Apple obsession or delusion

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Vizsla

Original Poster:

922 posts

123 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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My mate (management consultancy) has just upgraded his office system (3 users) to Office 365 (fair enough) but insists that he wanted/needed Apple hardware as, quote, 'it's much better than Microsoft/Windows systems, it's state of the art, much faster, whereas Windows (Dell, HP, Compaq etc etc) is old technology, really clunky' (eh?)

He bought 2 large TV-size Apple screens with all the works built into them (I'm not a techie, no idea of the model), these cost around £2K each and he also needs ?Parallels so that he can run Office 365. He does no graphics work, nor any CAD/CAM, nor any other 'demanding' apps, just Outlook, Word, Excel i.e. straightforward billy-basic WP stuff.

Question: is he in any way correct in his almost religious faith in Apple, or just a fashion victim? I suspect I know the answer (he can be a bit of an 'Eleven-eriffe' at times!), just need some opinion from you IT gurus.

grumpyscot

1,277 posts

191 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Fashion victim. Everyone know that not just Windows operating system is naff, but so is their other software!

Office will not run noticeably faster!

It's like buying an 8 cylinder car and only using 3 cylinders!

pavka007

522 posts

128 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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I don't know about your friend but 7 years ago I've moved to Apple and never looked back. I bought new 24" iMac in 2008 and after the latest OS update is even better than when was new.
Now....how many Windows based machines you know that can run everything of today software and being 6 years old? My Mac still as fresh as almost new. Never had a single issue and the Mac is on 24/7. The only time is shut down is for OS update, so this will make it 4 times since 2008.

OscarIndia

1,126 posts

171 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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I have an iMac 27. Do I need it? No.
I do like its form though, it is quick and has all the capability I could need to do anything I want.
I find it quieter than most PC's.
Less wires, and it just seems to work.
It wasn't £2k, but not cheap, although it will retain more value should I sell it than a normal PC.
I am at work all day, so anything that can make that time better is a plus.

In short, if he likes it, why not?

Denis O

2,141 posts

242 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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And every picture he sends to someone with a Windows operating system will now be upside down rotate

Lost soul

8,712 posts

181 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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OscarIndia said:
I have an iMac 27. Do I need it? No.
and imacs look fabulous smile

nitrodave

1,262 posts

137 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Your mate is right, I would go with a mac any day over a windows machine, for business and pleasure.

Their lifespan is much greater, hold their value longer, no poxy anti-virus running in the background, they boot up in a matter of a few seconds. Just a far better and slicker experience.

I only use micorsoft PC's at work because I have no choice, and I hate them. Constant updates, goes sluggish every now and then, clunky interface...


boyse7en

6,671 posts

164 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Depends how you look at it. He could have bought windows PC much cheaper (doesn't sound like he needed the spec to be very high), but Apple stuff is all high quality kit, so there is nothing intrinsically wrong with it.
The Apple iMacs (which I assume he has got) are stylish (if that is important to you/business) and easy to use. Our office has got three Macs (a pro, Mini and Macbook Pro) and five PCs (mix of desktops and laptops) and the Macs take one hell of a lot less looking after.


Tom_C76

1,923 posts

187 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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If he's subscribed to Office365 for email he can download the current versions of the Mac native apps instead of messing with Parallels if all he wants is Outlook, Word and Excel.

davidd

6,443 posts

283 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Conversely we have many PC's and several Macs, our support overhead is much greater for the Apple gear.

I don't think it is any better quality than similar value kit from other manufacturers, it looks nice though and that is important.

Zod

35,295 posts

257 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Tom_C76 said:
If he's subscribed to Office365 for email he can download the current versions of the Mac native apps instead of messing with Parallels if all he wants is Outlook, Word and Excel.
yes including the massively improved Outlook 2014 for Mac.

audi321

5,156 posts

212 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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I remember posting on here around 2008 about my trepidation about going to a Mac from PC's. I got the usual barrage of abuse about Mac's just been fashion products. However I took the plunge, and I honestly can say it was the best move I ever made. I would NEVER buy another Windows machine now, EVER, and I was the one who would stick up for Windows machines before.

I hate it when I have to use one, they're clunky, slow, unstable at times, something that you just get used to with a Mac is the instant speed everything just reacts. Ok I now have an SSD and loads of RAM but I still have the 2008 Mac I bought and it runs a dream. I also know someone who bought a similar priced, high end Windows laptop at the same time I bought my original Mac in 2008 and he has replaced his some 3 years ago in 2011, it just ground to a halt.

Macs all the way for me.........the added bonus is that they look so sexy! Fashion product.....meh......they will outlast a Windows machine 2 or 3 times I reckon.

Buy cheap, buy twice.

130R

6,807 posts

205 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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audi321 said:
I hate it when I have to use one, they're clunky, slow, unstable at times, something that you just get used to with a Mac is the instant speed everything just reacts.
Because you have only used crap spec Windows PCs. I have a MacBook Pro and like it a lot, but for a desktop my gaming PC is a lot more powerful than your Mac.

mike9009

6,917 posts

242 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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I've upgraded my mums 2009 laptop with an SSD. Surprisingly - the fresh install and SSD have made this Windows machine fly again .... not dissimilar to the Mac experiences mentioned above.

What has really put me off Apple is the £500 Ipad I bought. Within two and a half years, it was obsolete after an IOS update. Not a happy punter!

Mike

tank slapper

7,949 posts

282 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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audi321 said:
Buy cheap, buy twice.
You don't have to buy a cheap PC though. If you spend as much as a mac cost on decent quality components rather than the cheapest available, you would have a machine easily capable of lasting years for general office work. Chances are it would be more powerful than the equivalent mac and more upgradeable too. Today's macs are largely based on PC components anyway, so there is little difference in performance potential.

SamR380

725 posts

119 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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The way I look at Apple products is this: compare like for like.

You can't compare a £2k iMac with a £700 PC. If you spent £2k on a PC you'd have a beast of a machine!

glasgowrob

3,232 posts

120 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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have to say for us its pc for recreation and apple for work


avid pc gamer and overclocker here and have a decent specced pc system at home BUT

in the office we use macs and ipads/phones on the road.

I personally find the Apple hardware to be decent if perhaps slightly more expensive that its pc counterparts (compare like for like ) but the software is where apple excels and that's before I get onto the customer service side of things. if you have Apple products in warranty(apple care) they are a joy to deal with

130R

6,807 posts

205 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
I do find the trackpad miles better than any other laptop I have used, usually 5 minutes using a laptop without a mouse and I want to throw it out the window. The retina display is also v nice.

CharlesAL

532 posts

123 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Had a 21.5" iMac since April 2013 now. Would never, EVER go back to a Windows. Silent, stays cool all the time, huge screen, thin, no wires, looks great. Fashion doesn't come into it.. it's in my bedroom where barely anyone ever sees it.

miniman

24,826 posts

261 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Agreed, I was using the touchpad on my HP Ultrabook at the weekend and after getting used to a MacBook Air it was frankly st.