Anyone got a Mac (Apple Computer!)

Im a switcher too.

Windows, & Linux to Mac.

If you just want something that works to surf the internet, without all the pi**ing about of windows, get one. It works very well.

If you want a desktop to surf the internet, grab yourself a mac mini, any USB keyboard/mouse and a monitor and off you go. I dont like the imac style stuff with the monitor built in. My concern is that it would fail, even though I have not had an LCD fail on me.

Macbook laptops can be had for about 600quid on the apple refurb store if you want to go that route too.


Dan

Originally Posted by Pedro68

If you just want something that looks different, then a Mac is an expensive (albeit very apt) option. However, if it were me, I'd save my money and go for something from the PC lineage.

Something like these perhaps?

Bear in mind (no not YOU BEAR), that these are "Barebone" systems, so you'll need to add in stuff like CPU/RAM/GFX-card/HDD/ROM-drives/monitor/etc.

There's also a lot of "small form factor" PC cases about that may interest you, or perhaps "media centre" style cases/systems.

Failing that lot, buy a see-thru case and mod it with some internal neons
That funky/gadgety enough for ya?

HTH,
Pete

Been there done that, built a PC about 5 years ago with glass side, lights inside etc etc. I'm looking for 'sophistocated' now (yes me I know, hardly sophistocated) I was looking at the ones that everything is built into the monitor so it's all neat and tidy I may have to go and research this further!

You mean something like this?

It's a Sony Vaio ... but a bit pricey at just over a grand *cough*
For that money you could get an iMac!

Originally Posted by dissuade

I love my macbook, it is so much more user-friendly than the PC I had (which had me in tears on a weekly basis), it doesn't crash, it does all the complicated stuff for me and I wouldn't ever even dream of switching back to PC.

And it looks pretty.

In terms of use, it has a lot of stuff that is just designed to make your life easier (and therefore quicker). I use mine mainly for uni (projects etc) and photo processing, and it's great.

Plus, they're supposed to last about 5 years, which none of my other PCs have. ahem, refer to smallprint.

AND your get out clause for any kind of computer-related questions will forever be "I have a mac", at which point people will nod and your perceived IQ will drop by about 10 points.

Smallprint: I am now on my 3rd Macbook in just under a year, but that is mainly because I am an idiot and keep dropping them. The people at ye olde mac shoppe have always been nice enough to replace my busted ones though, tres bien.

I totally agree I have had a whol load of different macs over th past 8 years and all of them have been faultless Currently own a macbook pro and am very happy.

They are more expensive than a PC of equivalent spec, but unlike PC's they hold their value and are worth something after a year or two. Just hang on to the box. Every mac I have owned, I have been able to sell on for a pretty good price given the age. Something I have never been able to do with a pc. Apple also sell refurb stuff on their store, which is pretty good for getting a nice computer, with a good discount and warranty.

I use mine for web, email, 2D and 3D work, video editing and web design and it does a great job.

Plus if the worse comes to the worse and you need Windows then you can either run it as a dual boot machine or windows only

I have a macbook which is about 18 months old now. I didn't get along with windows, and that wasn't because I'm crap with computers, I just found it frustrating!
Macs seem a whole lot more intuitive to me, they probably make some other people blow steam out of their ears, it depends what you like.
Running dual screens on a mac is much better than on windows. Its logical for a start.

I could come up with hundreds of reasons why, and someone else could come up with hundreds of reasons why not to, have a tinker with one and see how it feels

One piece of advice though, don't upgrade your ram through apple, they'll rip you off for it.

Oh, why hasn't anybody said it yet?

IT JUST WORKS!

Originally Posted by Sean_C

One piece of advice though, don't upgrade your ram through apple, they'll rip you off for it.

Not necessarily RAM prices fluctuate like mad and buying from direct apple varies. Sometimes I have found them expensive, sometimes they are the best deal.

Good places for comparison are: (which I have bought from in the past)

http://www.crucial.com/uk/

http://macramdirect.com/ (This is US, but ship internationally)

Originally Posted by andyb

Been there done that, built a PC about 5 years ago with glass side, lights inside etc etc. I'm looking for 'sophistocated' now (yes me I know, hardly sophistocated) I was looking at the ones that everything is built into the monitor so it's all neat and tidy I may have to go and research this further!

My boss has just bought two, one for his wife and one for him, the £1149 24" iMacs.

They're brilliant. If I had the budget to do it, I'd replace all the PCs in our office with them tomorrow. What can't it do that most people want? I've added Office for Mac onto his two and that's it. His wife would like Photoshop or something similar for her art, but he's quite happy.

Unless you want to do something like use a particular software product/game/piece of hardware that is ONLY supported by PC, Macs are a perfect substitute. As people have said, they hold their value well, last well and look good. They're incredibly reliable and stable, easy to use day to day without continuously tweaking them, and did I mention they look good?

'Er indoors has an iMac- one of the upside down bowl types with an arm and a screen hanging off it. The sound thingys inside have gone so the speakers are on full blast all the time. She still has adjustable internal sound though but as it's an all in one PCB can't replace the sound bit. She's had it about 4 years I think and is very happy with it. She uses them for Artwork at work too. I personally can't get on with them. Far too trendy for me. Cheap old laptop, coffee table, sorted.


Or you could get a Playstation 3 and a wireless keyboard and mouse! Great to watch por.....er......youtube videos on your telly.