Do I need to go back to having a PC?

rpic81

Question for the computer savvy folks. I bought my Mac in early 2007 and I think it may be on its last leg. It's incredibly slow and normal systems like Firefox, Word, Skype, Spotify, etc can't update to the most current versions because my operating system is so out of date. H and I thought we could just install an upgrade. It costs something like ?100-?150. Alas, I can't do that either because I get a message that OSX is too old for the most recent version. From what H and I could gather, I'd need to update to an older version, then update another one or two times before I have the most recent operating system.

At this point I'd be at the cost of an inexpensive PC, and because we're on a baby budget at the moment, we can't justify shelling out over ?1K for a new laptop. 

My computer usage is pretty basic: casual photos (no heavy editing), browsing the web, listening to music, use of microsoft word. 

I plan to pop in to the Apple store and ask them about upgrading my current one, but in the meantime, what do you think? Mac or PC?

Johlise

I say PC, but that being said that's all I've ever had. Personally to me it doesn't seem worth paying all the extra money just to have a Mac.

Mrs DRJ

Our Mac died about a year ago and it was from 2006.

If you don't need to run large programmes, could you get a netbook?  I have one and it costs about ?300 and I love it.  I just want it to answer emails, read the internet and I can watch on-line TV programme and movies.

This is the one I have, I believe: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-NC10-10-2-inch-Netbook-Windows/dp/B001GZC8K8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1236185588&sr=1-1

We purchased it in 2009, I believe and it is still working beautifully.

I can ask my DH tonight... he is great at this stuff.  He built our PC for fun -- not my version of fun, but hey, it saved us a ton of money!

 

frlcb

Mac. Totally worth the money

ctgirlingermany

If you're on a baby budget, and want to use the computer for light things, I would do a netbook too.  I loved my netbook, until DH took it over.  The only thing is if you are uploading lots of pictures with it, they can be slow.  This is why I'm looking forward to a desktop again- I have rather photo-heavy blogs.  What I loved too about the netbook was its portability, I always brought it with me on vacation, just carried it around in my bag. 

chelbel7

After switching to a Mac I don't think I could ever go back.  I don't use mine for anything fancy, but I do use it for my job for the states. DH and I both bought new laptops in 2010, I bought a MacBook and he bought a Toshiba because we couldn't really justify buying 2 Macs and there are some neat things for teaching I can do with the Mac.  He now regrets that he didn't get one too as his computer is so slow and all he uses it for is for cruising the internet.  So I vote Mac, but it really does depend on your needs and budget.  Do you have any teachers or students in the family?  Apple usually offers discounts to teachers and students.

rpic81

Thanks everyone. Yeah, I have a feeling that with a baby coming I'll want to put a lot of pictures on it. But, it's so hard to justify the cost.

Chelbel, no teachers or students in the family.

Sigh, I'll have to do a bit of research.

bail229

If you are on a budget I would stick with what I could afford.  That being said, we have a Mac and I cannot imagine going back to a pc.  We got ours in 2009 and I always think that it is brand new, I forget that it is already 2 yrs old.  I also teach at a school that only has Macs, so its much easier for me to be on the same system.  

bugabean

My dad was totally in the "I can get way better for less with a PC" camp, and my mother struggled so much with importing and organizing photos. I got them a Mac, and Mom was up and running in minutes. That said, I don't know PCs at all. I haven't used Windows in more than a decade. I'm sure they have changed.

To get the latest OS X (10.7 Snow Leopard), you would need to upgrade to Leopard first (?129), then run Software Update (free), then buy Snow Leopard (?29 iirc) from the App Store. You need to have 1GB of RAM, too. I can't recall if most laptops in 2007 had that or not. Apple menu > About This Mac > it says next to "Memory" what you have. (Just to be clear, you would NOT have to purchase any upgrades prior to Leopard, even if you are more than one version behind.)

You might also consider an iPad for basic stuff. For me, it would depend how much you use Word and for what. You can't get Word, but Pages runs on the iPad. 

rpic81

bugabean:

To get the latest OS X (10.7 Snow Leopard), you would need to upgrade to Leopard first (?129), then run Software Update (free), then buy Snow Leopard (?29 iirc) from the App Store. You need to have 1GB of RAM, too. I can't recall if most laptops in 2007 had that or not. Apple menu > About This Mac > it says next to "Memory" what you have. (Just to be clear, you would NOT have to purchase any upgrades prior to Leopard, even if you are more than one version behind.)

Thanks! I'm going to try it out this week and see.