Apple (Macs) vs PCs
 

What is your preference?

Personally, I prefer PCs to Macs.
Why?
Because I like to play games, and I like compatibility. Not all games I want to play can run on a Mac, and that drives me nuts.
I also was raised using PCs, so I'm more used to them--and anything you can do on a Mac, you can do on a PC, you just have to know what programs to use and how to use them.
Another reason I don't like apple products in general, is because of some of the people who use them--most major apple product users (the ones who HAVE to get whatever new product they just put out and are all sorts of obsessive) I've met are complete snobs against any computer/electronic thing that isn't Apple. I can't even say I don't like Apple, without them going on a butthurt rage-rant about why PCs suck. Snobbery isn't attractive.

PCs have their fair share of suck, I won't deny that, but, it's suck I'm used to.

I really don't want to get too deep into this discussion, I've had it way too many times for my own good, but here are my thoughts on the situation.
I am a graphic designer, so I've used macs quite a bit and know what they are capable of, and while they are nice for that, a higher end pc can do just as well. And look at it this way, you can easily buy a high end pc for the same cost as a mac and have a wide variety of parts you can use to get excellent performance.
Which brings me to my next point, macs are ridiculously expensive since Apple is the only one that makes the parts for them.

People go on and on about how macs are so stable and have no viruses blah blah blah. You know why? Viruses aren't made for macs because the uses are suffering enough already. Zing! No, but seriously, macs aren't as stable as people claim them to be, I've seen many many macs (new macs too) suddenly crash. Mac lovers just don't want to admit it and look like a jackass. Which reminds me about this teacher I once had.

It was about 2 years ago, I was taking a complimentary class about the study of music. Our teacher for that class often showed us powerpoint presentations, and used a macbook to do so. And I swear, every single freaking class to he went off boasting about macs and how great they were. I'm surprised he didn't end up dead in the janitor's closet or something.

Anyway, like I said before, sure macs are somewhat more stable, but if you use a pc properly, you'll get better performance and freedom. I am a gamer, and pc's are the tools of the gamer. Only the larger game companies make games for mac as well, such as Blizzard and Valve.

I've also noticed that a large portion of mac users don't even use them for graphic design use, but rather just going on facebook and such. Why on earth would you spend all of that money just to go on facebook? Such a waste. These people sit in coffee shops with their macbooks, sipping down their mocha latte and telling everyone around them, who are also doing the same thing, they're working on a novel or screen play. These people are hipsters and they are the bane of my existence. I suppose they think it's ironic how they don't do anything creative with a mac. Hipsters *shake fist*.

Well, guess I ended up typing a lot more than I intended to.
</rant>

I think brilliant marketing and some very novel software concepts have made it so Apple products are status symbols the same way that a nice car is a status symbol. Any car can go vroom vroom and get you from where you are to where you need to go, but if you have the means for a luxury car, you accomplish the same thing with a certain extra bit of creature comfort and a modicum of extra style. Apple products essentially fit in that same niche. You can use any computer to go on the internet and check your email, if that's all you do with it, but if you have the means, you can do it with a bit more style and a few more of the things that are neat, though otherwise superfluous.

I would not compare macs to luxury cars. They are far from it.
What makes a luxury car more expensive is the extra features, better parts etc.
Macs don't have extra features, they have different features. Generally more gimmicky ones that draw in those with a feeble mind.
Their parts aren't what I would call the best either.
A mac is less of a luxury car and more of a car from the competition that is trying too hard.

What I'm trying to say isn't that macs are horrible death machine. But rather that macs are vastly over-hyped. They aren't better and people can argue all they want. If someone if a mac fanatic, I'd prefer they keep it to themselves rather that patrolling up and down the street wearing a sandwich, proclaiming macs are the best thing ever. You can like your hipster computer all you want, just don't be spewing it in my face, because nothing pisses me off more than that.

Actually, a substantial portion of what makes a luxury car more expensive is a name badge, markup and a few gimmicky features. Much like a mac. :)

Basically, they charge you more for a mac for the same reason they charge you more for a Cadillac: Because they can.

Macs are designed and built well. Windows laptops are generally terrible quality and held together with tape or glue. I prefer OS X to Windows OS because I'm more used to Linux and its terminal commands.

That being said, in my opinion the only apple computer worth the price is the 13" macbook pro. The desktops are a ripoff and the regular macbook isn't much better than your typical windows laptop.

Also, barely games related since Apple hardware can run or emulate windows, so problem averted.

Windows is a Operating System, not hardware. Microsoft is the company that produces Windows.

