I am looking to change my desktop PC which is 6 years old now I also have a 2 year old laptop.
After reading on here how much better they are? I may consider a Mac but with the cost being so much more, I need convincing.

What can I not do on them? do I need anti virus on them? as I understand it all software available for a PC is not available for them, is this a drawback or are there alternatives.

Due to the costs of a Mac I would be looking at the cheap end of the market, so any recommendations for either PC or Mac?

I would be looking at the cheap end of the market,

Best get a PC then.

Before this develops into a huge thread…

If you're on a budget then you might be better installing one of the *nux operating system on your existing PCs (e.g. Ubuntu)

That will give you many of the Mac advantages (e.g. less virus prone) with far less cost (as Ubuntu is free).

By cheap, I mean cheap Apple,which is £950 for this model,Apple MB418B/A iMac 24", I could buy a couple of PC's for that.

The screen is very very good on the latest imacs though..

I would go for a Mac anytime, but there's not much wrong with PCs these days if you buy a quality one with a pro level OS.

Get one of each…

I've used macs for nearly 20 years – whilst some machines have not been without issues, they've outlasted my wifes pc's ten-fold. Worth the investment IMO

I use a Mac at home / work for design and I love them for their functional design and usability. Much less time is spent messing around with updates and virus/malware scanning.

However, unless you have a hole burning in your pocket, or you want to use it as a media creation tool (for which they are very good) then you might be better spending your money on a good PC.

Otherwise, Ubuntu could be worth a look in like GrahamS suggests.

Try one at a mac store, or PCWorld, you might love the feel of them straight away.

The screen on the new Imac's made the decision for me. Its superb.

Search this site, loads been talked about it. I changed over to mac 4 weeks ago and am very happy.

Just bought a MacPro with extra hard disks and RAMM but got a business discount. Fantastic machine but not cheap 🙂

I'm a recent mac convert. they do cost more but save up and its completely worth it. My laptop doesn't crash or get viruses!!(and looks amazing) that should reason enough. I think PC's are better suited to people who like messing with their computers and Mac's better for those who just want it to work all of the time and not to have to mess with it.

PC if on a budget.

…or you could go for a apple store refurb to save a bit of cash.

if you know any students, or university staff, you can get huge discounts on macs online

Tell me what model you want and I will tell you what discount I get.

Buy a Mac and you have the choice of both operating systems for the (rare) occasions where there is no Mac software available, like OS mapping. There are few areas where the Mac software can't open and work on PC software. All you need is to install VMWare or Parallels, then install whatever flavour of MS OS takes your fancy. You can then haveboth open simultaniously and c'n'p between, and also install Linux and run that as well if you want. A beta of Parallels on a Mac Mini had six OS running at the same time. Also, virus directed at Macs is very rare, but if you do install Windows, obviously you'd need to watch out.

OS Mapping is now available on a Mac – although I must admit to not having tried it, yet…

http://www.routebuddy.com/

I went to Macs a few years ago and absolutely love them.

If I went for a Mac, what software should I expect it to come with & what would I expect to buy?

Any good free stuff, if so where do I get it from?

Am I likely to come unstuck for anything?

Is the Apple shop the best place to go, of should I try PC World?

My dad's recently made the switch after him seeing my Macbook, he's not had many issues getting used to the change, only small issue was he couldn't find a easy substitute to Microsoft Publisher… but then realised Apple's iWork has it all.

OSx (Apples operating system) comes with Ilife (Itunes, Imovie, IPhoto, and Garageband), which are all really good programmes Iphoto does most things I need for editing and sorting my photos, and likewise Imovie. Get a copy of Microsoft Office and you'll be able to open and save all your work files just fine!

You should expect to see the OS and iLife on a new Mac. iLife is made up from iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and iWeb. TBH, apart from an office suite of some kind, I've found the need for very little else – the iLife suite is really, really good.

Free stuff – AdiumX for IM, VirtualBox for running a virtual machine to put a copy of Windows in if you really must, OpenOffice, TrailRunnerx for recording routes off your GPS – fab if you have one that does heartrate etc. I'm sure more would occur to me if I had my mac at work with me.

Come unstuck? You might regret buying a desktop rather than a laptop – the difference in performancee is not that much and the 13" MacBook Pro is a thing of beauty…

Where from? John Lewis, as all electrical goods are better purchased there. Much better guarantee than anyone else etc etc…

Think Apple are planning a big announcement next week though – so it might be worth holding off till then to see if there is anything exciting on the horizon (also it may affect current prices).

