Here's my use case. Any reason to get a PC instead of MacBook Pro?

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kab Author

Level 1

8 points

Here's my use case. Any reason to get a PC instead of MacBook Pro?

Background:

I have used ThinkPads for years and have found no better keybooard or pointing stick. I am quite comfortable with Windows but I'm not very interested in Windows 8.
I have an iPhone 4s and an iPad 2. Love the iPhone and loved the iPad before I upgraded to iOS 7. I *hate* iOS 7 from a user experience perspective and it maks me question whether I can trust Apple going forward. I don't want to invest in expensive devices that are going to devolve with crappy "upgrades" like iOS 7.
I don't have much patience for slow or defective performance and a poor UI. The UI doesn't need to always be pretty - sometimes simple and plain works just fine, but it needs to make sense. Also, I am not very technical so system problems or set up difficulty can easily derail me. And that makes me grumpy.

Use case:

Daily personal use, several hours at a time, sitting at the kitchen table or on a sofa. (When I travel, I bring my iPad 2 and a portable keyboard.)
LOTS of typing - blogs, e-mail, the book I'm writing (or thinking about writing).
Lots of reading (news, product reviews, blogs, etc.)
Browser will be open morning, noon, and night with multiple tabs opened simultaneously. There will be LOTS of switching between browser and other apps.
Love to watch YouTube videos. I don't make videos, but I watch them. I had a Sammy netbook that used to stall when videos were played. How very disappointing.
I maintain budget spreadsheets & generally use the computer for home business, too, not just surfing and entertainment.
I'm not a photographer but I do like to store pics that people send to me, and upload and store pics from my camera. Haven't dabbled much into photo editing, but haven't ruled it out (nothing more sophisticated than cropping though).
Everything needs to be organized into neat folders and categories. Not only do I need to have an organized file structure, I enjoy organizing stuff and need that experience to be painless and flexible.
Sometimes I'm not the only one who uses my machine. So I need a way to have secure/private sections that nobody but me can access. And, ideally, a way to give limited access to a child.
I intend to leverage the cloud more, and take advantage of interoperability across my devices. If Apple keeps putting out garbage like iOS 7, then I will be getting a Samsung phone and tablet and I would need that to play nicely with my laptop.
I plan to create my own Web site.
I take care of stuff and expect it to last a long time.

Budget:

I cringe at the expense of a MacBook Pro... but don't think there is any value in paying less for something that is going to be either unreliable or incredibly frustrating to use.

So, is a MacBook Pro overkill for my use case? Do you think a PC would be better value?

MacBook Pro with Retina display

Posted on Nov 18, 2013 7:21 AM

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Answer 1

LowLuster

Level 6

12,105 points

Nov 18, 2013 7:25 AM in response to kab

Buy a Windows PC from the Business end of the manufacturer you like. Most of them still offer Windows 7 as no business at this time wants Win 8. So the major manfacturers are still offering Win 7.

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Answer 2

dwb

Level 7

32,920 points

Nov 18, 2013 8:49 AM in response to kab

Buying a computer is like buying a car. I have never bought a Ford and cannot imagine ever buying one. The times I've had no choice but rent one I've hated it. But some people love Fords and I have to admit the Ford always got me where I was going. I feel the same way about Windows computers. There's no way I'd buy a consumer Windows computer and if I'm going to pay for a business class PC I might as well pay just a bit more for a Mac.

To be honest, you don't sound like a Mac switcher. Find yourself a business class PC that still has the option of Win7 on it. Maybe you'll be ready to make the switch next time around.

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Answer 3

kab Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 19, 2013 10:24 AM in response to kab

Thanks for weighing in.

Update for anyone who is in a similar pre-purchase pickle: I bought a refurbished ThinkPad T420 for $379 and experienced 3 major problems within the first 7 days, so back it went. After looking at a Samsung ATIV, Lenovo Yoga Pro 2, and a 13-inch MacBook Air, I purchased a 15-inch MBP Retina (2.3/16/512).

Turned out these things were the 3 most important factors in my decision:

Resolution. Anything less than HD will not do. I have bad eyes. I look at my screen a lot. I have seen Retina and the Yoga and Sammy screens and the MacBook Air looks broken compared to them. I don't like the idea of paying a lot of money for something that looks broken.
Operating system. I see enough Microsoft Windows on my work computer and I find the UI undesirable, even if it is mostly familiar. I'm just not motivated to become familiar with 8.1 and I wanted a change of scenery for personal use. Yoga and Sammy were eliminated.
Lack of duplication. I already have an iPad which serves as my tablet, touch screen, and ultra-portable. (I have a portable keyboard to use with it, if necessary.) I needed a desktop replacement kind of laptop that I could use at a desk or on my sofa. I need a good battery but I don't need 12 hours. Helped me eliminate Air and 13-inch MBP.

I am very happy with my decision. So far :-). It is on its way, but now I'm trying to figure out if I should keep the upgraded base model (2.3/16/512) or get the higher end model (same specs) with the advanced graphics....original purchase arrives tomorrow and I'd have to return it and get the other one.

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Answer 4

Melophage

Level 5

7,213 points

Dec 19, 2013 9:34 PM in response to kab

kab,

if it wasn’t for the resolution factor that you’d mentioned in your last post, I would have recommended buying a well-looked-after used MacBook Pro to you — that’s the path that I took after more than a decade with my ThinkPad.

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Answer 5

alex94598

Level 2

170 points

Dec 19, 2013 10:34 PM in response to Melophage

When it comes to mac's, the resolution between the non retina-mac's and the retina ones is honestly not that much of a game changer.

It's not a night and day difference. Most apps won't even use the full retina display.

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Answer 6

Dec 19, 2013 10:39 PM in response to kab

kab wrote:

Budget:

I cringe at the expense of a MacBook Pro..

I assume you know used old macs sell for a fortune.

and other old tech is basically worthless in resale value.

As for Retina VS. non-Retina

As you see below, the non-Retina 13" AIR is 82% of the Macbook with Retina display in resolution

there is no magical number of pixels per inch that automatically equates to Retina quality.

http://www.cultofmac.com/168509/why-you-might-be-disappointed-by-the-resolution- of-those-new-retina-display-macs-feature/

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Answer 7

Network 23

Level 6

12,333 points

Dec 20, 2013 12:59 AM in response to kab

kab wrote:

now I'm trying to figure out if I should keep the upgraded base model (2.3/16/512) or get the higher end model (same specs) with the advanced graphics....original purchase arrives tomorrow and I'd have to return it and get the other one.

I didn't see a single thing in your use case that suggested that you should have the dedicated graphics. The Iris integrated graphics in the MacBook Pros is supposed to be powerful enough that Apple decided to reserve the power-hungry dedicated graphics for the most outrageously priced MacBook Pro. But that top of the line Pro model is for serious time-is-money graphics/video professionals who need top horsepower, like pro video editing with software that leverages the GPU. Nothing you listed comes anywhere close to exceeding the capabilities of the standard graphics that you have.

Sorry to hear about the ThinkPad. Although I have used a long line of Macs, I also had a ThinkPad once and had a lot of respect for it.

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