[Source]

Hi guys,

I had my rucksack stolen here in London last Friday, containing my 17" Macbook Pro and iPhone 3GS.

I've been using Macs for the last 6 years. My friends are all suggesting that now is the perfect time to switch back to PC with Windows 7 and the Google Nexus One. They're basically insisting that Mac laptops are far slower these days, as Apple hasn't upgraded the processors to Intel's new Core range.

I know I'm on a mac forum, but what do you guys think? Are PCs a lot faster than Macs at the moment? The reviews certainly seem to suggest so. Is Apple being a bit too slow in upgrading to the latest technologies? The Macbooks are STILL using superdrives from 3 years ago - will we ever see a blueray drive!?

Thanks!

[Oisín]

Aren’t both factors relatively unimportant for most users? Are the speed differences (whatever they be—I haven’t a clue) likely to be particularly noticeable in daily use? Do you need to burn BluRay discs very often?

A far more important factor in your situation (to me at least) is whether you prefer OS X or Windows. I haven’t used Windows 7 yet, but just the thought of having to go back to the frustrations of using XP or, even worse, Vista is enough to make me cringe. I’d far prefer using an OS I find pleasant to use, even if the hardware is older and/or slower, than an OS I find horribly unpleasant to use on the newest, fastest hardware there is.

[patrix]

A PC's value is all about its specs.

A Mac's, is all about what you can do with it and how you don't have to fight with it to get work and play done.

So of course, when you compare a PC's value to a Mac's value based on what makes a PC's value, the PC will come out ahead in Price/value.

What about when you compare them based on what makes a Mac valuable? That gets murkier, since you can easily put a monetary value on specs, but not really on usability and "getting it done with minimal fuss".

I tinker with computers all day at my job. When I get home, I want to sit down and relax. I don't want to tinker with my personal computer to make it work, and yes even Windows 7 doesn't do it for me. Let your friends have their opinion, why would anyone want to switch anyone? YOU are the one who will be using it, not them, so make the decision based on what you want, what you need, and what works for you.

Patrix.

[P]

Well, your friends are correct that Apple hasn't updated their laptops to the latest CPUs. They seem to be neglecting the fact that said CPUs were launched at CES January 7th - exactly a week ago. Rumors have it that the update of the MBP is due by the end of the month.

To be fair, the quadcore models have been available since the end of September, but they run hotter than the predecessor Core 2 models despite running at a very low clockspeed, and all put the nerfed low-end model are very expensive. It's not clear that Apple will use them at all (it may be hard to fit such a hot processor into the slim MBP case), and if they do, it will likely only be at the top of the line. Quadcore laptops are not particularly common from any manufacturer.

It's a little hard to advice you on what laptop to pick without knowing more what you do with it. Yes, Win 7 is an improvement, but not that big IMHO - the main difference is that the drivers are much more mature than they were when Vista launched, and they've cleaned up some of the worst interface mistakes. Why is Google Nexus an argument for Windows at all? It doesn't run Windows Mobile - it runs Android, which is a version of Linux. If anything, Nexus is an argument for a Linux laptop.

[turtle777]

Don't listen to your friends.

Unless you need BR real bad, there's no reason to abandon Macs.

-t

[imitchellg5]

Speed is relative to what you are doing. If (for some reason) you need BR on a notebook and you like Windows 7, then get a PC. If you don't, stay with a Mac.

[msuper69]

Blu-Ray media is still way too pricey. Even more so than when DVD media became available.

[EndlessMac]

You should really think of the computer overall as a whole rather than individual specs. Unless you are one of those people who really does need the fastest computer they can find then I can see your point. Very few people actually need the latest fastest thing ever known to man but yet they want one. You see this a lot when people buy technology but only use half of its power in real life.

