Macs were popular with Graphic Designers for quite some time now. I don't know why, maybe because certain graphic design apps used to work better on Macs, or maybe because Graphic designers value aesthetics of hardware more than most people.
But recently Macs became popular among Web Developers as well and I wonder why this is the case.
The answer can't be a simple "Because Macs are better", because if they were generally better then their market share wouldn't be just 8%.
So where is this trend coming from?
Is it because many Web Designers came from the Graphic design world and brought this trend over?
Is it because of the popularity of the iPhone / iPad which forced many Developers to buy Macs in order to develop for iOS devices?
Does it have anything to do with the fact that the Operating System is based on Unix (but in that case why not Linux instead?)
I remember Macs being popular among designers back in the late 1980's and early 1990's, before the web became mainstream, however, when the web did become mainstream (around 1994-ish), I would argue to say that most web developers/designers were working on Windows PC's. My theory on why Mac's seem to be more popular these days for web designers is this: It seems like a lot of "design" schools and/or universities teach on Macs for one, so all of the new whippersnappers coming out of design school learned on them. Another reason is that other designer-types, like you mentioned, migrated over to the web from other design media. A small part of it probably has to do with aesthetics of the hardware/software as well. The popularity of iPhone and iPad probably have something to do with the recent interest in Apple products too, but for as long as I can remember (and I'm pretty old), Macs have always been the "preferred" computer for designers. Finally, I have witnessed first hand, the people who buy Macs just because they think they're better, but can't tell you one reason why. In all honesty, I think a lot of it is just because Apple is an "in" brand lately, but as long as you have a text editor, you can design web pages on just about anything.
I bought my first Mac at the start of the year after using WIndows for development for years.
It was the best choice I ever made, now I've got an iMac & a Macbook Air for all my development needs.
The available software is better, the hardware is more reliable, the OS is more reliable and more customisable.
My efficiency has more than doubled due to the available programs and just the ease of use. If people want to call me a hipster for using Mac's, that's fine, I guess I am a hipster that's faster than they are.
Because I saved up and finally had the money to invest in a £2.5K, 27 inch iMac. My original Windows machine was less than half the price, but you get what you pay for.
Don't get me wrong, I love my PC for working on new designs.
However if I had the money, I'd buy a Mac.
The OS on Mac is so much more intuitive than Windows 7/8. Windows are making good progress and I am currently running Windows 8 now, and I do love it. But I would prefer to work on a Mac.
I think I'd instantly feel more productive when it comes to my work when working, I don't know why, but I just feel I would =)
Also, Mac's feel more inspirational, the design of the OS, the form of the hardware help you focus and inspire your own designing and developing. The feel of using a Mac is so much awesomer than with Windows.
I work on a Mac everyday at work and on a PC (hand built) at home. I also have a Macbook Pro which I rarely use anymore. Ultimately, I feel the choice boils down to personal preference.
With that said, I don't really think you can make the argument that Mac hardware is better or that OS X is more customizable than Windows.
Macs used to be infinitely more customizable than they currently are, as over the years Apple has moved towards "dumbing down tech" for the masses, while Microsoft has done just the opposite. Without question, if you want to get the most out of Windows, you better be a techie and be prepared to do some research. But you have unpredicted power over your operating system, ten fold over that of the current state of OS X. Another important point is that my PC at home has top of the line hardware which I can upgrade whenever I like: something you sure as hell can't do with a Mac.
I'm not sure where the claim of "Macs have better reliability" comes from either, as my PC has never had a hardware failure (2.8 GHz Intel i7, 12GB DDR3 RAM, EVGA GTX 580, 120GB SSD primary drive) and can run for weeks on end without necessitating a restart.
As to why Macs became trendy, I think a large portion of the Mac love stems from Apple's mobile market share. The average consumer loves simplicity: they want products that work immediately out of the box. They also like products that seamlessly work together. So having a family of products like iPads, iPhones, iMacs, and Powerbooks that all look, feel, and operate the same is a smart marketing tactic. Also, Major graphic & web schools are chock full of Apple products, so designers are kind of led down the Cupertino road during education (I know I was).
I always here the argument that you "can't customise macs and that they're closed systems now". Is nobody aware that you can basically do anything you want if you're prepared to use the terminal or get 3rd party apps?
Also, Mac's feel more inspirational, the design of the OS, the form of the hardware help you focus and inspire your own designing and developing. The feel of using a Mac is so much awesomer than with Windows.
You are only speaking about the software customization world, Andy. Can you add hardware to your iMac? Nope! That is a hindrance my friend, not a benefit.
