DoIT Showroom Buyer's Guide
This document is geared at understanding the differences between Mac and Windows computers.
The University does not recommend one platform over another. DoIT provides extensive support for both PCs and Macs and their software. When making your decision, a good rule of thumb is to "go with what you know." A student faces many new challenges when starting college; it's probably a good idea not to add the effort of learning a new operating system. Here are some other issues to consider.
Usage Areas - PCs are generally used in the business, legal, and engineering fields. Macs tend to be found in the art, video production and web design fields. Although this is not always the case, and as time progresses there is more of a crossover between the two operating systems in various areas of study. DoIT recommends contacting your intended field of study if you are concerned. Apple computers with an Intel Processor can also have Windows installed on them if you need to run any programs that require Windows or provide more features than their Mac version. For more information see: Running Windows on Macs.
DoIT Recommendations - Macs and PCs use different operating systems so it's hard to compare from one platform to the other. We recommend coming in, trying each machine to see which one fits you better. DoIT also recommends not changing platforms unless you have a reason to do so.
Market share - While PCs outnumber Macs in the general public and on campus, Macs have experienced a significant increase in market share, especially on campus.
Software - The latest Microsoft Office products (Office 2007 for Windows and Office 2008 for Mac) are available for $72 through our campus Microsoft Contract. These latest versions employ a new file format which cannot be read by earlier verisons of Microsoft Office without installing the appropriate free updates from Microsoft. Comparable versions of Microsoft Office are cross-platform, allowing file transfer back and forth between Macs and PCs. For more details on compatibility see: Microsoft Office 2008 File Format Converter for 2004 and Office 2007 Compatibility Issues.
For $72, Office 2008 for Mac includes:
| System |
Dell Studio XPS M1340 |
 Apple 13 in. MacBook Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1149.99 | $1399.00 |
| Processor | 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo | 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo |
| Memory | 4 GB DDR3 | 4GB DDR3 |
| Screen | 13.3-inch widescreen WXGA LCD (1280x800) |
13.3-inch widescreen WXGA LCD (1280x800) |
| Hard Drive | 320GB | 250GB |
| Optical Drive | DVD Burner | DVD Burner (SuperDrive) |
| Communications | Gigabit ethernet, 802.11n wireless, Bluetooth *No 56k modem | Gigabit ethernet, 802.11n wireless, Bluetooth, *No 56k modem (optional $44 purchase at DoIT Techstore) |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Firewire, e-SATA, HDMI, WebCam | USB 2.0, Firewire, SD Card Slot, iSight WebCam, |
| Warranty | 3 Year Limited Warranty plus 3 Year InHome Service and 3 Year Accidental Damage (CompleteCare) with LoJack Theft Protection | 1 Year Limited Warranty (extendable to 3 Years with purchase of AppleCare for $183) |
Operating System |
Windows Vista Home Premium | Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) |
| Software | Microsoft Works, Roxio Creator 10 Dell Edition, Adobe Reader 9, McAfee SecurityCenter with anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, 15 months | iLife (iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie HD, GarageBand, iDVD, iWeb) Mail and iCal |
| Size / Weight | 1.33" thick; 12.56"x 9.3" 4.85+ lbs |
.95" thick; 12.78"x 8.94" 4.5 lbs |
| Keywords: | personal departmental apple dell incoming freshmen freshman student new computer | Doc ID: | 3045 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner: | Leo L. | Group: | Showroom |
| Created: | 2004-07-23 | Updated: | 2009-09-09 |
