Apple computers have long been the standard for the design world, while PC computers were traditionally more popular with developers and programmers. In the past, Apple computers had the advantage of better graphics and font handling, but in 2018 PCs have caught up and it’s insane that this debate of Mac vs PC is still an issue in hiring.
Ever since the Apple ads casting PC as the dorky, nerdy and hard to use friend appeared in the early 2000s, Apple has continued this image of simplicity and sleekness well into the 2010s; so if you’re purely buying for the looks, then by all means, carry on with Mac. However, each has it’s own advantage. PC users enjoy unlimited customisation and prices, which are traditionally lower than macs, while Mac’s offer a beautiful design with the promise of easy to use setup and low maintenance.
Let’s look at price to begin with.
Below is listed prices of a Mac, a PC of similar specs, and a PC of similar price to a Mac.
| Mac | PC | Custom Build | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | i5 7500 | i5 7500 | $255 | i5 8400 | $279 |
| RAM | 8gb | 8gb | $126 | 16gb ram | $260 |
| GFX | Radeon 560 | Rx560 | $189 | 4gb 1050 ti | $245 |
| HDD | 1TB | 1TB hybrid | $96 | Sandisk 480gb ssd | $189 |
| SCREEN | 21.5inch 4k | dell 24 inch 4k | $599 | dell 24 inch 4k | $599 |
| 80+ bronze 550 thermaltake | $85 | 80+ bronze 550 thermaltake | $85 | ||
| Corsair cc100r | $69 | Corsair cc100r | $69 | ||
| logitec z213 | $28 | logitec z213 | $28 | ||
| kb+mouse | $14 | kb+mouse | $14 | ||
| Windows | $125 | Windows | $125 | ||
| Total | $2,199 | $1,586 | $1,893 |
By purchasing a PC with very similar specifications to the Mac you are saving $613.
For $306 less you are getting a new processor with 2 more cores, double the RAM, and a 480gb SSD drive.
Ok, I’ll be the first to admit that the PC will have a million cords attached to it and will definitely not be as pretty as the Mac. I should also say that I have not included labour costs as I believe that most people with some help from Google should be able to piece together a computer.
The other big advantage that the PC has is upgradability and customisation. You don’t like that monitor – switch it out for a new one, you want a mechanical keyboard – go ahead, you’re finding the graphics card too slow for you to play Battlefield in 4k – easy 10 minute card replacement. I haven’t done a complete rebuild of my computer since 2010, all the parts have been slowly upgraded to meet my demands. The computer that I’m using now is completely different from the build in 2010, but each part has been replaced gradually. This is something that I’ve always disliked about Macs — they are beautiful until you have to fix or replace something.
They say that viruses are more common on PCs, which is true as it is a more popular system. They say 90% of viruses affect PCs, then again 90% of all desktop computers are PCs.
If you are in love with the Mac operating system it actually is possible to install it on a PC through the Hackintosh tutorials. It does take A LOT of fiddling about but it’s a great weekend project.
I totally get it that building your own PC isn’t your thing and I get that the sexy Mac with it’s one cord and integrated monitor system saves space. But if you are prepared to tinker around and learn a little building your own PC can save you a lot of money and is a great learning experience
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