The Mac versus PC debate is one of the oldest, most contested, in the world of tech…full of misconceptions, fervent arguments, and ugly transistor talk. Many of you have asked me what is the best travel laptop – and I’ve always said there is no one best. Yet you may be looking to purchase a new laptop or upgrade your existing one and if you’re on the fence between a PC and Mac, these are some of the real differences to consider as a traveler.
Start With The Software You’re Currently Running
Let’s start with the basics of Apple economics – Macs are more expensive gram per gram over most equivalent PC laptops. There are also added costs and considerations, especially if you’re switching between Windows or OS X. You can’t natively run most software built for Macs on Windows machines and visa versa, so you’ll need to factor in the cost of updating all of your must-have software – or stick to free alternatives.
Also, some programs (*cough, cough Photoshop on Mac*) just work better on one operating system (*harrumph Excel on PCs*) over the other. Mostly because developers tend to program for the operating system power-users of a piece of software are likely to be using.
These added costs may give your travel budget cramps, so you can either ditch the paid software, never travel without these free programs, or find (mostly) legal versions of any program.
Macs Are More Expensive – Not For All The Reasons Hipsters Think
You’ve probably overheard a neatly-dressed, sleeve-tattooed, skinny dude with tight pants and thick black glasses arguing himself toward a brain hemorrhage that Apple products are more expensive because they’re “better”. Not quite – you middle-aged Justin Bieber clone – there’s more to Appleconomics than that. Apple designs all of its products to run on specific hardware so that its software (like iOS or OS X) can be as compatible as possible with all of the parts it’s controlling. Unlike PCs, who are much more liberal about sharing their hard parts with any software that happens to walk by. This Apple hardware-software tie makes Macbooks and other Apple products generally more stable than gadgets running Windows but parts more expensive. The tradeoff – and big consideration for travelers – is that Mac components aren’t as easy to find since stores tend to stock what people buy (roughly 85% of the world uses PC).
For travelers close to an Apple store or large computer retailer around the world, finding replacement parts (e.g. dying hard drive) in an emergency is an inconvenience, but typically not an issue.
- Get Prior Warning Of Impending Hard Drive Crashes – Don’t make these 3 common tech mistakes that can screw up your next vacation.
Business travelers and others who take shorter trips probably don’t have to worry too much but if you’re off for a few months in Iraq, you may want to consider a backup laptop or iPad (as I do) to keep yourself connected until you can locate a repair shop to accommodate you.
For Most Trips The Advantages Depend On Your Preferences
Generally speaking, you buy a Mac because you enjoy its features and like what Apple’s operating systems have to offer. PC laptops aren’t inherently inferior: most of the best travel laptops of 2012 were running Windows. For travelers, the advantages of a Mac or Windows laptop aren’t pronounced. For most trips there’s no real advantage to getting a Mac over a Windows laptop. On extended trips to remote parts of the world however, you might find a replacement part a bit harder to find if that reliable Mac does ever decide to have a breakdown.
Let’s see. I can buy an 11.6″ MacBook Air (4 GB Memory and 64 GB Solid State Drive) for $939 or an Asus Q200E (11.6″ Touch-Screen Laptop – 4GB Memory – 500GB Hard Drive) for $449. Both products have near identical dementions and weights. If I buy the MacBook I get all the goodness that goes along with owning an Apple product. With the Asus I get to travel an extra 10 days with the money I saved (assuming $50 / day). That’s an easy choice when deciding which product you want for travel.
I’ve totally converted my better half to the Mac world. For blog post, photos, and our media watching, Mac ‘just work’. And after purchasing an iPad that we thought we’d barely use, it’s quickly become our tool of choice for its lightweight portability.
I too find myself walking around with a tablet in hand more and more. Well, when I’m away from my laptop that is…
I’ve been a Mac user for years. But now with all my devices – laptop, iphone, ipad – being connected to iCloud it’s made traveling with and without all my technology much easier. I can access EVERYTHING I need anywhere and from any device I have. It made working in Siberia for a week doable on an iPad.
I agree with the cost and replacement issue. What do you personally use? I use a netbook when doing blogging stuff on my travels. For me, weight and battery life are huge. I think it really depends on your priorities. If I traveled full time like you, I might have an ultrabook, but I am anti Macs, maybe a Asus Zen book.
I am curious, why do you walk around with your ipad? Personally, I feel like it is just easier to walk around as light as possible, with my dslr in hand, and upload them later. Do you upload them as soon as you take them?
I use a 2009 15-inch Macbook Pro (full specs at the link below):
http://foxnomad.com/about/tech-gear-and-gadgets-i-travel-with/
I used to have a netbook (Dell Mini 10v) as a laptop backup but now use an iPad for that purpose.
Ah, and I meant I walk around the iPad when I’m in a apartment or hostel – I never take it out when I’m out exploring. In that case I usually only have my mobile and camera handy. As soon as I get back to my laptop though, I transfer the photos over – which are then automatically sent to two backup locations online (courtesy CrashPlan). I lost some photos after a trip once because I neglected to do that and never want to make that mistake again!
