[SOLVED] Should I switch to mac?

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Callum Clarke

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May 28, 2014
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I'm thinking of moving over to a mac from my trusty desktop computer running windows 7. I don't want no flame war over what is a better platform but am instead seeking the benefits of os x over windows. In terms of gaming, I only really play games like Gmod and Counter strike, both compatible with mac os x. I am looking to make mods and create content such as maps and game modes and I was wondering which would be better. Also, would linux be able to do what I want to do? I always hear about these high end linux workstations that are perfect for things like this.

To show you how much of a upgrade I really need, here are the current specs of my computer that was built back in 2013 (yeah i know its not too old, but the performance is starting to drag and it isn't the best machine for what I need to do)

AMD A6 6400k APU
4gb Crucial 1333mhz ddr3 memory
160gb Hitachi 7200rpm sata 2 drive (os drive) + 250gb Hitachi 7200rpm sata 2 drive.
AMD Radeon HD 6570 (Sapphire over clocked)
Windows 7 Ultimate 64x

Thanks for your time.
 
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k1114
People say mac is simpler and pc offers more customization but for the average user, it's still simple to use for any basic task and you don't dive into customization or anything advanced. You run the software you need and mostly ignore the os differences. Because pc has a much higher user base, there's much more available in software, hardware, compatibility, support, anything really. You only mention games and mods and that's window's territory. Imo the big issue for me is hardware where you can build a much cheaper pc and get better performance. You could run any os on your own build but mac just might not be problem free.
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firo40

firo40

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Jul 16, 2011
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Switching to Mac for gaming would be counter productive, the frame rate is considerably lower in osx then it is in windows. The only time you shoul switch to mac is if its all you know, you have alot of money and you know basically nothing about how a computer works. If you meet those requirments then it would be better but in matters of playing steam games like that windows is the best option. You can try linux but its far more complicated than windows and and the driver support is weak you will get alot worse frame rate just like osx if you do change. Mac was never designed to game at all its for business people to have a sleek low powered computer that was idiot proof with security. Microsoft designs Direct X which is used in almost all video games made giving them the advantage in gaming no matter what apple or linux try to do.
 
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k1114

k1114

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May 2, 2010
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People say mac is simpler and pc offers more customization but for the average user, it's still simple to use for any basic task and you don't dive into customization or anything advanced. You run the software you need and mostly ignore the os differences. Because pc has a much higher user base, there's much more available in software, hardware, compatibility, support, anything really. You only mention games and mods and that's window's territory. Imo the big issue for me is hardware where you can build a much cheaper pc and get better performance. You could run any os on your own build but mac just might not be problem free.
 
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PCBuilderProbs

PCBuilderProbs

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Mar 24, 2015
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for creating mods you probably will have to use Windows anyways on a good amount of games, and again you should ask yourself how getting a mac will limit the amount of games that are compatible. Honestly, if your current system is fine, just go with it, or just upgrade it for a few meager dollars compared to the $1-2000 for buying a completely new system.
 
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McHenryB

McHenryB

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Jan 31, 2015
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Apart from software performance, any Mac you buy is almost certainly going to have worse graphics than your current setup. And it's very difficult to upgrade Macs.

Save yourself a shedload of money and stick with your current system, or upgrade it.
 
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M

MobileEditor

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Nov 13, 2014
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Contrary to what you may hear, the Mac is an incredibly powerful platform. Out of the box it can do more than Windows. You do not have to fiddle with settings or keep installing/uninstalling drivers to get things to work. The interface keeps things simple, but with a Unix terminal window, anything can be tweaked.

Sure, Windows is still superior for playing games, and hardware upgrades are very limited. Those are the tradeoffs. If you still need to run Windows software you can dual-boot or run it in a VM (I use Parallels and it works great). I've worked with Windows systems for 20 years, both as a user and as an IT admin, and I'm very happy I switched to Mac.

If you have an Apple store nearby, I'd recommend going there and using OS X for awhile. Maybe you'll love it. Maybe you'll hate it. But there's going to be a learning curve, because it's definitely a different environment than Windows.

- Matt
 
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MobileEditor

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Based on the description in the original post, it sounds like he intends to do more than just play games. But if your primary use for a computer is gaming, then Windows is still the best platform. Mac and Linux drivers do not receive the same level of optimization as their Windows counterparts. You also do not get access to the fastest GPUs on Mac.

While the starting price of a Mac may be more, their price is pretty much equal to PCs when configured with equivalent hardware and software.

- Matt
 
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