• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Mac users input requested.

L

lewblue83

n00b
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
13
New guy here, been lurking for a while. Life long PC user. But i've been itching for a macbook pro.

only thing thats slightly turning me off is not having many games available for it.

BUT, other than that. is there anything a PC does better than a macbook? honest answers please.

im just trying to weigh the pros and cons.
 
You can always dual boot and run windows for your games.

Anyway on the windows side you have multiple fields that it does better then the mac side. Cad, video editing(more options on the pc side), etc. Generally speaking you just have more options but you should be able to get by on the mac side. Accounting is another area the windows machines really excel vs the mac platform.

For general use the apple is fine though. Surfing the net, email, video playback, music, basic photo stuff(organizing your photos), etc all work fine.

What do you want to do on the machine?
 
lewblue83 said:
only thing thats slightly turning me off is not having many games available for it.
Click to expand...

This might have been true over a year ago, but between the Mac App store, and more importantly Steam, there are plenty of games available for the Mac. Is it on par with Windows? No... but the gap has closed significantly.
 
I am currently using a 3,1 Macbook Pro. It heats up way more than I like (did it since new), the thermal paste was not applied very well. It is annoying to take apart, although I think the newer ones are even harder. It won't install windows from a flash drive. Superdrive broke. Hits 90C at 50% cpu usage. GPU is heavily under clocked. No cooling vents. Nice integration with iCal, Mail and Address Book. Have it connected to my google account and my phone and it all syncs in real time. *nix based command line, easy to ssh into my linux boxes and I already know most of the commands. Also with the rest of my Apple devices I have had pretty poor reliability. Logitech gaming mice are not supported.
 
swatbat said:
What do you want to do on the machine?
Click to expand...

I mostly go online, emails, photos and stuff. I have an iphone and i really think iCloud would be great paired with a macbook pro and an iphone.

I would like to get into editing my own videos, and making some videos to put on youtube. This is where i thought the Mac would be great. iMovie looks very easy to use.

I just feel that EVERY program PC related starts as a trial version that sucks, or pay 90 bucks for a program you dont like that much.

iPhoto looks like a great tool as well.

Also someone said Macbooks dont respond well to SSD's? as in it isnt too much faster. is that true?
 
lewblue83 said:
Also someone said Macbooks dont respond well to SSD's? as in it isnt too much faster. is that true?
Click to expand...

Mine is much faster with an SSD and in system profiler it claims that TRIM is supported. However, mine (3,1) only has a SATA1 port. I get faster speeds using my eSATA to ExpressCard adapter.
 
swatbat said:
You can always dual boot and run windows for your games.

Anyway on the windows side you have multiple fields that it does better then the mac side. Cad, video editing(more options on the pc side), etc. Generally speaking you just have more options but you should be able to get by on the mac side.
Click to expand...

While this is probably true, I recently moved to Mac just for video editing. With Final Cut, Avid, and Premiere available for editing, you've basically got your bases covered.

I have bootcamp set up so I can boot into Windows anytime I need to do something that I can't do on my Mac....and I haven't ever used it. I really thought I'd be dual booting more, but I just don't need to.
 
For what you want to do, a Mac will be great. All my Macs have responded really well to SSDs, so I don't know where you heard otherwise. However, they don't support TRIM for third-party drives. So you should either get the SSD through apple when you order or buy something that has good internal garbage collection.
 
If you're an OnLive user, that opens up the doors to playing many PC-only games on a Mac.
 
Jerome36 said:
This might have been true over a year ago, but between the Mac App store, and more importantly Steam, there are plenty of games available for the Mac. Is it on par with Windows? No... but the gap has reduced somewhat.
Click to expand...

Fixed.
 
shurcooL said:
If you're an OnLive user, that opens up the doors to playing many PC-only games on a Mac.
Click to expand...

Not sure what that has to do with a Mac, specifically. You don't even need a computer to use OnLive.
 
Word of Caution:


While you can dual boot with Windows 7 there is a problem driver problem with the Intel Sandy Bridge GPU. For example, there was a really dumb bug with the GPU and dual screen in Windows 7 and desktop backgrounds. There was a driver update however the chip package in the Macbook Pro is different (with a custom number) though they use the same CPU as other mobile computers, so when trying to install the new drivers it would fail as it would not recognize the CPU as a Sandy Bridge CPU because it is a custom package.

I'm not sure if the same applies for the 15" with the AMD GPUs but for the 13" it made it hell. So you're at the mercy of Apple.

