can you help me choose ! Mac Vs PC

  • Mac Pro with Quad Core @ 2GHz, 1 gig ram, 250 gig hard drive - $2,200.00
  • Dell 22" wide screen monitor - $269.00
  • 1 gig expansion ram as priced on MacMall.com - $100.00

Total: $2569.00 USD

How much was the PC?

Good lord. $2,569? Now I grew up as a Mac user and I have always loved macs, but when it came time to buy a computer with my own money I jumped ship and built my own PC. I have never payed over $500 for any of my computers. I've had the same case, power supply, etc. since 2000. I run a dual core athlon with 3 gig of ram and 4 hard drives totaling 810 gig. For me its all about the value that you can achieve with a PC. Once I'm rich I'll probably get a mac for fun but until then I'll be hunting for those $89 after rebate CPU motherboard combos.
 
I'm not going to comment on which is better because it's a waste of time and I don't care. However, I think it's pretty much a given that you can get a powerful PC for far less money than a comparable MAC.

If you prefer MAC's, then the price difference may not matter to you. I know that when I was looking for a new machine I couldn't even get my foot in the door with a MAC without spending at least 1,000 dollars more than I did for my quite powerful, and so far extremely reliable PC.
 
Mac X PC = Religion X Science

Anyway, if you get an Intel Mac or PC you can install Windows XP and MacOSX to see what you like most, but you gotta check if your hardware can deal with it before. I´m using Vista here and it´s the best OS that I ever used (Vista and OpenBSD).

Vista is crap. A downgrade from XP. Give me a break. This renders everything else you say false, as well.

I have Mac OS X (running on Macs), Linux, and Windows (XP and Vista) in my house, and I know each OS inside and out. I prefer Mac OS X to everything else and I also prefer Mac hardware, because it is better in hundreds of ways than anything else out there.

It's not fanaticism; if the Mac had a crap OS like Vista or XP, I would be running Linux. Thankfully, Apple has come up with by far the best OS out there, and the best hardware integration. It's not a religion to me like it is for some dipshits out there, and I don't agree with every decision Steve Jobs makes. For example, I think the iPhone is a potentially great product but is ruined by its forced tie-in with AT&T and some of the insane business policies surroudning it (not accepting CASH as a form of payment for buying an iPhone is the tip of the iceberg.) I also think Apple needs to come out with a budget tower machine. But I digress...

You don't have to spend a ton of money to get a Mac, and when you buy a Mac your investment lasts longer, and if you need to sell your Mac on eBay after a few years you will get a lot more for it than with a PC. I've built PCs (in fact I still do for friends) and that can be a rewarding hobby, but ultimately nothing touches what Apple is doing. The integration and longevity of an Apple machine are worth paying a slightly higher price tag.

If you really want to go the budget route, though, I think there are two clear choices. Either get a late-model used Mac, or build a Linux box out of spare parts. I can't understand why anyone who has any technological awareness or anyone who cares about saving money would run Windows.
 
I can't understand why anyone who has any technological awareness or anyone who cares about saving money would run Windows.

Because it is damn near impossible to get some hardware and software to function on Linux. Digidesign offers no Linux integration and there are NO plans to in the future (as per DUC forum). Also, running VST plugs is very difficult as you have to also build and run the wineasio "driver" (for lack of better word), which increases latency. I've had to recently uninstall and install several different Linux OS's in my attempt to build my DAW around a Linux box, instead I had to resort to WinXP. There is no good comparison for a Mac vs. PC battle as all PC parts are cheaper and therefore you will always get more machine for your money. As far as OS's go, Mac OSX is the most intuitive and slays anything post Windows for Workgroups (aka Windows 3.11). The only good way to get a Mac is via a refurb deal or used.
 
I can't understand why anyone who has any technological awareness or anyone who cares about saving money would run Windows.

When being used with common sense, a Windows installation can work just fine. At least in audio/graphics/web design tasks, in my experience. Of course it has it's glitches, but I haven't got a problem using it. And yes, I have used Mac OS X (both on Macs and PC's) and various Linux distros (Ubuntu, Debian, Red Hat, Suse, Slackware, Dreamlinux to mention some).
 
Because it is damn near impossible to get some hardware and software to function on Linux. Digidesign offers no Linux integration and there are NO plans to in the future (as per DUC forum). Also, running VST plugs is very difficult as you have to also build and run the wineasio "driver" (for lack of better word), which increases latency. I've had to recently uninstall and install several different Linux OS's in my attempt to build my DAW around a Linux box, instead I had to resort to WinXP. There is no good comparison for a Mac vs. PC battle as all PC parts are cheaper and therefore you will always get more machine for your money. As far as OS's go, Mac OSX is the most intuitive and slays anything post Windows for Workgroups (aka Windows 3.11). The only good way to get a Mac is via a refurb deal or used.

OK, that is all true, and I remember you doing all of that. And this is a music forum after all. For just about anything else though, Linux rules. I guess it makes sense why some of us here are stuck in Windows.
 
OK, that is all true, and I remember you doing all of that. And this is a music forum after all. For just about anything else though, Linux rules. I guess it makes sense why some of us here are stuck in Windows.

Yeah, because I would much rather be running Mac OSX (I do have that G3) and 64Studio (but I have the Mbox 2). Soon enough, I'll get myself over to the Macworld.

(BTW, just kegged a Dubbel! :kickass: Come over for some.)
 
damn you guys talk weird! its all greek to me hahaha
anyway you use some terms that i dont get
i decided to go for the quad core pc - so for the next 3 years i ll be a pc user again!
but one question though
how to you use MAC Os on pc's

thanks for the help
 
Well, here a take from a non-technical point of view. Since a year back I am a proud owner of a MacBook and I absolutely love it! In terms of using it, it´s very intuitive and I´ve nerver had any problems at all. It´s simpler and you don´t have to be a computer-wiz to make things work. Cubase 4 works like a charm. As Kazrog said, it really feels like a more long term investment.
On the other hand, it´s true that they are extremely pricey over here which makes it, in some cases, hard to motivate the big price difference when aiming for more powerful systems. The other thing is compatibility, stuff like Gclip, Freeverb, Nebula, FX Teleport, Boogex etc.. (To mention a few) There´s no real substitute when switching to Mac, or at least not right now. If you want stuff like that, you have to be willing to spend some bigger cash. The bottom line is that if you don´t have all your stuff mac compatible and if you´re on a tighter budget you might consider staying with PC for now.

Edit: missed the part where you actually made up your mind :)
 
but one question though
how to you use MAC Os on pc's

If you want to stay legal, you can't run OS X on a PC.

If you feel adventurous, though, you must acquire an installation image and hope your hardware is compatible. I've had OS X on two PC's, an old P4 desktop that had lots of problems running it and the installation was pure pain back then, and my Dell Latitude D600 laptop that worked fine except for the graphics drivers.

If you're planning to use OS X on a PC as a DAW/video editing platform/etc, you could just as well forget it since the hardware support is extremely limited.
 
Dont build your own pc unless you ABSOLUTLY know what is best.

One sub standard part can conflict the hell out of it, i can know i failed to produce a new demo this year because of wierd conflict problems.

Hell, you could build several multiprocessor, multicore x64 boxes for the price of one Mac if you wanted to, so you'll still wind up spending less. And I was building my own computers before I was in middle school... hell, if I can figure it out before I know where babies come from, anyone can pull it off. Stick with good brands and learn what the funny words mean, you'll have spent another twenty minutes and you'll wind up with an amazing deal.

Jeff