For example when buying a car do you only look at horsepower because I don't think most people can live with a Ferrari as their only car on a daily basis with its low fuel economy, harsh ride, high cost to maintain, high insurance cost, etc, etc. You really have to look at the whole experience when buying. As it's already been mentioned the more important choice is whether you like Mac or Windows OS better because that will make your overall experience when using a computer better or worst. If you don't believe me then try getting the fastest computer and using DOS or even Windows 95 OS on it and see if you will be happy solely based on the performance specs of your computer. IMO the fastest computer isn't as useful without a great user experience.

Also it's not like Macs are in the stone age and the new updates are rumored to happen soon so if you want a faster Mac then just wait. That's how technology progresses. One day you are the fastest then someone passes or catches up with you and then you start the whole cycle over again. Not many stay the fastest for long. You really need to ask yourself honestly how fast do you really need your computer because one of my computers is about 5 years old and it can still do a lot of daily stuff I do. I'm not saying a fast computer isn't nice nor that Macs shouldn't keep up or surpass the specs of PCs but basing your buying decision on specs alone IMO isn't the best way to buy a computer.

I'm not a Mac fanboy and if you feel like Windows is the better choice for you then you should choose it. For some people it is the better choice. I actually use Macs and Windows fairly often because some of my work requires Windows and I personally enjoy using Macs better. Simple things like easy backups with Time Machine, easy transferring of my files to a new computer with Migration Assistant, built in PDF creator, features such as Expose & Spaces, the multi-touch finger gestured trackpad, etc, etc, just makes my overall usage of the computer more enjoyable and easier. I also think Apple comes up with more innovative useful ideas faster than Windows so as a Windows user you have wait for Apple to come up with the ideas and then have Windows copy them. Anyway everyone needs to make the choice between Mac or PC decision for themselves.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by EndlessMac 

You should really think of the computer overall as a whole rather than individual specs. Unless you are one of those people who really does need the fastest computer they can find then I can see your point. Very few people actually need the latest fastest thing ever known to man but yet they want one. You see this a lot when people buy technology but only use half of its power in real life.

For example when buying a car do you only look at horsepower....

Actually, a fitting analogy would be someone who buys a full-sized truck (PC), bragging that it has more horse power than the neighbor's Ferrari (Mac).

-t

[polendo]

I think Win 7 is pretty good. I perceived it fast vs Vista and vs XP. If someone thinks that using windows is a hassle, well to each its own, but I think it works well. Seldom I have problems with OS X (only with printing on "PC printers"), but in all due honesty problems with windows 7 I have had none so far.
Right off the bat (without buying software) I think you can do more with an Apple laptop than with a PC laptop, but then again true quality up to date PC laptops are really expensive (Thinkpads -NOT Ideapads, Falcon´s, etc.) . Think of this, with an Apple laptop you can do OS X and Windows. With a PC laptop you can also do both BUT OS´x won´t play nice at all. If you had all this time on OS X and want to work on a PC you are going to work SLOW .. because you will need time to adapt again.. in other words whatever advantage you have on PC hardware will just go away.. and that is if Apple stays put which won´t.
To me I rather have an Apple laptop (even with all those battery and video dramas) because they are really well built, I have the choice to use Windows and all around are good performers. The PC laptops that *I like* are really expensive for my taste.. the rest are just standard quality wise laptops.

[amazing]

Do you want to buy Windows versions of all your software?

Do you want to fight the swiss-cheese fight with Windows security?

[mduell]

The current crop of i5/i7 PC laptops spank the current crop of Core 2 Duo MacBook Pros.

[Simon]

The MBP will go Core i5/i7 within weeks. After that there will be no significant difference. Windows 7 however will not become OS X within weeks. In fact, not in even within months. You'll be stuck with what it is.

A MBP is without doubt one of the best engineered notebooks you can buy. It will run both OS X and Win 7 (should you need it). A PC notebook on the other hand will in general not run OS X out of the box.

Bottom line, unless BR video playback is an absolute requirement, the MBP will be the better choice. Just give it a few weeks for the update to i5/i7 to arrive. You don't want to buy a C2D right now.

[pcryan5]

I just buy Macs and use Bootcamp for Win 7 when need be. I'm not in awe of Macs - I'm just bored of Windows.