Dell vs. Apple

Apple vs Dell Comparison

   

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. This is not always the case however, 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

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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 numbers in recent times, especially on college campuses. Roughly 50% of college students last year on our campus had Mac computers.

Software

The latest Microsoft Office products (Office 365 University 2013 for Windows and Office 365 University 2011 for Mac) are available for $79 through our campus Microsoft Contract. These latest versions employ by default a new file format which cannot be read by earlier versions 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 $79, Office 365 University 2011 for Mac includes: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook for Mac.

For $79, Office 365 University 2013 for PC includes: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, Access.

You can purchase these Office products and other specially priced software in person at the DoIT Tech Store or online at the Wisconsin Integrated Software Catalog (WISC) site.

Price and Feature Comparison Example:

Apple systems have always been thought of as more expensive, partly because of smaller market share and higher profit margins. Recently, Apple's laptops in particular have come down in price to match more closely with Dell's education prices. Below is a chart comparing the standard recommended laptops, configured as closely as possible.

Prices:

$890.00

$1099.00

Desventajas y Ventajas:
Las computadoras Dell tienen pantalla LED lo cual es una gran ventaja. La marca Apple tienen SD slots en sus computadoras y las Dell no. Dell tiene una garantia de tres años de gratis con la apple tienes que comprarla.