after adding all the stuff that i feel are necessary like the extra memory and storage etc it's going to go up at least an extra thousand bucks is there anyone who's used both pc and macs before and can give me an unbiased view of which works better and if i should get a mac pro notebook,

No.

1. Nothing apple makes is worth the price gouging they implement. You could get an equally powerful computer for half the cost easily.

2. Upgrading/Customization - Apple desktops are completely unable to be upgraded save for the overpriced Ram that you have to buy from Apple, and same goes for the laptops and all macs look the same - no custom choice of hardware at all.

3. The "virus free" thing is bullshit, linux is much more secure anyway.


4. If you really want to use a Unix Based system try out your favorite flavor of linux. Linux Mint and Ubuntu 10.4 are both great distros to start out on, and Ubuntu feels EXACTLY like a mac.


I can also give an IM for any questions you have as well, Im more than happy to answer any questions you might have. Just finished assembling my custom computer about two days ago, and am A+ certified as well as having some cisco certs


And I likely didnt beat the "OMG MACS ARE LIEK SO AWESOME THEY NEVER GET VIRUSES AND ARE ALL TRENDY" response you're bound to get. But oh well, for your sake ignore that.


EDIT: also forgot to include that you can always make a hackintosh if you just like the OS - pretty much every new Intel cpu is compatible with mac osx, I'm duel booting osx with windows 7 on my desktop.

EDIT: @Whitehat - security and battery life? Once again, why wouldn't you just get a nice netbook, an extended battery, and put Archlinux or slackware on it? Enjoy complete security and 13+ hour battery life



--------------------------------------…

Well I thought the poster might actually be wanting some real answers but I see he's already deepthroating Steve Job's cock. Macs are superior because everyone says so? You mean all the liberal arts majors and other computer illiterate friends you hang out with? OMG SIMPLICITY AND NO FREEDOM = GOOD. Guess what, no it doesnt. Enjoy your restricted firmware - hardware - and software. Enjoy paying 1400 for a shitty bottom tier macbook while I got an Asus G series for the same price that beats it in every regard.


Have a good day



And seriously - Linux > osx in EVERY regard. And linux is Open-source and free. Both are based on the same architecture. If you hate windows try out any linux distro there is

Mac only specializes in it's own platform. Windows can take more programs, that don't need to be modified. Almost anything for Mac is more expensive, because it has to be made to suit the system.

Any of the basic Mac models are more than powerful enough. no need to add extra ram for them most part, maybe you might want to bump it up to at least 4 gig if you want to run some virtual machines.

Macs are usually pretty high quality systems and higher end hardware to begin with.

But, beyond the initial purchase, macs are no more expensive than a windows machine. And you don't have to worry with typical virus/spyware/blah blah problems as much as on Windows. Macbooks are also known for the great battery life if that concerns you.

In summary, basic models are well worth the investment. But, you can quickly overdue it if you throw too much on it.

EDIT: As for all those "OMG Apple so expensive" responses you are bound to get. They Macs are high average. Far from the cheapest, but you can do the hardware comparison yourself. Just look at a notebook with the EXACT specs of the m mac you are looking at. Typically macs are just a hair bit more expensive and are FAR from the most expensive versions.

And its not hard to get a rebate on Apple hardware if you try. My Macbook(brand new, not even refurbished, ordered directly from apple) only costed us about $700 USD after the rebate.

But this is only possible if you deal with Apple directly and not with a reseller. You can try with a reseller though, it never hurts :)

EDIT2: My wife has an old powerbook that is some 8 years old, still works and a 6 year old ibook which also still works :)

For the most part, Apple product have alot of staying power and yes they free you from alot of the bugs with Windows because OSX is designed closely with it's hardware.

It seems that your mind is already set on a Mac even before you posted your question so there's not more room for argument. Go for the Mac if you feel like it but skip the iPad.