Design, reliability, security... we all know why Apple addicts love their Macs.
But despite fawning press coverage and the bad publicity surrounding Vista, Macs are still very much in the minority.
So, why are PC owners sticking with Windows? Do Macs cost too much, or are PC owners masochists?
As it turns out, there are lots of perfectly good reasons for sticking with the PC.
Not everyone can afford a Mac
Before you post 200 reasons why Macs are better value than PCs, let us stop you. We're in the middle of a recession, people are broke and no amount of spec sheet comparison will magically put £1,000 in somebody's pocket. Mac Minis start at £390, MacBooks at £719 and iMacs at £782, so if you've only got £300 to spend then they're out of your reach. Conversely, we've seen monitor-free PCs for £181, and it's easy to find decent PC desktops and laptops for less than £500.
PCs are familiar
Andy from Glasgow likes Macs - "they're streets ahead in terms of audio and video," he says - but still uses what his employer provides. "I use a PC... I used Macs in a previous job, but these days it's a PC for work."
It's a habit that sticks, as Paul from Liverpool explains: "I started using computers properly when I was at Uni, where everything was PC [orientated]. Every office I've ever worked in has used PCs, so I guess it's just what I'm used to. I haven't even got round to installing Firefox at home, because I use Internet Explorer all the time at work. Never underestimate the power of inertia," he laughs.
Software matters
"Most of the music applications I use are PC-only, and if I changed to a Mac I'd have to learn to use different interfaces and pay a scary amount to buy equivalent Mac software," Paul says.
The same applies to games, creative software and so on: few, if any, software firms say: "Oh, you're switching? Here's the Mac version - for free!" Yes, you can run your old stuff via Boot Camp, but what's the point of changing to a new computer and buying another copy of Windows when you've already got a PC? Especially when...
Upgrading is cheap
PC running out of puff? You could buy an iMac, iWork and other Mac software, and it would all be lovely. Or you could stick a couple of RAM chips in your existing PC, upgrade the graphics card and hard disk, and keep using the software you've got. That would be lovely, too, and a hell of a lot cheaper.
Smugness isn't sexy
To some, Macs are like Porsches or BMW X5s: sure, the cars are engineering marvels, but have you seen the people who drive them? Sadly, a small but vocal minority of Mac fans have perpetuated this image online and even Apple has crossed the line: its UK Mac versus PC ads made Macs seem smug and superior in a market where everybody loves the underdog.
People want netbooks
People buy netbooks for all kinds of reasons: price (you can get a refurbished Acer netbook for £130 from EuroPC, while brand spanking new machines such as Samsung's NC-10 hover around the £300 mark), portability, convenience, and simplicity. They're one of the few bright spots in an otherwise depressing PC industry - but Apple doesn't make 'em, so people can't buy 'em.
Apple isn't the only alternative
You can leave Windows behind without embracing Apple or even changing your hardware, as David from Huddersfield explains. "Everybody I know who gives a crap about dumping Windows has moved to Linux," he says.
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Your comments (8) Click to add a new comment
lovlid
January 31st 2009
8. Chrisinbelgium and captainhoola84.You really wont help people struggling with their computer? captainhoola84,you wont help people in your office who are struggling? Colleagues? Friends? Do you just sit there with a smug look on your face? What nice people (some) of you mac users are.
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captainhoola84
January 30th 2009
7. Chrisinbelgium, I've done exactly the same as you, given up on PC users and just helping out the like minded.. its working as people are starting to wise up to the fact that mac's are far superior when it comes to compatability and ease of use. Aswell as the fact that the PC's that are used in our office break down on a regular basis and there's me sitting there with my macbook pro which hasnt broken down since i bought it almost 2 years ago. I wouldnt say im addicted to apple products, i just find that they just work which is exactly what i want when i buy something
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mingo
January 30th 2009
6. The Mac vs. PC argument is very lame indeed. PCs outsell Macs..... because of..... GAMES, GAMES, GAMES.... Even if Macs were more closely priced to spec as their PC counterparts, they'd still fall short for this rather obvious conclusion.
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weezer
January 30th 2009
5. "because they hang a lot"
They do? Wow, I must be doing something wrong then 'cos mine doesn't - ever. The software might, largely because I use complex and buggy 3D software, but I never need to restart the Mac except after OS udpdates.
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watcherzero
January 29th 2009
4. Depends what you use them for, outside design work and movie making Mac support sucks, you cant even playback modern video compression standards decently.
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spligosh
January 29th 2009
3. I'm a mac switcher of about 12 months. I can't agree with many of the points made above apart from they are more expensive. One of the main reasons people don't switch is fear - fear of incompatibility, fear that they won't know how to use one, fear that they won't be able to communicate with friends etc. But - surprise, surprise, I've had few of these problems because these days, believe it or not, you can almost always get mac versions of pc software and on the contrary many are cheaper than their pc versions. Once you have made the switch you realise that Macs are much easier to use than PCs. As proof of this, I showed someone who owns a PC but can barely use it a Macbook recently and within minutes they were updating their diary and asking me why I didn't recommend a Mac when they were buying. My only reply - price!
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northerngeek
January 29th 2009
2. Oooh, here's one- some people don't like Macs. Nothing to do with the smugness factor but because they hang a lot, have poor UI choices in a lot of areas and the pros just don't outwiegh the cons.
I have a Mac and a PC (a few of each actually) and I don't think I'd ever buy another Mac, I can use it for my day to day tasks but there's so little innovation coming out of macs that I can't be bothered. I use my PC for EVERYTHING, it does more than any other device I own, and the Mac feels like I am back to using "a computer"- My PC handles my TV brilliantly, my Tablet has functionality unavailable on the mac platform (unless you count hacks) and I respect Microsoft a thousand times more than Apple.
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chrisinbelgium
January 29th 2009
1. A lot of people are used to keep their PC running by counting on the help of others to clean their mess up (like me). For the last year, I have categorically been refusing to help anyone out if they are running Windows. If they have a mac or are using Linux, no problem, I'll give them a helping hand if they need it. As it transpires, when their Windows PC stops working (happens ANYWAY sooner or later), and they can't find another sucker to help them out (like me) they simply go to the shop and buy a brand-spanking new one. And this way, history will keep repeating itself.
As long as they realise they are on their own now (or they need to find another poor sucker).
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