On the bright side, a new intel driver was released to bring up the Macbook Pro 13"s to the latest fixes so things may have changed. However, you've been warned.
 
Peteman100 said:
For what you want to do, a Mac will be great. All my Macs have responded really well to SSDs, so I don't know where you heard otherwise. However, they don't support TRIM for third-party drives. So you should either get the SSD through apple when you order or buy something that has good internal garbage collection.
Click to expand...

There is a TRIM enabler for third party drives. It worked fine for me in Snow Leopard with a Corsair Force 60gb and it still works in Lion.


As far as the thread topic, putting a SSD in my Macs was the best upgrade I've ever made hardware wise and I started out building computers in like 1997. I've been on OSX exclusively desktop wise since 2008 and I've never needed a Windows machine to do anything really. I keep a Windows7 virtualbox on my laptop for the fucking online classes that -require- Windows, but that's about it.
 
Last edited:
If gaming is your number one goal then Apple laptops should not be on your list. Apple computers work best in an OS X environment. IMO the hardware and software synergy is the best in the business so I suggest you keep a PC around while you go all in with a Macbook. There's a learning curve but once you get past that you'll find a whole new reason to love your computer again.
 
lewblue83 said:
I mostly go online, emails, photos and stuff. I have an iphone and i really think iCloud would be great paired with a macbook pro and an iphone.

I would like to get into editing my own videos, and making some videos to put on youtube. This is where i thought the Mac would be great. iMovie looks very easy to use.

I just feel that EVERY program PC related starts as a trial version that sucks, or pay 90 bucks for a program you dont like that much.

iPhoto looks like a great tool as well.

Also someone said Macbooks dont respond well to SSD's? as in it isnt too much faster. is that true?
Click to expand...

If you're primarily looking for a workstation in the OSX environment, Macs are great. I made the 'switch' in 2008, and I haven't looked back.

Since then, I've had a 2008 15" MBP, 2009 27" iMac, and 2010 13" MBP.

The iMac has probably be the champion of the lot handling all the work I threw at it, as I do a lot of photo editing, although I do want to get into video editing as well.

I have found that I can accomplish things on a Mac faster than on a PC. This is due to spaces/expose (now merged into mission control,) hotkeys, quicksilver, and Apple's unique library of applications. I think there is a great deal of preference here in interface. Some people claim to not be able to stand the OSX environment, but I appreciate it greatly.

I used to bootcamp and use virtualization (Fusion) when I made the switch, but I've moved away from that. I think it's mostly because I have moved away from gaming, and have started to use computers mostly for productivity. I do think that it helped the transition as there is a learning curve (albeit, in my opinion, an easy one.) All the games I personally would want to play, have been ported over. (Civ 4/5, Starcraft 2, Fallout 1/2, emulators, etc)


I'm not sure what you've heard about SSD's, but Apple themselves offer them in their systems, and they have for several years. They offer substantial improvements in speed, but some people have had problems with certain drives. I would say that the Crucial M4, anything Intel and OWC 6G are probably the best options for maximum speed, stability, and reliability.
 
lewblue83 said:
BUT, other than that. is there anything a PC does better than a macbook? honest answers please.
Click to expand...

My honest opinion? No. OS X is far beyond Windows, especially in areas of usability. Ten minutes with a MacBook Pro's trackpad and Lion's gesture-based window management will leave you unable to deal with Windows' clunky-by-comparison solutions. OS X's interface is better, the Mac hardware is almost universally better than equivalently-priced PC solutions (and ties in much more elegantly and usefully than anything Microsoft and the OEM army are willing or able to allow), and the array of "hidden" features like Automator are fantastic.

It's a weird feeling for the Windows switcher when he realizes he doesn't have to spend hours solving out of the box problems before the computer can be considered "usable".

lewblue83 said:
Also someone said Macbooks dont respond well to SSD's? as in it isnt too much faster. is that true?
Click to expand...

Falsehood stemming from ignorance. Who is this "someone"?

Jerome36 said:
This might have been true over a year ago, but between the Mac App store, and more importantly Steam, there are plenty of games available for the Mac. Is it on par with Windows? No... but the gap has closed significantly.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say the gap has been "significantly" closed. OS X ports are treated as shovel ware, usually wrapped in some sort of WINE-like package and given no updates or support after release. There are also no efforts to treat OS X as an equal partner to Windows. That's a lot to ask of publishers when the Xbox 360 is their primary platform, with the Windows PC itself as an afterthought.

That said, there are some decent OS X games and ports available through the MAS and Steam. Just don't expect to play Battlefield 3.
 