Ah man, that sucks! That has actually never happened to me but I am always worried about my stuff crashing! I must say that despite warning of “viruses, incompatibility, and the boogy man” I’ve never had problems with my Asus PCs. I use an Asus 1225b netbook as my only computer I own, and take it most places.
Far more surprising is that you don’t use a dslr! Wow, you must be areally good photographer. My dslr covers for my obvious short comings as a photographer! haha.
Actually, I used to have the same camera as you do until sand got into the lens in Phu Quoc, Vietnam. That beautiful leica lens became as manual as a dslr.
Thanks, I appreciate that 🙂 Just the Panasonic Lumix right now but I end up taking a million pictures from each destination and finding out a few aren’t too bad! It’s really the added weight/space that holds me back from a DSLR at the moment…
I understand, some people seem to get a huge bag for their camera with a million lenses. While it doesn’t fit on my pocket, I carry a Alpha 33 Sony DSLR. Here is a trick, get a case that is barely big enough for the camera. While it is not ideal, and professional photographers might cringe, I’ve had it for over two years without a problem.
I’ve been down the Windows alley many times, and it has always ended in tears and desperation. Then I got an Air, that I took with me around an Asia roundtrip a few years back. Worked like a clock even though I dropped in the floor, never failed. Still using it.
The Air series are good machines. The difficulty in assessing the “general” quality of PCs, is that they vary so widely.
However, the second to newest version has has issues with connecting to wifi. My friend at work has one and apple is apparently aware of the problem, but doesnt think its worth a refund. Who wants a mac book air that cant connect online?
More a problem with OS X 10.8.x. Really a poorly thought out operating system with more than a few bugs at launch. Being resolved update by update however, I’m guess they’re focused on a new OS that’s radically different than the current 10.5-.8 line.
I see, good insight!
Mac’s all the way. Although the initial price tag is definitely higher, the resell value is also MUCH higher. So, if you happen to find an almost-new 2012 MacBook Pro on Craigslist for a steal of $900 (with AppleCare), and can resell it two years later for $700, then it’s a damn good deal.
You wouldn’t have to resell a good PC in two years. My last ASUS tablet ultrabook has lasted me 6 years now (yes, despite what the people at apple might tell you, they did not invent the tablet).
One more thing, I understand that macbooks might be better, overall than PCs for photo editing stuff. However, as a minimalist, I don’t have multiple computers, and need mine to do more than just edit pictures. While it might be superior in that one aspect (arguable, but lets say it is for the sake of argument), it is inferior in compatibility (many foreign websites are adapted to work on explorer only), word processing, gaming (Im not a big gamer, but I like the option), and of course price.
I’ve always been a PC kinda girl but my laptop is slowly dying after 4 years while my friends mac, which is a lot older, is still going strong. So i’m weighing up my options for my next purchase, that said Apple could do with launching a more basic netbook style machine with a cheaper price point.
I don’t think they would in the near term, it goes against their philosophy as a company.
But, so did launching an Ipad mini (go against their philosophy). Helen, what kind of PC did you have? Did you have a PC of equal price to the mac? You cant compare a cheap PC to a mac. You can only compare machines of an equal price.
Also, Apple is an elite brand (in terms of quality, not value) so you must compare it to other elite brands. I would compare them to equally priced Asus, Lenovo, Toshibas (I know I’m missing some others). I wouldnt compare them to Acer, Dell, HP, LG, or even Samsung.
Absolutely, at least according to Steve Jobs. The iPad mini is a departure from their core of making high-end products; the iPad mini is essentially an iPad 2 with a smaller screen (with slightly less resolution).
Thanks. This was a useful read! I bought an 11.6″ Sony Vaio last year for my travels. I wanted the size of a netbook, but I needed the memory of a regular notebook because of all of the RAW photos I shoot and edit. I wondered if it would have been better to get a Mac, but I think I made a good choice in the end. 🙂
You know you’ve got the right laptop for you when you feel confident and comfortable with the decision. I think you made a good choice as well 🙂
NICE! Thanks heaps!
I like Mac products overall, physically. But I HATE using them! The operating system, when compared to Windows, seems to be so much more annoying to use! Maybe it’s just me though?
Well, it is not mentionned here but why not linux??? It is free, more and more easy to use (ubuntu, linux mint) and fast (and stable…)
I’ve talked about Linux before but it’s not really a question (Windows/Mac vs. Linux) I get much.
Hi Anil,
Your blog is fantastic! It’s super helpful. I’m in the process of planning for my breakaway from work for 1 yr of travel and reference you blog a lot.
I’m on the fence about getting a computer for my travels. I love using my ipad but worried that it may not be able to handle all the pictures all I’ll be taking.
What’s the best way to manage pictures if you don’t have a computer?
Thanks very much and glad I could be of some help in your travel planning. Fantastic question by the way – and one I’d like to cover in depth. If you can wait until next week I’ll have a post covering your question!
Hi kk, I just wanted to let you know I’ve written a post (hopefully) answering you question!
http://foxnomad.com/2013/05/28/how-can-i-best-manage-my-photos-if-im-traveling-with-only-a-tablet/