Mac vs. PC 2011: Elegance vs. Efficiency
Sunday, January 2, 2011 by Frogboy | Discussion: Personal Computing
Hello. I’m a Mac and a PC. That is, I’m the happy owner of a very new MacBook Pro. Core I7, Solid State Drive, 8 GB memory. And a ThinkPad T400 (Core Duo, Solid State Drive, 8 GB memory).
Some people get attached to pets. Some get attached to their cars. Me, I get attached to my computers. I’m a zealot. A fanatic. A fanboy. And both these machines rock but for very different reasons and they both suck in very different ways.
My degree is in Computer Engineering. My day job is software design. I love hardware and software. I know how it works and truth be told, I’m pretty good at it. And as I use these machines, I recognize bits of genius far beyond my capability and a lot of half-assery that is disappointing and surprising.
Generalizations
Let me summarize the key difference between a Mac and a PC in my opinion: Mac hardware is sublime, designed by the best and brightest. PC hardware is dumb, spec’d by suits and engineered without passion. On the other hand, Mac software is flash over substance. Elegance at the expense of productivity. And, frankly, surprisingly inconsistent even as it’s slick while being inconsistent. PC software, by contrast, tends to be ugly but designed for maximum productivity.
Specifics: Hardware
The Mac hardware is a joy to use. Its multi-touch touchpad is a joy to use. As a Trackpoint fan, I am surprised with how much more enjoyable and useful a well designed touchpad can be. I say well designed because I’ve found no touchpad on the PC to be remotely as useful.
The MacBook’s touchpad works like this. One finger to move the cursor. Two fingers will scroll a page (and do so incredibly smoothly and instantly). Three will let you go back and forth on a browser or other app. Four will let you quickly go between windows and programs. On the PC, the touchpad experience could be considered, well crap. I’ve got a lot of different laptops here and nothing comes close in this area. The ThinkPads, however, at least have a Trackpoint which serves as a good alternative. But PC users who love their TouchPads would likely return from using a MacBook rather pissed off at how clunky and half-assed their PC laptop’s touchpad was implemented. This is mostly (but not completely) a hardware issue.
PC laptops, in general, are just awful in comparison to a MacBook. Even the Lenovo ThinkPads are starting to fall behind. I open up a PC laptop (any brand) and maybe it’ll come out of sleep. Maybe I’ll need to hit a few keys to jolt it. Maybe I’ll have to hit the power button quickly to jolt it awake or maybe I’ll end up rebooting. Depends on the maker and the circumstances. When it does come out of sleep, maybe I’ll get my WiFi connection back within 10 seconds or…maybe I’ll have to rejoin the network or maybe I’ll have to reboot it to recognize something. Oh wait, the forums say I just need to turn off the blue tooth. Or maybe I just need the new drivers..etc. PC experts know what I’m talking about. Every version of Windows promises to fix this but nothing will fix hardware makers who just don’t seem to give a crap.
MacBooks, by comparison, are wonderful. You open the lid, it’s on and it’s connected. Every time. Always. Perfect. They are well made, well thought out, and clearly made by people who care about what they’re making. Talk to an engineer at a PC manufacturer and you’ll often hear frustration in how the designed by committee of people who barely use computers decided X or Y was going to be made. The hardware capabilities versus the software realities are rarely considered by PC manufacturers. It’s depressing.
Specifics: Software
On the other hand, there is no equivalent on the Mac for Windows Live. iMovie is more powerful but a much bigger pain to use for “simple stuff” than Windows Live Move Maker 2011 (note the version since it took Microsoft awhile to get this right). I was surprised at how many steps it took to make a simple movie via iMovie versus Live Movie Maker (especially since the source material was on my iPhone). This sort of behavior is exhibited throughout the Mac versus Windows 7 (note the version). Simply put, when it comes to getting things done quickly and effectively, Windows 7 is better in my opinion. And it’s better by enough of a gulf that I have a hard time seeing how anyone could come to any other conclusion (then again, I see Android fans clinging to the belief that Gingerbread is remotely as nice as iOS 4.2). See, I’m an equal opportunity offender. 
