<p>mac are for noobs who dont know how to use computers. If you’re absolutely computer handicapped (and rich), by all means, get a mac.
PC’s are the real deal.</p>
<p>this is not the place for a mac vs. pc war.</p>
<p>either system will serve you well at penn, and you will receive tech support through the college house computing system regardless of which you choose.</p>
<p>just know that each comes with caveats already mentioned above.</p>
<p>mac is hard to get used to if u are used to PC…but don’t get Dell…worst computer manufacture ever…they don’t last more than 2yrs…IBM are durable and HP is good…sony…toshiba…just don’t get a dell…</p>
<p>mac has less virus than PC
Vista is pretty bad…
but Mac can be confusing…
hey free ipod touch with Mac</p>
<p>if you have the money to get a mac, by all means go for it. From 14 years of using a pc, i wish i had switched to a mac sooner. Of course i can say macs are faster and have better versatility, but im not going to.</p>
<p>The only way for you to see all these qualities in a mac (or lack there of) is by hands on experience. Not from what I or the others here say.</p>
<p>Some like them, others dont. Thats how everything in this world functions</p>
<p>I’m really used to Macs because we have Macbooks at school, but the computers I use at home are all PCs, so I’m used to that too. I personally like Macs better, but I’m not so sure Penn is the right place to use it.</p>
<p>Is the wireless connectivity issue annoying to the point where it interferes with getting work done? Because if it’s that bad, I will definitely go for the PC! (I’ll decide on the brand/model later, but if anyone has good suggestions, by all means tell me! Thanks)</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the feedback!</p>
<p>Hey CrystalPineapple,</p>
<p>I can’t speak for Penn, but this is what I know from other campus wireless networks I’ve experienced:</p>
<p>Some enterprise wireless networks have trouble maintaining a connection with a specific intel chipset. This chipset is found in some Apple devices like the iPhone or iPod Touch. Apple’s laptops do not have this same chipset and do not experience problems with enterprise wireless networks like this. Regardless, most Universities have created new wireless networks specifically for compatibility with device like the iPhone that do use this chipset. </p>
<p>Whichever you choose, Mac or PC, the wireless should work just fine at Penn – Penn officially supports the use of Macs on their wireless network (“AirPennNet”).</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>People who write long diatribes against Macs need to get out more. Macs are fine computers. That it bothers you that people buy them amuses me.</p>
<p>PCs cost less, no doubt. And you get what you pay for.</p>
<p>I think Steve Jobs is an a-hole, but I still have a MacBook, and I have Windows XP Pro on it too (I tried Vista, but that was a disaster). You can buy Windows XP and Vista from Penn’s Computer Connection for $80.</p>
<p>It does everything I need, does it fast, does it reliably, and does it well. It’s no wonder Macs are selling so well.</p>
<p>I’d just like to add that I have never once had a real problem with wireless connectivity with my MacBook at Penn. Sometimes it takes a minute or two to connect to AirPennNet in class, but usually when that happens the students on PCs are slow to connect as well. Wireless on campus seems to be touch and go in general, but I have noticed that PC users on my dorm floor lost their connections far more often than Mac users, myself included, had over the semester.</p>
<p>That being said, go with the OS that you know and like the most, and if you can, spend the extra money to make your machine as powerful as it can be as it would be ideal for the machine to last you all four years at school with the least problems possible.</p>
<p>Before college, I used nothing but PCs. I bought a Mac for college and absolutely love it. I’ll never go back to PCs.</p>
<p>or you can get xp or vista free if you’re an engineer</p>
<p>i’m planning on being a biochemistry and/or music major, so would there be any specific programs (science stuff, sibelius, finale, etc.) that i need that aren’t compatible with Macs or PCs? Or are most programs compatible with both? i don’t plan on getting a dual-platform computer.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Macs are usually strongly preferred for the arts, design, journalism, etc.
Most science applications I’ve used run on both Mac and Windows.</p>
<p>Also, keep in mind that you rarely buy a dual-platform computer. Macs usually only come with Mac OS X installed and most PCs only come with Windows installed. With Macs, Apple gives you the ability to install Windows on your Mac computer for free with their built-in Boot Camp software. Because of Apple’s EULA (End-User License Agreement), and because of physical safe-guards put in place by Apple, Mac OS X CANNOT be run on PC hardware. The reason Microsoft doesn’t prevent people from installing Windows on a Mac is because Microsoft sells software (the OS), not the actual computers as Apple does. So while Apple and Microsoft are competitors in the software sector, they are far less of competitors in the hardware sector (with the exception of stuff like iPods, Zunes, etc.) So if you buy a Mac, you can run Mac OS, Windows, or Linux (a third-party, open-source operating system that probably doesn’t concern you). If you buy a PC, you can only run Windows and Linux.</p>
<p>**So anyways, if you want to cut through the fat of that detailed response, here’s the simple answer:</p>
<p>You almost certainly won’t buy a dual-platform computer – very few companies sell this out-of-the-box. If you want the ability to use both Macs and Windows, you MUST buy a Mac. PCs cannot run Mac, but Macs can run Windows. If you buy a Mac, you’re not committed to running Windows, but you have the option if it’s ever needed.</p>
<p>In terms of the majors your interested in, the software is generally available for both.**</p>
<p>pcs can absolutely run mac os x (aka hackintosh)</p>
<p>it’s just a complicated installation process</p>
<p>I know PCs absolutely can Mac SO X, but it’s not easily done, it’s not supported (so updates could screw things up and you won’t get support if it causes problems), and it’s also illegal. Not that it being illegal would stop someone…</p>
<p>true true, just making a point</p>
<p>it’s again getting away from the original point of the thread, which is that either system will serve an entering freshman well, so just go by personal preference</p>
<p>wow this thread is hilarious…someone brought up the fact that a Mac ran OSX and Vista faster than a PC and I almost fell out of my chair…somebody doesn’t realize exactly how customizable a PC really is haha. Yes, if you put crap parts in your PC, it will run slower than a Mac with the same specs. Though I despise the silly infatuation people have with Macs as well as the overglorified OSX, I won’t deny that part of the reason Apple charges more is because they put decent stuff in their computers. Anyone who might have taken the trouble to open up a PC desktop from a mainstream manufacturer like HP or Dell will realize exactly how bad the crap inside it really is (which is why I don’t buy prebuilt computers anymore). Some people don’t realize that a computer’s performance depends on more than just number of processing cores, the speed of each core, ram size, and hard drive size…there’s so much more to each component and there’s a reason why Dell can offer you a computer with seemingly good specs for so much less than the next guy. Ultimately, you pay for what you get and it would be best to never forget that. On a side note, since the OP is looking for a laptop and not a desktop, the only option is to purchase one direct from the manufacturer. Here are the criterion for making such a decision:</p>
<p>1) Want it to look good, be easy to use (easy in the sense that you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing when it comes to computers and just want that “right out of the box” satisfaction), and cost a lot? Go with a MacBook. </p>
<p>2) Looking for a true entertainment powerhouse? Something that will just devour anything you throw at it? Go with a Toshiba Qosmio, an Alienware, or (gasp!) a Dell XPS. </p>
<p>3) Looking for something functional, relatively powerful, and a more-than-viable solution for businessmen and collegers alike? Go with the Thinkpad (someone else also recommended this I think) or an Aspire. </p>
<p>Oh, whatever you choose to do, please try to get Windows XP or just use Ubuntu. You will not like Vista…at all.</p>