Macbook vs. PC in China

January 17, 2009 at 04:43 PM

Hi there!

I am looking at ditching my old Acer and buying myself a nice little laptop. I am torn between buying a Mac and buying a regular Windows based notebook. I am your average user (no games, no graphics, no movie editing etc), so I don't need all the bells and whistles. I need a good stable system that is not prone to collapse and offers good battery power. The sales staff told me that they would recommend a Mac, especially because of the battery power.

So, here are my questions:

Will I have compatibility problems in China when interacting with Chinese friends and colleagues (e.g. will their Word files and ppt's run on my Mac and vice versa?).

Will Wenlin run on my Mac? Google input system? Other apps?

Are there people in China's 电子城's who know how to fix a Macbook the way they fix PCs? (fast and ever so cheap)

Will the 6 yuan DVD's you buy on the street run on a Macbook?

Is it true that there are no viruses (or hardly any) for Macs?

I would appreciate it if people would share their "China Max Experience". I am really, really hesitant about buying a Mac, mostly because I get less computing power per Dollar and because I don't know whether I'll run into any problems in a professional environment once I am back in China. I can't think of any Chinese friend or colleague who has a Mac!

Any help is appreciated!

Thank you,

Randall

January 17, 2009 at 06:05 PM

I can't think of any Chinese friend or colleague who has a Mac!

I'm sure there are, but I guess they're a bit too pricy for the common market here.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't be surprised of some Mac posters here ... and I'd also be interested to hear their experience.

Personally, I always have found the Thinkpad series (previously IBM, now Lenovo) to be the best. Also pricy, but with the best I really mean ROI (Return on Investment).

Good luck, no matter which one you choose.

January 17, 2009 at 08:41 PM

As Senzhi posted, a Windows-based notebook is a good choice in China. The most popular "high-end" brand is IBM ThinkPad series.

January 18, 2009 at 12:08 AM

Will I have compatibility problems in China when interacting with Chinese friends and colleagues (e.g. will their Word files and ppt's run on my Mac and vice versa?).

Yes, if you purchase MS Office for Mac. Otherwise, you'll have to chance it with ports of OpenOffice (like NeoOfficeJ or similar), which will load MS Office stuff, but often have slight formatting problems.

Will Wenlin run on my Mac?

Yes, but make sure you read around first.

Google input system?

I'm not sure, but there are other input systems that support Chinese. Don't know if they're quite as good.

Other apps?

Depends on which apps. If you're not into anything exotic (you say you aren't), then you should be able to find either proprietary or free software to fill your needs.

It will be harder to find pirated stuff for a Mac, though.

Will the 6 yuan DVD's you buy on the street run on a Macbook?

No reasons why not.

Is it true that there are no viruses (or hardly any) for Macs?

Yes.

Keep in mind that you can also install Windows on a modern Mac and have it dual-boot. It will act as a regular PC when you boot Windows.

January 18, 2009 at 01:23 AM

Thanks for your input, everybody!

Renzhe, the dual boot sounds like a great solution. But it does sound like 麻烦（read: I'm not sure if I can set up something like that plus I think this means that I would have to purchase Windows? I am not in China, so just buying it around the corner is not an option).

Another question: Any of those Mac users out there using my beloved 飞信？ How is that working for you?

January 18, 2009 at 01:43 AM

I use a macbook in China.

On the whole, there have been no major problems.

I installed Office for Mac 2008, and there are no compatibility problems. You can open anything that someone sends you, but you need to remember to save docs in a regular format, rather than the 'special' mac format, which I never use. Anyway, you can change a prefs setting so that it does it automatically.

The macbook comes with its own Chinese input, but I installed QIM Sogou, and it works great.

I'm in Lanzhou, and there are two Apple outlets in 电子城s, but I've never needed to test out their repair services.

No viruses so far.

Basicially, it just works great 99 percent of the time.

Downsides?

1) QQ services are severely compromised, as they use windows-only technology (running exe. files). I installed a version of windows, which I can choose to boot up into, should I run into these kinds of problems. It was a bit of a hassle, yes, but I have literally never needed to do so when we are at home (desktop pc runs windows).

2) It's a teensy bit too big/heavy for my liking. I've started travelling with it more, and this becomes noticeable. The new macbooks may be lighter, tho...