And yes, from my post you should have been able to glean that I'm a techie and know how to use Terminal. It does not change anything I said.
It's like the Android/iPhone argument: would you rather be an administrator of your device of just a user?
So far, you guys have not pinpointed any actual benefit besides "it feels better".
I can't speak for everyone out there, but from personal experience as both a Mac and Windows user, over the last 20 years. Windows was my go-to OS for the majority of my career in IT and print, mostly because it was (and still is) the standard in most offices (outside of media agencies). I thought OSX 10.0 was terribly buggy and crashed more, yes MORE, than my Windows XP PC did at the time.
Fast-forward to my first Macbook where I was introduced to a more stable and accessible OSX, and I fell in love with the software/hardware. I think all Macs are solid hardware products, but I still can't validate the high price tag for my Desktop at home. I still use both operating systems in my workflow (Macbook for web, PC for Graphics and Video) and haven't had any trouble on either side (although I can't speak for Windows 8).
To quote my mentor:
Question: Do you use a red hammer, or a blue hammer to hammer a nail?
To quote my mentor:
Question: Do you use a red hammer, or a blue hammer to hammer a nail?
Answer: Who cares? Just hit the damn nail!
Haha, I love it. Your mentor is incredibly wise.
Windows 8 is awesome MickeyB, I've been having a great time using it so far. It took a little adapting to not having the classic Start Menu. But once I got used it, I actually prefer the new Start Menu and feel that it's added some much needed panache to the Windows aesthetic.
Edit: Props to Microsoft for offering Windows 8 Pro for $39.99 too. They are finally getting the gist that people don't want to burn cash buying an OS.
@DrewKerriganNY - Yes I can change hardware inside my iMac if I want to. My Macbook no, but then it's already powerful enough, I don't see why I'd need to upgrade. If I do need to upgrade it'll be a couple of years away and I'd just buy the latest model anyway.
I have a mac and a pc, have been using both for over 10 years, and for me, as a graphic designer/front end web developer, a mac is definitely more favourable than a pc.
My workflow is so much faster on a mac, there are better apps for web on a mac that are just not available on pc's, fonts are rendered better on macs, and yes, the aesthetics of the software and hardware are a plus, not to mention lack of viruses. It allows you to get started fresh out the box, like all Apple products. Although i have been using macs long before iPads and iPhones came onto the scene, I do believe these have been a big part in increasing mac sales, due to having the same interface.
The only downside is the price, but like @andy_unleash says, they are definitely worth it, and are getting cheaper!
@DrewKerriganNY I agree with you about preference, a mac is not for everyone. You are a techie, this explains your choice. The same as people working with 3d Rendering, and hard-core gamers. A mac may not be the best choice for these users, however I am pretty sure everyone else in the creative industry would benefit from a mac.
I also agree with you that mac hardware is no more reliable than pc's (although software is a different matter), however I disagree with your comment about upgrading. Macs are upgradable depending on your machine. I assume you are comparing a base unit to an all-in-one iMac, which then of course the base unit would always be easier. I have a mac pro which I can upgrade anytime. To be honest though, with the specs of the new iMacs, you wouldn't need to upgrade anyway, just customise on purchase if needed, and enjoy the power.
An interesting question about how the trend started. I don't think it's specific to this industry. I think its a global phenomenon that started with university students wanting reliable machines that weren't prone to viruses.
I've been using a Mac OS for about 13 years now and I don't think I'll ever be able to go back to using Windows full time. I think W7 was a massive step in the right direction, though I think W8 is a bit of a step back, I haven't really enjoyed it.
To those arguing that Macs are upgradeable, you are wrong if you are comparing it to any basic PC tower. The newest iMacs are probably the least upgradeable machine that has ever been produced. It is for these exact reasons that I moved over to the Mac Pro a few years ago. Love being able to update GPU, CPU, RAM, multiple HDs, having additional PCI slots, etc. The problem is that it's a lot of money just to have an upgradeable machine with the OS that I want.
Since I've taken my freelancing way down over the past year and have moved into a more comfortable full-time gig, I'll likely build out a Hacintosh and sell the Mac Pro. It's a thing of beauty, though!
@andy_unleash@croydon86 You are missing my point. You are forced to use Apple specific upgrades, or void your warranty (bummer). That is not customization.
Customization is being able to walk into any electronics store (or browse online, Newegg.com), pick the hardware you want from a giant selection and then put it into your computer. I.e. there are hundreds of graphics cards on the market: how many can you put into your iMac?
With a Mac, you are pretty much restricted to updating the RAM, Harddrive, and CPU. And on top of that, you are only given 1-2 upgrade "options".
That's pretty limiting, wouldn't you agree?
