Mac Vs PC
June 6th, 2008 | by Naimp | Posted in Computers |When it comes to choosing a computer for yourself, your family or a child going away to college for the first time you want to make sure your making a sound investment. For most of us this means getting the best quality and reliable assistance for a reasonable price. In order to do this one must to sufficient research before making their purchase. Whether your reasons for buying a computer are for work, graphics or simply to write papers there are many options out there. An important question that arises for many people today is whether they should get a Mac or a PC.
The following chart contains 15.4 inch PC’s that have been chosen and customized (with the exception of Acer) to best compare with the Macbook Pro. All 3-year warranties are basic and anti-virus software is based on a 15 month price.
(Sources: Apple.com, Amazon.com, Dell.com, HP.com, Sony.com)
Price Comparison of 15.4 Inch Laptops
Brand Model Processor Graphics Card RAM Hard Drive Weight Price 3-Year Warranty Anti-Virus Software Total Price
Apple Macbook Pro 2.4 GHz NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB 2 GB 200 GB
5.4 lbs $1,999.00 $349.00 $0 $2,348.00
Acer Aspire 5920-6329 2.5 GHz NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB 2 GB 320 GB 6.6 lbs $1,799.00 $199.99 $60 $2,058.98
Dell XPS M1530 2.4 GHz NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB 2 GB 250 GB 5.8 lbs $1,763.00 $299.00 Included $2,062.00
HP dv6700t 2.4 GHz NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS with 256MB 2 GB 250 GB 6.14 lbs $1,220.99 $269.99 $59.99 $1,550.97
Sony VGN-FZ24000 2.4 GHz NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT with 256MB 2 GB 200 GB 5.9 lbs $1,258.99 $199.99 $59.99 $1,518.97
When it comes to making sure you are getting the assistance you need the first thing you want to look at is the warranty. If you choose to purchase a dell you may want to look into the XPS M1530. At a price of $2,062 you can get a 15.4 inch notebook with a 2 GB RAM, a 250 GB hard drive, virus software included and a three year warranty. Dell warranty includes in-home service parts labor and 24×7 phone service.
HP is a popular choice for a notebook, dv6700t is one of HP’s most comparable notebook to a Mac. The dv6700t comes with a 2 GB RAM, 250 GB hard drive, anti-virus software, and a 3-year warranty for $1,550. HP’s warranty includes a pick-up and return service where your notebook would be diagnosed, repaired and returned to you as fast as possible. They also have a 24×7 phone support service. Within the warranty you would also get assistance with virus and spyware issues.
Apple’s Macbook Pro comes standard with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, 2 GB RAM, and a 200 GB hard drive. Apple’s 3-year protection plan includes service and support for the Mac operation system, iLife, and iWork. This accesses you to Apple’s technical support group when calling and ensures Apple-authorized technicians will perform repairs using genuine Apple parts (apple.com/support). The Macbook Pro also comes already installed with iLife, which is comprised of such programs like GarageBand, iMovie, iChat, and iPhoto. These programs alone are equivalent to $400 in PC programs (”Mac Vs. PC”).
When choosing your selection consider that Mac users have a 98 percent satisfaction rate as opposed to Windows users who have a 83 percent rate. Mac’s also have a higher resale value. During a study, James Stoup found that Mac’s sell for 40 percent of their retail cost after three years (Stoup). Most Windows users find it cheaper to just invest a brand new laptop.
Small businesses have also reconsidered switching from PC to Mac. It is less costly in the long run making up for its higher retail cost with lesser IT and electrical costs (Schwartau). On average there is one IT person per 150-250 Macs compared to one IT person for every 50-60 PC’s (Van Dyke).
In closing, when looking at your options to buy a notebook; make sure you do all the research. Whether you decide to pick a PC or a Mac there are plenty of alternatives out there. So regardless if you need a computer for the office, for your house or for a dorm, there are many things to look at before you make your purchase. Not everyone needs all the luxuries of iLife although some may prefer it. So you decide what will best fit you; PC or Mac?
“Mac - PC PriceWatch 2008.” Apr 2008. April 2008.