Should I buy a Mac?

Generally when I get asked this, it’s because of Apple’s outstanding marketing and the people that have bought it hook line and sinker.

While their marketing is outstanding, it is marketing, so let’s ignore that and instead look at the experience.

Mac users love their Macs. There is no doubt about that and there is certainly something to be said about the recommendation. But, ultimately a computer is a tool and, as fathers everywhere say, you need to use the right tool for the job.

So why do Mac users preach the gospel of Apple? Here are the reasons I’ve encountered.

  • I just like the interface better

    This is a totally legitimate reason to use a Mac. The majority of people that I’ve talked to that have switched from Windows do not feel this way however. It’s a pretty big change and there is a learning curve that many Windows users find frustrating. The same could be said going the other direction. If you’ve always been a Mac user and switch to Windows, you’ll experience the same learning curve.

  • It’s the best option for my proffession

    I hear this mostly from graphics professions and musicians where Mac is an industry standard. I also hear this from programmers that need to work cross platform. This is also a completely valid reason.

  • It Just Works

    Well no, to think that you’re never going to have a problem with your Mac is just not correct. Just google “spinning beach ball” or “grey screen of death” for a few examples. This is a perception issue and an exaggeration. Will there be fewer problems? Perhaps. That partly depends on how you use your computer, the quality of your PCs hardware, and partly relies on the proprietary and controlled nature of Apple products.

  • They Don’t Get Viruses

    Again, that’s just not true. While there are, without question, fewer infections that can affect a Mac, the infections are out there and their numbers will continue to grow as Mac gains popularity.

  • The hardware is better

    Macs, for the most part, use the same hardware that is available for PCs. Often a generation or even 2 behind. Not all PC hardware is the same however. If you buy a cheap PC, you can expect cheap results. It’s true that Apple still has some proprietary hardware, like the Retina display, but you can find the equivalent, or better, available for PC as well.