Love being able to update GPU, CPU, RAM, multiple HDs, having additional PCI slots, etc. The problem is that it's a lot of money just to have an upgradeable machine with the OS that I want.
@TheDoc You also have to factor in the exorbitant cost of Apple upgrades. When you compare some of them to their PC counterparts, it's hard to justify the value.
Edit: For the record, my first computer was a Mac IIci. That computer was more upgradable than 95% of the products Apple makes now.
I think you're missing the point that I won't need to upgrade. My iMac is top of the line and my Air is basically for portable web development, I'm not looking for graphics power for gaming, I'm looking for reliability and good processors.
Not all of us want to switch out the very latest graphics card or processor every five minutes and with Mac's you rarely need to any way since they're powerful out of the box.
Taking into account how much you would spend upgrading a PC I think the prices are actually comparable, rather than Mac's being more expensive.
You saying you "won't need to upgrade" doesn't change the fact that there are incredibly slim upgrade options available to you. We talking about the same thing here or what?
I don't get the last comment either. Why would you have to upgrade a PC constantly?
The point is, if I want to retrofit my machine, I can. You cannot. That is pretty much the end of the story.
Edit: And GPUs are not just for gaming. GPU acceleration has been in Photoshop and Illustrator since CS4.
The new iMacs are a thing of beauty, and for about a grand (GBP) you get an amazing display of true colour, a fast processor and 8gb ram. This is more than enough to run the average workflow of the average person in this industry comfortably. Granted the pc equivalent will cost half of this, but you don't get the advantages listed above.
If you ARE looking to upgrade significantly, then by all means, doing it the apple way will be expensive, but the majority of users wont have this need.
I agree apple's computers are becoming less and less upgradable (by yourself), but they are also becoming more and more powerful so is that really that bad?
@DrewKerriganNY Agree with the GPU, although 64-bit with 8gb ram for photoshop with default graphics for the new imacs is pretty fast for the average user.
Also you don't have to rely on Apple upgrades to upgrade apple products. 3rd party hardware work just fine for a lot less.
@croydon86 I work on a 21" iMac (2.5 GHz Intel i5, 8GB DDR3 RAM) at work with Adobe CS 5.5 and when I have multiple PSD mockups (typically 25MB-50MB each) or large scale graphics open, I can definitely notice a performance hit.
Switch to home where I'm running CS6 with my GPU accelerating the process: it's fluid as can be.
I also recognize you can get 3rd party upgrades, but they typically void your warranty (thus the bummer comment) and Apple won't help you if they trace a problem back to a piece of hardware you personally installed.
So you're saying the basic entry level iMac is not as good as a customised PC you upgraded at home? I fail to see how that reflects badly on Apple, why didn't you just get a more powerful Mac?
The new iMacs are a thing of beauty, and for about a grand (GBP) you get an amazing display of true colour, a fast processor and 8gb ram. This is more than enough to run the average workflow of the average person in this industry comfortably. Granted the pc equivalent will cost half of this, but you don't get the advantages listed above.
Why you say this? With a PC you can have as much RAM as you want, you can get the most powerful CPU (and overclock it for even more power if you want), the fastest graphic card (several of them if you want), and any display you want, like a Dell Ultrasharp or even an Apple display. The iMac is just an "all in one". It really can't compete in terms of power.
I understand to say that you prefer OSX over Windows but to say that Macs are more powerful is simply false.
@andy_unleash No, I'm saying that Macs don't offer nearly the same level of customization that a PC does. Trying to argue differently is getting kind of silly bud, lets drop it. The very first thing I said was:
Ultimately, I feel the choice boils down to personal preference.
And how was I supposed to buy anything better than a completely loaded 17" Macbook Pro? Yeah, it was a beast, at the time...
@zoom Your argument is also false. You're basically saying "if I hand built a computer with hundreds of GPU's and 300GB of RAM it would be more powerful than an iMac!" - of course it would, because you made it more powerful than an iMac.
Macs are as expensive or powerful as what people want. Entry level are cheap, top end are expensive, but so are PCs.
No, Macs are not as "powerful" as you want them to be. They are as powerful as Apple allows them to be. There is a big, big difference.
With a PC, you control what goes into it, with literally infinite options available.
With a Mac, Apple controls what goes into it, limiting you to a handful of options.
@zoom you have totally misunderstood, where did I say macs are more powerful? I would never say that. By advantages listed above, I meant those mentioned in the discussion.
But anyway, going back to the original question, I think the answer has been covered here already. Being taught in college's with mac's is a good point, but not only colleges, but online also. The majority of online tutorials around web design are taught on macs, including industry leaders such as our very own Chris Coyier. Seeing these workflows when you are new to the industry may be a huge factor in thinking you need a mac.