Now, the versions matter here because Snow Leopard is so much better in every way than say Windows XP to use on a daily basis and MacOS X was better than Window for so long that it’s no wonder there are so many Mac zealots out there.
Historically, the Mac’s elegant OS and software were its biggest advantage. It’s amazing how long it took Microsoft to get their act together on software and now that they have, it’s under appreciated (though the IE team UI designers should be flogged – the MS engine team do this wonderful job only to have the experience part of it made by people who clearly should not be making computer software). But Chrome on Windows and Chrome on the Mac are both wonderful so it matters not.
Compared to Windows 7, Snow Leopard makes me feel like I’m jumping through hoops. It’s still really good (especially if you’re coming from Windows XP or to a lesser extent Windows Vista) but it’s definitely not as efficient overall as Windows 7.
It. Just. Works.
The MacBook still has a big advantage in the “It just works” camp over Windows 7. As soon as Windows has to reach out to hardware…well, bad things happen. My favorite home printer is a Canon Pixia wireless printer. On the PC, getting it set up is a bit (but not much) of a pain. On the Mac, I just pressed a button, it saw the printer and I chose it. The drivers, scanner, and other goodies “just worked”. No CDs, no going to a website, nothing. It just worked.
Final Thoughts
Now obviously the Mac has the advantage that the hardware and OS are made by the same company. But consumers don’t really care. The good news is that, really, they’re both so good at this point that you really can’t go wrong. It’s just so disappointing at how poor PC hardware is by comparison when it comes to usability. What’s worse is that the bad hardware designs from the PC side of things comes from depressingly dumb decision making. It’s not even an engineering issue as much as just dumb decisions at the corporate level – where the specifications are made. If the PC makers could just make it a qualification that you have to have a genuine passion for technology before getting to make decisions, the PC guys would catch up overnight. Because it’s obvious that the Mac designers love what they’re doing.
At the end of the day, I’m using both my ThinkPad and MacBook depending on what I’m doing. If I need to do “serious work” I gravitate to the PC unless it involves “serious” video editing and then it’s Final Cut Pro (sorry Premiere, you’re too flaky these days) on the Mac. It’s a lot easier for me to gather my “stuff” on the PC than the Mac but the Mac is more fun to use.
So that’s just one guy’s opinion as a fan of both Macs and PCs. In 2011, it’s nice to be able to say that overall, they’re both really excellent.
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Reply #2 Sunday, January 2, 2011 2:56 PM
Playtime = Mac. Check.
Productivity = PC. Check.
Inefficiency all around. Check mate.
With molecular computing, perhaps [it] will 'learn' how to do play and work simultaneously.
-.-
Reply #3 Sunday, January 2, 2011 3:37 PM
Ihave to agree in the respect that Mac has a distinct advantage in producing the hardware thhey use as they can make it work and since they are the manufactor of the PC ,OS and Hardware well easy to see why" IT WORKS"
I have a pretty new Asus quad core laptop but as in all PC's Asus only manufactures parts of the PC then outsources the rest and then assembles.
Point of interest: The Mac hardware quality is not usually as good as premium PC hardware but as in Linux with proper coding Mac does more with less Hardware, at some point you have to decide pay for parts or code.
In the PC world we have intel gfx amd gfx etc.... same with Ram ,Processor, etc... so many companies making parts each with thier own coders and hope they did thier job correctly.Put it all together you have 15 companies coding for the same machine someone somewhere is bound to goof up!
I recently spent some time on an I7 MacBook Pro (not ssd) and was fairly impressed but I will say with Stardock products installed I like the PC look better and in performance The Asus well in my opinion won hands down but I did not try encoding video or running a 3D app like 3DS max on the MacBook!
Just my experience and 2 cent!
