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Why do people buy Apple Mac?

I've always been a windows and linux user and I am a advanced computer user.

I have had a try at the OS X operating system like in the Apple Store and a friend owns a macbook but personally it doesn't seem that impressive compared to what other people say.

Why is it people buy iMacs and Macbooks? Cant get my head around it, there so expensive and in that price you can buy a very powerful desktop or laptop.

Anyone that owns an iMac or Macbook is there a specific reason why you bought one? Or was it a case of buying one because of the expensive brand?

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Reply 1

dhr90

Original post by Rathor

Build quality and battery life do come into it. But most people get them for the brand really. You're paying more for the badge, just like with the iphone. They have marketed themselves very well, just like Beats have with their terrible-for-the-price headphones.

Reply 2

vela1

Main reason was Windows 8 is horrendous. Then build quality, battery life, customer service came into it.

Reply 3

stemmery

Battery life, size, resell value, operating system 100000% better than windows 8. Never had an issue with my MacBook and I've had it over a year. Always had an issue with my other windows laptops.

Never going back, so so worth the money

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Reply 4

reallydontknow

Original post by Rathor

I am a advanced computer user.

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Apple stuff isn't for you then :biggrin:

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Reply 5

daryZ

Original post by vela1

Main reason was Windows 8 is horrendous. Then build quality, battery life, customer service came into it.

That's why Microsoft released free Windows 10 update. It isn't tablet OS anymore. :smile:

Reply 6

datpiff

status and trendiness i guess? Apple products hold resell value longer? Also the more user friendly interface? It looks good in cafes and makes you look like a middle class creative?

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(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 7

Rathor

Its funny how everyone seems to hate Windows because it crashes on them or whatever but its their own fault.

If you don't maintain your Windows machine properly and tidy it up now and then it will **** up. If you don't want an OS you need to maintain then go for Linux.

Linux is the best operating system I've ever used and I'm planning on fully switching to Linux as a main OS (need to keep Windows for Microsoft Office really as it doesn't work as well in Linux using WINE)

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Reply 8

jlsmp

its a phase, its seen as the cool thing to do and most people are sheep so they just follow blindly. Its like bieber and one direction, no one actually likes them they are just weak and brainwashed

Reply 9

username612415

Original post by Rathor

If you don't maintain your Windows machine properly and tidy it up now and then it will **** up. If you don't want an OS you need to maintain then go for Linux.

To paraphrase Gregory House, the problem with people is that they're idiots. The vast majority of people don't know much more about computers than how to turn their own computer on and use them to do the tasks they want to do, and have no desire to learn anything more than that. Most people don't want to have to worry about maintaining their laptop properly, they don't feel its their responsibility and that a machine should just work, or they simply cannot be bothered and are willing to cope with the slowdown or assume the slowdown is simply a symptom of the laptop's age. I'm not saying Macs are the divine answer for all their tech woes, but if people get fed up of their computer slowing and get told they should look after it better, then they are going to head over to that shop with an Apple over the door where they've been told they don't have to worry about that stuff.

As for Linux, I would wager if you asked 100 people on the street what Linux is that at least 90 of them wouldn't be able to give you an answer more detailed than "something to do with computers". There's the compatibility issues you've mentioned, there's the fact that you can't buy it, it's not found on the high street, there's multiple different versions. These are all things that would be absolutely no issue for someone knowledgeable about computers and technology, but to the layperson it all contributes to Linux looking complicated and scary, the stuff of nerds. I'm definitely not saying people shouldn't use Linux (I certainly enjoyed the time I spent dabbling with it a couple of years ago), only that people simply don't.

To answer your original question, I bought my Mac simply because they're the laptops I enjoy using the most and since I'll be using it several hours a day for the next several years most likely, I put a lot of value in enjoying the laptop and as a grown up with the disposable income to afford it I bought one. I'm fully aware that I could have got similar specs for a lot less money, but the whole reason I sold my self-built gaming PC is because I don't need a really powerful computer anymore (although I'll most likely build a mini ITX home theatre/sofa gaming rig for the living room when I move into my own place nearer the end of the year) throw in things like the high res display (Windows also doesn't handle scaling on high res laptop displays nearly as well as OS X at the moment), rock solid build quality and consistent 12 hour battery life and the price of most Windows competitors is well up there with their equivalent MacBook anyway.

