Experience using a MacBook or why Mac sucks? Mac Pro: a computer for those who understand why they need it. And only for them
Some programs download automatically when macOS starts. They always work in the background, therefore they use RAM and load the processor. Because of this, your Mac may not have enough power for other tasks.
Check the startup list. If there are programs in it that you do not need to run constantly, remove them from this list. Expand the Apple menu and go to System Preferences → Users and Groups. Then go to the Login Items tab. To remove a program, select it and click on the minus button.
The speed of your Mac depends on the amount of free space available on your disk. If the drive is more than 90% full, the computer may slow down.
Check how much space is left on your disk. Expand the Apple menu, click About This Mac and go to the Storage tab. If less than 10% of the storage capacity is free, clear the disk of unnecessary files. To do this, click “Manage” and follow the system’s recommendations for optimizing storage.
Perhaps among the programs you have installed, there are some that you do not use. They take up disk space and can use up other system resources, slowing down your Mac.
Find and remove all unnecessary programs. Open Finder → Programs and look for them in the list that opens. If you find it, drag the shortcuts of such applications to the trash icon one by one.
As you use macOS, software junk accumulates in a special section of memory called the cache. And because of this, your Mac may slow down. Clear cache using or .
5. Remove unnecessary objects from your desktop
Perhaps you store files and folders directly on your desktop. This is not the best practice because such objects take up RAM. If there are too many of these files and folders or they are large, your computer's performance may suffer. Therefore, it is better to remove them from the desktop and distribute them in other disk partitions.
Spotlight indexes file system partitions to help you find the files and folders you need. Indexing takes a significant amount of resources and in some cases causes your Mac to run slowly.
To check the relationship between Spotlight and system speed, go to the Apple menu in System Preferences → Programs → Utilities → System Monitor. In the table that appears, click on the “% CPU” column so that the most power-hungry processes appear on top.
If you notice that when your computer slows down, processes called mdworker are at the top of the list, but at the bottom of the window the graph shows increased load, try optimizing your Spotlight search.
There are probably folders on your computer with many nested files that you don't need to search through. Exclude these sections from the indexing list. To do this, expand the Apple menu and click “System Preferences” → Spotlight. Go to the Privacy tab and drag the folders you don't want the service to index here.
It is possible that there are other processes in the System Monitoring menu that create increased CPU load. If they belong to programs you know, try closing the latter. If there are unknown processes among them, search the Internet for additional information about why they are consuming a lot of resources and whether they can be stopped.
Your Mac may slow down due to storage problems. You can check for their presence using Disk Utility. If problems are found, it will try to solve them.
Open Finder → Programs → Utilities and launch Disk Utility. In the left panel, select the disk to be scanned and click “First Aid” and then “Run”.
If the system refuses to check the disk, it may be damaged. Copy important data to a third-party storage device and, if other tips do not help, contact a service center. Sounds such as crunching and clicking noises may also indicate a disk failure.
A drop in performance may be caused by bugs in the macOS system itself or its poor optimization. Developers try to quickly correct such errors with the help of updates.
Update macOS to the latest version available. To check its availability, open the App Store program and click on the “Updates” button on the top toolbar.
10. Check your RAM consumption
Often serious performance problems are associated with a lack of RAM.
To check its status, open the section “System Settings” → “Programs” → “Utilities” → “System Monitoring”. Select the Memory tab and look at the Memory Load indicator at the bottom. If you see a red color on it, it means that the system does not have enough RAM.
11. Make sure your computer doesn't get hot
Your Mac may slow down when it gets too hot. Therefore, it depends on the temperature of the processor and other components. If it exceeds the permissible values, accept it after cooling the device.
12. Restore the system to a previous state
Perhaps the slow speed of your computer is the result of errors in macOS that have accumulated over a long time of using it. If all else fails, try restoring the system to a previous state.
Despite the fact that Apple computers are sold in record volumes and purchased for government needs, various phobias and stereotypes still hover around them. Some consider the Mac to be an accessory for fashionistas, while others simply adore it for its convenience and ease of use. So, who is right? Why is there so much speculation surrounding Apple computers?
It all started when an iMac appeared in our editorial office. It was purchased specifically for designers to make their work more comfortable and convenient. And just recently, Apple computers began to “capture” our employees one after another. And that’s not counting the notorious iPhones! Macbook Air appeared. Then, no less new iPad 2, Macbook Pro. Then again and again. And the attitude towards the Apple brand began to change from being strictly negative and “major” in a different direction. Is this really a cult? Or maybe Apple is brainwashing?