Reply #4 Sunday, January 2, 2011 11:33 PM
You have to admire the Apple 'lateral thinking' when it comes to enterprise....
As you'd expect, Apple's manufacture tends to be in Asia where the Industrial standards are 'not the best'.... so much so that in one particular factory the high production stresses matched with the low working conditions/standards prompted quite a large/significant suicide rate amongst workers.... who tended to be throwing themselves off the top of the building. Brilliance of technical innovation saw the erection of catch nets.....
I dunno .... I'd have thought that improving standards would be more humane.....less DeBono ... but more humane.
Still, could be worse....they could have just installed high-pressure hoses.....
Of course...this is where Microsoft and Apple are probably perfectly matched.... Industrial Employment standards...
Reply #5 Sunday, January 2, 2011 11:54 PM
In this day now though, the hardware isn't all that different between the two. Mac simply states what can go in their systems(hence now they have Intel processors [who ever would have imagined that 10 years ago?]). This makes it much easier to design software that "just works". I'm not a fan of Macs, but I understand the draw. I should restate that. I'm not a fan of Mac fans. Most are like crazy religious zealots who don't listen to reason (and most dont know the first thing about computers as well). I worked for a long time in a music store which sold recording equipment/software. It was quite eye opening to see how little people understood the difference between the two. One of the things that would drive me crazy is that customers would compare a $500 Dell bought from Walmart to a $2500 Mac Pro. Uh...not even a close contest, yet people wouldn't equate the differences, just mac vs PC. When a customer asked me what was best for recording, I told them the truth. BOTH will do the job for you IF you spend a decent amount of money on it. With a Mac, you buy it, install your new recording software, and you're pretty much good to go. With a PC, you will have to tweak windows a bit (not to mention removing software dell or whoever installed). Bottom line was, as I said, both will do the job, and do it well. Mac will cost more, but be ready out of the box. The PC will be cheaper (MUCH cheaper if you know what you're doing), but will require a bit more time to tweak it out for recording. I guess the same could be said about doing anything with either system.
Reply #6 Monday, January 3, 2011 12:27 AM
I've often wondered why Microsoft doesn't make their own PCs. Maybe they don't want to piss off Dell, HP, Asus, etc, or maybe they're afraid of more anti-trust lawsuits or something, I don't know, but it seems like it would be natural for them. They've already tried phones, MP3 players, and game consoles, which, to me anyway, seem more out of their comfort zone. They have the world's most successful operating system, and they make a phone? It doesn't make sense to me. Maybe I'm missing something, and if I am I would love someone to enlighten me.
Reply #7 Monday, January 3, 2011 12:32 AM
Brad: You're still learning about OS X. I think once you're using it for 6 months or so, you're going to notice your productivity on OS X will grow exponentially. Mine did. You'll see what i'm talking about. You know what's also great about being on a Mac? No viruses. No need for the sloppy, performance-cutting, crappy anti-virus programs anymore. Photoshop runs great on the Mac. Office 2011 runs great on the Mac. Chat app Adium combines your AOL AIM, MSN, Facebook all in one panel like Trillian does. I will never go back to Windows. It's not that I don't think Windows 7 isn't a great OS because it is by far their best, but why would I? Mac isn't perfect, but the experience makes computers exciting again.
Reply #8 Monday, January 3, 2011 12:54 AM
This is a common misconception. While yes, there are WAY more viruses for PC, there ARE in fact, viruses/malware/trojans/etc for the Mac. The more people buy Macs, the more people will write viruses for them. It's the fact that most of the world still runs on PC. When someone writes a virus, they are looking to either A> infect someone in particular to cause damage, or the more common B> infect the most people as possible. If Mac ever catches up to PC, you'll need anti-virus for Macs.
I hate anti-virus/anti-malware programs, but they ARE necessary for a PC for most basic home users, unless you don't go on the internet.
Just don't think that because you have a Mac, you are instantly safe from attacks. Remember, EVERY OS has it's weaknesses and flaws. Some more than others, but there is no concrete, attacker/hacker/malware/virus/trojan-free OS.
