows techies let alone me. You are a simplified end user who struggles to "learn icons".

Silly fanboy.

Funny thing is, I dont even like Windows.. .but I know where a Windows PC dominates. I know where linux (Im a fanboy) dominates and I can see where a Mac can dominate. Im not blinded by one or the other. I have real experience.

 

[PeterCH]

The PC is better. It's cheaper, faster, more upgradeable, compatible with a LOT more software (IE: don't forget to add R 2000 to the price of the Mac, for Windows),

1. It's not better. Better for what. Better for the Security Suite/Defragger/AV/Anti-Rootkit/Registry cleaner experience.
2. Is it cheaper? Is a high end Sony Vaio or Lenovo cheaper than a high end MacBook Pro?
3. Is a high end Dell or HP workstation cheaper than a Mac Pro (similar specs)?
4. R2000 for Windows? Why even use it. Get iWork for $60 and enjoy
better than MS OFFICE experience. You should try it, you'll switch to Mac.

and while you may save 30 seconds of boot time by buying a Mac, you'll loose 6 weeks of productive time it the machine ever needs repairs.

Lame strawman argument.

Mac Pro - need a new GPU - swap it out. It's easier than in a PC.
Mac Pro - need a new HDD - easy to swap out.
Mac Pro - need new RAM - easy to swap out.
Ok - motherboard blows - you'll need a new one. Rare occurrence.
PC - motherboard blows - you'll need a new one. Rare occurrence but perhaps less rare because PC parts are often sub-par (unless you buy your own) and that wastes a lot of money and time.
Mac Book Pro - need a new HDD or memory - easy to swap out.

My beige box needed repairs: the onboard LAN and audio systems got zapped by lightning, it took all of 2 hours and R 200 to get the machine up and running again. How long would it have taken, and what would it have cost, with a Mac?

You bought a new motherboard for R200? Or did you just do the soldering yourself?

Also, if your looking at laptops Lenovo is more reliable than Apple.

And Panasonic kills Lenovo.

OK so that's just one study, but never let PeterCH convince you that Lenovo is built to a lesser standard.

It is. Now IBM wasn't but Lenovo is now a Communist Chinese company.
Their high end Lenovos are pretty decent but not as decent as IBM Thinkpads. Hope you used one, I used one long ago.

And that study included (I presume) all Lenovos, even the cheap crap that they sell these days; Include only ThinkPads and watch the gap between them and Apple grow.

Low End Lenovos are not cheap cr-p but they are less well built than Macbooks/MBPs.

 

[PeterCH]

Thanks for that, reread what I said.. "for everything else a mac is fine". You dont have to be poor to be penny wise. Now get back to your icons.

Not when time is money. Obviously that concept hasn't hit you yet.

LOL @ the AOE example... /me counters with minesweeper. The games you mention are crap and old. LOL @ "hardcore FPS" like Wolfenstein. LOL!!!!! I used to play that game on machines that would run nothing else. LOL.

Well now that is a subjective opinion based on what you enjoy. I prefer those sort of games to killing monsters with a gun in FP view. Many people do, because these games sell. Ever play wargames in real life? When I was a kid of 13-14 I used too. Dice, rules, table with terrain and hundreds of meticulously painted Napoleonic Era troops from France, Austro-Hungary, Russia, Prussia, Poland, Britain etc.

Dude, you couldnt hold your own with Windows techies let alone me. You are a simplified end user who struggles to "learn icons".

The advice I hear from 'techies' like you on this forum makes me cringe each time.

Silly fanboy.

Silly PC fanboy.

Funny thing is, I dont even like Windows.. .but I know where a Windows PC dominates. I know where linux (Im a fanboy) dominates and I can see where a Mac can dominate. Im not blinded by one or the other. I have real experience.

PCs dominate sales. However there is a difference between what dominates for you based on what you use and find better to use than what does not. Toyota ALSO dominates the car market yet people still buy BMWs. Duh.

Blind, I use a Mac and a PC. But I can do everything that I do on PC on a Mac and I don't have high quality apps like FCP, Color, Shake and others on the PC. Also these apps are cheaper on the Mac. I can legally run a copy of FCP on a Macbook (Pro) and on a desktop Mac, same license. Can't do that with anyone else (like Adobe- which also has Mac apps). My Mac still boots almost as fast as the moment I bought it and I did a Tiger to Leopard upgrade (not a clean reinstall). PCs even with Win7 appear to slow down after a while.

Linux is nice but at the moment good only for certain high end Linux only rendering apps, netbooks and office/browsing. They also make excellent Live CDs to do internet banking from - something which is not recommended on any PC.