Attempts to establish the truth give yet another reason to call Mac or iOS users crazy, as well as crazy fans of the Apple cult. Nobody can really explain anything. The squabbles between fans and opponents of the company on our project, and on the Internet in general, are clear confirmation of this.
While studying this topic, I came to the conclusion that most users know little about Apple computers, unlike the same Windows PCs. They refer to the words of friends, acquaintances or a geek from a neighboring apartment who assembled a dozen computers with his own hands. Let's try to understand the existing opinions regarding the Mac and look at these facts from both Apple opponents and fans of Apple computers. Moreover, there are more and more Apple computers in our editorial office.
Mac means expensive!
id="sub0">The main argument of opponents of Apple computers is the high price. And it is very difficult to argue with this. It's no secret that, all other things being equal, Apple laptops and desktops are more expensive than similar computer models from other manufacturers. But how big is this difference?
Try comparing computers with similar configurations from well-known manufacturers. If you take equipment from top developers such as Sony, Dell, HP or Samsung, find a comparable computer configuration so that the processor, memory amount, screen size, built-in network interfaces and case materials are the same, you will be surprised how small the difference in cost will be between Mac and this PC. According to our estimates, only 3-5%.
But what you definitely can’t take away from Apple is that the company makes very beautiful computers. The appearance is not spoiled by stickers, extra buttons, various status lights blinking at you, etc. Of course, design is a very subjective thing, and you may like the design of Sony VAIO, Acer Aspire S, Samsung Series 9 computers. However, all these stylish laptops cost a lot of money.
Moreover, in the workstation segment (and this is a level higher than just an office or home computer), Apple Mac Pro computers may be even cheaper than comparable PC workstations. So compare and choose yours.
Apple is for showing off, but I need a computer for work
id="sub1">I agree with this opinion only partly. For most users, Mac is a common work tool with which they do their work and earn a living. For example, the Macbook Air 11, weighing 950 grams and with a body thickness of 3 to 17 mm, is simply a miracle for mobile people working on the go (which, by the way, includes students and journalists). However, like any premium product, Macs can attract people who buy a computer to look cool.
And yet people who buy a Mac to brag about this fact are a minority. The majority of users use the Mac for its intended purpose, as a convenient tool for work, or as a safe and easy-to-use computer for everything else. The Mac generally operates on a “plug and play” philosophy. It is even rumored that this fact was the reason for the massive purchases of Apple computers in Moscow schools.
Mac software shortage
id="sub2">When I first switched to Mac, I was surprised at how many apps were available on the platform. First of all, Apple computers are sold with pre-installed software, which is much better than its Windows counterparts on any PC. Programs like Mail, Address Book, iCal, Safari, iChat, FaceTime, iTunes, QuickTime, Preview, TextEdit, Time Machine, the iLife suite and many others are available on the Mac right out of the box. There is also no shortage of third-party programs, some of which are free. Most software for Mac OS X is sold at very reasonable prices. Ultimately, for every Windows application there is a Mac equivalent. Clients Facebook, VKontakte, Twitter, ICQ, Skype, etc. - free. However, you will not find Corel Draw, 3ds max, Softimage, Stylizer, Sonar, FL Studio, Audition for an Apple computer.
Working with Microsoft Office documents on a Mac is inconvenient
id="sub3">Compatibility with Microsoft Office may be of fundamental importance for some users working on Apple computers. However, you can work with any MS Office files on a Mac without any problems. Problems may arise only with unique document templates that you created on a PC.
Windows apps won't work on Mac
id="sub4">If you have a Windows disk, then you can run any Windows application on your Mac. It is always possible to use the free Boot Camp software to boot Windows natively, and the virtualization programs Parallels, Fusion or Virtualbox allow you to run any guest operating system (including Windows) from the OS X operating system. The disadvantage of this option is the lack of support for the video card to work in full mode, so this method is not suitable for games.
Another problem that existed until recently is file compatibility. At this point, file-level incompatibilities are virtually non-existent. That is, 99% of Windows files can be opened on a Mac using either the program for which the files were intended (for example, Photoshop on Mac for files made in Photoshop on Windows) or using another program that can work with a specific format files. For example, Microsoft Project is not released for Mac OS X, but there are still applications for Mac that can open this file format.
