They have the best trackpads in the industry, and one of the best keyboards. The retina models are fantastic, and having used both OSes extensively, it's my opinion that OS X is a MUCH better laptop OS than Windows is. But that's just me.
They hold their value well if you like to flip your devices frequently, and the customer support is pretty good. It all depends on your needs. Are you just going to install Windows on it and call it a day? Get a thinkpad or something like that.
What are you going to do with the laptop?
Thanks for the advice! I just do the usual things, mainly web browsing, connecting different devices to the laptop and picture editing. I do want something with a lot of storage capacity as I have a lot of documents and pictures and my old laptop literally has no space left. I would install windows, yeah.
Do you think that Macs are only worth buying if you want to do technical stuff on them?
The Mac kool-aid is 90% marketing fluff. Ignore all the "mac vs pc" advertisements, they're both running the same hardware from the same manufacturers on the inside.
That other 10% is in the software/OS end. If you like OSX better, great. For standard "computer stuff" whichever one you're more comfortable with will suit your needs just fine. There are specific high end programs that are only available for Mac (Final Cut Pro, etc) if you're doing serious video editing that some people prefer over the multiplatform alternatives such as Adobe CS. All that "Macs are better for artists" hooplah is just that, marketing spin.
Yes, the retina displays are nice, but for most people that alone isnt worth the considerable price markup. Some people feel the need or the desire to buy into the branding and the image associated with Macs, i'm of the opinion that a computer should be bought to actually use as a computer, not as a social accessory.
That being said, will a Mac do what you said you wanted to do? Yes. Will it do it any better than an equivalently specced PC? No. Whether or not all that "hooplah" appeals to you to be worth the price or you simply like OSX better than Windows is up to you.
I'd say you are going a bit too far with the hardware. Sure, if you only look at the spec sheet and individual components, there isn't any magic going on. They use the same core computer parts. However, the build quality is like nothing else on the market. I've owned countless laptops ranging from Asus, Toshiba, Dell, HP, and Acer. There is no comparison to the build quality of a MacBook. Some of the really high end Ultrabooks are getting close, but they still aren't there.
IMO, I'd go with the new Haswell MacBook Air. That battery life is insane. If you are using it to surf the web, do some light photo editing, and such then they wonderful machines. You may find iPhoto is all you need, which is packed in for free.
HOWEVER, since you only want to install Windows and never use OSX, I'd say shop around a bit. Personally, I'd still buy a MacBook to use as a Windows machine. Go to best buy, they have them so you can get a feel for them.
The Mac kool-aid is 90% marketing fluff. Ignore all the "mac vs pc" advertisements, they're both running the same hardware from the same manufacturers on the inside.
That other 10% is in the software/OS end. If you like OSX better, great. For standard "computer stuff" whichever one you're more comfortable with will suit your needs just fine. There are specific high end programs that are only available for Mac (Final Cut Pro, etc) if you're doing serious video editing that some people prefer over the multiplatform alternatives such as Adobe CS. All that "Macs are better for artists" hooplah is just that, marketing spin.
Yes, the retina displays are nice, but for most people that alone isnt worth the considerable price markup. Some people feel the need or the desire to buy into the branding and the image associated with Macs, i'm of the opinion that a computer should be bought to actually use as a computer, not as a social accessory.
That being said, will a Mac do what you said you wanted to do? Yes. Will it do it any better than an equivalently specced PC? No. Whether or not all that "hooplah" appeals to you to be worth the price or you simply like OSX better than Windows is up to you.
The Mac kool-aid is 90% marketing fluff. Ignore all the "mac vs pc" advertisements, they're both running the same hardware from the same manufacturers on the inside.
...The fact that there will be no Word is a major disadvantage for me though, as I ofter need to type up or open Word Docs. ...
The proprietor of this fine website has an intriguing account of his month-with-a-mac:
http://www.anandtech.com/print/1500/
http://www.anandtech.com/print/1594/
Might be worth your while to check those out.
" Still, it's odd how many PC manufacturers have no qualms with shipping laptops that have at least one fundamental flaw, whether it's dodgy build quality, a poor battery or jittery trackpad software. Having better specs on paper (which is rarer these days) doesn't matter if the design is unpleasant to use. "
I have always wondered about this fact. For instance Lenovo shipping an otherwise decent laptop with a really crappy screen. Maybe they have gotten a little better very recently, but like have they ever heard of IPS? Sheesh!
Long time Windows user, but I now have Mac mini and would definitely get a mac of my preference even if the main plan was to run Windows. Which, I run 98% of the time with the mini. Just fine.
In my experience, Apple simply has the best overall design balance for laptops. MacBooks are battery life champions, especially if you look at Haswell-based models (the 13-inch MacBook Air can realistically achieve 12 hours). Build quality is tops. And the company actually knows how to design a good trackpad and keyboard; even today, many PC vendors still screw those up.
You'll definitely find gems on the Windows side -- see the second-gen Acer Aspire S7, higher-end Lenovo ThinkPads, Samsung's ATIV Book 9 and the Sony VAIO Pro 11/13. Still, it's odd how many PC manufacturers have no qualms with shipping laptops that have at least one fundamental flaw, whether it's dodgy build quality, a poor battery or jittery trackpad software. Having better specs on paper (which is rarer these days) doesn't matter if the design is unpleasant to use.
I own 4 macs and work on them daily but I hate every single one of them. The only thing going for them is the looks and honestly if you are only running windows I wouldn't bother spending the cash on a Mac.
That's my jaded opinion because when windows or a pc has a problem I can fix it in my sleep, when one of my macs crashes or has some issue it is a pain in the ass.
I only use mechanical keyboards cause I think all rubber membrane keyboards are terrible. So I will also say I hate apple's keyboards too.
The fact that there will be no Word is a major disadvantage for me though, as I ofter need to type up or open Word Docs.