Mac or Windows?

[Commodore_32]

So im wondering if i upgrade my HP computer or buy a MacBook Pro for KSP and other things.

So, what is better? Mac or Windows?

[Geonovast]

This is entirely based on use case.  So all in all it's going to depend on what "other things" are.  What do you do with your computer, other than play KSP?

I use Linux myself.  Never had any interest in Mac and Windows and I do not get along anymore.  For what I do with my computer, it works just fine.  But that may not be the case for you.

[Commodore_32]

Wow i saw in www.apple.com that the 15´´ inches MacBook Pro is OP 4TB of SSD!

32GB of RAM?

I just have 4GB abd running KSP is like a turtle

Also in my PC i edit and make sound...

Sometimes i run Virtual Machines... etc.

[OrbitsR4Sissies]

I'm a long-time desktop tech that fixed everything, but specialized in Apple support.

The answer: It depends on what you need to do.

Brand-name PCs often have limited upgrade options or fight what upgrades you add, beyond memory and storage. If your box is over 3 years old, I'd recommend a new buy.

If you want to game, game, game, a PC with Windows is the better choice. Most games will always be available for this platform, and Windows provide the best general integration of graphics software support, hardware diversity (especially if the PC is self-built) and accessories. You can build a PC that rivals a NASA orbital calculations supercomputer if you have the cash.

If you're in school, or if you do graphics or animation work, don't want to fight your computer too often but also occasionally game, you can't go wrong with a MacBook Pro 15-inch.

This laptop is for professional guys with a need for superior graphics support. It has a Radeon video chip and better horsepower. You can also consider an iMac with Radeon support. Do NOT choose the 13-in MacBook Pro, any MacBook Air or any Mac without a Radeon chip. Gaming long-term will work these machines a bit too hard.

Before you worry about losing Windows over a Mac...you won't. A Mac can run Windows natively as they also use Intel chips. You'll get a good gaming rig with a copy of Windows 10 (Apple provides the needed drivers), using the BootCamp utility, for a very strong game laptop with all of the gaming strengths that Windows offers. With a restart, you have two computers in one with none of the disadvantages. This ability offsets the higher cost of a typical Apple computer--but as Apple provides the best hardware support (with Lenovo very close behind) you will get a long life with its design. My iMac was built in 2013 and I'm just now upgrading it to 16GB and an SSD for another 3 years of life before I buy a new one.

No matter what computer type, max out the RAM as much as possible. You'll feel a performance pinch with less than 16GB RAM if you like KSP's advanced graphics.

In the case of KSP 1, you can choose to play on either platform. I do this with my iMac. While I appreciate the better overall performance of KSP1 under Windows, I prefer the convenience of KSP1 under MacOS since I want to use that operating system for other needs when not gaming. When KSP2 arrives (currently announced as only available for PC and consoles), I can still play it in Windows or just tool on KSP1 on the Mac or Windows side until Star.Theory hires some SQUAD folks who give a dang about Mac and Linux players. 

Edited October 26, 2019 by OrbitsR4Sissies
Clarifying

[Curveball Anders]

1 hour ago, Commodoregamer118 said:

So, what is better? Mac or Windows?

Ubuntu

 

[Harry Rhodan]

18 hours ago, Commodoregamer118 said:

Also in my PC i edit and make sound...

Sometimes i run Virtual Machines... etc.

Well that's great. Then you'll know what software you're using and can look up if those are actually available for the two options you asked for.

 

Also you don't buy Macs for games. You buy a Mac to have overpriced hardware with above average input devices to use Adobe products.

[pincushionman]

 

On 10/26/2019 at 8:56 AM, Commodoregamer118 said:

…Also in my PC i edit and make sound...

PC user here, but it’s hard to argue against a Mac for media work.

On 10/26/2019 at 8:56 AM, Commodoregamer118 said:

…Sometimes i run Virtual Machines... etc.

In order to do what? Ideally you can find a system that runs all your applications natively (that is why you’re asking, right?) Dual-booting or virtualization aren’t terrible options, but they certainly are a hassle you shouldn’t choose to deal with unless you have to.

[Waxing_Kibbous]

On 10/26/2019 at 9:57 AM, OrbitsR4Sissies said:

If you're in school, or if you do graphics or animation work, don't want to fight your computer too often but also occasionally game, you can't go wrong with a MacBook Pro 15-inch.

This is an old sentiment that isn't true any more. You can run Adobe and Autodesk products on Win and Mac, you can run free programs like Blender, Gimp, Krita on Linux, Mac, and Windows. Macs use standard processors (as in not PowerPC) so that one difference from a decade ago is gone. I dislike Windows, but for compatibility with everything it's the best option. 

[azander]

7 hours ago, Harry Rhodan said:

Also you don't buy Macs for games. You buy a Mac to have overpriced hardware with above average input devices to use Adobe products.

Adobe and Macs are not getting along right now.  So you don't buy Macs for Adobe use either.

I support a Newspaper that is all mac-based.  We stopped upgrading at 10.11.  We have a few that can go to 10.15, and the test machine we use has that on it.  It will not run ANY of the Adobe CC software (64-bit required, Adobe is still 32-bit for the most part).

 

For now, I would stay away from Mac.  I'd suggest seeing if your "other stuff" works on Linux.  You may have to figure out which Linux distro you can and want to use, but once you find the right combination it is well worth the search.

 

[GDJ]

To reiterate what some other have said, it depends on what you want to do.

If I was going to build a gaming desktop, I would  have a harder time making a "Hackintosh" system than a PC/Windows compatible system. It quite possible, but it is harder.

For general computing (Work, home network, music, web surfing, schoolwork, movies, etc) a mac will do this very well. I'm typing this on my current rig (2012 Mac Mini) and it does this and play KSP reasonably well. I also had to install a SSD and 16 gigs of the fastest lowest latency RAM I could get my hands on. 

But for the ultimate gaming rig, PC/Windows takes the top podium.

[OrbitsR4Sissies]

On 10/27/2019 at 11:37 AM, Waxing_Kibbous said:

This is an old sentiment that isn't true any more. You can run Adobe and Autodesk products on Win and Mac, you can run free programs like Blender, Gimp, Krita on Linux, Mac, and Windows. Macs use standard processors (as in not PowerPC) so that one difference from a decade ago is gone. I dislike Windows, but for compatibility with everything it's the best option. 

Autodesk, I believe, was never on Macs. PCs have always dominated the architectural crowd. 
True, now that Windows 10 has a much more robust OS that is no longer anchored by any DOS underpinnings, the functional differences between the two are smaller, but still present. A truism I have is that, while the Mac OS Interface typically had no more than 2 ways to perform an action, Windows will give you at least 3– and change those up in the next version. 
But despite the welcome improvements, Windows gets in it’s own way because the damn interface keeps changing. Complexity complicates Windows all too often, more so with Mircrosoft’s own apps, less so with other apps, especially games, which make their own interfaces. 

Unfortunately, with Jobs’ demise, feature creep and inconsistencies are returning to the Mac OS slowly. Since the OP involves the gaming aspect, my opinion stands. In general, a PC for most gaming, but you won’t lose anything at all with a Mac as it can do both environments effortlessly and may do so longer for your buck.