A separate sub-direction of this topic is the issue of compatibility of audio-video files. By default, Mac OS X comes with QuickTime technology, which allows you to play “your” file formats plus open formats like AAC. But by installing a free set of codecs (files that describe other formats), you will be able to view various .avi, divx, Flash video and other formats directly in QuickTime Player. You can also use the free VLC file player, which can work with these types of files.
There are no viruses on Mac
id="sub5">To become a victim of virus programs on Mac OS X, you need to seriously try. This operating system is still considered the most secure. Skeptics find this hard to believe, but it is a fact. And even the anti-PR of anti-virus software developers does not produce results. You can use a Mac without an antivirus program, at least for now.
The reliability mystery lies in the fact that Mac OS X is a modern UNIX system that was developed in an era when viruses and other malware were well known, so the system immediately contains measures to prevent the successful operation of such programs, in particular, user rights to access to certain directories (and especially system ones) are clearly distributed, and it is much more difficult to harm the system.
The second reason lies in the small market share of Apple computers. This is only 3-6% of the world market. Malware is often written with the goal of causing as much harm as possible to computers, and this is much easier to do through the most common operating system, Windows, which accounts for 90% of the global market.
Experts also note that most Mac users use their computers for their intended purpose, and do not write viruses on them. And yet, you shouldn’t relax even on a Mac.
Macs don't have right-click because there's only one button on the mouse.
id="sub6">Once upon a time, the one-button mouse was indeed a major limitation of Macs. This is no longer the case. And the Magic Mouse has a touch-sensitive body that adjusts to right and left clicks. The same can be done with the MacBook's touchpad. This advantage gives users extensive customization options that are not available to owners of a conventional two-button mouse.
Macs cannot be upgraded
id="sub7">When you buy a Dell or Acer laptop, the only things you can upgrade are the RAM and hard drive. The same components are easily updated across the entire line of Apple computers, be it MacBook or iMac. You don't actually need to buy Apple branded memory and hard drive. Components from any manufacturer are suitable. This upgrade is enough for most users. People talk a lot about upgrading, but after 3-5 years it makes more sense to buy a new computer rather than investing in upgrading the old one.
Some Internet sites do not open on Mac
id="sub8">Indeed, a few years ago many sites opened only in Internet Explorer. This phenomenon existed before Firefox, Chrome and other browsers that took serious share from Microsoft. Now this problem does not exist. Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome or Opera open any website on a Mac.
Macs are hard to learn
id="sub9">In fact, Mac OS X is much easier to learn than Windows. She is more intuitive. Tested for myself. Even people who have never used a computer will not have any difficulties working with Mac OS X. Users who switch to a Mac from Windows may initially experience slight discomfort because they need to give up old Windows habits. In general, it’s strange to hear complaints that “it was convenient in Windows, but in Mac OS X it was different and inconvenient.” But it goes away quickly.
Mac has compatibility issues with other devices
id="sub10">This problem actually exists for all Macs. There are, perhaps, tens of thousands of different devices in the world, and not all of them have drivers for Mac OS X. But not everything is so bad. First, Mac OS X has basic support for a variety of devices. It is built into the operating system from the very beginning, so the device can work without drivers. For example, you can connect a USB mouse purchased from any store, and at least two buttons and a scroll wheel will work immediately after connection. The same is true for USB-Bluetooth modules, or simply USB keys on Flash memory, and the iPhoto program by default can work with hundreds of cameras.
In addition, manufacturers of all kinds of devices and devices (printers, scanners, etc.) do not forget about Apple users and supply devices with drivers that support Mac OS X.
And yet, you need to be prepared for the fact that your precious communicator, which you use as an address book and task list, may well refuse to synchronize with Mac OS X. That's what it is - an Apple operating system!
The list consists of 15 items. In my opinion, this evidence is simply undeniable, so there is no reason for holivars. Mac users rejoice, and the rest are shaking their heads.
I will not translate the entire article. I will only note the key points.
1. Reliable sleep mode
You can't argue with that. You can only put a Windows machine into sleep mode by crossing your fingers. In addition, the recovery time to working condition is much longer than that of Macs.
On the latest MacBook Pro, Mac OS X boots completely from scratch in just 25 seconds.
3. High quality iron
It’s also hard to argue with this. You can buy Apple equipment with your eyes closed, confident that you are buying a quality product. Finding a decent PC build can take hours.
4. Fewer flickering lights
Here you can do without unnecessary words.
5. OS X + Windows is better than Windows alone
Even if you're not an Apple fan, it's hard to deny the fact that two are always better than one.
