Do Macs Last Longer Than Windows PCs?
Here are a few questions I’ve received recently from people like you, and my answers. I have edited and restated the questions a bit, for readability.
Do Macs last longer than Windows PCs? I am willing to pay the additional cost for a Mac if it will last significantly longer, but if it has approximately the same lifespan as a PC from a reputable manufacturer, I will stay with PCs.
In my years of using both types of computers daily, I have never noticed a significant difference in when Macs and Windows PCs become unfit to use, and I have never seen claims from Apple (AAPL) that its computers last longer than competing models. Obviously, on the Windows side, there’s a much greater variety of manufacturers and of quality levels, while Apple makes all Macs, and receives generally high marks in well-known surveys of reliability. But so do some Windows PC makers. All computer makers turn out the occasional lemon, and how long a computer “lasts” depends tremendously on how you use it and how you judge its usefulness over time.
My laptop hard drive crashed last year and I lost some digital pictures that were on it. My daughter had accidentally copied those digital pictures onto her iPod but she didn’t select the option to store them at full resolution. I know I can get the pictures back off the iPod, but is there any software that can get them back at full resolution?
Not as far as I know. Unless you tell iTunes to store the photo at full resolution, what is on the iPod is a version of the photo that has been scaled down for the iPod’s screen resolution and storage capacity, and that is the resolution they would retain if you copied them back to a computer.
I have an H-P (HPQ) laptop using Windows XP and Microsoft (MSFT) Office 2003. If I purchase a new H-P laptop with Vista and Office 2007, what must be done to make the two machines compatible? My goal is to be able to take a copy of Office files from one computer and use them on the other.
The difference in the operating systems won’t affect your plan, but the difference in the Office versions might. The newer 2007 version of Office can easily handle your files from the older version. But Office 2003 can’t handle files in the new default Office formats introduced in the 2007 version. These formats use file suffixes that end in the letter x. For instance, the new Word format has an extension of docx, instead of the old, familiar doc.
Luckily, the new Office can still save files automatically in the old formats, if you change a setting. Here’s how.
On the computer with the new version of Office, click on the round “Office Button” at the top left of the 2007 versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Then, in the window that appears, click on “Options.” In the next screen that comes up, click on “Save” in the column at the left. In the panel that appears at the right, you’ll notice an option called “Save Files in this format,” with a drop-down list of choices next to it. Display the list of choices by clicking on the arrow and select the format that corresponds to Office 2003. Then, click OK at the bottom of the window. For instance, in Word 2007, the format you want is called “Word 97-2003 Document (*.doc).”
The other option is to enable Office 2003 to handle the new formats, by downloading a free “Compatibility Pack” from the company’s “Download Center,” at www.microsoft.com/downloads. You’ll find it listed there under “Popular Downloads.”
- You can find Mossberg’s Mailbox, and my other columns, online for free at the new All Things Digital web site, http://walt.allthingsd.com.
Comments
As a Mac Consultant, I have to say that Macs on the whole do last longer than PCs. (Frustrating as that might be when presented with a 1999 iMac that . . . “ain’t broke.”)
Posted by Dan Robinson at June 5th, 2008 at 7:50 amI agree with Walt on this one. Apple makes hardware that is of above average quality when compared with the very broad range (in quality) of PC-type machines. But that comparison is a tad bit unfair for those who shop carefully for a PC and would not tend to pick a machine solely on price.
This issue is further confused by the fact that often a machine’s hardware is in perfect working order but the user is still having problems because Windows has become fouled up in some way. Often these machines can be “fixed” by simply installing a fresh copy of the OS.
My own experience with a mid-range Compaq and a low-end iBook both purchased in the 2000 time-frame is a good counter example. The Compaq had display problems within the first year, fixed quickly and at no charge by Compaq it has never had another issue. The iBook had the clicking disk problem identified by many users but long denied by Apple. The machine became useless by the end of the second year, but was finally included in a recall by Apple (after the company had been sued by a user). I sent the iBook back, got the machine with almost all the internal parts replaced (mainboard, display card, hard drive) and once again it was fine for about a year and then started clicking (which just gets worse until the machine fails to boot).
An Apple Powerbook I subsequently bought (decided to give them a second chance) has been flawless, but I now attribute this more to good fortune than good quality control. All notebooks are made by third party Pacific Rim countries. There is no particular reason for them to make a better machine for Apple than HP, or the other way around.
Posted by Mac Beach at June 5th, 2008 at 11:20 amI think it’s necessary to evaluate performance when determining whether Macs last longer than PCs. Apple’s latest operating system, Leopard, works quite well on my over four year old iMac. I doubt you’d get the same performance out of a four year old PC running Vista.
I have computer from the 90’s that still work but using Windows 3.11 doesn’t work for me.
Posted by Hal Summers at June 5th, 2008 at 3:57 pmDisclaimer: I have never owned a Mac (but use them quite often).
