Mac Opinions, Please

[tomorrowstreasures]

I am to the point of needing to get a new desk top computer. I want to switch from PC to Mac but have not a clue where to begin with my search.

The Mac will be mainly used for my photography. I will be installing Lightroom 2 and Photoshop CS4. Other than that, I do not have any more criteria.

I would love input on where to begin, what to stay away from, what is a for sure to have and what is a not needed.

Thanks!

Susan

[tirediron]

If you're not familiar with the Mac OS, then I would start by finding a library, or other publicly accessible Mac to play with first. You may well find (as I did) that you just plain don't like it. I had one for a short time, and found that there were certain things (Lack or a right-click context menu etc) that I just disliked so much I wouldn't want one. On the plus side, if you like 'em, you like 'em, and compared to almost all other computers, they're VERY well made. As far as what you need goes, your best bet will be to go into a knowledgable computer store (NOT a big-box store) and discuss your needs with them. Good luck.

[tomorrowstreasures]

TI - :headslap:doh - what a great suggestion to go try one first!!!

[tomorrowstreasures]

So - what advantages does a Mac have to a PC??? My son tells me that a Mac is meant for someone who deals with art/graphics/photography, etc. But what are the advantages over a PC??

[Marko]

Both macs and PC's are can do exactly the same thing these days. Right now I'm on PC but I was on a mac for a good 6 years.

IMO macs are easier to use (for a newbie) way better designed and are less prone to driver problems, viruses and other incompatibilities between programs and the windows operating system.

That said they (and most of their accessories) are way overpriced imo. Expect to pay at least 50 or 60% more for mac.

Whatever computer you choose make sure it has EXTRA RAM, a nice size HD (at least 1 TB (thanks iggy)) and plenty of room to add usb/firewire accessories.

Hope that helps
Marko

[tomorrowstreasures]

thanks, Marco YOUR opinion matters as does any one's here on ph.ca....- I just spent a good deal of time reading opinions of people i do not know. They are all over the place with the opinions! http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/reviews/4258725.html

Makes my head swim...

[Lovin]

If you want less problems, easy to use, fast and virus free, than get a Mac.
You just take it out f the box plug in and that's it.
You will love the colors on your desktop, the neat design and the smart things.
And of course you will need half of the RAM that usually need on a PC.
Basically 1 GB RAM on a MAC = 2 GB RAM on a PC.
CS4 and Aperture will ask for 2 GB of RAM on installation. For Lightroom is fine even 1 GB.

All MAC users that I know. don't want to come back to PC.

[Iguanasan]

I really don't want to get into a religious war of Mac vs PC but since you are asking I'll offer up my thoughts on the matter. I've been doing the computer thing now for about 25 years - my first computer, a Commodore Vic 20 had 3.5KB of RAM and data and programs were stored on audio cassettes. I've used other Commodore machines, PC's, Ataris, Macs, Sun Workstations, and numerous mainframes over the years. They are all just different tools and as long as it will do what you want that's all that matters.

Most of what Marco said is bang on though I think for a hard drive he probably mean 1TB and not 1 gig as that would be rather small. And always remember more RAM is better though anything over 4GB is probably a waste. If you go PC make sure you get a free upgrade to Windows 7 or wait for it to come out and don't settle for anything less than a Core 2 Duo CPU.

PC's are generally cheaper due to the fact that they don't have very good support whereas you pay a premium for Mac's because of the support which I understand is very good. If you are not very geeky then a Mac might be a good choice for this reason alone. They are also very proprietary so components work together well. You can generally only buy Apple components to work with Apple gear and so you pay a premium but you give up a bit on choice.

PCs are a wide-open platform where you can have many components and add-ons made by completely different manufacturers. The competition drives the price down but it also means they cut corners. Generally it's support that loses out as it's the most expensive part of a computer manufacturer's business.

The only reason, capability-wise, to buy a PC over a Mac is gaming. PC's still really kick butt in this area for hard-core gamers. Other than that the machines both surf the net well, they both do email, they both handle most business apps and most graphic design apps with exactly the same performance.

My only caution, if you stick with a PC, is to buy from a good brand. I've bought nothing but Dell for the past 8 years and I've rarely had a problem and when I have had a problem it was resolved within a few days. A friend of mine has bought a couple of HP machines from Futureshop and his computer spent almost as much time being fixed as it did sitting on his desk.

I hope this helps!