6. It's easier to figure out what the problem is on a Mac.
Both Macs and Windows have built-in applications for system monitoring, but it is often simply impossible to understand what Windows shows to the average user.
7. Culture of creating quality free software
It’s common knowledge that almost all programs for Mac OS are easy to use and usually of very high quality. Perhaps due to the fact that Apple has given a good example to third-party developers. There are significantly more applications for Windows, but it is very difficult to find anything worthwhile among them.
8. More useful pre-installed applications
Applications with similar functions are available for Windows, but they need to be downloaded and installed. However, there are no guarantees that the system will not collapse. Again, this is not a task for ordinary users.
9. Organized and convenient system settings
In Mac OS, all system settings are made in one place. In Windows they are scattered wherever possible.
10. Apple doesn't stuff its system with crap.
Of course, Apple also offers paid services that are integrated into the OS, but they do it much less intrusively.
11. Hundreds of minor reasons in favor of Mac OS X
There are really hundreds of small advantages. We list only the most striking
Ability to take screenshots of the entire desktop, individual windows and areas
The built-in picture viewer can open PDF files. Moreover, it allows you to perform basic operations on photographs: resizing, cropping, rotating, tightening colors.
Expose allows you to quickly switch between desktops and windows
The Dock can be used much more effectively than the Windows start menu and the notorious taskbar.
12. No need to install security software
Everything is clear here too
13. Fewer stupid ideas
Apple doesn't waste time inventing desktop slideshows, releasing dozens of identical OSes under different names, or inventing a format (XPS) that directly competes with PDF.
14. The power of the Linux command line coupled with Photoshop CS4
15. Sharing files is much easier
It's difficult to say anything here. Just try transferring data from one PC to another, and then do the same on two Macs.
As a conclusion
As a rule, articles comparing Macs and PCs (Mac OS and Windows) are hotly condemned and discussed by opponents of change. Before you rush to defend your beloved PC, read this final word.
I'm not saying the Mac is good for gaming. If you are an advanced gamer, then most likely the Mac is not for you.
I'm not saying Macs don't have problems. Of course there are problems too
I'm not saying there are no hardware compatibility issues. There are a lot of devices that are not supported by Macs (no drivers)
I'm not saying that the Mac is for people who like to tinker with hardware and build the most powerful machines at the lowest price.
I'm not saying that Apple is a pleasure to work with. If only that were the case...
In general, Macs allow you to get things done, while Windows often gets in the way.
When I was asked to write about the Mac Pro, I initially declined. Not because Apple's new miracle computer is not interesting, not at all. It’s simply not very correct to evaluate professional tools if you yourself are not a professional of this kind. Roughly speaking, if a fifth-grade student at a music school is given a Stradivarius violin to practice, he is unlikely to be able to appreciate it and demonstrate all its advantages.
In response to the refusal, I heard that many thousands of people around the world were waiting for my assessment of the Mac Pro. Crude flattery is an effective tool of persuasion, and after a couple of days this perhaps the most unusual desktop computer in the world arrived at the PC World editorial office.
I already wrote a little about it in a report from the October Apple press conference, where the Mac Pro was first shown live, without a glass cover. Nowadays, when desktop computers are of little interest to anyone, Apple managed to attract serious attention to its brainchild, even against the backdrop of the new iPad and MacBook Pro. Of course, never before has such a powerful, I would even say, uncompromising computer been so compact and quiet. Moreover, the exterior is a match, having nothing in common with traditional system units.
But, as they say, there is a nuance. When we see Pro next to a MacBook, we understand that this is made up. In fact, such a full-length laptop can be used not only by a seasoned designer or video editor, but also by someone who likes to post photos of food and cats on social networks. The screen, speed, powerful battery, comfortable keyboard - all this is good for solving absolutely any problem. But the Mac Pro is truly designed for specialists working with complex 2D and 3D graphics, processing video with the highest resolution, recording multi-channel audio, etc. and so on. A cat lover may not notice any difference at all, for example, with a Mac mini. Which, with at least a five-fold difference in price, can cause conflicting emotions.
Official portrait
I'm just a Mac mini user. The older version of this wonderful little computer has been on my desk for about a year now and, despite the previous generation processor, it satisfies my home needs completely. Typing texts, processing RAW files from a Sony DSC-RX100 camera, and occasionally editing video in Full HD. And, of course, fierce, indomitable Internet surfing. There was an idea to replace the classic hard drive with an SSD, but after increasing the amount of RAM from 4 to 6 GB, the slight slowdowns disappeared completely, and I decided to just wait for the new version on Haswell.