There are thousands of companies that produce the hardware compatible with Windows. Some are garbage, yes, but some are not. You just have to do the research (which takes all of maybe an hour--there are plenty of big-name computer manufacturers that are pretty spot on). One thing I really like about PCs, is I can BUILD the computer myself--just buy the various parts needed!

I love that "games" argument, as if its somehow a legitimate alternative to either emulate an entire OS, or boot into an entirely different OS just to play games. It's usually a "I totally dig my Mac and won't listen to a dissenting opinion" type of statement.

Plus, anyone who can honestly argue about the assembly quality of "windows laptops" (don't even get me started on the fact that there's no unified standard or even a unified manufacturer for the "windows laptop" market, so making a broad statement about build quality of PC hardware is misguided) hasn't looked at the teardown of the newest unibody Mac Book Pro. :)

Yeah, why the fuck would I want to have to reboot my computer under another OS when I can just put the disc in and hit play? >__>

Also, really?
Then again, Macbooks are usually pretty delicate...I've dropped my good ol' Toshiba a dozen times and it still functions--Admittedly I cracked the screen once, but it was entirely my fault, nothing to do with being manufactured poorly.

the heirarchy of factory-assembled Windows laptops, from worst to best (6 major companies):

Gateway*
HP
Dell*
Sony
Alienware
Toshiba

My friend and I are having a minor disagreement about whether or not dells are worse than gateways...

And just in case you'd like to know what makes us relevant sources:

Between 1998 and 2001 I personally BUILT one computer a day (plus I usually finished someone else's work at the end of the day too) over the course of every school semester. I've been using windows since I was 5 years old (Windows 3.1) and I've dabbled with Macs here or there and I've beaten my head against the learning linux wall more than a couple of times, he's built most of the computers he's owned, and is finishing his degree is programming. We're the kind of people folks ask to fix their computers, because it's a hell of a lot easier than fixing our own, because our usually have crazy problems you can't find answers for on the internet.

Wow, I'm not sure I could disagree with that list more.

Working in an IT capacity, I get to handle many many laptops in various states of disrepair and poor maintenance. In my experience, out of the 500 or so laptops I've dealt with in either personal use, hardware repair, software miscellany, etc. the HPs, have been absolute troopers, standing up to physical and software abuse and living to tell the tale. Toshibas with factory specs usually burn out of their own accord after a 8 months or so due to being shipped with a poor hardware to software requirement ratio. Gateways seemed to be in a wash with Dells, and Alienware is owned and manufactured by Dell, so you can do the math. The biggest complaint I can level at the Sonys are that they just cost too much for what you get, but I haven't used enough to make an adequate judgment.

My Toshiba is alright--but it overheats like crazy. I think it's the model (Satellite--which I've heard is notorious for overheating) but it still runs fine most of the time, just have to keep is super-well ventilated.

I don't like Dells, but the last time I had one was about 6 years ago. I've always liked alienwares (never owned one though, but in theory...), but, they're a bit expensive for what you get. Kindof like Macs only PCs. As for durability--I've heard Alienwares are more durable than dells in general, but dells are pretty hardy too.
My Dell was okay, it stood up to a violent 14 year old girl for half a year before my brother threw it out in a fit of rage--except for the keys. The keys I kept flicking off just from typing...o__O

My next desktop I want to build myself, cheaper and I can get exactly what I want.

My mother had an HP notebook--thing, I forget what it's called, but, aside from my mother getting a virus on it that destroyed the drivers and me not knowing how to fix that sort of error until just this year (and this happening about 6 years ago), I couldn't fix it so it got put in a box and never seen again. >___>;

I've never had a gateway and have no desire to. I've only heard "bleh" things about them--not so much that they're terrible, but that they're just "not very good" either...

I've had an ASUS gaming series laptop for just about 2 and a half years now. This thing is tank and has no sign of slowing down.
The only problem I've had with it, was that my power supply stopped working, but that was my fault. I took a risk plugging it in to charge on a not so reliable plug.

Agreed about the Bootcamp thing. I have friends with macbooks that do this and it's such a hassle for them.

saisei: Yes I forgot to mention brand name in my post before, but yes, that definitely increases to price significantly

I love that you'll brush off emulation / dual booting as if spending a whole minute booting into another OS is a huge hassle.

Compared to doing, say, nothing, it is a huge hassle.

Plus, I believe we're saying it's an unnecessary hassle.

Exactly. When it comes to computers, you want to be able to do want you want within seconds.
If you want to play a game, double click and you're playing.
If you have to restart and boot up in another OS just to play games, that is a hassle by comparison.

Wow. Okay. Enjoy your circlejerk, then.

Says the person willing to buy and install a second operating system in order to play games. :)