January 18, 2009 at 01:52 AM

Thanks, akdn!

Sounds great, especially since I don't use QQ. But then, I don't have a desktop PC to fall back on, either. But I am starting to think that the the partitioning might be the way to go.

Do people generally think that Mac is on the rise in China?

January 18, 2009 at 02:31 AM

I've been using a Mac for about two years now, and it's great. I don't really see myself going back to Windows. Finding a place to get problems fixed shouldn't be a big issue (depending on where you live I guess, but the bigger the city the less likely this will be an problem), but to be honest, I've never needed anything to be fixed yet so don't really know what price/service quality is like.

Regarding software, like 99% of Chinese software, I'm guessing 飞信 doesn't have a Mac version. However you can run it just fine under Parallels (a program that allows you to run Windows under a Mac). You don't even need to dual boot/partition if you don't want to, although Parallels also allows that option. You do need to have a copy of windows to install with it, however if you're going to ditch your old computer, it's perfectly fine to install that copy of windows on your Mac, as long as you uninstall it from the Acer first (just format it, and install Linux on it or something if you still want a usable machine).

The only problem you'll likely encounter is that Chinese online banking only supports IE under windows, which is a major PITA. The first Chinese bank to support online banking with another browser will get my business. Anyway, pretty much the only time I ever load up windows is when I pay my bills online.

As for viruses and the like, I don't run antivirus software and haven't set up anything else to protect my machine besides whatever the default security settings are that come with OSX, and in two years I've not had a single problem.

Anyway, my advice would be go for the Macbook. No-one I've ever met who has made the switch has regretted it.

January 18, 2009 at 02:36 AM

Renzhe, the dual boot sounds like a great solution. But it does sound like 麻烦（read: I'm not sure if I can set up something like that plus I think this means that I would have to purchase Windows? I am not in China, so just buying it around the corner is not an option).

A friend recently did this and said that the new Macs basically do this for you, holding your hand during the process. You would need a Windows installation disc, though I don't think the Mac will care whether it's original or not. It does the partitioning and all that for you, letting you choose between the two on boot.

So I've heard good things about installing Windows using the Mac Bootcamp technology, but keep in mind that this is second-hand information. I don't own a Mac, but my girlfriend does, and if you can live with the few caveats, it is a very enjoyable ride.

January 18, 2009 at 02:56 AM

Oh, I thought of another potential issue.

You mention 'professional environment'. Are you used to using Outlook as your email programme?

The Mac equivalents - Mail and Entourage (the official Office for Mac mail programme) - may not offer the same level of mail management as Outlook. There are a few compatibility issues, depending on what mail service your company uses. E.g. I need to access my work email through Microsoft's Main Mail, and it's not compatible with my current set-up. I either pay for the Office upgrade (to 'professional') or access my mail through Microsoft's Outlook Web Access online, which isn't ideal (but works, at the end of the day).

If this applies to you, do a few searches and see what the deal is.

January 18, 2009 at 02:57 AM

While I'm sure you'll have no problems with a Mac, I'd be wary of salespeople recommending the more expensive option - a friend of mine became a Mac user a few years back as she was told that 'only Apple computers have wireless'.

Windows XP is hardly unstable, is more than capable of handling everyday computing stuff, and viruses, etc, aren't an issue if you are slightly careful and make sure you're running all your updates in the background. If battery life is your main issue, get online and find out how long a few options lasted in independent reviews - and also check out the possibility of extended / extra batteries.

I'm not saying don't buy Mac - but at the same time I wouldn't change OS just for longer battery life.

January 18, 2009 at 06:31 AM

Another option to consider are those Intel Atom mobile processor-powered mini laptop/netbooks. They have long battery life (6 hours), can run Windows XP and are superlight.

http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/laptop-inspiron-12?c=us&cs=19&l=en&ref=lthp&s=dhs

Inspiron Mini 12

There’s a new kid in town. Super thin and ultra-portable - The Inspiron Mini 12 is less than 1.1" thick and under 3 pounds.

$599

January 18, 2009 at 07:12 AM

Windows XP is hardly unstable,

But is becoming harder to buy on a daily basis.

January 18, 2009 at 07:53 AM

Buy?

Fair point though - a Vista - Mac choice would swing me towards the Mac.

I've been sorely tempted by the new netbooks, but I have doubts about them as a main machine for working on.