And here is the Mac Pro. It is sold in a very compact box, which you can put in a branded bag and take home in your hands. Weight is about five kilograms, you won’t get too tired. Inside we are unexpectedly greeted by... pieces of foam plastic. They, of course, are quite elegant compared to their counterparts from boxes with TVs and monitors, but personally, I have never come across foam plastic in Apple packaging before at all. Perhaps it would have been worth using a cork to come into contact with such an exquisite device, since the task of severe economy was clearly not an issue in this case. But - as it is. The box contains only the computer itself and the power cable. Everything else is offered to be purchased independently, based on your own needs and capabilities.
Six Thunderbolt connectors are, of course, very cool. But I personally would like more USB.
And you can buy a lot of things. Keyboard, mouse, trackpad - that's understandable. And it wouldn’t hurt to have a decent speaker system (with or without wires), a monitor (up to three standard ones with a resolution of up to 4K, or as many as six using the Thunderbolt interface), external drives (USB or Thunderbolt, as you see fit) and so on and so forth . By the way, if you, like me, have a new-fangled monitor with a resolution higher than Full HD, you won’t need special expensive adapters to connect your Mac Pro to it; a regular HDMI cable will suffice. Thanks to Apple for introducing HDMI 1.4 support.
I ordered the low-end Mac Pro to review, but even its specs are impressive. 4-core Intel Xeon E5 with a base frequency of 3.7 GHz (under load up to 3.9 GHz), 16 GB of RAM, two AMD FirePro D300 graphics cores with two gigabytes of GDDR5 VRAM on each (for those who don’t like big names, let me clarify – this is analogues of Radeon HD 7850). Only the SSD capacity (256 GB) hinted that this was a basic model. But, given the six Thunderbolt connectors, there is no problem connecting an external drive and using it at the same speed as a regular internal HDD or SSD. Let me emphasize - just ordinary, because the SSD in the Mac Pro is simply prohibitively fast, and something external cannot catch up with it. 900 megabytes of read and write is no joke.
With the cover removed, the Mac Pro looks almost more impressive than with it on. This is just some kind of orgasm of engineering. Everything is not only thought out to the smallest detail, but also simply beautiful.
Even the textolite of the memory modules is matching!
Or they could have installed regular Hynix, like everyone else.
If the capabilities of the listed hardware are not enough for you, but you still have plenty of money, Apple offers many interesting opportunities to spend it. First, pay attention to the second standard Mac Pro configuration with a 6-core Xeon E5 and two AMD FirePro D500 (3 GB of video memory per chip). Finally, for the most demanding and wealthy people, there is the opportunity to create their own configuration with a 12-core Xeon E5, 64 GB of RAM, a terabyte SSD and two AMD FirePro D700 with 6 GB of GDDR5 video memory on each. The dimensions of the computer will not change.
Impressive? Personally, it makes me shiver. Especially considering that the Mac Pro is practically silent in operation. It gets really hot under load, so I wouldn’t recommend putting chocolates on it. But it doesn't make noise. For those who work a lot (work, not just sit) at a computer, this is a very important argument in favor of the new Apple product. Because making a powerful system is not difficult, but making it behave unnoticed is a different task. And before there was an opinion that it was simply unsolvable in such compact dimensions. It also uses one large turbine-type propeller, which is installed on top and draws air through the entire body. This probably imposes certain obligations on cleaning the table and the room as a whole. Because extracting dust from a vacuum cleaner bag is much easier and cheaper than extracting it from the bowels of a Mac Pro. By the way, the system turns on with a sound reminiscent of the starting rattling of hard disk heads. It's a funny feeling.
Setting up a new Apple computer is traditionally simple - just connect to your home network and feed it a saved Time Machine image. After about an hour, the Mac Pro already had all the settings and applications from the Mac mini. I sat down at it and began to do my usual things, listening to the sensations. The sensations were silent. There was no difference at all with the Mac mini. More precisely, the presence of an SSD significantly reduced the loading time, and applications opened more quickly, but in general - exactly the same picture.
I launched Photoshop CC and began applying my favorite effects to the photos. And again I felt nothing. Everything was as fast as it was - and it remains so. The knowledgeable guys advised me to open something 40 megapixel and create twenty layers. Then, they say, you’ll get into it. But my design career ended 14 years ago and most likely will not resume. Therefore, I did not experiment with layers. But I have no doubt about the performance of the Mac Pro.