[JAS_Photo]

I bought a new laptop last fall and I under estimated what I really needed. When you are running photoshop and Lightroom together it is a big strain on your computer. So if I were to get a new one it would have more ram and more memory. Also, I hook up a printer, an external HD and sometimes a flash card reader and scanner. My LR loads pics directly from my card to my external HD which saves a lot of space on my computer.

I am not a techie but I would say if the computer can run games well, it will run your photo software as well.

[zenon5940]

I started working on computers in 1969 and always have worked on them since ... 40 years in the business.
In 1969 there was no monitor and the mere idea that one day we could see text on a monitor was considered a dream, let alone pictures and color... Then we had monochrome in amber, green and black & white... and color in the late 70's.
Apple came out with computers that were more for doing graphics while IBM had a PC more business oriented. Then there were companies from all over the planet that built copies of the PC. It had become THE standard.
The graphics talents of the Apple/MacIntosh family were appreciated by people in the publication an graphic industry but aside from that, the PC was and still is KING. Today's PC can do everything in graphics as well as a Mac. In addition, many applications are available for the PC and not for the Mac.

As said by Iguanansan, there is a "religious" war between PC and Mac users. I have read somewhere that more than 90% of the computers in America are PC's. This would explain why PC's benefit from a greater number of applications. This is also why there are more danger of catching a virus when using a PC. Also why PC's are half the price of a comparable Mac.

To me the choice is clear. PC over Mac.

This is just my personal opinion...

[Greg_Nuspel]

My reason for the PC is software availability and budget. I know people say you can run PC software on the MAC now so that maybe a mute point. I also build my machines up from components and have found it relatively easy to slowly upgrade over the years. I am due for another upgrade soon http://www.tech-faq.com/emoticons/pensive/pensif_28.gif (http://www.tech-faq.com/emoticons/pensive/emoticons.shtml)

[AcadieLibre]

I run a Mac and unless there are some serious changes to PC I cannot see going back to them. I have used a PC and MAC for a while now all the PC's have pretty much left my house. My sons used a PC but even with them I have them running a MAC now and just dual boot so they can game. OSX is a extremely stable OS. I am running Leopard but sometime in the next week or two I will be upgrading everyone to Snow Leopard. I still have a laptop that I dual boot Linux and Windows on but I rarely ever use it. I have most people I know converted to MAC and none of them regret it. I suggest people move to MAC if they can.

Not going to argue which one is better but I prefer MAC just based on my experiences. Going into a Apple store to try out a Mac won't tell you nothing, not long enough to see the real difference. Since going to Mac I have yet to crash, no such thing as a BSOD on any Mac in my house or of anyone I know who has switched. I have been using a Mac for several years now and was very happy to make the switch. I ended up going to Mac when PC's no longer were reliable enough to use in my recording studio. I no longer worried about my computer crapping out or crashing during a recording session. For graphics or music recording a PC in no way is comparable to a MAC in my opinion. If you can go to Mac you will not regret it.

[tomorrowstreasures]

Thanks everyone for weighing in!!! SOOOOOO appreciated!

[hodaka]

I actually hate that this is my first post to the forum, but I just found it tonight, and was reading through and found this thread . . .

I make my living selling and repairing computers, and have been doing so for a number of years now. I have been using Windows since '93 or so at an advanced level, as well as DOS, Linux (since 2000), and have recently switched to Mac. I mean, really switched. I started up a Mac dealer/repair business in 2005.

That being said, I still deal with Windows frequently. I try to avoid Windows for all of my personal needs, though. Windows carries way too many headaches and frustrations for me to want to use it anymore - and I'm a guy who can (obviously) fix all of the problems myself.
I never have to deal with viruses or other malware on Macs. Yes, I know it exists, but I never see it, because most of it is almost impossible to get.
I don't have to deal with the old format/reinstall routine. If I am moving myself or a customer from an older Mac to a new one, it takes very little time, and requires very little re-installation of software (if any). Same goes for installing a new/bigger hard drive.
Drivers are a HUGE issue with Windows (especially from the perspective of a technician like myself), but not so with Macs.
Please ignore "tirediron"s comment about lack of a right-click context menu: Apple operating systems have had that for a LONG time. Also, note that comparing computers feature for feature will show you that a Mac is not usually much more expensive than a Windows machine, and in some cases will cost $1000's less. I have on several occasions priced machines for customers comparing a Mac to an equivalent Windows machine. For example, a Dell Workstation vs. a Mac Pro tower for two different local videographers. In both cases, the Mac was actually more powerful, and less expensive by a minimum of $1500.
I guess I sound like a bit of a Mac fanboy, but that's because I understand the advantages at many levels. I could build/buy any computer I want right now, but there's no way I will go with a Windows machine for myself.

