From syncing with all your hip devices to the chic style society has come to value, the allure of the Mac is obvious. All of your friends are talking about how great they are, how well they work, and how much better they are than those frumpy old PCs you used to have.
There is, of course, that small issue of the large premiums to be paid over a regular laptop, but it’s worth it, right? Surely a Mac is such a superior and more reliable product that any additional cost is completely understandable?
Wrong.
You don’t need a Mac. You can get identical–if not superior–quality and features for far less money if you buy a PC instead.
PCs are more reliable
Everyone has heard Apple’s legendary “they just work” campaign, a message intended to craft a reputation for quality and reliability. That message has done well by Apple, but it’s also completely bogus.
According to a recent study on laptop reliability, Apple laptops failed more frequently than ones from Toshiba, Asus and Sony. You can say that fourth place ain’t half bad, but it clearly debunks the notion that Macs “just work” better than PCs.
Identical hardware
A Mac’s pricetag creates the expectation of unique and superior hardware, but it’s a thoroughly false expectation. A Mac’s hardware is no different from that of a PC: their 2005 defection to Intel put them on the level with any computer you can buy.
PCs offer more options
Though Apple offers a complete range of Mac products, it’s still only one company. Relative to the number of PC manufacturers, Apple simply can’t offer the same product diversity.
There’s a strong probability that any features or form factor you desire can be found in the PC market. The diversity of the PC market also makes it easy to customize a PC to suit your needs exactly.
There’s a larger library of software for PCs
While there are several quality programs exclusive to Mac, there are a significantly higher number of programs that are exclusive to PCs. From word processing to games, the library Mac users can’t utilize is larger than the one PC users can’t.
PCs are cheaper
It’s a fact: PCs cost considerably less than Macs.
Need proof? Look no further than the 15″ Macbook Pro, which I configured with a 2.4GHz Intel Core i5, 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive for $1899.00. A Sony laptop with absolutely identical specs can be had for just $1199.99, with better proven reliability to boot.
Final thoughts
In short, it seems there are few valid justifications for bringing home a Mac. With insulting prices atop identical hardware and inferior reliability, it is abundantly clear that the average user would be much better served by sticking with a PC.
Don’t get your panties in a bunch, Jobsophiles! Stay tuned for Jacqueline’s next article outlining the top five reasons why you actually do need a Mac.
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