looking to buy a new computer, looking for suggestions

natswild · April 2015

I'm super frustrated with my current computer, an ACER, partly due to computer being a major pain, crashing, etc, and partly due to Windows 8. I'm thinking very hard about moving to a Mac, and am looking for any recommendations from those of you who either have experience with just Mac, or have moved from a PC to a Mac.

My needs are very modest. I mainly use it for using the internet, photos, and creating documents, so I'm not needing the gamer type of computer. I am very often working in the bush, so desktop is out.

I'd like to know what the Retina display is, and is it something that I would need?

ETA: How difficult is it to move files, photos, all that kind of stuff from a PC to a Mac?

TIA

porkchops926 · April 2015

I've worked on both and in my experience Macs are generally more user-friendly, and will tend to give you less problems, but they're more expensive and less customizable. If you have simple needs and are willing to pay for it, they're super easy.

Retina display is just an apple term for a super high-resolution monitor. I think it's like 300 pixels per inch or over. Basically this just means that you won't be able to discern individual pixels. You don't need this unless you're a professional photographer or designer, but frankly even then you don't need it.

Moving files over is super easy. Mac prides themselves on being cross-platform, so it is literally going to be a drag and drop thing. You can even get MS office programs for Mac, although most of that is integrated into gmail now so that's not a needed thing. The downside is that they come with a lot of unnecessary bloatware, and do try to force you to use i everything.

On another note have you been maintaining your computer with regular virus and performance scans? I've heard you can also make Win 8 look like Win 7 via your preferences.

I prefer Macs mostly for their reliability and interface. I've had the same one for 8 years and it is a workhorse. But PCs will give you more bang for your buck if you're willing to maintain them. If you're looking for something that's literally just a plug in and forget about it for years to come, then Mac is the way to go, but you'll have to pay more for it.

blabla89 · April 2015

I love my macbook pro. I don't have the retina display but I love the screen on it.

I switched to Mac when my old Acer laptop crashed, so moving files wasn't even an option for me. I imagine that getting all set up and moving the files would be tedious, but not difficult. Put everything on an external hard drive and copy it over to the new computer. The biggest hurdle is adjusting to a new OS, learning where to find things, etc. but Mac is so much more user friendly (IMO) that it's worth it.

WinstonsGirl · April 2015

I moved to Macs a while ago. I love that I worry much less about internet viruses/malwear/etc. cos there is much less made for them. Security features are also built into the operating system (though Windows might be moving in that direction now). Anyway, I use internet, type up papers and organize photos. That's it.

They do cost a lot more, but I've found they hold up better. Mine doesn't seem to slow down like my PC's did. I'v head this one 4 years now and it still runs like I just got it.

Also, you can pay $100 for some Apple care or something, and when you buy it, the Apple people will transfer all of your stuff from your old computer to the new one, so it's done for you. It seems expensive, but so worth it for me. You can also take classes then to teach you how to use the different programs too. I won't go back to PC's

JCbride2015 · April 2015

I have the Macbook Pro with Retina display (last year's model). I bought it more for the increased performance than the display itself, but the Retina is a really nice touch. It just looks gorgeous and is fantastic for watching Netflix when traveling. Do I need it? Not at all.

I moved over from a PC after undergrad and it was a pretty easy transition. The people at the Apple Store can help you move your stuff over. I did it myself by backing up to an external hard drive then dragging and dropping. All of your documents will still work, and you can buy MS Office for your Mac. I would suggest trying the free Apple "office" products called iWork before you shell out for Office-- I actually really like that much better than Office.

It sounds like your needs would be met by one of the less expensive Macbook lines, like the Air or the regular MacBook. If I had bought my computer during work instead of school, and only needed the computer for personal stuff, I would totally have bought the Air. It's cheaper and so thin and light.

redheadbride15 · April 2015

I have been a long-term Mac fan. I have a little 11" MacBook Air - it's super-thin, super-light, barely larger than an iPad so I take it literally everywhere (it fits in almost all my purses).

Transferring files from PC to Mac is very easy. The Mac OS has a Migration Assistant that walks you through the process when you set up your new computer. You just need to have both computers connected to the same network and it does it wirelessly.

emmaaa · April 2015

I do not like Macs. Not because they don't work well but rather because I have always used PC and can't figure the damn things out.

I have a Toshiba that's five years old and has never had an issue. I love it.

ohmrs2014 · April 2015

I had been a PC user all my life. When I started my new job I needed my own laptop and my DH convinced me to buy a MacBook Pro. I love it. I would never go back. I have had it for over 4 years and its still going strong.

I have had no issues whatsoever. That being said, they are pricey, but I feel like the phrase "you get what you pay for" is perfect.