@DrewKerriganNY you make a good point, there definitely are thousands more options available for pc's. Apple are one company after all, whereas there are many pc manufacturers so this expected. Not to mention components.
Although if money was no option, I wouldn't say a 3.06ghz 12 core mac pro with 64gb ram and four 512gb ssd drives would be limiting. But agreed, a lot cheaper and more options to choose from for pc's
@drewkerriganny - But my Mac's are as powerful as I want them to be. Because I knew what was in them when I bought them.
These are work machines, they're for working, so I will probably not have to upgrade them for years. If I was an avid gamer then of course a PC would be the best choice. But they're for web development, text editing/preprocessing and Adobe suite products don't exactly require 30 gpu's and 41GB of Ram and cooling fans with neon lights.
I bought Mac's because they're reliable, my iMac has frozen once in 9 months and ironically it was when I was running Windows 7 in Parallells.
No, no they aren't @andy_unleash. You continuing to say so just proves you are being stubborn on the topic. We aren't asking if you feel your Mac was a good purchase, we're talking about how Macs lack hardware customization options in comparison to PC. How you can continue to even argue the fact is beyond me.
Then lets talk about accessing and modifying said hardware. If you're Mac is "as powerful as you want it to be", can you overclock your CPU? Can you update your RAM timings? No? Oh man...
@andy_unleash We weren't equating it to the "trendiness" vs Windows , your original comment took us off that path.
And what you just said, translated was: "I bought a Mac knowing it has upgrade/customization limitations". So you are acknowledging the lack of options right off the bat, yet still trying to defend them.
It's not fanboyish at all, you're pointing out your opinion of a problem in owning a Mac vs owning a PC - and I'm expressing that as a Mac owner it isn't a problem for me since I was aware of it before I bought them and thusly it's not perceived by me to be a problem.
If it was a problem then I would have bought a PC.
It seems you want me to throw my Macs in the skip because you like to tinker with your machines. That's great, you're welcome to want to tinker away and PC's are clearly the best choice for you but I have no such requirement.
I'm simply pointing out the lack of customization options offered via hardware upgrades. No more, no less. Anything else is a web you are spinning my friend.
You've already acknowledged the fact, then prefaced it by saying you don't care. Well, bully to you good sir.
And yes, blindly defending your position when you've already acknowledged what I said as true makes you come off as a fanboy, sorry.
@chrisburton Yeah, but how many OPTIONS do you have in terms of what types of hardware you can put inside the Mac Pro? That is the point I've been making this whole time.
But you're basically saying Macs are terrible because they're not as hardware upgrade able as PC's. Evidently people don't care otherwise they wouldn't buy them.
So far in this thread I've told you my first computer was a Mac IIci, I had a G5, currently own a loaded 17" Macbook Pro, and use an iMac at work everyday. What in the world would make you think that?
There is no helping you if you can't separate your love from Apple from being able to simply identify a deficiency and admit: "hey, yeah, PC does have a leg up on us there".
@DrewKerriganNY yes pc's are more customisable than macs. I think we all agree with that. Do people like @andy_unleash care? Probably not. Why? Because the mac he's buying is more then capable of doing what he needs it to do, and offers him customisation options should he need it. Granted this may not be as many options as a hardcore techie needs, but enough for him.
I think the problem lies in @andy_unleash arguing his personal view whilst @DrewKerriganNY is arguing in general.
Also you are clearly advocating customising your machine, your spec is (2.8 GHz Intel i7, 12GB DDR3 RAM, EVGA GTX 580, 120GB SSD primary drive). With all these customisation options, why haven't you gone for more performance than you already have? Could it be that you don't feel the need to improve the performance based on your needs?
Macs were popular with Graphic Designers for quite some time now. I don't know why, maybe because certain graphic design apps used to work better on Macs, or maybe because Graphic designers value aesthetics of hardware more than most people.
But recently Macs became popular among Web Developers as well and I wonder why this is the case.
The answer can't be a simple "Because Macs are better", because if they were generally better then their market share wouldn't be just 8%.
So where is this trend coming from?
Is it because many Web Designers came from the Graphic design world and brought this trend over?
Is it because of the popularity of the iPhone / iPad which forced many Developers to buy Macs in order to develop for iOS devices?
Does it have anything to do with the fact that the Operating System is based on Unix (but in that case why not Linux instead?)
What do you think... and what OS are you using?
As an avid Windows user who went OS X about a year ago, I think it is as simple as saying that they are generally better.
