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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > thinking of going PC

thinking of going PC
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tether
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Sep 6, 2005, 11:40 AM
 
i currently work on an imac but i want to change to laptop so i'm more mobile. not sure whether to go PC or not - these are my priorities:

-ability to use the machine as a recorder/ DVD burner connected to my tv or tv cable connection
-ability to copy DVDs
-lightweight, so easy to carry around

i dont need anything superfast, and though i prefer using osX, i wouldnt stick with it if a PC met the requirements above better, and if it was cheaper too.

thanks.
     
harrisjamieh
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Sep 6, 2005, 11:50 AM
 
I wouldnt go to PC, you'll be sorry! Im just about to switch from PC to mac as I can no longer stand the unreliability of windows XP.

...but this has nothing to do with a powerbook does it... (i think you posted in the wrong forum)
iMac Core Duo 1.83 Ghz | 1.25GB RAM | 160HD, MacBook Core Duo 1.83 Ghz | 13.3" | 60HD | 1.0GB RAM
     
khisayruou
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Sep 7, 2005, 12:27 PM
 
I have a powerbook and a desktop pc. For dvd burning and ripping, I use the pc because it has better
software available that suit my needs.

Ripping all the contents to hdd: Both do it just fine and are pretty equal in capability.
Editing dvds (removing extras, etc.) and compression: pc does it better only because there
are win only programs like dvdshrink out there.
Viewing burned dvds: pc again does it better, it reads almost everything I have thrown at it.
My powerbook g4 with a combo drive struggles to read some burned dvds, but reads retail dvds just fine.
     
Maflynn
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Sep 7, 2005, 01:14 PM
 
Aside from the Pc / Mac debate, are you sure you want to go with a laptop. Moving that much data through the laptop bus is going to be slow. Most laptop hard drive's are quite a bit slower then their desktop brothers. The FSB is always slower then the desktop, while the laptop certainly has benfits over the desktop horsepower and bandwidth is not one of them.

I don't do DVD ripping, so I cannot answer that question, but I think the Mac fulfills your other needs and it doesn't run win xp.
     
lamewing
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Sep 7, 2005, 01:19 PM
 
Originally Posted by harrisjamieh
I wouldnt go to PC, you'll be sorry! Im just about to switch from PC to mac as I can no longer stand the unreliability of windows XP.

...but this has nothing to do with a powerbook does it... (i think you posted in the wrong forum)
Well, a powerbook is a notebook and if he were to get a mac notebook that can burn DVDs he , most probably, would get a powerbook. So, it seems that this forum is as good a place as any.
     
tether  (op)
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Sep 7, 2005, 07:24 PM
 
thanks, still thinkin..
     
schwaz80
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Sep 7, 2005, 07:55 PM
 
I've had both and each do things very well. I miss Expose more than anything! The journaled filesystem of OSX also blows away XP even with indexing on. OS X is a lot more polished than XP is as well. That benefit really lies in the fact the OSX only has to run on a select number of hardware devices. Dell laptops have been cheap lately with the rebates. I know everyone bashes Dell, but there is some piece of mind knowing that your Complete Care warranty will cover anything you do. I have also found XP to be very reliable. As long as you maintain your system properly, it should run fine.

As for ripping DVDs, etc., it will be faster on a newer Centrino laptop.
     
budster101
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Sep 7, 2005, 08:13 PM
 
Get Windows, you'll love the intuitive interface, the lack of viruses, no spyware; adware; malware; trojans; worms; popups; complete privacy and security; no death screen, and you never have to shut it down, just let it go to sleep. Thousands of software packages too! Many freeware, and shareware that are perfectly in line with the interface design with zero conflicts! Plug and Play baby! They comply with all industry standards for interfaces and peripherals, never have a conflict ever!

Oh, wait, you said you were going TO windows? Never mind.
     