JUst got myself a mac book pro after the wife always griping about my old pc. The one thing I have noticed is that I can fire this up, check my mail and put it away quicker than xp can start up!

Well… my shiny new macbook arrived yesterday. I need it to fiddle with some stuff for work.

It's **** horrible to use. It is shiny though. Really shiny. But not shiny enough to make up for being shit.

I'd stick with a PC.

Based on your user name, a Mac 🙂

Or just what's been posted above.

Well… my shiny new macbook arrived yesterday. I need it to fiddle with some stuff for work.

It's **** horrible to use. It is shiny though. Really shiny. But not shiny enough to make up for being shit.

You were able to determine its complete lack of quality and usability in 24 hours? Wow. You must not have slept, or else you're superman. Well done.

24 hours? **** no. Twenty minutes!

Oddly, a colleague had to get one too. He loves it. But he has a beard.

Think Apple are planning a big announcement next week though

They always are, and its probably for a tablet style thingy anyway.

They always are, and its probably for a tablet style thingy anyway.

Last rumour I heard it was goiong to be the tablet, iPhone OS 4, and a new version of iLife.

If you've got a keyboard,monitor and mouse with your current PC why not get a Mac Mini? Cheaper than a 'full' mac but gives you the benefits and enables you to reuse some of your existing hardware.

I'm new to the mac and I've found the different way it does things has taken a bit to get my head around. However, as much as this mac vs pc debate rages on, at the end of the day, it's just a computer running processes. The interface is a little different between the two but I thin it's just a case of getting used to it. All I've really noticed so far is that it starts and shuts down quicker than the pc.

But he has a beard.

Hmmm, i also have a beard so maybe he's onto something?

Incidentally i must admit i think the new glossy screens are a bit pap on the new macbook/pros. Nice anti-glare matt finish every time for me.

Incidentally while we are recommending Mac apps i have just started using iPlayer Downloader. Quite handy to grab radio shows etc to listen to later on.

Horrible to use?

What?

At a (very big) stretch I'd assume you mean different to use. Horrible? That's just a knobby comment.

Got a MBpro, had a PC. Dont get an apple if you are expecting it to be 'Better', really.

You will find a few things annoying – dvd drive, you can only read different zones upto 5 times before you have to make a choice.

Software – there are most things, but a few that are just not so good.

print screen is more of a faff than PC – you actually press 3 buttons & get a pic file at the end of it….cant just click cntrl v to paste it…

dvd ripping software..nothing beats the PC's dvdfab5 in my experience, macs versions are rubbish.

the computer development world is gearded towards windows…if you are used to just finding that program to do 'that' job, stick with a PC.

I wont buy another mac but thats personal. ilife is ok and iphoto is v good especially easy but really the OS is not BETTER..

Horses for courses, but there alot of fanboys for both who will swear till blue in the face for 'theirs'..it is a tool that we use to get sth done..thats it.

At a (very big) stretch I'd assume you mean different to use. Horrible? That's just a knobby comment.

Ctrl-click instead of right-click? That's horrible.

I'm growing a beard at the moment. I'll update you next week.

You clearly have a different definition of horrible to me!

You can just get a mouse with a second button if you want anyway.

You can just get a mouse with a second button if you want anyway.

Kind of defeats the purpose of an air if you have to use a mouse.

It is just different of course, but if you're used to a PC and are swapping to a mac because it's 'better' you're in for a shock. Particularly after using an iPhone which really is better than a windows device.

It does take some getting used to when you switch, but I find the Mac a much less frustrating experience. Just have a quick look on the internet, there are loads of guides for people who have switched.

On my Macbook, you can get "right-click" by putting two fingers on the touchpad while you click, so you don't have to press control.

In many ways a Mac is "better" in the same vein as an iPhone. The user points and clicks and gets things done intuitively… the terminology is far less nerdy/arcane… the interface looks much nicer.

You seem to have extended a good deal more good will to the iPhone than to the Mac computer – the only difference is that the iPhone is different in an obvious way, whereas you seem to want the Mac to be the same as the PC, but different.

On my Macbook, you can get "right-click" by putting two fingers on the touchpad while you click, so you don't have to press control.

Cunning. Thanks for that. It took me all day to figure out you could scroll with two fingers (actually all day plus a phone-rant).