For the past 8 months, I’ve been using a MacBook Pro for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and am now having trouble reconciling the use of my Hewlett-Packard StinkMachine during the weekend. It’s not necessarily a Microsoft issue, as I have not had the good fortune to get my hands on a Surface Book, but it’s certainly a contributing factor.
I’ve written before about my issues with Macs and PCs, hardware vs software, Windows Phones and Androids and iPhones. It’s a huge ecosystem of personal computing that doesn’t seem relevant until you own one of them, and suddenly you’re on a team you never cared about.
However, in light of my recent experience, I can describe my latest OS of choice conclusively.
I’m still not sure.
So, to me, I still believe it’s a matter of opinion. Most businesses swear by Windows 7, and good luck getting them to upgrade or switch to anything else. Macs dominate the art industry, and design companies benefit from the powerful insides, sturdy aluminum casings, and simple operating system user interface. So what would influence your decision? Here are some questions:
How will you use your computer?
Games? Photoshop? Word documents? Facebook? The programs you run and the power you need to run them will determine your price range and specs. Games are big; you’ll want powerful graphics, a super processor, and a fantastic display. Graphics processing and 4K video editing will drain RAM and processing power. Just browsing the webbernets? Why are you buying a computer? Seriously, just use your smartphone. It’s not worth a full-sized machine anymore.
What’s your price range?
If you say “under a thousand”, this conversation is over. Go to Best Buy, find the thinnest laptop with the most plastic and spinnable screen, and then throw yourself through the safety glass window. You’ll never be happy with a computer under $1,200, and for the bigger stuff, be prepared to spend $2,000, easy. Remember, this is an investment. Also, now that Windows 10 is here, needing to purchase a brand new machine just for the OS every other year is a thing of the past. If you buy a well-made computer with advanced specs, it can last you for the next five years before needing replacement (and yes, that’s a long time in computer years).
What are you used to?
Did you grow up with an operating system of choice? I know tons of folks whose families owned nothing but Macs, and they can’t use a PC without showing extreme frustration and outbursts of hipster anger (flinging their iced mocha lattes and riding off in a haze of cigarette smoke and cuffed plaid on their 10-speed). The same goes for any certified neckbeard who doesn’t understand the command button and wants to punch a Gap employee anytime he hears “Retina Display” used in a sentence with “better than anything.” Use what you’re used to, but don’t be afraid to learn. Both have pros and cons, which I may get into at a later time.
All in all, I think we’ve covered a lot of ground today. Questions? Comments? Stories about your first computers or OS experiences? Comment below!
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