When processing video in Final Cut Pro X, not only the processor is used, but also the graphics cores. Therefore, it is impossible not to notice the acceleration here. It takes about a quarter of the time to create a finished video than on a Mac mini with its mobile Core i7 and integrated Ivy Bridge graphics. But if in the case of Full HD we just have a pleasant acceleration of work, then when we switch to 4K resolution, the Mac Pro becomes the only truly effective working tool in the current Apple rack. In the end, the difference between 10 minutes and half an hour is good, but not critical. But when you have a choice between half an hour and two hours...
As for the advantages for editing high-quality sound, I confess that I don’t understand anything about this at all, and if so, I won’t even try to pretend to be an expert. But knowledgeable guys say it’s a smart thing.
What is my conclusion from my experience with the Mac Pro?
If you are a very wealthy person and the tasks you solve on your computer do not include continuous video editing in 4K, mixing albums of domestic first-tier pop stars and lifting their bust after photo shoots for glossy magazines, you should not buy a Mac Pro. If money is burning your pocket, buy an iPad, an iPhone, a couple of MacBook Pros, a Mac mini for each room in your country house, and a 27-inch iMac for your office. Seriously, it will make a lot more sense. Because the benefits of the Mac Pro cannot be felt in typical home-office applications. Even in games, it competes on equal terms with the new generation 27-inch iMac, especially if you don’t get greedy on the latter’s GPU (by the way, my Mac mini under study outperformed the new Tomb Raider seven times). To put it simply, installing a Mac Pro at home is as logical and convenient as cutting bread with a medical scalpel. Some will be impressed by your daring, but most will twirl their finger at their temple.
Mac Pro is a product for professionals. For those who shovel serious amounts of data every day, no matter what kind - graphic, multimedia or scientific. For them (more precisely, for those of them who feel comfortable in the OS X environment), this computer will be an extremely useful acquisition and, as a bonus, a solid decoration for their desktop. Considering that there are simply no analogues on the market (I'm talking about the combination of performance and form factor), the price does not look too high.
Many people have heard more than once about Mac computers that they are better than their Windows counterparts. Often such reasoning lacks specificity, so in this article we have collected 10 reasons that can motivate a stagnant Windows user to switch to a Mac.
10 reasons to forget about Windows forever and switch to Mac OS X
1. Single manufacturer of hardware and software
Yes, this is Apple’s main trump card and its path, chosen by Steve Jobs at the dawn of the company’s founding. Of course, the path of licensing your OS to different hardware manufacturers is more economically profitable - and we saw this in the example of Microsoft. But when it’s not about benefits, but about user convenience, the choice of Apple is better for everyone: and for users who do not need to worry about program compatibility and do not need to rush between the hardware manufacturer’s service center and the OS developer’s technical support if something is not works.
Apple has been accustomed from the very beginning to keep everything in its hands
One company is responsible for all your mistakes - Apple. This is also convenient for the manufacturer himself - again, he doesn’t have to worry about supporting “Chinese” hardware that is unknown to nature, he doesn’t have to rack his brains about what unimaginable combinations a very competent user would think of connecting expansion cards in, and he doesn’t have to release a million patches to correct the compatibility problem with some rare application.
2. Autonomy of MacBooks
As strange as it may sound, OS X is much more energy efficient than Windows. This means that a computer running OS X consumes much less electricity. Here, the MacBook Air 13 released in the second half of 2013 works up to 12 hours - and this is without any “turn off everything you can, set the backlight to minimum and sit without moving or breathing in front of the screen,” but in normal operation mode. Yes, the 4th generation Intel Core processors on which the new Macs are made consume less energy than the 3rd and 2nd (and earlier, of course), but that’s not all: Haswell PC laptops are already out , but they still work for 5-7 hours.
In terms of battery life, Apple computers are always ahead
But even if you're all about desktop computing, there are benefits to using a Mac: When this author swapped his Windows desktop PC for a Mac mini, his studio apartment's electricity consumption dropped by a quarter.
Moreover, Mac mini is not some kind of stub of a computer, as some people think, but a full-fledged desktop on full-fledged desktop processors. Except that it has a standard graphics system.
3. Versatility
Sometimes it happens that you need to use several operating systems on one computer. And don’t think that this need arises only among Linux users and Mac users. At my previous job, the author of these lines was faced with the fact that an employee was required to work in both Windows and Mac. And while it’s easy to work with Windows on a Mac, the opposite situation causes many problems.
