PC vs Mac for graphic design

im not trying to start a big debate here, just want to share my story.
i went to college for graphic design, we used macs. i thought there was no other. we had visitors in the school, they asked me, why dont u use PC's? i just laughed and said because they're junk. looking back i had no facts to back up that claim, i just "knew it" like a priest knows there's a god i guess.
anyway its many years later and i long ago switched to PC.
ive noticed huge myths in the PC vs mac debate.

1) it's like there's only 2 types of computers, mac and those piece of junk PC's they sell at futureshop etc. It's simply not true. There are Business class PC's!
2) mac are for art, pc are for business. ridiculous really. its all about the programs- adobe is for artists with PC or mac. exel, powerpoint is for business.
3) windows sucks. Well not for me. i have had win 98, XP pro and now Win7 Pro 64bit and no major problems at all. and i dont run any anti virus. as far as OS visuals, i just wanna get in the programs, 3D looping icons don't impress me. i still have my windows desktop setup just like the classic old macs.

Now for a good price comparison, i just got a HP 8740W on ebay. it's brand new open box deal with factory warranty.
-made of aluminum just like macs with nice brushed aluminum finish.
-gorgeous brite 17" screen. not HD low profile, more room for graphics toolbars.
-wsxga resolution. 1680x1050. it's my favourite resolution. not too small online or for writing action script code but lots of room in space hog programs like flash.
-core i5 turbo processors.
-ATI firepro 8720 graphics card!! that's a much more powerful card than even macs best 17" macbook pro has, and its optimized for photoshop and illustrator etc. As a bonus, it also plays any game on the planet on high res. too!
-trackpoint eraserhead style mouse. i love these things. i can do complicated photoshop lasso selections, illustrator bezier curve drawing, web or games. wayyy more accurate than touchpad, with 3 useful buttons. (it has the touchpad too)
-military tested and passed for drop, water and sand.
-can be upgraded to i7 quad core, 32GB ram, quadro 5000m card and dreamcolor screen, (the undisputed best laptop screen in the world for photographers etc.)

And the best part about this laptop, it was less than a grand!! i looked to see what mac i could get for this price..what a joke, thats what made me want to write this.

The dell m6400/m6500 and thinkpad w700/w701 are beautiful graphics powerhouses too, although they're bulky and heavy, my HP is quite a bit smaller. The thinkpad DS comes with dual screens and a built in Waycom tablet!! now that is built for an artist. And it's still less than the macbook pro?? theres tons of cheaper and smaller business class units as well and i could go on for days, but one quicky- i got my daughter a mint dell d630 for only $300. it's also aluminum chasis, small, gorgeous and bombproof. She loves it.

Anyway, my rant is over. The reason i wrote this is simple, i just wanted to let other graphic artists know there are alternatives to overpriced macsbecause most artists i know dont have pocketfulls of spare cash to waste just to be the most stylish at starbucks...

 

We are all better off with more people like yourself.

Not for the reason you think, either.

I happen to think our community (Apple Users) has exceeded capacity.

 

Well I'm glad you were informed about what you were purchasing. Thats one of the most important things as a smart consumer. I'm tired of people purchasing laptops or anything for that matter just to say ooooh look at me I have a ________ whatever. I say get what fills your needs IMO. Sticking with Macbook Pro moving on lol...

 

wow... I never heard of this "PC" thing!!! thanks!

 

@op *yawn*
8740w = 1 hour battery life.
$4k+cost w/listed options.
@graphic designers. op's cake is a lie.

 

*shrugs* Some design firms use macs, others use PCs. Doesn't really matter one way or another. Photoshop is Photoshop, Illustrator is Illustrator, InDesign is Indesign.

You are right on point though when you mention universities perpetuating the myth that macs are great and windows is junk. It's a mantra they pound into the heads of the student body year after year. The students swallow it hook line and sinker without even giving it a second thought just like you did at one point.

Your resentment seems to be towards apple, when in reality it should be towards your professors and yourself.

If you really want to help aspiring graphic artists, encourage them to make up their own mind. Let them know that either computer will work fine for their needs. Let them know they should use and be able to use both platforms if they want to make themselves more marketable in a saturated industry. Try to remain unbiased and encourage artistic excellence above all else, always.

 

Windows is not super unreliable.
Linux is not user friendly.
Mac Os is reliable and user friendly.

Now you can decide for yourself what is better for work.
Hint: Mac Os

 

Same here dude..
It was not in my knowledge before about that typical "PC" thing....
So I am thankful to him as well for sharing it here...

 

They're just tools. Some people prefer one sort, some prefer a different sort. I use Macs for some things, Windows PCs for other things, Linux for some other things. Hell, I even have DOS 6 & NT4 boxes kicking around fulfilling random little jobs!