Over the years, I have not observed statistically significant differences in the lifespans of the PCs I’ve assembled and the Macs that my friends own. If the underlying components are of good quality, both will last long, and provide good service.
Of the components, the hard drive is usually the performance bottleneck and the first to expire, because of it’s electro-mechanical nature. A clean operating envrioment, good ventilation to prevent heat build up and a good power supply unit will ensure hardware longevity.
For PC hard drives, keeping them defragmented (for e.g., with automatic defraggers) will optimize performance, reduce the drive workload over the long term and may prolong drive life and stave off premature replacement.
Posted by Albert Koh at June 6th, 2008 at 7:35 amNot sure whether Macs last longer but they have better resale value than PCs. Google “mac resale value higher” to get the info.
Posted by Mel S. Hutson at June 6th, 2008 at 5:55 pmWalt, as usual gives good general advice.
However from experience, I do believe Macs last longer. Although all computer components are subcontracted, they have an advantage of overall, centralized quality control and compatibility issues that give them an edge.
Also, you have to consider the identity and mission of each. Apple is dedicated to the best experience, customer satisfaction, and useability, whatever the price. PCs are dedicated to Microsoft compatibility, Windows compaibility and being able to compete by selling at the cheapest possible price.
How long your new purchase will last now probably depends more on future software developments. Hardware is usually designed to match current software, standards and OS requirements. The most likely obsolescence event for your new computer will probably depend on the introduction of new OS, more power requirements and chip architecture, new standards and formats…such as Microsoft’s announcement that Windows 7 will be 64 bit only…obsoleting existing installed software, drivers, existing 16bit and 32bit software and other legacy features.
Posted by Allen Walters at June 7th, 2008 at 1:22 amI think you have to consider two factors in the usable life span of a personal computer; 1) how long is the software loaded on my computer and its operating system usable, and 2) when it does break, and it will eventually, where are you going to get the best quality technical support and most satisfying resolution?
In my experience the software written for Macintosh is of a higher quality and easier to use. The Operating system is where the Mac really shines. It’s simply a workhorse, hardly ever goes down, and does not get in your way with unnecessary tasks or clicks, just a pleasure to use. When you update a Mac, it feels like you get a new machine, things are actually faster with Mac updates, have more capability, with fewer usability issues, and this is done without really changing the way the system feels or operates. Just elegant.
This is in stark contrast to Windows-based PCs, in general they are stable, but I have to bloat my OS with virus protection software, because if I didn’t it would soon become a unusable brick laden with viruses and other nasty spyware. My Windows machines get system crashes about 5-7 times more often than my Macs. Also, it seems that every time I apply a Windows patch or update, I lose performance and gain more bloat. The updates rarely ever address the usability problems, they simply trade them for new ones or pile news ones on to the list. Also, system performance usually degrades, requiring a hardware upgrade, like more ram or a bigger and faster hard drive.
When it comes to support, Apple is the best. Especially if you purchase Apple Care. Whenever I need service, I make an appointment through the web at my local Apple Store. When I get there, I always get a knowledgeable and experienced technician that has social graces. Often, if they can’t resolve the issue, they simply replace the entire unit, no charge. This has happened to me on several occasions where I have received a new Mac than I had, a new Airport, and a power supply for my laptop.
I have had Macs in my home that have lasted 10 years, and they were still usable, but had to be donated to make room for the superior advances that technology and time bring. PCs on the other hand, rarely last more than 3-4 years before they become the relative that stayed too long. So, from a value point of view, a usable life expectancy, and from a service perspective, Macs have a much longer usable life, and are much more enjoyable to have around during that life span.
http://www.zachbass.com
Posted by Zach Bass at June 7th, 2008 at 4:24 amIn reply to the crashed hard drive…
First off try to recover the info (not fix the drive) with Data Rescue (Mac or PC) found here:
http://www.prosofteng.com
This worked beautifully a few years ago. I had tried every trick in the book to mount my drive, to no avail. Everything was recovered with Data Rescue, although some files were damaged (unusable or just buggy).
If that fails or the hard drive no longer exists try… Genuine Fractals from:
http://www.ononesoftware.com
I have never used this software, but many people swear by it and use it for making posters of small images.
Lastly, a computer can last a long time, depending on your necessity. If you do not need to upgrade software or operating system, why should you? PC or Mac, a large portion of the speed enhancements gained from a new computer are lost when upgrading to the newest graphic intensive operating systems. Also, new software usually hogs more memory and resources than previous versions. If you are a professional and rely on the newest software and its new features, you probably need to upgrade computers more frequently (e.g. Adobe generally updates their software every 18 months. If you are surfing the web and emailing then you can hold out longer (e.g. You can upgrade whenever new web or email software is released with YOUR must have features, which can be many years).
Posted by michael wolff at June 15th, 2008 at 7:12 pm