Even grandma can easily master Mac OS X
Of course, there are virtual machines for any system. But as effective as Parallels Desktop - only for Mac. You can work with any Windows applications as if they were written for Mac. But on Windows there is no such thing. Well, which system is now more functional?
By the way, the myth about the limitations of OS X is just a myth. Often people who talk about some kind of banal fencing in OS X confuse this operating system with iOS.
4. It's Unix
The OS X kernel is called XNU, and XNU is essentially a modified FreeBSD - a Unix-like operating system, like GNU/Linux, for example. Operating systems, called Unix-like, are characterized by increased stability and high performance due to optimal interaction with computer resources. Additionally, any Unix or Linux user will feel right at home by launching OS X's "Terminal".
5. Cheap and high-quality software
When you install Windows for yourself (or buy a computer with Windows), what programs are at your disposal, besides the OS itself? Well, there’s Notepad, Clock, WordPad, Calculator... There is also a set of programs from the Windows Live family (Windows Live movie studio, Windows Live mail) that expand the functionality of the computer, but not many of them you really want to keep, and you have to install them separately and spend money on it time.
In general, Apple believes that the user should not waste his time setting up his computer - and we completely agree with this. “Working on a computer” is not “working on a computer.” The user needs to write texts, read and analyze data, compose music, draw, edit videos, and not install programs and patches or delve into configuration files.
To get more from a Windows computer, you need to install additional software, some of which cost a lot of money. For example, if you want to seriously study music, you will have to purchase some Cubase for over 800 dollars. If photography: Lightroom for 5,500 thousand rubles and Photoshop for 22 thousand rubles. It seems a bit expensive.
You won't go broke on apps for Mac OS X
Office applications are also not cheap. The minimum set of Microsoft Office will cost from two and a half thousand rubles, or 250 rubles per month by subscription.
But if you buy a Mac, it's different. Just by turning on the computer, you get the opportunity to use both a full-fledged office suite from Apple and an application for working with music Garage Band (which, in fact, is enough in many cases, but if you need more - Logic Pro, a full-fledged music studio with a large set of high-quality effects, virtual instruments and presets cost only $200). There is also a video editor iMovie, the functionality of which cannot be compared with the simple Windows Live Movie Maker. Moreover, all this is already installed on your computer and ready to work.
Additionally, you can buy (literally in two clicks in the Mac App Store) a batch RAW converter, which is also an Aperture cataloguer - only 2,500 rubles, which is more than half the price of the similar Lightroom. And the Pixelmator application, which will be sufficient for the vast majority of Photoshop “masters,” will cost only a thousand rubles.
Unfortunately, stealing applications under OS X is also, as a rule, easier than under Windows - apparently, there are more honest people among OS X users. On the other hand, what is the point of spending money on developing serious protection against pirates if most of the necessary programs are affordable even for a student?
6. Single logical interface
Microsoft still can't seem to decide which is better: the newfangled tiled Metro or the classic Desktop. Users suffer from this: as soon as you get used to the tiles, as soon as you launch an application that does not support Metro, you have to return to the old one. It is especially inconvenient for tablet users: in the classic interface, working with your fingers is a complete torture.
There is no such problem in OS X. Apple did not mix entities: a tablet is a tablet. It runs on mobile iOS and is controlled with your fingers. And a PC is a PC, it runs “adult” OS X with a familiar graphical interface: cursor, windows.
The Mac OS X interface can be taught as a logic textbook
Don't think that we are against innovation - perhaps one day a touch interface will appear in computers. It is even possible that Apple will also produce such PCs. But it must be a well-thought-out interface, such that if not every application, then at least 90% of all programs support it.
By the way, a single top panel with a menu for all programs in OS X is also a very convenient thing. All settings are always in one place.
7. Updates
OS X, unlike Windows, will never say when turning off or, more importantly, when turning on the computer: “Hey, user, I don’t care about your business, I need to update here, so wait a minute. Or 10 minutes. Or half an hour, well, you understand, right? Go for a walk". Of course, automatic Windows updates can be turned off, but why, because having an always up-to-date OS is convenient and safe?
Most OS X updates are installed in the background and don't even require a reboot. And if a reboot is still required, the OS will ask whether you want to perform it right now or wait until you finish your work.
After all, the OS is for the user, not the other way around.