I think that statement fails to take other things into account, like the fact that Macs are much more expensive than your standard computer.
Does this mean that the Web Developers demographic are people who are richer than people in most other industries?
I remember Macs being popular among designers back in the late 1980's and early 1990's, before the web became mainstream, however, when the web did become mainstream (around 1994-ish), I would argue to say that most web developers/designers were working on Windows PC's. My theory on why Mac's seem to be more popular these days for web designers is this: It seems like a lot of "design" schools and/or universities teach on Macs for one, so all of the new whippersnappers coming out of design school learned on them. Another reason is that other designer-types, like you mentioned, migrated over to the web from other design media. A small part of it probably has to do with aesthetics of the hardware/software as well. The popularity of iPhone and iPad probably have something to do with the recent interest in Apple products too, but for as long as I can remember (and I'm pretty old), Macs have always been the "preferred" computer for designers. Finally, I have witnessed first hand, the people who buy Macs just because they think they're better, but can't tell you one reason why. In all honesty, I think a lot of it is just because Apple is an "in" brand lately, but as long as you have a text editor, you can design web pages on just about anything.
I bought my first Mac at the start of the year after using WIndows for development for years.
It was the best choice I ever made, now I've got an iMac & a Macbook Air for all my development needs.
The available software is better, the hardware is more reliable, the OS is more reliable and more customisable.
My efficiency has more than doubled due to the available programs and just the ease of use. If people want to call me a hipster for using Mac's, that's fine, I guess I am a hipster that's faster than they are.
@Zoom I can't comment on that as I haven't done any research; I'm just presenting ideas.
I didn't mean this to be another Mac VS Windows thread. What I am curious is how this trend started.
For example why you two switched to a Mac about a year ago? Why you didn't switch to what you believe is better, faster etc, many years ago?
Because I saved up and finally had the money to invest in a £2.5K, 27 inch iMac. My original Windows machine was less than half the price, but you get what you pay for.
Don't get me wrong, I love my PC for working on new designs.
However if I had the money, I'd buy a Mac.
The OS on Mac is so much more intuitive than Windows 7/8. Windows are making good progress and I am currently running Windows 8 now, and I do love it. But I would prefer to work on a Mac.
I think I'd instantly feel more productive when it comes to my work when working, I don't know why, but I just feel I would =)
Also, Mac's feel more inspirational, the design of the OS, the form of the hardware help you focus and inspire your own designing and developing. The feel of using a Mac is so much awesomer than with Windows.
I work on a Mac everyday at work and on a PC (hand built) at home. I also have a Macbook Pro which I rarely use anymore. Ultimately, I feel the choice boils down to personal preference.
With that said, I don't really think you can make the argument that Mac hardware is better or that OS X is more customizable than Windows.
Macs used to be infinitely more customizable than they currently are, as over the years Apple has moved towards "dumbing down tech" for the masses, while Microsoft has done just the opposite. Without question, if you want to get the most out of Windows, you better be a techie and be prepared to do some research. But you have unpredicted power over your operating system, ten fold over that of the current state of OS X. Another important point is that my PC at home has top of the line hardware which I can upgrade whenever I like: something you sure as hell can't do with a Mac.
I'm not sure where the claim of "Macs have better reliability" comes from either, as my PC has never had a hardware failure (2.8 GHz Intel i7, 12GB DDR3 RAM, EVGA GTX 580, 120GB SSD primary drive) and can run for weeks on end without necessitating a restart.
As to why Macs became trendy, I think a large portion of the Mac love stems from Apple's mobile market share. The average consumer loves simplicity: they want products that work immediately out of the box. They also like products that seamlessly work together. So having a family of products like iPads, iPhones, iMacs, and Powerbooks that all look, feel, and operate the same is a smart marketing tactic. Also, Major graphic & web schools are chock full of Apple products, so designers are kind of led down the Cupertino road during education (I know I was).
I always here the argument that you "can't customise macs and that they're closed systems now". Is nobody aware that you can basically do anything you want if you're prepared to use the terminal or get 3rd party apps?
Wow, @andy_unleash. That was freaky ;)
You are only speaking about the software customization world, Andy. Can you add hardware to your iMac? Nope! That is a hindrance my friend, not a benefit.
And yes, from my post you should have been able to glean that I'm a techie and know how to use Terminal. It does not change anything I said.
It's like the Android/iPhone argument: would you rather be an administrator of your device of just a user?
So far, you guys have not pinpointed any actual benefit besides "it feels better".