Reply #9 Monday, January 3, 2011 1:10 AM
Honestly for 2011, and for the money invested...both Mac and PC are quite crap.
Reply #10 Monday, January 3, 2011 1:35 AM
I have used mac fairly extensively in a troubleshooting capacity and have to say that when things do go wrong with the OS it gets fairly ugly. A PC has so many more recovery options that are quick simple and specific.
in fact I know in a lot of instances that involve email MAC is the unknowing virus carrier because they have no virus scanner!!!! I know professors with macs who have impacted and enraged other professors in other countries when they finally tracked down that it was a mac where the trail got lost. Dirty unprotected macs... like rats
I understand MAC for people who don't want to go to far than a specific function. Fact is that still the PC is the "anything you want it to be platform". MAC is the military lockdown narrow focus platform.
I agree with the statement above. If MAC gets popular enough it WILL be the PC. Only with less hardware options and more monopoly.
Reply #11 Monday, January 3, 2011 2:33 AM
This is a well written article but there is one thing that is not taken into consideration. That is the cost. I think most people will put up with the problems that plague the PC considering you can buy a laptop for a fraction of the cost. I understand you get what you pay for but I have not had that bad of experiences using PC. I find if you treat them right and be careful what you install or download they will serve you quite well. perhaps I am the exception but I can get 5 years or more out of a Laptop and even longer out of a desktop without having to do anything major to it. Perhaps a couple of reformats but that is it.
I am not against Mac but for what I do on a computer I cannot justify the crazy price tag. In fact most of the world can't either. I recently lived in the Philippines for one year and the whole time I was there I did not see one Mac. Maybe they are there for the wealthy but the average citizen do not own them.
Until they can compete with the price tag of a PC (which may reduce hardware quality) I will never own one, unless of course someone wants to buy me one
Reply #12 Monday, January 3, 2011 3:14 AM
To my knowledge, a Mac is one PC ( personal computer ) !!! My actual computer is based on the hardware spec of a 15000$ MAC PRO... main difference is that it have cost me only 5000$...
At hardware level, Mac is only one type of PC who can run any OS... normally, non Mac pc cannot run OS X but hacked version exist who allow to run OS X on PC who have a hardware configuration near these of a Mac...
The real difference is at the OS level... Mac OS X target only Mac PC, Windows target all PC, UNIX/Linux target almost everything...
For these who wish try OS X on their PC, first look at http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/HCL_10.6.3 for the hardware compatibility and at http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-install-mac-os-x-on-a-pc-without-using-a-mac/ for install OS X... beware that you need a legal version of OS X ( else it is a copyright violation who is punish by law ) and that the process beak the EULA ( Eula don't allow to install OS X on computer other that Apple computer )... be sure to read http://lowendmac.com/ed/fox/09ff/hackintosh-legality.html before starting anything...
Hope that one day, Apple will allow to install legaly Mac OS X on any compatible PC...
Reply #13 Monday, January 3, 2011 4:24 AM
While I understand the "Horses for Courses" ideal, for me Windows always wins out. I tried to use a Mac during my High School days, when my mind was still open and willing to give mice with a single button a try. It was just too backwards from what I was used to that using a Mac was counter-productive. I could have learnt, sure, however everything other PC I got my hands on was running Windows. While Mac is more common today, it still doesn't work the way I feel it should, while Windows does. Right clicking is as natural as breathing to me. For me, I'll stick with what I know. I have my Laptop, running Windows 7, and my Desktop, running Windows Vista. Sure, I'd like an "instant on" Laptop however I'm not willing to trade away daily convienence for momentary instant gratification. However, as I said, "Horses for Courses". As long as the Mac Fan Boys keep their "Mac is for the smarter people" attitudes to themselves, I'll keep my Right Clicking to myself.