8. You can forget about viruses
No, of course, companies that make money by selling antiviruses will scare you: you, the user, will not be able to feel safe anywhere! You are attacked by malicious viruses from all sides, both on OS X and iOS, and even your Casio digital watch is not protected from the evil infection!
Antivirus companies can understand: the growth of the PC share is gradually declining, while the growth of the Mac share is rapidly increasing. So they panic. Only, firstly, official representatives of these companies often act ugly, calling any malicious program a virus, although they themselves know very well (they should know if they are truly specialists and not impostors) that this is not so. It’s just that people are used to being afraid of viruses, that’s why they use this scary word.
Evgeniy Kaspersky is very pleased so far
And secondly, there was, in fact, only one epidemic on OS X, and it affected a relatively small percentage of computers, or rather, even one subnet. By the way, specialists from anti-virus companies also understand perfectly well that what needs to be measured is not the number of infected computers (in that story there were about half a million of them - this is also scary), but the number of infected subnets. But they will never tell you this either and will poke you with this already old story, convincing you not to postpone the transition to a Mac, but to acquire an antivirus license. Well, let's say for a year. And then renew the license.
So - go to Mac and forget about viruses and antiviruses. Let your OS X always receive the latest updates (after all, this will not bother you at all, as we have already found out) - and Apple will take care of you. Because, unlike Microsoft, it has no one to blame, in which case the user will come to complain to them.
9. Expensive Mac? Cheap Mac!
There is another myth that Apple computers are expensive. People who believe in this myth either have not studied the market themselves, or they believe that a computer consists of a processor, hard drive, motherboard and memory sticks. And the screen (if we are talking about a laptop), battery, case - all this, it seems, does not matter.
Well, perhaps someone really doesn’t care what size a laptop or desktop PC is, how much it weighs, what quality the screen is and what it all looks like, in the end. But no matter what the user’s priorities, everything costs money - there’s no escape from it. Two different computers with the same performance will cost different money if one of them is smaller. Compactness costs money because many computer components (for example, a hard drive) take up a lot of space. Cramming all this into a compact body so that nothing overheats is not so easy - this is a serious task for engineers who need to pay money. And if a company is not satisfied with the first solution it comes across, like Apple, and is ready to revise the concept over and over again until optimal, close to ideal, proportions are achieved, this also costs money.
When looking for a MacBook alternative, you need to be patient and have money.
When you buy a car, not only the engine and not only the presence of a built-in audio system are important. Silence, convenience, design - all this costs money. Everyone understands perfectly well why two cars that develop the same maximum speed can differ in price by almost an order of magnitude. It's the same with computers.
If you try to find MacBook Air competitors in all respects, you will find that these competitors cost as much as the MBA itself, if not more. And you won’t find any competitors to the MacBook Pro and iMac in terms of price, performance and size. Some manufacturers (let's not point fingers again) sell huge, heavy boxes for the price of an iMac, with a much lower quality screen.
And don’t think that the desire to buy a beautiful computer is a “show-off”. Why is buying beautiful furniture, beautiful wallpaper, a high-quality and attractive kitchen set for your home not a “show-off”, but a computer is a “show-off”? Is it really worth spending a lot of money on beautiful furniture, only to then have a computer standing among this furniture that looks like an ancient toolbox?
10. Ecosystem
We left the most obvious for a snack. The author of these lines has many acquaintances who use Apple products only for the sake of the ecosystem. Even if other arguments in favor of the Mac haven’t convinced you, this one simply must.
All Apple devices have a similar design, operating principle, and most importantly, they interact perfectly with each other literally at the touch of a button and completely wirelessly. For example, you can easily connect to the Macbook desktop next to your iMac and transfer files from one desktop to another as if it were one computer. And portable devices: iPod, iPad and iPhone can also be synchronized with a computer by pressing one button. Just mark what songs, movies and programs you want to see on your device.
All Apple devices are extremely easy to integrate with each other
Of course, there are some analogues of such an ecosystem under Windows, but, alas, everything is not so well thought out and in order to make it all work, sometimes you need to press not one, but a lot of buttons. I also constantly “google” on the Internet - which button to press, otherwise I did everything according to the instructions, but it doesn’t work. And Microsoft itself is constantly changing its solutions: it either releases Zune for synchronization, or replaces it with the Windows Phone application.
Android is even more complicated: the ecosystem exists, but the best integration of “Android phones” is achieved only with the Chrome OS operating system, which, by the way, we recently wrote about.