As mentioned, you can buy lots of different cheap parts for Windows machines, but that is really not an advantage - it can lead to a lot of frustration due to compatibility issues. I deal with people every day who rely heavily on their computer for day-to-day use and business. Most of these people have switched to Mac because they could no longer rely on a Windows-based computer to do their job. That being said, your best friend is a good backup routine (Time Machine works seamlessly for me). Any computer can have a problem with it's hard drive, and it's nice to know you haven't lost anything when it does happen - invest in a good quality backup drive no matter what you get for a computer! No cutting corners with a WalMart special!!

[tirediron]

...Please ignore "tirediron"s comment about lack of a right-click context menu: Apple operating systems have had that for a LONG time....

Perhpas I wasn't specific enough. I did not mean to imply that no Mac applications had right-click context menus. The applications I was using at that time did not have them which was one of the things that I found VERY frustrating. What I meant was that TT should use the 'try before you buy' approach since, as with anything new, you may find something you don't like about the product.

[Michaelaw]

I love my Asus quad running win XP...No grief, no hassles, no issues. I've always read how people have problems with windows and drivers and compatibility but I just don't ever have any grief. I got slapped around by a bit of malware from "greeting 123" a while back but restored the system to the day before the event and no grief since. I think macs are great and have often toyed with the idea of going there (especially after trying Vista!) but I get so much more bang for the buck in PC world and my machines always run smooth and balanced for years:) I really think macs are for people who have little interest in how things work just as long as they work and the Mac seems to excel at that. I like to get in and tweak! :D

[AcadieLibre]

If you know what you are doing even a mac is tweakable. And you make lots of very valid points hodaka.

[tomorrowstreasures]

Guys - thanks so much for the opinions and facts! I am a complete idiot with the runnings of a computer. Most of what I will be doing will be basic web stuff for my website. and of course Photoshop/Lightroom stuff. I get frustrated easily when things do not go right. So, with that said, it is sounding like Mac is the way to go. Hmmm. lots to think about.

[Marko]

Given what you've written, I think you are making the right choice TT. Go Mac and don't look back.

[mayera]

Honestly looking at the specifications and pricing of a decent G5 vs a similar Dell you are buying effectively the same thing. Ever since Mac went the Intel route you can really compare what you are getting between the two machines and really all a Mac is nowadays is a well assembled PC with a different keyboard, mouse and operating environment. I own both a Mac and a PC and use both for various activities. I like my mac for the ease of use when dealing with photography tools mostly because the industry likes them and most of the add-ons and tutorials are designed for them. I like my PC for the fun of games, watching movies and 3D stuff because that is what I have the software for. What many others have said about Ram and Memory (I will assume they mean hard drive) is true. Spend the extra to get the extra because you will use it. I cannot run photoshop on my mac because one of my dimms died and my ram is now at 512 meg instead of 1 gig. I am looking into replacing it soon. My hard drive is already full and I need to replace it as well. If you do not get what you need right away it will be a bigger hassle upgrading in the future.

[tomorrowstreasures]

ALex - thanks for the feedback !!! and welcome to photography.ca!

[Dark Woods]

Any mac will do... you are smart to go MAC once you go MAC you never go back...:D

[CebuRyda]

First off I develop software for a living and use Windows based PC's 100% of the time. It is the industry standard for the applications I code. As far as personal use it's all Mac's. I'm a heavy Final Cut and Logic Studio user and those two particular programs will only run on a Mac. At least for now one advantage using the OSX system virus developers pretty much ignore the Mac community compared to Windows. I don't even have an anti-virus program on any Macs I own. I'm sure time will change this luxury but for now I'm enjoying it.

I'm not a Mac fanatic if PC hardware supported the applications I mentioned earlier I'd choose the PC due to its lower cost.

CebuRyda~

[F8&Bthere]

I know this is an old thread but I can't resist in adding my 2 cents:

For the last few years I used PC but secretly lusted after Mac mainly because of the eye candy OS, ease of use, rumored lack of problems/viruses, and the COOL FACTOR!

But Mac's crappy TV ad campaign that is so old and uninspired, the attack on PC campaign, actually pushed me back into the nurturing arms of Mr. Gates....hehe.

You gotta check this out:
Ctrl+Alt+Del (http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comic.php?d=20060513)