Mac vs PC War

This was inevitable. Sitting here with a blog I use to rant and rave about whatever gets under my skin meant I was eventually going to get to this particular flame war. I recently read a little blurb from someone on DeviantArt that got me going on the subject again, so let's get it over with, shall we?

So, Mac vs PC. PC, or personal computer, is a label that can be applied to all...well...personal computers, but it is and has been synonymous with Windows based computers for a LOOONG time now, so anyone using that to win an argument against any idiot mac user with an Air should be ashamed of themselves.

BUT, let me go on a rant on how I see the differences between the systems in my typical categorized fashion.

Compatibility
This can be taken two ways: compatibility between the operating systems and compatibility in software.

First, the former. Macs are more compatible than PC's. Simple as that. A Mac can read any flash drive or harddrive formatted by a PC, but a PC can't read anything formatted by a Mac. A Mac can run Windows natively, but a PC can't run Mac natively, unless you go and download a hacked version of the install disk, then go through the horrendously painful process of getting hacked kernels to work properly, then can handle the computer crashing constantly, all of which I've gone through. A custom built or store-bought PC is incapable of running the Mac operating system without extensive help from hackers.

This latter point, though, is due to the fact that Mac OSX is locked down TIGHT. It isn't meant to run on a computer not made by Mac, and the pros and cons of that fact will be discussed in a later section.

As far as software is concerned, Mac is capable of about anything a PC is, though the specific software may not be compatible. As a 3D modeler, I have to use Windows to run 3Ds Max, but I could just as easily use any of the other modeling software available for the Mac, such as Cinema4D, Maya, ZBrush, Blender, etc. 3Ds Max is something of an odd-man-out at this point.

Video Editing? We've got Final Cut Pro and Adobe After Effects. Gaming is where the argument gets heated, and Macs are admittedly not included in the vast majority of game releases. However, the trend seems to be swinging in Mac's favor, with Valve beginning simultaneous releases and Cider technology advancing quickly. Heck, Blizzard is one of the biggest names in gaming, and they've been supporting Mac gaming from the beginning. Everyone else is just late to the party.

Security
This isn't even a fair section. PCs are ridden with spyware, viruses, and malware, and Macs have had maybe a couple hundred reported cases of infected computers in the world. The Mac operating system is designed to be secure. It runs only on the computers it's supposed to, and it knows what files should be present in the system. Anything weird or out of place is ignored.  This means that hardware will be slightly limited, but also that viruses will be non-existant. Considering the amount of pain and frustration PC users go through to keep their computers running at full capacity with anti-virus, technical support, and full system wipes, the limitation in hardware seems like a small price to pay.

Price
This one is a PC user's fallback argument. PCs are better because they're cheaper. Well, I could agree with both that statement's meaning. The unfortunate fact is that PCs are priced by the pre-built models from Dell and HP. These models, however, have the bare minimum of hardware. An okay processor with MAYBE 2GB of RAM and a reasonably sized hard drive, likely with only the onboard graphics chipset. This is not a good computer, but because Dell prices them around $500, that means that PCs are somehow inherently less expensive than Macs.

The truth of the matter is that the hardware that goes into a Mac or PC is virtually identical. With a Mac, you buy a pretty robust machine from the get-go, but a PC REQUIRES expansion for anyone doing anything more than email. Think of it this way, if there was a Mac that met the basic requirements of a typical Dell computer, how much more expensive would it be?

Oh wait, Mac has the Mac Minis! The basic model has 2.4 ghz duo core processor, 2gb of RAM, an Nvidia card, 320gb of harddrive space, and a dual-layer superdrive to boot. All for 700 bucks. Now, you can rightfully say, "That's more expensive than a Dell, HA!", but let's examine the reason. First off, the hardware is already superior to a typical 500 dollar Dell. Let's also consider the fact that a Mac Mini has been crafted with lasered-aluminum, and is about as big as a stack of CD cases. The casing itself would make up the difference in price, but the superdrive is also superior to the typical Dell optical drive. Does YOUR basic Dell burn DVD's? No? Oh, my tiny Mac Mini does.

Take my own Mac Pro and try to create an equivalent PC with the same specs. Oh wait, don't bother, cause I've already tried that. The price comes out to be the roughly the same. You have to buy a special server-sized case to hold the oversized motherboard so you can get the two processors in there, and after you try and get all the hardware the same, you still can't have as much RAM as this thing already has, and certainly not as much as it can support, and the case will be made out of tin and plastic instead of the sleek aluminum the mac pro is made of.

All that, and within a few minutes you'll likely contract a virus and have to reinstall your system, assuming the motherboard you ordered isn't defective, as happens quite often, unfortunately.

Expansion
PC users think that, because they can open their machines up and add more of something that that makes their computers superior. In many cases, they might have a point, most Macs aren't designed to be opened by people. An iMac is designed to be used as is, and not to be expanded on too much. However, this argument falls apart in several ways. First off, Macs that CAN be opened are opened quite easily.

My Mac Pro, for instance, has a lever that releases the side panel, letting me access all the stuff inside without having to find all the tiny screws on the back and sliding a razor-edged tin plate. Additionally, everything in my Mac is neatly tucked away in compartments without all the messy, tangled cabling found in PCs. Also, since this computer was specifically crafted for the hardware inside it, the temperature management is fine as is. I don't need to install some water-cooled contraption into my delicate, electronic computer to keep it cool, it maintains an ambient temperature of 21 C all by itself.

I have 4 PCI-E slots that are easily accessed, with back slots that don't require me to break metal, but slide out naturally, making it easy to remove and replace them. I have easily installed hard drive bays, and enough RAM slots to hold 8 RAM cards. How many RAM cards can your PC hold? I can answer that for you, because the brand-spanking new, bestest Windows operating system out there can only recognize 8GB of RAM. It literally will not work with more. Yet, my Mac, which you would call inferior, already has 14GB of RAM, and that's not even half of what the operating system can support. Just try and match my specs with a computer less expensive than this one.

I can tell you where to look for computers that can match and out-perform my computer. They're called Alienware computers, and they start around $6,000, which is twice what I paid for my computer. Oops, so much for that argument. And, ironically, Alienware computers are just as susceptible to viruses as a typical Dell, yet my computer is unaffected. Huh.

Summary
Ultimately, what computer one gets depends on the use. There isn't much use for a die-hard Call of Duty fan to buy a Mac. Though, to be fair, I can play Call of Duty games on my computer, too, since I can run both Mac and Windows. When it comes down to it, some people thrive on the endless stream of numbers and codes found when building their own computer, and don't mind the instability of custom-built machines and the operating system struggling to run them. Some don't mind having to deal with virus and malware attacks, and some people simply have enough luck not to have to worry about them.

There's a difference between a Ford Taurus and a Bugatti, and there's a difference between a PC and a Mac.