Why A PC Diehard Bought A (Used) MacBook Pro (Op Ed)

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dovah-chan

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Oh hush. I'd buy a mac if I had the money just to admire the build quality. I absolutely love spaces too. But the cost/stigma to it is just not worth it. I definitely wouldn't use OSX to say the least. Automatically would have installed Debian/Arch on it.

Hoping everyone has watched this video

Linus said:
Some people just want the experience of driving in a jaguar, rather than just hot-rodding a neon just to go fast.

 
I have to agree. Since we're sitting around the water cooler sharing things we've been happy with, a number of years ago I picked up a used dell inspiron laptop that had a nice screen and worked good too. What does this have to do with anything? It doesn't even fulfill the title by addressing why the author bought the macbook. On a whim? Because they didn't like windows? Proof that a macbook is more durable in any way? Confirmation of anything other than what we already knew, macbooks are overpriced? It's not bashing on apple or on the author really, but seriously. If going through the trouble to share something at least put some meat in the story. This sort of went nowhere like someone got bored and started sharing photos of their kids in the breakroom. Begs to be responded to with 'cool story bro'.
 

ammaross

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The author tried to use Surface RT as an operating system.... Granted, he's 100% correct about his laptop being a good workhorse homework machine, but that also tells me he's a Lit/Writing student and not one that needs something more akin to Mathcad or business tools from the likes of SAGE for school.
 

Lavidicus

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I completely agree with the author, I too am sick to death of Windows 8 and forced inclusion on any new laptop purchased today. As a cheaper alternative to the author's suggestion, I've recently put VMWARE workstation on my Windows 8 laptop, and started running Mac OS virtually on my Sony laptop. Almost for the same reasons, I have decided my next laptop will be a Mac, but I cant justify the cost of purchasing such an expensive laptop. Great article, Thank you for sharing!
 

dovah-chan

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Incoming wave of people who are going to call me a <removed> for admiring great craftsmanship and beautiful design despite getting parts in the mail ready for another build to place elsewhere in the house (http://puu.sh/fz45L/7114e150c4.jpg THIS BOX IS SO CUTE OMG)

Watch the homophobic slurs. - G
 

burkhartmj

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My problem with this article is that it hinges on bad experiences with a bottom of the barrel device, even by MS's standards. This article would have been easier to run with if the experience was with a legitimate Windows 8 device, at least a Surface Pro 1 [have one and love it, but the caveats to its use are definitely steep]. Course I've also appreciated Windows 8 from day one, and absolutely love 8.1.

I think you meant to compare the entirety of your extensive experience with MS products to your MBP, but it came off more as "Surface RT vs MBP," which is an utterly laughable comparison. You also failed to clarify what you even do and why it's better on a MBP. Considering the purchase of a Surface RT in the first place posits the answer as 'not a whole lot," that would then beg the question of why you didn't get a used Macbook Air for cheaper. They are after all the darlings of Apple for people who need to type a lot and not much else. Also, the whole thing about it feeling "somehow special" really only serves to invalidate your entire piece, because it sounds like all of the pretentious nonsense that got people to start hating Apple fanboys in the first place. There's nothing special about your laptop other than that it's new to you.

I don't really care what you prefer, but if you're going to do a very obvious flamebait op ed, at least try to fill in the experience and provide a clearer perspective. Right now it just looks like you needed an excuse to get an Apple device that is likely way more powerful than what you need so you blamed something more akin to an iPad with a keyboard, then wanted some validation in your purchase.
 

Real Gamer

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"I built my gaming PC for just that reason -- gaming. My 6-core AMD FX-6300 and Nvidia GTX 660 GPU came roaring to life when I pushed that power button."

- Someone who never had a clue 2015
 

vajoiner

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i've been running a hackintosh for 7 or 8 years and now im seriously thinking of buying a mac mini to put inside my case (it would actually fit in my aerocool ds where the 200mm fan sits W/ full watercooling. incredibly versatile case.) and running it using something like sharemouse, because i need osx for ios development. anyway, apple hardware design and pc gaming aside, osx really doesnt mean that much to me. there are some perks for each imo. like i fucking hate photoshop on mac.. i despise it.. and most of my other graphics tools are win only, then on the plus side i love the simple scripting you can do to tweak osx operations and i think geektool is superior to rainmeter. things like this. but at the end of the day, it doesn't do anything better than windows, that i've found so when i turn my computer on, i boot to windows. i guess the whole debate is just personal preference.
 

toddybody

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uhhh, dude...why wouldn't you spend that 600.00 towards your PC, since you're apart of the "Hardcore PC" Master Race.

Ps: I bought a pack of jewel cases for some mix CDs the other day. Can I write an op ed about the experience?
 

mforce2

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The real question here is Why does Toms write articles praising Macs every now and then ?
Can you write an article about that. I'd love to know the answer and maybe some other readers would too.
In each one the author ( not sure if it's the same one ) confesses he's a very big PC fan but then praises the Mac...
Looking forward for some interesting reading ( I'll have some popcorn ready )
 

thundervore

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I don't understand this article. They build a desktop which was almost bottom of the line components and loved it playing games but then switched to a Surface RT and then had issues so decided they hate Windows and they should go to a Mac?