Fifteen, twenty years ago they were much better than the vast majority of Windows PCs, both better constructed and engineered and (crucially) Mac OS was much better for running Photoshop, Pro Tools & such than Windows was. This is probably where the reputation 'better for creative stuff' comes from. It's no longer true really (they both do more or less the same thing, with the exception of certain OSX-only software etc), but that doesn't mean there are never any valid reasons to buy one.

Also (slight tangent): I HATE this 'Mac vs PC' phrasing. A Mac is a PC. It's a different sort of PC to a Windows PC, but they are both subsets of 'personal computer'. That ad campaign massively annoyed me.

 

You need to create a new consumer category for your goods to avoid competition and sell it better / at higher price. You are being annoyed by marketing

 

I know it's marketing, but it's still wrong! It's like Ford started a campaign with a guy saying 'I'm a car' & another guy saying 'I'm a Ford'. It doesn't make any sense.

The Apple II was in fact one of the very first personal computers ever sold.

 

if they said "I'm a Mac, and I'm a Microsoft Windows PC" MS would probably sue them.

 

lol, you ooze arrogance. u sound like you're glad im not joining your cult.

 

rejection often makes people think the other person is arrogant... but in truth, its just that not everyone can get along.

 

Did you honestly expect a polite response to that huge wall of badly punctuated and barely coherent ranting?

/will stop feeding the troll now

 

Buying Mac just means you have (supported)access to a proprietary OS.

Are we done here?

 

thnx for the intelligent replies, ill just rebut these points-

-of course my point wasn't to open peoples eyes to "PC's", just to business grade. reading some of the arguements you would think that aluminum chasis and top notch hardware are enjoyed by mac users only.

-ive used both OS's. both have been super reliable to me. research scientists use windows, how do they ever get those rockets built?

-my battery life is 2.5 hours with brightness on full. this is a desktop replacement with a huge juice sucking video card.

-my resentment isn't toward apple, it's toward people like SP Forsythe

as for the other insulting comments, i expect no less from people without an intelligent arguement. when apple had their own processor it was one thing, but now they have the devil inside... BTW, did u know the apple factory where they actually build their products has nets around the building because so many people were jumping out the windows? nothing to do with the arguement but weird no?

bottom line. macs are terribly overpriced, you are paying for a status symbol and we all know it.

 

I dont disagree with what you are saying however if you post something like this on an apple forum you will get a response like what you got.

If you post this in the HP side of the forum people will tell you how right you are.

I like both PC's and MAC's I think they both bring something to the table. However this is a post that might upset some very loyal and opinionated people.

 

Whatever Mac's can do a PC can do, and whatever a PC can do a Mac can do. Both are good for writing essays, both are good for design, both are good for multimedia etc.

The ONLY thing Windows can do better is play PC Games. I'm not a PC hater, but I'm just saying that nowadays, the only difference between the two is the OS, whereas in earlier years Macs were said to be "better" at graphics design.

 

there is no point in flame warring on the internet.

 

Personally for me ..... When doing graphic design, video/audio editing or creating web pages, I trust OSX and Linux way more than Windows. Has little to do with the programs I use(even thought the UI looks a little nicer & plays easier on OSX), but more to do with the amount of random crashes I've dealt with in the middle of a project, saving stuff that gets corrupted, and processing stuff that just stalls.

Even with a solid OS like W7, I still have random problems every once in a while. Some which make no sense. OSX is just more stable IMO.

 

you seem to be in denial, while there is no point to deny that linux based systems are more stable and reliable. From there its only a matter of how much you earn per hour and how much a random photoshop crash can cost you.

 

Actually, it's not arrogance at all.

I think it is a win-win for all users when a certain number of people feel as you do.

It would not suit anyone for all users to feel that once they have tried Apple, all find it the best fit for them. If it were so, Apple would become complacent, and probably become more expensive than their products are inherently worth. Virus writers would turn their attentions more stringently toward Apple. And Apple may/would become more like Microsoft in a myriad of ways that Apple users would dislike.

Your "rant" picks and chooses strong points and weak points to suit your argument, instead of bringing into the discussion the actual reasons why some users would come to a far different conclusion.

I disagree with your analysis of value of your purchase insofar as it applies across the board to all those who would use a notebook computer for the purposes you outlined. However, I wholeheartedly agree that it is your choice, and if you are happy, then that is all that really counts.

If Apple is able to produce the same successes, as I perceive, by staying competitive, hungry and customer driven, then that suits me a whole lot more than bringing on any "cult members" who won't add any value to the users who truly find the product valuable.

My balance of use between a PC and Mac is around 50/50. I use CS5 on both platforms. I find positives and negatives to both. I would be truly disheartened to see any decline in Apple's winning ways due to any more shift in the market share that would motivate MS style problems/issues to be "invented" within Apple. So, if you go to the other side, I say no problem.... Everyone is better off for it. I hope the longtime Pro-Apple segment remains the chief motivator for Apple's continued success.