Reply 10

tomisonion

The brand.

Macs are becoming more and more overpriced considering the hardware inside. The latest Mac mini has a mobile processor(!) and the new macbook is also running low spec hardware for the price. The only thing worth considering is the iMac.

Reply 11

ihavemooedtoday

Many software engineers and computer scientists use Macs, so no, it's not just for the technically-illiterate.

I use OS X because it gives me a nice UNIX shell (I spend a lot of time on the command line), with a desktop environment that works very smoothly out of the box (which Linux doesn't have).

I used Linux as my main OS for 10 years before that, and my last job was mostly writing Linux kernel drivers for custom hardware, so I think it's fair for me to say I know the basics of Linux.

For me, Linux was "a phase". It's nice if you are willing and able to spend a lot of time tweaking it. I (and most of my colleagues) simply don't have time for that anymore. We have our research to do, other hobbies to do, other people to entertain, etc, so we want a system that "just works". However, we are still power users and want to have a nice UNIX command line. OS X is the only OS that offers this combination at the moment.

At some point in your life money will become less of a problem, time more of a problem. That's when many people switch to Macs. It allows us to buy time with money.

Hardware-wise, MacBook Pro combines pretty good performance with insanely low weight and insanely long battery life. Very few Windows laptops can come anywhere close (many do 2 of the 3, but very few do all 3), and of those that do, they are just as expensive if not even more expensive.

And yeah, if your friends are technical but not in CS, you'll get called sheep and stuff by the ignorant Apple hate-boys, because apparently that's the cool thing to do now.

But hey, at some point you'll stop caring about what other people think of you, too.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 12

Snagprophet

Macbooks are enjoyable. Maybe they want something different to Windows OS or whatever. They do make Windows laptops in a similar unibody form now so I guess the OS, but I don't think I could really stand a different OS now, although Microsoft have been doing their best to force a stupid interface design on it's users.

I like things like launchpad, and with Windows 8 there's a similar thing done by pressing a button for quick access.

The best thing about Macs are they're designed to be something specific, whereas Windows runs differently based on your components but with Macs they make sure each one released runs properly so you aren't ****ed over on having something lagging like crap and not being smooth, unless you keep the same one for over 7 years or something.

The downsides are the overpricing and the locked down nature (in some cases although not everyone wants or needs to customise).

But what makes them appealing is that Apple doesn't tend to spam product lines constantly each year like Sony does with their phones.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 13

balkanlad

1) Mac OS is a far superior operating system
2) Windows is awful
3) Linux doesn't have that much support although I'd still prefer it to Windows
4) Apps are efficient and easy to install to complete simply tasks
5) The build quality is far superior
6) The retina display is great
7) The battery life is great
8) Other companies cheap out on the smaller design related details that matter
9) The keyboard is impeccable compared to any others
10) The trackpad is magnificent and perfect to use - using trackpads on other laptops is like rubbing your finger across a cheese grater at times - again, these manufacturers skimp out on the important details/quality
11) You get loads of decent compatible software with the OS itself - why should I have to install lots of different applications from multiple third parties to achieve some of the most basic tasks? Also, I'd rather not have my computer cluttered with third party software - the less of it, the better.
12) The user interface blows the user interface any other operating system out of the water

Simply put, professionals tend to buy professional tools. Why buy a screwdriver when you can afford a drill? It's all about Value Proposition. Considering my first Macbook Pro lasted around 5 years, had no problems and cost £850 with student discount, I'd say that was impeccable value for money and a great return on investment. Are they expensive up front? Yes, but they're an investment just like a car.

The reality is, most people won't appreciate how great Mac's are until they actually own one and use one for a decent period of time. Funnily enough, most people who complain about them and hate them have never actually owned one of them.