Advice! Part One of DJ Setup: Buying the right laptop (pc or...mac?)

[DvlsAdvct]

But even it says that the US spells and pronounces it Aluminum. Therefor, the US and American English wins. It's as if Wikipedia is saying "Yeah, the Brits (and everyone else) does it this way but they are still wrong cause the US does it THAT way." See? I thought so

Now can we let this thread either get more productive or die?

[pier]

Why would it make you laugh? that's exactly what I'm saying.

I'm not saying they are bad (specially not there os), hell i run leopard myself on one of my partitions. I merely providing counter point to your post.

To say that a mac is worth the money due to its keyboard/case, isn't something I would do.

It made me laugh because you can't compare a cheap netbook with for example a macbook pro which is a powerhorse working machine.

No, it's not only about the case and the keyboard. I posted other examples of good ideas and useful features in my previous post.

The point I think is that if you do not give value to all the extras of a mac, then you'll logically conclude that it's overpriced.

[Segfault]

Macs not only are pretty... for example how many pcs have a retro illuminated keyboard for typing in the dark?

Or how many have high quality screen panels?

Or how many have a magnetic plug for the power so that if you happen to pull the cable accidentally you will not throw your computer to the ground?

Or how many pcs are build in alluminium insted of plastic?

Or how many pcs have a built accelereometer so that if you happen to throw you computer it shuts down the hard drive to minimize damage on the platters?

Etc.

If try to get a pc with the same features as a mac you'll see they cost pretty much the same. I'm not talking about the same cpu/ram. Pro pcs laptops cost the same as macbook pros.

Of course if you only look at the cpu and the ram, then it's obvious you think they are overpriced. But why it is that so many audiovisuals professionals are willing to pay more? Because they get more, as simple as that.

My point is you get what you pay for. Macs are not overpriced.

Macs /are/ overpriced for what you get. The illuminated keyboard and aluminum case are pretty much soley cosmetic features (unless you still need to look at the keys when you type, in which case, chances are good you lack the qualifications to judge computer hardware)

Most PCs also do have 'high quality' screen panels, some better than the mac screens. Same with the accellerometers in the harddrives. And the magnetic power cord is neat, sure, but a lot of people I know with macs (mostly art students at my uni.) have problems with it, and more than a few have had to get their power cords replaced because the connector gets faulty after a while.

So the price difference between a mac and PC comes down to brand name and a few extra features that you don't really need for, well, anything. And to me, a brand name on a laptop isn't worth the extra 1000 dollars.

The price difference between 'Pro' PC laptops, such as ThinkPads, and Macbook Pros are still vast, with the macbooks coming out as much more expensive.

And in response to your comment that A/V pros get Macs because they get more for their money, well, they probably just don't know any better.

[DvlsAdvct]

Last warning. This isn't related to the op's question, which amounted to what we use and why so he can make an informed decision.

Let's stick to that guys, this gets us absolutely nowhere.

[Segfault]

</nerd rage>

My apologies.

[kevinmcdonough]

LOL

and so another thread descends into mac v's PC

OK, for an answer to the original poster's questions, yes mac's have nicer (in my opinion) uni body cases and other things, but as has been stated they do run essentially the same hardware and intel based chips. However, here is THEE difference and why you pay the extra money that some people think is so unnecessary:

Integration.

There are so many different manufacturers making PC's and using all different components. Each component SHOULD be made to a standard and no matter what graphics card or motherboard or whatever, they should all be compatible but there are ALWAYS slight differences here and there. Because Windows has to be compatible with all of them and have drivers made for all of them, it has to cover a wide range of different hardware and there are always wee tiny gremlins and compatibility issues here and there.

However there is only ONE company making macs. They hand select all the hardware and test the hell out of it, and then write their own drivers and OS specifically to work with it, so it is all tightly controlled and integrated FAR better than a windows PC, and that is the reason they crash less and run smoother than a PC. They tend to also do more work and have more power for any comparable specification because all of the drivers and OS are written specifically for that particular combination of hardware and can squeeze every drop of power out of it.


Now that doesn't make PC bad or worse, i'm 90% a PC guy myself I only use my MBP for DJing and nothing else, it just means that it usually takes a good bit of work and tweaking to get things running as smoothly as on a Mac.

With a PC YOU basically have to do the work that apple have done to integrate the hardware and OS so tightly together, and to be honest unless your a computer programmer your never gonna get it as good as they do deep in all the silly settings and stuff.


So the choice becomes one of ease and reliability really. A PC, with a bit of tweaking and adjusting, will do a great job and you'll probably save a bit of money. But even though i'm a PC guy I made the choice to spend the extra and get a 13" MBP.