January 18, 2009 at 09:19 AM

The Samsung NC10 is getting pretty good reviews. The biggest complaint about the 9-inch netbooks seems to be that the keyboard is too cramped. The 10-inch appears to be just right. It probably has enough horsepower for the average user who mainly uses the computer for websurfing, word processing and watching movies.

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/samsung-nc10.aspx?page=1

Samsung NC10

This 10-inch netbook trumps the field with its spacious keyboard and more than 6 hours of battery life.

January 18, 2009 at 09:24 AM

Again, thanks for all your replies!

Well, besides the battery and virus issues, I was also told that Macbooks are a lot more durable than regular PCs, what the the aluminum casing and what not. Sounds like the kind of notebook I'd be wanting to take on a crowded Beijing subway in the morning ...and my next backpacking trip, wherever that may take me.

Roddy, I'm afraid all the computers I am looking at right now don't come with WIndows XP, they come with Vista. And I can't say that I have heard anything good about it.

Gato, although the tablet PCs are tempting because of their size, weight and battery life, I am not sure I could stare at a little screen like that without going crazy. Also, I am using my computer to watch movies and TV, so I am looking at something that is more than 12". But it looks nice...and CHEAP!

AKDN: I am still not sure what mail program I'll be using once I get back to China (hopefully no later than fall this year).

Thank you, IMRON, for your positive and very encouraging comments. So, if I install Windows on my Mac using "parallel", does that still mean that I have to restart the system if I want to do e-banking, use 飞信 or outlook? Or can I have it running in the background?

Thank you for bearing with me. This is no small investment for me, and I am looking for something that I can enjoy for a long time to come. So, again, thank you!

January 18, 2009 at 09:35 AM

I was also told that Macbooks are a lot more durable than regular PCs, what the the aluminum casing and what not. Sounds like the kind of notebook I'd be wanting to take on a crowded Beijing subway in the morning ...and my next backpacking trip, wherever that may take me.

You can't rely on the computer's own casing to protect it from shocks. If you are going to take it backpacking, you should really consider it keeping in a Zeroshock sleeve. It's very protective and very light.

http://shinza.com/index.php?cPath=5_10_15

Shinza ZeroShock Sleeve

Roddy, I'm afraid all the computers I am looking at right now don't come with WIndows XP, they come with Vista.

I think Dell at least is still selling machines with XP installed. Most of the netbooks are shipping with XP (as Vista is just about unusable on them).

so I am looking at something that is more than 12".

Are you looking at 14 or 15" then because a 13 is only slightly larger? The larger the screen the heavier the computer would be. A 14" or 15" laptop would be at least 5 pound, probably not the best for backpacking.

January 18, 2009 at 09:43 AM

You can't rely on the computer's own casing to protect it from shocks. If you are going to take it backpacking, you should really consider it keeping in a Zeroshock sleeve. It's very protective and very light.

Those are NEAT! And using those, I could slip my computer into any regular backpack, I guess. Thanks.

I think Dell at least is still selling machines with XP installed.

Well, I haven't seen any Dells or IBM Think Pads around that I like.

I have been looking at this puppy. Never thought I'd be swayed by aesthetic considerations, but this is one is just just too 爽！

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-VGN-FW285J-16-4-Inch-Processor-Blu-ray/dp/B001F50K2M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1232271674&sr=8-2

January 18, 2009 at 10:07 AM

I was also told that Macbooks are a lot more durable than regular PCs, what the the aluminum casing and what not.

Were you also told that only Apple computers have the Internet?

January 18, 2009 at 10:11 AM

Those are NEAT! And using those, I could slip my computer into any regular backpack, I guess. Thanks.

I've had my latop, wrapped in a Shinza ZeroShock sleeve, checked in in a luggage for a flight, and it survived. So backpack is no problem at all.

I have been looking at this puppy. Never thought I'd be swayed by aesthetic considerations, but this is one is just just too 爽！

Whoa, that's a 9.6-pound laptop! Are you sure you are going to be backpacking with that?

Sign In

Macbook vs. PC in China

Recommended Posts

randall_flagg

Senzhi

david808

renzhe

randall_flagg

akdn

randall_flagg

imron

renzhe

akdn

roddy

gato

imron

roddy

gato

randall_flagg

gato

randall_flagg

roddy

gato

Join the conversation