CEpeep said:
Not sure what that has to do with a Mac, specifically. You don't even need a computer to use OnLive.
Click to expand...
It lets you play PC-only games on a Mac, that's what it has to do with Mac. And yes, you do need a computer unless you wanna buy their MicroConsole. But why would you do that if you already have a computer (be that a PC or Mac), except for the convenience factor.
 
The one thing about Apple I think they got right is the mobile market. They have created iPhones, iPads, iPods, and the ultra-loved macbook line. They have rivaled the PC notebook world for some time now, considering the macbook's incredible battery life, beautiful LCD screens, pretty decent speakers, AMAZING trackpad, solid build quality, and fantastic customer care. Now, with the option of dual-booting with windows, and having up-to-date hardware in the way of CPU's and graphics, the macbook is almost a win-win-win situation.

As far as desktops go, I always admit you do pay for a premium for subpar software, but not so much is terrible unreasonable, considering the incredible LCD's that come built in, so as far as all-in-one's go, ut's about as good as you can get with the iMac. The mac pro....I'd never pay for one ever.

But if there is one thing Apple has always had right, its the portable world. +1 for a macbook. I've had 3.

My $0.02 =)
 
lewblue83 said:
just things i've read. people say "oh OSX doesnt need SSD. it barely makes it faster" blah blah blah
Click to expand...

Yeah that's crazy. I put a 128GB M4 in my 2011 MacBook Pro and it's a huge improvement. (And it was fast before, 2.2ghz i7, Radeon 6750m, 8GB RAM).

I replaced the optical drive with the SSD, kept my 500gb hard drive. Works amazingly well.
 
lewblue83 said:
just things i've read. people say "oh OSX doesnt need SSD. it barely makes it faster" blah blah blah
Click to expand...

One of the reasons the MBA with a C2D was so quick and felt on pace with MBP's (which were sporting i5's and i7's) was the SSD drive. People making those statements probably don't have SSD's.

Apple themselves know and appreciate solid state. This is the reason for all iPods to head that direction, and the poor lonely Classic being all but bumped off. This is the reason the MBA only has an SSD as an option, and why every machine they make has an option for SSD's.
 
thanks for the input everyone. i've made up my mind. im going to keep my gaming PC which is a desktop. and taking the plunge and buying a 17" MBP.
 
lewblue83 said:
New guy here, been lurking for a while. Life long PC user. But i've been itching for a macbook pro.

only thing thats slightly turning me off is not having many games available for it.

BUT, other than that. is there anything a PC does better than a macbook? honest answers please.

im just trying to weigh the pros and cons.
Click to expand...

They are just tools. I wouldn't say one is better than the other. Just different. I've had this imac since may and I must say I prefer windows. But I tend to use my computer in different ways than most and I spend a lot of time in the file system and I just feel much faster doing that in windows.
 
lewblue83 said:
thanks for the input everyone. i've made up my mind. im going to keep my gaming PC which is a desktop. and taking the plunge and buying a 17" MBP.
Click to expand...

I hate to say it, but why in the hell do you need a 17" laptop?
 
Chibo said:
I hate to say it, but why in the hell do you need a 17" laptop?
Click to expand...

fair question. honestly i like the resolution high. i like big screens. im not a college student constantly carrying my laptop everywhere, so the extra size isnt an issue for me.
 
lewblue83 said:
fair question. honestly i like the resolution high. i like big screens. im not a college student constantly carrying my laptop everywhere, so the extra size isnt an issue for me.
Click to expand...


Unless you plan to work with it at work at a desk at work and bring it home to another desk or go to clients where a desk is available, it is best to avoid the large screen. Plane rides, airports, car rides, bus rides, train rides, etc. you can just forget it unless you like making an ass out of yourself messing with that monster of screen just to show it off. (And drop it in the process like some idiots I know/seen.)

If this is going to stay put than why not go for the large iMac? or Even better, get the 13" and the nice Apple Cinema Display. :D

That way you can keep a gamer PC hooked up to it when you need your game on.
 
martinmsj said:
Unless you plan to work with it at work at a desk at work and bring it home to another desk or go to clients where a desk is available, it is best to avoid the large screen. Plane rides, airports, car rides, bus rides, train rides, etc. you can just forget it unless you like making an ass out of yourself messing with that monster of screen just to show it off. (And drop it in the process like some idiots I know/seen.)

If this is going to stay put than why not go for the large iMac? or Even better, get the 13" and the nice Apple Cinema Display. :D

That way you can keep a gamer PC hooked up to it when you need your game on.
Click to expand...