If you needed a laptop then why buy a Surface? its not apples to apples. I would have understood if they went from a Surface RT (tablet) to an iPad (tablet) but they are all over the place. From a desktop to a tablet to a laptop next thing you know its a smartphone.

After they force iTunes down your throat with Safari and make you go through hell trying to find free software to do the simplest things but ending up paying an arm and a leg, PC will be right here waiting for you.

To be honest, I have a MacBook Pro and its dual boot with Wndows 7. I hardly go to the OSX side because all my windows apps just work, I only have the OSX side so if someone want to use it I let them use the OSX side.
 

alextheblue

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So you compare a low-power tablet (Tegra 3) to a much more powerful laptop. I don't care what tablet it was, if it was ARM-based it could have been an Android tablet or an iPad. It's like replacing a motorcycle with a truck and crowing about how you can finally tow that boat around like you always wanted. Not a fair comparison. I could pick up an entry level Ultrathin that would be just as capable and nice.

Not to mention that you seem to imply it was junk, but are unable to really elaborate as to what issue might wreck the tablet that is exclusive to that tablet (and thus wouldn't be an issue for a different tablet). Updates? You can install updates while you sleep, man. You don't have to stop what you're doing to install them.

Oh, and where you wrote that there's "something special" that you "can't explain" I'm pretty sure you meant to say that it's a truly magical experience beyond human understanding, and that when you touch it you can feel it channeling the spirit of Steve Jobs through you. Now, set up a front-page poll asking if we should revoke your PC Enthusiast card.
 

Fierce Guppy

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"The least expensive MacBook Pro was $1,200 with completely unimpressive specs."

Only someone with a high accumulation of fat between the ears would depart with $1200 for a Macbook Pro with completely unimpressive specs, so you instead elected to spend $600 for an old Macbook Pro... ...with completely unimpressive specs.

They look good after 3.5 years of depreciation. Is that the subtle message you're trying to convey, Seth?
 

Shneiky

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Moral of the story - people don't spend a dime on a normal laptop, but spend a fortune on an Apple product and then they are impressed by the "build quality". If people, like this author, get a Mac Book and a laptop for a similar price with similar specs, you would notice that the build quality is the same. I am rather tired of people comparing 1000 bucks laptops to 2000 Mac books. They are not in the same category. Take a 2000 Apple product to 2000 Dell, for example, products and then we are talking. The Dell does not fall to the Mac at all, even surpasses it in almost everything, even build quality. People are just willing to pay the extra mile if it has the Apple on it. Sure you might argue about the aesthetics, but if something is a personal opinion - then aesthetics is the first one on the list.

Usability - you might like it. For a lot of us, Mac is a plague for professional work. Graphic Design, CAD, 3D work, VFX work, editing, content creation - Mac is behind a comparably priced ultra book. And if someone wants to argue that those are things for a desktop power house - you are wrong. There are types of projects and types of needs. Most of the people can run all their visual professional work on a modest 500 bucks system. If you just write word documents - I can give you a Pentium D system with a Win 7 and it will be "blazing fast" in your eyes.

The complete section about the "mysticism" of the Apple product is completely ridiculous.

This article is completely biased and it shows the opinion of a person with a very limited experience. I do not think these type of articles should be present Tom's Hardware. This is a place where we search the truth, we look at the latest technologies, their development and their limitations and strengths.

TL;DR version:
I did spend a fortune on a Mac book, but I was not willing to spend the same on a product from a competing company, so for me the Mac is the best, because I have no basis for comparison.
 

warezme

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I just pulled the trigger on the new Razer Blade a couple days ago, with the 970M, 512SSD, 16GB Mem and 3800x1800 QHD+ screen. Yea the price is pretty wicked but so is the laptop. I don't care how expensive or cheap, I would never buy a Mac.
 

edfinch427

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Yep my 2010 macbook pro is a fine unit, I added Bootcamp windows 7 and I have a grand gameplaying laptop. I removed the HDD and added a Tbyte SSD and with 8gB memory. I get a stable 40 FPS in WOW. Not up to the Desktop speed but works well when I am on the road. If you want games on a mac, set up win 7 with bootcamp and get the beat of both worlds.
 
I can kinda understand where the author is coming from, and plenty of people in the professional world shell out money for macs because they just want something they can sit in front of and work.

other than that, the way this piece is written... how much is Apple paying you Tom's and what's next, a prop up piece for Intel? we know you're on Nvidia's payroll already
 
Ok now I'm curious - professionals want a mac so they have something they can sit in front of and work? What do pc users do, sit there and stare at their screens? As I recall, mac's were drowning and didn't get a boost up until they began adopting intel cpu's (used in pc's long before mac began using them). Just sayin'. The os's may be different but plenty of professionals use windows - and extremely well. If you grew up with one or the other and find it hard to switch then attribute it to user error. My pc runs pro programs no problems. Depending on how much I want to spend (or anyone else wants to spend) there's nothing more 'professional' about the looks of a mac. That's a pc users fault for not using a classy case, monitor or peripherals. The fact that all mac comes with are premium just tells me lack of options.

What applications does mac run that a perfectly powerful pc can't? I'm just wondering where this misinterpretation comes from that mac is in anyway superior.
 
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