I can't speak for everyone out there, but from personal experience as both a Mac and Windows user, over the last 20 years. Windows was my go-to OS for the majority of my career in IT and print, mostly because it was (and still is) the standard in most offices (outside of media agencies). I thought OSX 10.0 was terribly buggy and crashed more, yes MORE, than my Windows XP PC did at the time.
Fast-forward to my first Macbook where I was introduced to a more stable and accessible OSX, and I fell in love with the software/hardware. I think all Macs are solid hardware products, but I still can't validate the high price tag for my Desktop at home. I still use both operating systems in my workflow (Macbook for web, PC for Graphics and Video) and haven't had any trouble on either side (although I can't speak for Windows 8).
To quote my mentor:
Question: Do you use a red hammer, or a blue hammer to hammer a nail?
Answer: Who cares? Just hit the damn nail!
Haha, I love it. Your mentor is incredibly wise.
Windows 8 is awesome MickeyB, I've been having a great time using it so far. It took a little adapting to not having the classic Start Menu. But once I got used it, I actually prefer the new Start Menu and feel that it's added some much needed panache to the Windows aesthetic.
Edit: Props to Microsoft for offering Windows 8 Pro for $39.99 too. They are finally getting the gist that people don't want to burn cash buying an OS.
Yeah, he was a great mentor. My friend (Mac) and I (PC) were arguing, and he just got fed up and said it. We had no counter argument, and it stuck.
I was hesitant to upgrade, but you're right. You can't beat the price tag.
@DrewKerriganNY - Yes I can change hardware inside my iMac if I want to. My Macbook no, but then it's already powerful enough, I don't see why I'd need to upgrade. If I do need to upgrade it'll be a couple of years away and I'd just buy the latest model anyway.
I have a mac and a pc, have been using both for over 10 years, and for me, as a graphic designer/front end web developer, a mac is definitely more favourable than a pc.
My workflow is so much faster on a mac, there are better apps for web on a mac that are just not available on pc's, fonts are rendered better on macs, and yes, the aesthetics of the software and hardware are a plus, not to mention lack of viruses. It allows you to get started fresh out the box, like all Apple products. Although i have been using macs long before iPads and iPhones came onto the scene, I do believe these have been a big part in increasing mac sales, due to having the same interface.
The only downside is the price, but like @andy_unleash says, they are definitely worth it, and are getting cheaper!
@DrewKerriganNY I agree with you about preference, a mac is not for everyone. You are a techie, this explains your choice. The same as people working with 3d Rendering, and hard-core gamers. A mac may not be the best choice for these users, however I am pretty sure everyone else in the creative industry would benefit from a mac.
I also agree with you that mac hardware is no more reliable than pc's (although software is a different matter), however I disagree with your comment about upgrading. Macs are upgradable depending on your machine. I assume you are comparing a base unit to an all-in-one iMac, which then of course the base unit would always be easier. I have a mac pro which I can upgrade anytime. To be honest though, with the specs of the new iMacs, you wouldn't need to upgrade anyway, just customise on purchase if needed, and enjoy the power.
An interesting question about how the trend started. I don't think it's specific to this industry. I think its a global phenomenon that started with university students wanting reliable machines that weren't prone to viruses.
I've been using a Mac OS for about 13 years now and I don't think I'll ever be able to go back to using Windows full time. I think W7 was a massive step in the right direction, though I think W8 is a bit of a step back, I haven't really enjoyed it.
To those arguing that Macs are upgradeable, you are wrong if you are comparing it to any basic PC tower. The newest iMacs are probably the least upgradeable machine that has ever been produced. It is for these exact reasons that I moved over to the Mac Pro a few years ago. Love being able to update GPU, CPU, RAM, multiple HDs, having additional PCI slots, etc. The problem is that it's a lot of money just to have an upgradeable machine with the OS that I want.
Since I've taken my freelancing way down over the past year and have moved into a more comfortable full-time gig, I'll likely build out a Hacintosh and sell the Mac Pro. It's a thing of beauty, though!
@andy_unleash @croydon86 You are missing my point. You are forced to use Apple specific upgrades, or void your warranty (bummer). That is not customization.
Customization is being able to walk into any electronics store (or browse online, Newegg.com), pick the hardware you want from a giant selection and then put it into your computer. I.e. there are hundreds of graphics cards on the market: how many can you put into your iMac?
With a Mac, you are pretty much restricted to updating the RAM, Harddrive, and CPU. And on top of that, you are only given 1-2 upgrade "options".
That's pretty limiting, wouldn't you agree?
@TheDoc You also have to factor in the exorbitant cost of Apple upgrades. When you compare some of them to their PC counterparts, it's hard to justify the value.
Edit: For the record, my first computer was a Mac IIci. That computer was more upgradable than 95% of the products Apple makes now.
