Whats The Difference: Mac vs PC

 

The battle between Good & Evil... (Cue dramatic Music and fog machine). Okay maybe its not that dramatic but Windows and Mac are the most publicized Computer Operating systems that people know about and I want to help the average person understand the main difference between the two products and why there is such a Price difference between them without getting too "Techie" with the Jargon. Hopefully this helps...

 

"Macs Don't Get Viruses"

This is true...-ish. Its not that Macs don't or can't get viruses, its that it is more secure and so few people have them by comparison that it simply doesn't make sense to create them. Think about it like this:

Windows Programming language is like English while Apple language is like Latin. If you wanted to write a sign to send a message to as many people as possible in the quickest way, which would you write it in?

So its not that Apple cannot get viruses, its just that they are so rare that it just isn't yet worth the time and effort to do so.

 

Open Source vs Closed Source

Microsoft Windows, started by Bill Gates, decided he wanted to make his creation a publicly available and development friendly one. This leaves it open to literally BILLIONS of software developers from International Corporations to Geek Lair Supercomputer Builders in their moms basement to make whatever software they deem fit to enhance their experience on it. This, in part, is why Windows is on over 93% of all the computers in the WORLD. This is why far more third party software and devices work so well with PCs and limited, if at all, with Apple computers. On the contrary, since Apple is a closed source all commercial software development has to go through them and therefore has a higher level of compatibility not only with the computer itself, but every other program available for the operating system as well. What this means is that Windows has far more Software available, with far more third party accessories and add-ons while Apple has less, but with a far less likely hood of any of them crashing or being incompatible (like nearly 0%, Literally).

 

Quality

This is one of the most overlooked differences between Mac & PC which boggles the mind because its the most noticeable, Go Figure.

Casing

Computers are typically made from one of 3 things, Cheap Plastic, High Grade Plastic, and Metal. Think of the three like the three pigs houses: Straw, Wood and Brick. PCs make use of all three types in order to help keep prices low for the larger range of consumer while Apple ONLY uses the higher of the two. Matter of fact in the laptops only 1 computer is High Grade plastic, the rest are aluminum.

Screen Type

Currently in displays there are two main technologies, LCD and LED. Many PC devices, Monitors and TVs are now switching to the longer lasting, Lower Power consumption, higher contrast, more accurate color technology (and higher price) of the LED which Apple has been using for years. This is one of the main reasons why many Graphic artists and movie editors choose Apple over PC. The color difference available between LCD & LED is somewhere between approximately 100,000 & 12Million Colors available (for Computer Monitors Only).

Battery Life

In Laptops battery life is a huge concern for those on the go. The technological differences between PC & Mac are different here also, Apple chooses to use a higher costing, longer lasting one. The minimum life on an Apple (Macbook Air) is 5hrs while PC it can be as low as 90minutes. With the Increase in size and price of a typical computer, the power necessary to run it also rises which, pending the same cell size battery, means you will have lower run times. What Apple has done is make this counter intuitive to increase the cell size with price and power necessary which gives the user 8-10hrs of Use (not standby time) on all full Laptops.

Even the way the battery charges varies between the two Computer Titans. A simple plug in for the PC with electricity charging via a prong inside the Laptop while Macs all use a Magnetic Smart charger which eliminates Over charging and degradation of the battery cells. It actually cuts flow of electricity magnetically when battery is full. What this means is not only will the battery last longer per day, it will also not need to be replace every 12-18months like PCs either which saves an additional $100-200 every 2years.

 

 

Still with me? Hopefully I didn't get too Geekish on you and you were able to follow on the main differences between the two and understand the pricing and differences between them. There are more differences of course but that would require far more expertise to understand. But know a few things if you are contemplating going from PC to Mac:

Initial Price:	$199 (Netbook) - $299 (Laptop/Desktop)	$699 (Desktop) - $999 (Laptop)
Annual Upkeep:	$150 (Optimization/Cleaning/Anti-Virus)	$0
Compatibility:	93% of Worlds Computers	5% of Worlds Computers
Average Life:	2-3 years	5-7 years

A PC will cost you less up front, but a Mac will cost you less over time because of lower maintenance, and about $500 worth of included software not including free downloads via the App Store. Its all about what you want to do and how much you can actually afford.

Any Questions? Feel free to write me on Twitter/Facebook/Email if you need free consultation on which operating system you should get (PC/Mac) and the specs you'd need. I also have access to Great pricing on Quality PC repair and Tech Support with 40+ years of experience.

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