Do Apple Computers Suck?

D

devalvacoa

New member
I'm noticing that a lot of musicians are using PCs to record.

I've been, for a long time, considering purchasing either an Apple Ibook or a Powerbook to use for digital recording via a Tascam US428. I would, of course, have a separate, external hard drive to manage the recordings.

Regardless, are there any downsides to Apple laptops? Because I've been hearing a lot of hype about the Apples. For example, that wireless internet technology (Airport), and how it handles musical and visual applications really well. Or should I just shut up and stick with a Dell laptop (or any other laptop) and save a few hundred bucks (Apples are really expensive for not much umph) and get a better deal?

By the way, I'll be going to college in the fall, so I'm looking for a versatile 'puter; one to use for recording and for writing an essay the night before it's due.
 
In the past, Apples have been regarded as having better performance with regards to audio and video. This is still true if you consider the fact that even the fastest Macs processor speeds are much less than their PC counterparts, while their apparent speed is very close. This in itself tells you something about how much better suited they are to some applications. Most professionals still use the Mac platform because they have been for years and they are familiar with it.

Now that the PC market is catching up in performance, all of us peons can get the same performance for much less money. Besides the obvious advantage of software availablity, PC also lead in hardware upgradability. The market is so saturated with competing manufacturers that pricing drops on a daily basis.

Then there is the issue of stability. Macs have long been more stable than Windows machines. I think that most stibility problems are due to poorly written software other than the operating system itself. Although these problems still exist, they are slowly disappearing. Oddly enough, I have seen the Mac in my local studio crash more times than my own Windows machine, although it's probably due to its' age (5 or 6 years).

Personally, I like the Mac graphical interface better. It just seems more streamlined. It just plain works better. At this point in time, or at least very soon, it will come down to a matter of personal preference and not performance when deciding on which platform to go with. Out of the box, a Mac will serve you better, but the advantages of the PC are hard to overlook. I certainly wouldn't say Apple sucks. I would say Apple sucks a lot less than Microsoft. The problem is that you have to pay for it.
 
What is this? Troll bait?

OK then, I'll stick my neck out. I'm sure there'll be plenty of PC guys coming to chop it off.:eek:

It depends on what you want from your computer. Obviously if your only concerns are how many apps are available, how much things cost, and how many plug-ins you can run at once on your native DAW, get a PC.

If you think there's more to computing than supersizing your order, you should check out a Mac. Go to a store and play with one for a while. Hang around some Mac boards and see what's happening.

Don't be fooled into thinking you have to spend $4000 on a machine, and there aren't good software choices. There are deals to be had if you just look.

There really isn't a whole lot of difference in the hardware these days, though Apple does have a well deserved reputation for good customer service & high quality products (no whining please!) but to me it's the operating system that's the key.

The Mac OS (9 or Jag) certainly doesn't suck, but only you can decide if it's good enough to switch platforms.


I'm done. Flame away gentlemen.:p
 
No, Mac's don't suck at all.

They have a rep for being more expensive than PC's, but I think that is largely due to higher quality hardware. If you want to buy a PC with the same quality of hardware as a Mac you're going to pay about the same amount. The market may be changing here , though. Good, fast PC hardware is getting pretty darn cheap.

PC's stereotypically crash more than Macs. When you get into the higher end apps like multitrack audio and video, though, Windows XP and Macs are about the same. At least in my experience. The G4 my video editor works on crashes as often as my vpr Matrix laptop. Which isn't often.

I like Mac machines a lot, even though I'm largely a PC guy. Mac's are harder to hack into, it seems- more what you see i swhat oyu get. Upgrading Mac's is supposedly harder, but if you're looking at an iBook- all laptops are near impossible to upgrade.

Up to you, really. They are about the same in my book. I've even skinned XP to look like a OS X and no one can really tell the difference. Just make sure that the software you want to run is availible for your compter.

Take care,
Chris
 
where are you going to school- what do thier computer labs have in em- that may be your deciding factor if your gonna be doin more than just audio- you need to be compatible with your schools network! whats wi-fi gonna do for ya anyway with regard to music- nada! im a pc user because i always have been- no other reason- go with what you know (and i know how to work on a pc hardware- wise)

"By the way, I'll be going to college in the fall, so I'm looking for a versatile 'puter; one to use for recording and for writing an essay the night before it's due."

been there!
 
PCs vs Macs

Thanks for your replies.

Good thinking Kremitmusic. I'll have to check out their labs first -- ooh, I can when I visit on June 9th for placement testing.

I'm familiar with PCs, no doubt; Windows is my friend.

But I think it'll be a toss-up between an Apple (Ibook or Powerbook) and a Dell notebook.

Thanks, again!
 
I'm sure if I drilled a hole in my PC's case, reversed the intake fans to outtake fans and run them at 20V I could make my PC suck !


:p ;) :D :cool: :eek: :eek: :eek:


useless question actually. Every platform has its defenders and attackers...

peace.
 
In Audio, Mac's use to be the leader...

now PC's have caught up and its a "whatever blows your trumpet" thing...
 
kremitmusic said:
where are you going to school- what do thier computer labs have in em- that may be your deciding factor if your gonna be doin more than just audio- you need to be compatible with your schools network!

"By the way, I'll be going to college in the fall, so I'm looking for a versatile 'puter; one to use for recording and for writing an essay the night before it's due."

been there!
Click to expand...

This is a moot point. Inter-compatibility is at an all-time high. I use a PC at work, a Mac in the studio and a Linux machine at home: I composed documents, slide shows, spreadsheets, etc. at each of those locations, and easily use them on the other two.

And before you say "Yeah, but MS Office for Mac is too expensive," go to http://www.openoffice.org and save yourself some bucks.

Lastly, networks are pretty much indifferent. After attending two schools, and working in a variety of places, I've had absolutely no problem getting on the network with any of my machines.

Your operator here is going to be recording software: buy a machine that supports what you want to use for recording, and the software is out there for anything else that you have to do.
 
They have a rep for being more expensive than PC's, but I think that is largely due to higher quality hardware.
Click to expand...
Try economies of scale. Aside from the motherboard and CPU, everything in a Mac is mid-priced PC equivelant.

[edit]
Macs have long been more stable than Windows machines.
Click to expand...
That should be clarified to 'Windows 9x machines'.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top