NateEssex
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Sep 7, 2005, 11:19 PM
 
Originally Posted by budster101
Get Windows, you'll love the intuitive interface, the lack of viruses, no spyware; adware; malware; trojans; worms; popups; complete privacy and security; no death screen, and you never have to shut it down, just let it go to sleep. Thousands of software packages too! Many freeware, and shareware that are perfectly in line with the interface design with zero conflicts! Plug and Play baby! They comply with all industry standards for interfaces and peripherals, never have a conflict ever!

Oh, wait, you said you were going TO windows? Never mind.
LOL!

I have a PC that collects dust since I stopped playing Everquest. I just love the portability and OS X, so I'll never go back to a PC.
MBP 15" 2.33 ghz 256Video Card
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Sep 8, 2005, 10:41 AM
 
I agree...if you use a specific app all of the time Windows is fine..sometimes even preferable as the bubbly aqua interface can sometimes be distracting (like in maya)...but most of all because it'll be faster

...but for broad usage its kinda sucks.

Though with Firefox, iTunes, and my dock (ObjectDock)..it does feel a little like OS X
     
madmanXwater
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Sep 8, 2005, 11:09 AM
 
My two cents: I use both Mac & WinTel. Both can do the things you have asked. On a Mac Forum, most people are going to tell you that the PC sucks and you should get a Mac, on a PC Forum you will be told Macs suck and you should get a PC! It's predictable. Like I said, the tueth is that you can can accomplish the tasks you need on both platforms. However, from a pure hardware/value standpoint at the current time, I believe that the PC has a major advantage. The PowerBook is stuck with a G4 and 167Mhz bus which just can't compete with PC laptops. I have a 1.33Ghz 17" PowerBook G4 and a HP zd8225ca 17" 3.2 Ghz P4 system. The P4 kills the G4 in CPU intensive tasks. I'm getting between 200-400% better performance for half the cost of the PowerBook.

So for me, until you can get an Intel PowerBook, it's just not worth it.

Hope this helps.

Mike
Canada
     
budster101
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Sep 8, 2005, 11:20 AM
 
What software?
What do you use the PC for as opposed to the Mac? I don't buy it.
     
madmanXwater
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Sep 8, 2005, 12:03 PM
 
budster101 are you asking me? If you are:

Try an MPEG 4 movie with QuickTime 7 - CPU 70% on PowerBook, 12% on P4
Cubase SX project 90% on PowerBook, 24% on P4
FLV encoding of 14 minute video, 49 minutes on PowerBook, 22 minutes on P4

These are specific tests that I have done (and many others) so you won't have the same files that I used, but the results are very clear. The G4 with 167Mhz bus can't keep up with a 3.2Ghz P4 with 800Mhz bus. FYI here in Canada the PowerBook cost me $4500.00 with 2Gig Ram, the HP zd8225ca with 1Gig Ram was $2199.00

Like I said, I use and like both platforms. This is just a performance/value issue.

Mike
     
Maflynn
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Sep 8, 2005, 12:50 PM
 
Originally Posted by budster101
Get Windows, you'll love the intuitive interface...
you never have to shut it down, just let it go to sleep...
Thousands of software packages too! Many freeware, and shareware that are perfectly in line with the interface design with zero conflicts! Plug and Play baby! They comply with all industry standards for interfaces and peripherals, never have a conflict ever!

I use both Mac at home and a PC at work, my wife is also a Windows user, I haven't convinced her to leave the dark side yet

With that said,
The interface while it can be inconsistant is intuitive, and yes Apple is also inconsistant with its UI too.

My wife puts the PC to sleep no problem at all, my laptop goes into hibernation w/o issues

You hit the head on the nail for the software. Huge, absolutly huge difference in available software. Sad but true. I went looking for some software to help me with my home renovations, plans and palnning and the like. I found about 20 different titles for the PC, how many commercial apps for the Mac zippo.

Like it or not the PC has advantages over the Mac, I think the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. If the OP has a need that the PC fulfills better then it makes sense for hime to go to the PC. I'm not into video and dvd stuff so I have no idea which machine is better for that one thing.

Mike
     
   
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