PC or Mac?

CHRISTINE FRIETCHEN, Editor-in-Chief

The TV ads are cute, but are Apple computers really better than PCs? It's a loaded question, but if you ask dispassionate experts, Macs and PCs aren't that far apart when it comes to functionality. In fact, both companies get their processors, memory modules and graphics cards from the same suppliers. Apple is famous for its sleek minimalist design aesthetic, but you can now find stylish Windows computers too.

The applications you use might guide you towards one or the other. Windows computers are considered stronger when it comes to office work like spreadsheets and word processing, while critics say Apple has an edge in multimedia applications like photos, music and movies. Apple has a lighter operating system; Mac OS X loads faster, so startup times are quicker than with Windows Vista. But the biggest difference may be price. If you have more than a grand to spend, you can find good systems in either camp. However, if you're on more of a budget, you can find Windows laptops for as little as $500. Meanwhile, Apple's cheapest laptop costs more than twice as much.