 

@SP Forsythe
Well said.

 

forsythe, what you said is a pile of Gobbledygook. Do you remember what that means from school or are you not a graphic artist at all? Anyway, you prove my point for me. Apple sells computers for alot more money because of humans' need to belong. fascinating that they can trick even those that are in the marketing industry. absolutely fascinating. i love it.

i chose the title for this thread very carefully. if one young graphics student googles this thread and makes an informed desision as to what platform to buy it will be worth the abuse. go on ebay-

13" mac with outdated hardware - $1400
17" PC with top notch for graphics- $1000

listen, my first car had an apple sticker on the rear windsheild, but apple has slipped from the hands of artists to the hands of yuppie wannabies. i mean ipads not supporting flash!? adobe and mac evolved together, i couldn'nt believe that!

anyway, i'm leaving your precious "community" now. i guess i just don't posess that endearing quality to belong to something bigger. But if I feel the need, I'll join the adobe forums where artists don't give a shiat what platform you're working on. you will miss me. lol bye all.

 

Agreed. At my office we are still using macs for all our graphics since that is what we have always done.

I tried to talk them out of it to save some money and that didn't work son we just upgraded all our macs there.

I thinks windows can do it just as well.

 

theres nothing here to make an informed decision... its just a lot more ignorance. I'm sure you believe what your saying is correct... but you need to take into account that not everyone else is you.

 

Show me 17 inch PC with top notch graphics. 485m something.
Now what part of macbook pro 13 is outdated? they were FIRST on the market to launch sandy bridge. FIRST! How is this outdated. Sure it got integrated video, but it doesnt mean its outdated, not everyone want discreet gfx.

Lets just keep ignoring the fact that linux based system is better defended and more stable which is important for any business, ok guys?

 

Although i ,ostly agree with the op's observations i dont see what a post like that in a mac forum is trying to accomplish.
Just like most everything else, we make our own choices and have our own perdonal preferences. To each his own.

 

this. there is no point in coming here just to bother each other about platform choices. There is a community help exchange going on here and this type of discussion is not productive.

 

I see no advantage to OSX or Win7 for design.

All relevant software works on both platforms and are incredibly stable.

All relevant mice and pressure-sensitive tablets are universal.


Go with the OS/Computer you like the most and call it a day.

 

im sure the op meant no malice and just wanted to express his viewpoint, but im sure some feathers were ruffled when he did what he did.
to me the most important thing in a healthy online community is respect. and on that note, in deference to our mac-lovin brothers, i think this thread should be closed.


edit: mac-lovin; reminds me of superbad

 

Just for the record, my work laptop (Elitebook 8540p) gets a solid 3-4 hours of battery with wifi on and balanced power saving.

 

Sorry to bump this thread again, but I did want to clear the air a little bit.

As a new Mac user (2011 15" 6750), I have less experience with macs(OSX) than I do with PCs(Linux and Windows). I'm a grad student for CS, and have worked at an Architectural firm for two years as well as CCNA cert.

My main complaint is simply the fact that the OP portrays him/herself as a guru giving guidance to new users.

This is the problem I think many of us have with the OP, coming from professional development backgrounds.

Posting in a public forum with under the guise of a public service announcement, negatively portraying the product which is the focus of said forum, while bragging about personal gains in the form of a "good deal" and ending with "/rant" is obtusely ignorant.

That said, for those attracted to this thread in a genuine search for knowledge about platform choice. I would personally recommend a system that can provide both power when needed and battery life. Any laptop with graphics switching is a prime choice for me due to the ability to go from high energy to high performance when needed.

 

Konceptz,

A perfect ending for this thread, if there ever was one.
Kudos.

 

The point of the topic of this thread really lends itself to the reality: Apple must be doing something right or there would not be so many haters taking the time to come over and troll in these forums.

Perusing numerous forums brings this to light. You simply have obtuse people who feel inadequate and feel the need to vent because of it. Last time I checked it is my money to spend as I please. Oh, and if you look at eBay you might see the resale value of OSX devices. We Apple users will continue to enjoy our far better IPS panel screens versus TN, our 3 to 4 fold gain in battery life, lighter form factor, oh wait, AND the ability to run MS Windows if need be without so much as a hitch. Thanks for the "service announcement", and proving once again that indeed I did make the right choice and the OP is just jealous.

We can offer you a group hug if you like...

 

i am pretty sure i am biased there but its easier to create something beautiful and well working stuff when beautiful things surround you
Sure win7 is customizable but still.

 

if an OS has the ability to impact your ability to create something beautiful, you're probably not very good at what you do.

probably worth nothing, but I was working on my 17" MBP quad yesterday and after an hour of 60% brightness (plenty bright) and wifi on, I still had 90% battery life.

color me impressed. not sure if there are any other quad core machines on the market that can do that.

 

Agreed and we are going to break here.