I think you're missing the point that I won't need to upgrade. My iMac is top of the line and my Air is basically for portable web development, I'm not looking for graphics power for gaming, I'm looking for reliability and good processors.
Not all of us want to switch out the very latest graphics card or processor every five minutes and with Mac's you rarely need to any way since they're powerful out of the box.
Taking into account how much you would spend upgrading a PC I think the prices are actually comparable, rather than Mac's being more expensive.
You saying you "won't need to upgrade" doesn't change the fact that there are incredibly slim upgrade options available to you. We talking about the same thing here or what?
I don't get the last comment either. Why would you have to upgrade a PC constantly?
The point is, if I want to retrofit my machine, I can. You cannot. That is pretty much the end of the story.
Edit: And GPUs are not just for gaming. GPU acceleration has been in Photoshop and Illustrator since CS4.
@andy_unleash Exactly.
The new iMacs are a thing of beauty, and for about a grand (GBP) you get an amazing display of true colour, a fast processor and 8gb ram. This is more than enough to run the average workflow of the average person in this industry comfortably. Granted the pc equivalent will cost half of this, but you don't get the advantages listed above.
If you ARE looking to upgrade significantly, then by all means, doing it the apple way will be expensive, but the majority of users wont have this need.
I agree apple's computers are becoming less and less upgradable (by yourself), but they are also becoming more and more powerful so is that really that bad?
@DrewKerriganNY Agree with the GPU, although 64-bit with 8gb ram for photoshop with default graphics for the new imacs is pretty fast for the average user.
Also you don't have to rely on Apple upgrades to upgrade apple products. 3rd party hardware work just fine for a lot less.
@croydon86 I work on a 21" iMac (2.5 GHz Intel i5, 8GB DDR3 RAM) at work with Adobe CS 5.5 and when I have multiple PSD mockups (typically 25MB-50MB each) or large scale graphics open, I can definitely notice a performance hit.
Switch to home where I'm running CS6 with my GPU accelerating the process: it's fluid as can be.
I also recognize you can get 3rd party upgrades, but they typically void your warranty (thus the bummer comment) and Apple won't help you if they trace a problem back to a piece of hardware you personally installed.
So you're saying the basic entry level iMac is not as good as a customised PC you upgraded at home? I fail to see how that reflects badly on Apple, why didn't you just get a more powerful Mac?
Why you say this? With a PC you can have as much RAM as you want, you can get the most powerful CPU (and overclock it for even more power if you want), the fastest graphic card (several of them if you want), and any display you want, like a Dell Ultrasharp or even an Apple display. The iMac is just an "all in one". It really can't compete in terms of power.
I understand to say that you prefer OSX over Windows but to say that Macs are more powerful is simply false.
@andy_unleash No, I'm saying that Macs don't offer nearly the same level of customization that a PC does. Trying to argue differently is getting kind of silly bud, lets drop it. The very first thing I said was:
And how was I supposed to buy anything better than a completely loaded 17" Macbook Pro? Yeah, it was a beast, at the time...
Edit: Here are the laptop specs - http://support.apple.com/kb/SP546
@Zoom You hit the nail on the head. And that is just scratching the surface.
@zoom Your argument is also false. You're basically saying "if I hand built a computer with hundreds of GPU's and 300GB of RAM it would be more powerful than an iMac!" - of course it would, because you made it more powerful than an iMac.
Macs are as expensive or powerful as what people want. Entry level are cheap, top end are expensive, but so are PCs.
No, Macs are not as "powerful" as you want them to be. They are as powerful as Apple allows them to be. There is a big, big difference.
With a PC, you control what goes into it, with literally infinite options available. With a Mac, Apple controls what goes into it, limiting you to a handful of options.
Do you not recognize the difference?
@zoom you have totally misunderstood, where did I say macs are more powerful? I would never say that. By advantages listed above, I meant those mentioned in the discussion.
But anyway, going back to the original question, I think the answer has been covered here already. Being taught in college's with mac's is a good point, but not only colleges, but online also. The majority of online tutorials around web design are taught on macs, including industry leaders such as our very own Chris Coyier. Seeing these workflows when you are new to the industry may be a huge factor in thinking you need a mac.
@croydon86 & @TheDoc both identified the main reason for Macs being so trendy with Web Devs: our education system.
I also pointed out the same:
@DrewKerriganNY you make a good point, there definitely are thousands more options available for pc's. Apple are one company after all, whereas there are many pc manufacturers so this expected. Not to mention components.