Plane rides/airports=tablet.

car rides/bus/train=iphone or tablet.

I have zero need for a super high powered laptop during those instances, even a 15" is dumb. I'd bring the 17" and use it at the hotel.

I have no desire in busting out a 2000 dollar laptop on a bus or a train, just to become a mugging target.
 
lewblue83 said:
is there anything a PC does better than a macbook?
Click to expand...
Let me flip that around for ya. Here's what a mac does better than a PC:

Video editing. Final Cut is so far above anything else that's offered, it's absurd.
Trackpad. Okay, it sounds stupid, but use a macbook for a month, and you'll never want to go back.

Aside from that, it's great hardware in an aesthetically pleasing shell. The OS is very nice to use, but not a deal breaker - Windows 7 is good in it's own way. I think most Autodesk applications are available on OS X now, but there's no advantage over the Windows versions. Photoshop's been on PC for years now. Audio creation seems to be a matter of preference, with Mac having the software but PC having the hardware. Officework is pretty much the same on either machine now that Office is available for the mac.
 
Picked up a 17inch MBP today. I'm impressed. The trackpad gestures alone is a great selling point. Then there is how well it integrates with my iPhone. Even if I write a note it shows up on my Mac! I love it
 
Welcome, before you know it people will be calling you a stupid fanboy for speaking positively of Macs. ;)
 
Revdarian said:
Wait what?

You threw too broad an statement there, review it a bit buddy:

http://www.amazon.com/Apple-ATI-Rad...QH6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320246433&sr=8-1

As an "Wait, what???" example.
Click to expand...

No, I actually didn't throw out a broad statement. Find me a PC with equal or better specs and equivalently or cheaper priced than, say, a 15'' MacBook Pro. You can't. Likewise, try to find a PC equal or better to 27'' iMac at an equal or lesser price.

You know, actually address the statement, rather than misinterpret it and attempt to subvert it by linking to individual hardware instead of OEM PCs, which were the intended and obvious contrast points.
 
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
There was a time when I absolutely despised Macs, actually Apple in general. Then I grew up. ;)

I think OS X is the ideal platform for any tech oriented person, unless you only ever plan on working with Windows. It's nice to be able to open a terminal and log into my nas box. You can run any operating system you want.

I've found after using OS X as my primary environment for several years that it's quite annoying when I have to use Windows. Windows 7 is slick, I'm not at all saying it's a bad OS, but all the little Windows annoyances are still there. I hate having things constantly pop up in the notification center is, how convoluted the Control Panel is, things like that.
You often hear Windows fanboys saying OS X is dumbed down for people that don't know how to use a computer. I see it the other way around, why spend time dealing with stuff that you shouldn't have to.

As far as the 17" MBP, if it fits your needs then more power to you. I personally agree with the others. I've found that 90% of the time any modern machine will have more than enough power and the other 10% even a high end laptop isn't quite enough. Even with my 15" MBP I often hesitate to use it as a portable because I'm too worried about damaging a $2000 machine or because it's still just too big for me to want to move it around much.
 
Terpfen said:
NFind me a PC with equal or better specs and equivalently or cheaper priced than, say, a 15'' MacBook Pro. You can't. Likewise, try to find a PC equal or better to 27'' iMac at an equal or lesser price.
Click to expand...
Aren't we talking about a 17" MBP here, why even bring up other stuff, I'm sure I could go get a 15" sager with better specs for less as well?

17" MBP, base, no upgrades, no SSD - $2499 at the apple store(http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MD311LL/A?select=select&product=MD311LL/Ad)
- 2.4GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7
- 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM — 2x2GB
-750GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm

17" Sager NP8170(http://sagernotebook.com/index.php?page=product_customed&model_name=NP8170), Upgraded processor, more ram, faster HD, still cheaper
Base Price 1399
-Upgrade to 2.4ghz I7(same as MBP) +210
-Upgrade HD's to raid 0 SSD's at 80GB/ea. +305
-Blu Ray drive instead of DVD +80
-Win 7 Pro instead of home +60
-Comes with 8GB RAM standard already.

Total Before current discounts - 2054
With current discounts and Shipping - 1984

So, I'm $500 less and have a better system spec wise that would beat the base MBP in about any benchmark. I could take that 500 and double up to 16GB of ram and still have extra money if I felt like it. Oh, the 15" 2.4 GHZ MBP is 2199, so I'm cheaper than that as well and have a 17" with better hard drive, more ram, etc.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top