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32 reasons why PCs are better than Macs

Posted on 18 Apr 2007 at 12:04

24 Full selectiion of peripherals

Macs are shut out from a wide range of products and services, from Windows-only home security kits to music download stores and MP3 players - including the Creative Zen Vision:M. Even relatively simple peripherals, such as the handy U3 memory sticks, are persona non grata on Mac OS X.

25 Build your own computer

Macs are like Happy Meals: there's a shiny menu to choose from, but very little real variety on offer. The open architecture of the PC platform, on the other hand, means you can build your own PC from the ground up (or pay someone to do it for you). With your own choice of case, CPU, monitor and other components, you might even end up with a system designed for your personal workspace, rather than for a penthouse condo on the Lower East Side.

26 The apps don't crash

We're not denying that Mac OS X is a stable operating system with its Unix underpinnings. But a stable operating system doesn't make a stable overall computing experience, which you'll soon discover if you use Mac OS X as your day-to-day system. The OS is stable; lots of the applications (especially those not designed by Apple) aren't. Random crashes, hangs and programs quitting for no apparent reason are, in our experience, far more common on the Mac than PC. And it often takes a restart to get the errant application to launch again.

27 Tablets and touchscreens

We're certainly not about to claim that tablet PCs have been a runaway success for Microsoft, but for certain purposes - medical, warehouse management, presenting Sky News - they've become an integral part of the business. Yet, while there's been a Tablet version of Windows since 2002, Apple stubbornly claims it isn't interested in touchscreen technology on the PC. That's a shame, because as HP's IQ770 TouchSmart PC proves, touchscreen PC technology can certainly have its advantages in consumer applications, such as photo editing and web browsing. Indeed, if we were feeling bold, we could even predict that touchscreens will be an integral part of consumer PCs within the next decade.

28 You don't need as much RAM

From the very early days of Mac OS, Windows' virtual memory has always been better implemented than the Mac's. That means a PC that's low on memory might be slow, but it won't be any less reliable. A Mac with low memory has a terrible tendency to fall over in a stiff breeze, which widens the price gap between comparable Mac and PC specifications even more.

29 A Mac's delete key doesn't delete

No, really! Click on a file in Mac OS X's equivalent of Windows Explorer. Now, press the delete key. Nothing will happen. A logical, intuitive OS? Is it hell. What you have to do is press the Apple and backspace keys together, or drag the file to the trash can. What a big fat load of rubbish!

30 Apple doesn't like meddling

Mac users like to boast about how, rather than a traditional BIOS, they have something known as EFI (extensible firmware interface). All very well, but if you actually try to get into the EFI setup to tweak your hardware, you'll find it's damn near-impossible. Not so with a PC: just reboot, hit the delete key when prompted, and you'll have low-level access to your hardware. Tweak it for maximum speed or maximum stability, the choice is yours.

31 PCs are greener

Apple is currently bottom of the pile in Greenpeace's Green Electronics Guide rankings. Greenpeace claims the company "scores badly on almost all criteria", including the use of hazardous chemicals, product take back and recycling.