Although if money was no option, I wouldn't say a 3.06ghz 12 core mac pro with 64gb ram and four 512gb ssd drives would be limiting. But agreed, a lot cheaper and more options to choose from for pc's
It's limiting in terms of it's hardware expandability and customization options @croydon86, not it's performance, do not confuse the two.
@drewkerriganny - But my Mac's are as powerful as I want them to be. Because I knew what was in them when I bought them.
These are work machines, they're for working, so I will probably not have to upgrade them for years. If I was an avid gamer then of course a PC would be the best choice. But they're for web development, text editing/preprocessing and Adobe suite products don't exactly require 30 gpu's and 41GB of Ram and cooling fans with neon lights.
I bought Mac's because they're reliable, my iMac has frozen once in 9 months and ironically it was when I was running Windows 7 in Parallells.
No, no they aren't @andy_unleash. You continuing to say so just proves you are being stubborn on the topic. We aren't asking if you feel your Mac was a good purchase, we're talking about how Macs lack hardware customization options in comparison to PC. How you can continue to even argue the fact is beyond me.
Then lets talk about accessing and modifying said hardware. If you're Mac is "as powerful as you want it to be", can you overclock your CPU? Can you update your RAM timings? No? Oh man...
Because if you're buying a Mac you're aware of the upgrade limitations and are evidently happy with the contents. Ergo it's not a problem.
Thusly it's obviously not a factor in the "trendiness" vs Windows.
@andy_unleash We weren't equating it to the "trendiness" vs Windows , your original comment took us off that path.
And what you just said, translated was: "I bought a Mac knowing it has upgrade/customization limitations". So you are acknowledging the lack of options right off the bat, yet still trying to defend them.
Makes no sense, seems fanboyish.
It's not fanboyish at all, you're pointing out your opinion of a problem in owning a Mac vs owning a PC - and I'm expressing that as a Mac owner it isn't a problem for me since I was aware of it before I bought them and thusly it's not perceived by me to be a problem.
If it was a problem then I would have bought a PC.
It seems you want me to throw my Macs in the skip because you like to tinker with your machines. That's great, you're welcome to want to tinker away and PC's are clearly the best choice for you but I have no such requirement.
Who said anything about getting rid of your Mac?
I'm simply pointing out the lack of customization options offered via hardware upgrades. No more, no less. Anything else is a web you are spinning my friend.
You've already acknowledged the fact, then prefaced it by saying you don't care. Well, bully to you good sir.
And yes, blindly defending your position when you've already acknowledged what I said as true makes you come off as a fanboy, sorry.
You could just get a Mac Pro.
@chrisburton Yeah, but how many OPTIONS do you have in terms of what types of hardware you can put inside the Mac Pro? That is the point I've been making this whole time.
PC = unlimited options
Mac = limited options
Edit: Seeing the Mac Pros makes me miss my G5
I think the above argument is pointless. Whether or not you have limited/unlimited options, they both can be powerful tools that gets the job done.
@Drewkerriganny I think you've got a bit of a hard on for hating on Macs, man.
lol I work with one everyday, own one, and have used them since I was a child.
You've got it all wrong.
I've got a hard on because I'm pointing out one deficiency? Okay @andy_unleash, whatever you say.
@chrisburton You are taking it out of context, you'll have the read the rest of the thread. And I've said many times that I agree.
As I quoted before:
But you're basically saying Macs are terrible because they're not as hardware upgrade able as PC's. Evidently people don't care otherwise they wouldn't buy them.
No, I have never said Macs are terrible.
I don't know where you are getting that from.
So far in this thread I've told you my first computer was a Mac IIci, I had a G5, currently own a loaded 17" Macbook Pro, and use an iMac at work everyday. What in the world would make you think that?
There is no helping you if you can't separate your love from Apple from being able to simply identify a deficiency and admit: "hey, yeah, PC does have a leg up on us there".
I'm starting to think you're a mega troll.
I've got better things to do with my time than troll you, trust me. It's called an opinion, sorry mine differs.
@DrewKerriganNY yes pc's are more customisable than macs. I think we all agree with that. Do people like @andy_unleash care? Probably not. Why? Because the mac he's buying is more then capable of doing what he needs it to do, and offers him customisation options should he need it. Granted this may not be as many options as a hardcore techie needs, but enough for him.
I think the problem lies in @andy_unleash arguing his personal view whilst @DrewKerriganNY is arguing in general.
Also you are clearly advocating customising your machine, your spec is (2.8 GHz Intel i7, 12GB DDR3 RAM, EVGA GTX 580, 120GB SSD primary drive). With all these customisation options, why haven't you gone for more performance than you already have? Could it be that you don't feel the need to improve the performance based on your needs?