Apple (Mac) vs Windows (PC) For Graphic Artists, Design and General Users 2015

Apple (Mac) vs Windows (PC) For Graphic Artists, Design and General Users 2015PC vs Mac – Why I Wrote This

I wrote this in response to a client that wanted to get a mac for her in house graphic designer. I honestly hate to see anyone waste money, especially when they don’t know the difference between windows and mac in 2015. It is not the same battle that it once was.

PC vs Mac – Power and Price

If you are using adobe creative suite or any adobe products, they are the same product on a windows or an apple computer. For a mac be prepared to spend a lot more than a windows computer with the same specs or windows even having the better specs of the two. Although, it really doesn’t take that much power anymore. As technology has, in general, far surpassed the power required for tasks of graphic design programs.

Video editing takes a lot more power than photo working and for that point it will always perform better on the computer with the higher power specs available.

(Prices at the time of writing this 8/6/15 from microcenter)

Apple Laptop 1249.99 – i5 CPU / 8GB Ram – Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display MF839LL/A 13.3″ Laptop

Windows Laptop 599.99 – i5 CPU / 8 GB Ram –  Equal to the specs of the mac above –  Dell Inspiron 15 5000 Series 15.6″ Laptop Computer

Windows Laptop 849.99 – i7 CPU / 16GB Ram – 2x the specs of the mac above – Dell Inspiron 15 5000 Series 15.6″ Laptop Computer

PC vs Mac – Virus / Spyware / Malware / Adware

The fact that this rumor was ever started is very infuriating to me. The reason there is less virus/malware/adware and so on, on mac’s is because of one simple reason. Market share, if you are going to take hours/days or weeks to write software that will somehow generate you money by infecting someone’s computer. Would you write that software for 91%~ (windows) or 7%~ (mac) of infect-able machines? You can see windows vs mac market share below or check the market share website for current stats.

Desktop/Laptop Operating System Market Share 2015

Desktop Laptop Operating System Market Share 2015

Mobile/Tablet Operating System Market Share 2015 (iPhone isn’t the king anymore)

Mobile Tablet Operating System Market Share 2015

To help even further reiterate this point, I will provide a link directly to apple’s store support website, where there own customers don’t refute the fact of virus’s at all, Apple Shop Anti-Virus Support Question.

PC vs Mac – Software

As for the software needed it will cost about same on windows or a mac. Although mac, like everything that is mac, tends to cost more then the alternative in general.

Also, lets not forgot that gaming in nearly impossible on a mac, well it’s not impossible. If you like to wait, give or take 1 year after the release of a triple A title for it to built to run on a mac. Additionally, if companies that make billions (gaming companies) don’t want to waste the money to support the program for mac, trying to find niche programs for general use, is also about impossible. Considering the amount of money these programs usually make is a fraction of gaming companies. As for general use software it is about the same either way. Office is now on macs and Adobe creative suite is now on windows.

PC vs Mac – Hardware

In general, I will give the outside design to mac everyday. They sure are pretty, but under all that sleek fluff, what is really beneath them? Well that answer is very simple. The same exact thing that comes in most PC’s. There is a very, very, slim set of computer company’s that sell computers or devices, that also manufacturer computer parts and devices for themselves. One of apples biggest suppliers is Foxconn, which is notoriously known in the PC modding community as terrible in terms of quality and reliability.

The core brands available in prebuilt systems typically all follow the same suite to maximize profits. Generally, I tell people to buy dell just because there customer service and warranty repairs are out of this world, excellent, compared to the rest. If you want a company that passionately cares about the parts that are in your computer, have me build one or if you don’t like that idea. Get and Asus computer, hands down, Asus offers the best parts in the world. But, I regress. Besides apple computers on the inside are the same as the rest of them, go look at compatible apple printers, mice, keyboards and so on. It takes a software driver for a device to work and not only are the pickings slim for apple support they are expensive.

PC vs Mac – Conclusion

I think you can see that your money goes a lot further with a windows PC. If there is a reason that you have to have a mac, write it down and find out what windows has to offer in comparison and for what price in comparison. More often then not, it is just preference/taste/prestige to own a mac in 2015. Especially if your argument is based off of adobe software alone. Let me know if you need more help or have any other questions.

Buying a Mac anymore has nothing special vs a PC besides saying you have a mac. I honestly can’t break it down any better than these blog posts. I recommend you read this in full, PC vs Mac Argument Stupid 2015. Also watch the below video to sum it up again and covering different aspects.