My parents have to replace their PCs every few years because they just crap out and now my dad is thinking of going to Mac when the time comes.

wandajune6 · April 2015

I have a 4 year old Mac book for home and a PC for work. Our office has a 50/50 split. I switched to the Mac after grad school after having a few crappy PCs. I'm one of those oddballs who actually prefers a PC.

I have a hard time finding things on a Mac. There's a learning curve but it's not super-logical for me. I also hate Microsoft products for Macs. I use Excel, Word, and PowerPoint regularly and the Mac versions are just not as robust as for the PC. I also find that invitations send through iCal don't work as neatly as Outlook. Also, I can't find anyone who uses privately-hosted email who doesn't have problems synching their devices. I hear tons of bitching about emails not synching and missing calendar invites at work. The free programs are good and can be opened in Microsoft products but we've found that the formatting frequently doesn't translate well. Admittedly, even my personal computer is used for work more often than not.

Also, depending on your setup with wifi, wireless printers, etc. you may need to make updates. DH has lots of switches/routers/etc. in our house that don't work well with my Mac. We also can't get our 5 year old wireless printer working with the Mac, though it works on pretty much any other type of computer.

For PCs, I don't love what I have at the moment. I have a souped up ThinkPad that I got through work 2.5 years ago. The hard drive gives me segment errors (which I can fix but I'm lazy) and I hate the software that Lenovo installs. In fact, when I first got the computer, I had to get professional support because there were conflicts between programs that were pre-installed. That's annoying. My coworker has a year old Dell that he loves.

DH is a computer guy and uses an ASUS he bought for $350 3+ years ago. He uses it for work and school and beats it to death. He's also great about maintaining it. PCs definitely require more maintenance than Macs.

amelisha · April 2015

I'm another Mac person. I love that they are just open-the-box-and-go devices and for someone like me that has really simple needs and just wants everything to work smoothly, they're ideal. I don't get error messages, nothing crashes, everything just does what I need with zero fussing around. I've had PCs and I use one at work too and I'll never go back.

I understand why people who don't like them, don't like them, but for my needs they're perfect. Although these days, I only open my laptop once a month or so to get music or movies off my external hard drive. I do everything else on my iPad. I have a keyboard for it if I need to do more extensive typing but honestly, it does everything I need my computer to do and it's way more convenient. I even used it as my primary computer through my last year of university, actually.

I know they're more expensive than PCs and part of what you pay for is the aesthetic, but I still think it's worth it to have stuff that works for me and that I don't have to mess with.

I also really like that everything flows seamlessly from my phone to my iPad to my MacBook. I live in a house of Apple people too so we all appreciate how well everything works together when we're sharing stuff. We're pretty serious about our iDevices though, haha - between the three of us we have four MacBooks, three iPads and an iPad mini, three iPhones, and an Apple TV, I think.

I should also add that my iPad is three years old and my MacBook is pretty much a dinosaur (I think it's six years old?) and they're both still doing great, which in my eyes makes them superior to all the crappy PC laptops I had that deteriorated in function like crazy after two or three years.

natswild · April 2015

thanks for the responses, everyone! @porkchop926, yes I do maintain my computer, and have a full antivirus/internet security suite, also defrag usually once a month or so.

This computer has had issues with crashing nearly from when I bought it (got it from Future Shop online store), it's just happening more often, and taking more time to start up, etc. Just very frustrating.

I expect I won't buy immediately, but probably in the next couple of months (or the computer dies, whichever comes first!)

lyndausvi · April 2015

I have a PC for work and a Mac for play.

My boss just bought me a new Toshiba (the other one was 3 years old).

I just bought a Mac air (13 inch) just last week. I loved my MacPro (bought it in 2010), but decided to get a new one. The battery in the MacPro is going bad (hello it's 5 years old). So DH got that one and I got the new Air. Might have been a waste of money

I prefer the Mac, but do not have any issues with the Toshiba. I work from home and easily switch between the 2.

hellosweetie1015 · April 2015

I am a huge Mac fan. The ONLY reason I had to replace my first one is because it didn't take kindly to fire, haha. Which - neither did any of my dad's PCs sooooo.

With my last two PCs, function dropped considerably within a year of ownership, even with good AV software. I had one BSOD ten times, complete with loss or corruption of data. The other one was cheaply made, and the charger had to be replaced three times in its lifespan. I was so glad to be rid of that stupid piece of crap. The Mac, IMO, was absolutely worth the money.

They are not at all customizable, though, and a looooooot of business software is designed with PCs in mind. So it's certainly got its cons, especially in a more "standardized" work environment.

sophhabobopha · April 2015

I have this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OJHHYOA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use it for regular interwebs, school, and moderate pc gaming. I love it a lot.

natswild · April 2015

cool, thanks again, everyone! I've definitely got food for thought!

looking to buy a new computer, looking for suggestions

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