Reply #14 Monday, January 3, 2011 6:15 AM
I dunno .... I'd have thought that improving standards would be more humane.....less DeBono ... but more humane.
Still, could be worse....they could have just installed high-pressure hoses.....
Of course...this is where Microsoft and Apple are probably perfectly matched.... Industrial Employment standards...
Indeed. Still, "Sustainability" wasn't hurt...."Next!".
Reply #15 Monday, January 3, 2011 6:44 AM
As you'd expect, Apple's manufacture tends to be in Asia where the Industrial standards are 'not the best'.
Eh... I assume you are the victim of some American stereotyping there. If you want cheap crappy parts you go to china and order them. If you want top quality you go to china then aswell. You get what you order. You just have to pay more for higher quality. The technology and standards are not behind the US in general. If it was, then China would not dominate as they do. Almost everything I can buy here in Norway is made in China. That includes every thing from crappy plastic toys to high tech quality gadgets. Its not often that I se Made in US anymore.
My father has bought manufacturing machines (typically at $200 000 to $800 000 a piece) for his workplace for the last 30 years. He claims that Germany, Japan and China are the places to go for quality high tech machinery. American companies are lagging behind in price and quality.
This might actually be the largest economic problem of the coming generation. Chinese delegations are now travelling the world and buying mining rights, companies producing rawmaterials, land and other important stuff, while the US is going into larger and larger debt. This imbalance will give the US and Europe some major problems in the future. The debt bill must be payed.
Just my two cents
Reply #16 Monday, January 3, 2011 7:45 AM
To reply #15 ... Talk about hitting the proverbial nail on the head.
Reply #17 Monday, January 3, 2011 7:47 AM
"Eh... I assume you are the victim of some American stereotyping there. If you want cheap crappy parts you go to china and order them. If you want top quality you go to china then aswell."
Why do people presume I am 'a victim of some American stereotyping' [whatever that means]. I'm not American. I was not even educated in America.
Shock and horror...opinions are held by others outside of America...and are equally educated/valid.
Wouldn't it be nice if Ethics were dragged screaming into the Commercial world...
Back in '73 several fellow Archie students made a B-line to Germany to grab the first viable, commercial calculators available....by Braun .... cost about a month's wages.... for something the size of a Teledex that could do long division.....something I was already doing in my head anyway...[without paper].
Times have changed....
Reply #18 Monday, January 3, 2011 8:31 AM
if Jafo's post #17 was edited by and posted on a FOX News forum, it would read as follows: "I was not even educated". The rest of the post wouldn't matter.
Reply #19 Monday, January 3, 2011 9:01 AM
Well - you cleared up why there are trackpads! I have found no one that likes them on PCs (and I only own a Mac Desktop, so no trackpad there). I could never figure out why anyone would invent such a horrible thing. But it sounds like they are all poor imitations of the Mac ones.
I will say that I have not had the problem with my PC notebooks that you did, and I am glad! Mine I really do not care much about, but for the novices like my wife and mother, I am SOooooo glad they do just "work" and work correctly when brought out of sleep or just turned on.
Thanks for the summary! It was amusing and informative!
Reply #20 Monday, January 3, 2011 9:07 AM
This is a common misconception. While yes, there are WAY more viruses for PC, there ARE in fact, viruses/malware/trojans/etc for the Mac. The more people buy Macs, the more people will write viruses for them. It's the fact that most of the world still runs on PC.
You are of course correct. And the subject amuses me as well. For while a Mac OSX virus is rare, that was definitely not the case with Mac OSes before X!!! I use to support 35k Macs in a school division, and the number of viruses was almost paralyzing! One of the reasons that the early Mac OSes had so many was the fact that they were built for networking out of the box! Windows did not really get that until 2K and XP.
The cretins who write the bugs are looking for the biggest bang for the buck, not writing proof of concept bugs - and that is why Windows is infested and Macs are not.
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Reply #1 Sunday, January 2, 2011 2:05 PM
Why settle for one when you can have two?
Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year!