I'm quite happy to and quite good at building and tweeking/fixing PC's i build all my own and lots of my friends, and could have if i wanted but because (like other professionals who work in Audio, Video, graphic design etc etc) this is a job that earns me money, I wanted a totally stable and reliable platform that i know i can just open up and switch on and go. No messing about, no adjusting settings or getting to a gig and something crashing or going wrong and looking stupid while I spend half an hour messing with it trying to get it to work again.

Just turn up, look professional, bung in my two or three cables and go.


k

[pier]

Macs /are/ overpriced for what you get. The illuminated keyboard and aluminum case are pretty much soley cosmetic features (unless you still need to look at the keys when you type, in which case, chances are good you lack the qualifications to judge computer hardware)

Yeah right, you can tell a lot about someone because he is listing some features of a computer.

You know the degrees I have, you know what coding languages I know, you know what work I've done in the last 15 years, you know how many decades I've been working with computers, and you know how many pcs I've built and repaired for sound studios.

And then you attack me because I have a different opinion than yours?

Seriously, what kind of attitude is that?

[pier]

Just turn up, look professional, bung in my two or three cables and go.

"look professional"

LOL that made laugh

Because it's very true...

[LanceBlaise]

See, this is what I was talking about in the beginning. Seriously guys, this is silly. Mac users are mac users and PC users are PC users and we all need to drop this "discussion."

We can keep the thread going re the original poster, talking about what we use and why, or I can lock it because I, and most people, are completely tired of the "Macs vs PC" discussions.

He said he was thinking of getting a Mac opposed to a PC (see below), and basically asked for us to tell him why we think one is better than the other... unfortunately he asked for this pissing contest... and its not really bad, I mean is it really that bad to have this small arguement... its been going on for years, noone will win, but some may walk away with some new info that may make them go to one side or the other, and thy my find somthing new they like. i am all for Mac, i don't really like PCs, but thats me... I don't hate someone cause they wanna use a PC, thats their choice.

I have the luxury of owning a lot of Mac computers. I have was a graphice designer for almost 15 years, I have been producing music for 10 years, and i have been using the computer to DJ for about 3 years now... as someone who takes this profession seriously and its how i make my living, I don't have time to be fiddling with windows xp, then vista, then back to xp then to 7 and so on... I also can't have crashes, and freezes, and other possible mishaps. I am sorry in all of my experiences with Windows i have witnessed Traktor crashes, Ableton crashes, system freezes, and wierd things becoming in compatible. Years ago I produced as Tattoo Detectives with a very good friend of mine. When we first started out we produced a lot on his custom built super PC... many times our system crashed and Ableton froze etc etc... so we started doing everything on my studio setup, which at the time was only a Macbook Pro... with that i can say i have never lost a production to a crash etc.

Some people may be able to deal with this, maybe some people have great PCs and they don't have any problems at all, and that is great for them. FOR ME, I would rather go with a SURE THING. MacBook Pro computers are standard for professional DJs, you can't really deny that, just walk into a club to see Hawtin, Dubfire, Cox, etc... But i can understand and respect that many of you are on fixed budgets and don't want to spend that money, this may be a hobby for you, or you may have a real day job and this may not be what you pln on doing for the rest of your life, or maybe you jus haven't gotten to the level where you can drop the cash for something like a mac yet, maybe you really do like your PC. Whatever... This all boils down to the fact that I can express my love for Macsand I should be allowed to tell why I like Macs more. And I don't really care if you like PCs more, and I don't carewhy you like PCs more, its a free country, go on wit ya bad self!

I might consider a mac pro too, but they are much more expensive and I've always been PC fan/Mac hater (so I'd like to know if its really worth it and if it's time I get off the PC high horse).

Thanks alot I would appreciate any and all comments, questions, suggestions.

-Lola

[Karlos Santos]

I still say this all boils down to one thing only.

Have you got the knowledge, skill or just the god damn inclination to tweak a computer ? Can you be bothered.

Answer: YES buy a PC and have fun tweaking it until it works well and save some cash.
Answer: NO buy a Mac and use it straight out of the box but it will cost ya.

Its NOT about PC vs Mac its about:
Tweaking and hardware knowledge VS No experience and/or just cant be arsed.

When some dude comes up to me at my gig and goes "Yeah Mac Cool" i think "woah that girl has big knockers"
When some dude says "Yeah Mac bet that cost shit loads my PC works just as good" Im still looking for the girl with the big knockers.

Who gives a crap. Answer the YES/NO question above and thats how you decide on Mac or PC.

Anyone see that girl with the big knockers, she was here before