Welcome to part one in our series on how to get the ultimate graphic design setup!
So you have decided you need a new graphic design machine but you don’t know if you should go with a mac or PC. This will be a small guide to outline some of the differences between the two different types of machines.
The first big upside to choosing a PC is that you have a virtually unlimited combination of parts and they are very flexible, so you can spec the machine to exactly what you need and importantly – to your budget!
Macs can be upgraded during the purchase process (at extravagant costs for some options) but there are usually limited upgrade paths due to how the machines have been designed.
The Monitor
One of the major upsides of the Mac are the screens that they use. Most of the Apple line up come with very good screens pre-installed in the laptops and iMacs. This is a major upside for designers since they don’t need to worry about the screen.
The PC on the other hand typically uses external monitors (unless you are purchasing an all-in-one model – not something we would recommend but that is for another day!). As a designer relies on colour accuracy for design work – most especially when those designs need to be printed – this is an important consideration.
The screen is a major part of the experience for a graphic designer, so a monitor should be carefully chosen. Depending on the screen size required, and the resolution and other features – this can end up being a considerable expense.
The Software
Software for the two different systems these days is very much the same, the primary software designers use is the Adobe Creative Cloud suite which is available on both platforms now.
In the earlier days of mac vs pc most of the design software was only available on mac but since the line has started to blur a lot these days both systems are fair game now.
Repairability & Upgradeability
One of the major upsides of buying a pc is the repairability and upgradeability of the machine since most design PC’s are desktops that use standardised hardware it is very easy to get a replacement or upgraded part for your machine.
Want to upgrade to a hard drive with more storage? Easy. Upgrade a video card or a faulty power supply – again… easy.
Macs on the other hand all use specialised parts that are only available from Apple or an Apple authorised service centre, this can make repairing your mac difficult and costly. If your mac is considered “vintage” by Apple’s standards … they will often tell you it can’t be repaired.
Cost
Since you are able to spec a pc exactly for what you need it for it is very common for a pc to be less expensive compared to an equivalent mac.
But can it still look good?
Ok – yes a desktop PC will usually take up more room.. And no, it won’t be all slim line and pretty and cord free. BUT…that’s not to say you can’t have a PC that looks good – there are a wide range of cases available in a range of colours, shapes and sizes that let you customise your PC to suit your home or office.
If you are that way inclined, you can even add some nice LED lights or custom vinyl decals to personalise your PC.