Ableton Forum

I use a Mac for live and a PC for home....tbh there isn't much to choose nowadays. There are some things I prefer in Windows and some in MacOS but they are little operating system quirks, nothing major.

For what it's worth:

PC workstations will work out a bit cheaper for given performance but not as much as you'd think. A PC laptop of similar quality to a MacBook (say a Samsung or Toshiba) will cost about the same.

The MacBook trackpad is the best in the business, a joy to use. Not found a PC that comes close.

There are quite a lot of PC based VSTs that don't work on Mac (still miss GSnap dammit).

What he said about plugging in USB peripherals when Live is up and running.

If it's the kind of thing you care about, TouchOSC and OSCulator type control surface bobbins is (much) easier on a Mac but costs slightly more - PC alternatives (e.g. GlovePIE) are free but are more hassle to set up.

lapieuvre wrote:the only advantage of Mac over PC I noticed is if you launch Live, then plug your USB keyboard, or your interface, it will work. On a PC, you will have to quit Live then reopen for it to use the Midi device or the audio interface. Pretty annoying...

I think this is no longer the case for MIDI devices, pretty sure I saw it pop up in some changelog.

It was never true for MIDI cables but when I forgot to plug in a keyboard last night it was still true for USB.

timday wrote:I use a Mac for live and a PC for home....tbh there isn't much to choose nowadays. There are some things I prefer in Windows and some in MacOS but they are little operating system quirks, nothing major.

For what it's worth:

PC workstations will work out a bit cheaper for given performance but not as much as you'd think. A PC laptop of similar quality to a MacBook (say a Samsung or Toshiba) will cost about the same.

The MacBook trackpad is the best in the business, a joy to use. Not found a PC that comes close.

There are quite a lot of PC based VSTs that don't work on Mac (still miss GSnap dammit).

What he said about plugging in USB peripherals when Live is up and running.

If it's the kind of thing you care about, TouchOSC and OSCulator type control surface bobbins is (much) easier on a Mac but costs slightly more - PC alternatives (e.g. GlovePIE) are free but are more hassle to set up.

Adding to that: Windows Bootcamp is the most smooth windows experience I've ever had.
For basic applications, I use Parallels and it works great. If I need more power, I just boot into Windows.
Windows gets more use out of the Video card compared to OSX on the same device.
Parallels kicks ass. Nothing like loading up a .exe file and still have cmd-c work to copy stuff.

PC comes loaded with Minesweeper as standard

timday wrote:I use a Mac for live and a PC for home....tbh there isn't much to choose nowadays. There are some things I prefer in Windows and some in MacOS but they are little operating system quirks, nothing major.

At last someone who uses mac for live and PC for home..!

How is workflow?

What challenges do you get when working on the same project from both mac and PC, apart from only choosing VSTs that are compatible for both..?

lapieuvre wrote:the only advantage of Mac over PC I noticed is if you launch Live, then plug your USB keyboard, or your interface, it will work. On a PC, you will have to quit Live then reopen for it to use the Midi device or the audio interface. Pretty annoying...

For the rest of course there is right click on a Mac, on a laptop 2 fingers click.
Mac->IAC bus = PC->Midi Yoke
Mac->CoreAudio = PC->Asio

As i remember they want to make it possible in Live 9 or was it a dream? Will try it later.

For PC
Instant access to the latest CPUs, graphics cards, motherboards upgrades
More plugins available
Some Plugins get updated sooner for PC
Cheaper lifespan ie upgrade it instead of binning it and buying a new one.


For Mac
Less Viruses
Nicer looking OS

You can get ie more processor power and memory for the same amount of cash > you can run more plugins and effects.

morbid wrote:PC comes loaded with Minesweeper as standard

Although watch out if you're using windows 8, cause it does not come already installed. You have to go to Microsoft's Windows Store in order to download it.

apple really has pulled off something pretty impressive: with good design and marketing they have convinced millions that they are making a 'better' product, making a less powerful and less intuitive system seem more desirable, AND at much higher price! congrats Apple, you deserve it all

this is not some kind of haterz, hater, hate thing, it is an observation....if someone can justify and added $800+ for a mac, besides the logo, lets hear it

(not agin all apple products btw, i have my nano on 24/7/365 (did have to have it replaced twice already though, inside 3 months )

simmerdown wrote:this is not some kind of haterz, hater, hate thing, it is an observation....if someone can justify and added $800+ for a mac, besides the logo, lets hear it

Better OS

d.reamonn wrote:

simmerdown wrote:this is not some kind of haterz, hater, hate thing, it is an observation....if someone can justify and added $800+ for a mac, besides the logo, lets hear it

Better OS

Yep, maybe that way you can justify, pretty expensive OS that whenever gets updated messes up everything.

login wrote:

d.reamonn wrote:

simmerdown wrote:this is not some kind of haterz, hater, hate thing, it is an observation....if someone can justify and added $800+ for a mac, besides the logo, lets hear it

Better OS

Yep, maybe that way you can justify, pretty expensive OS that whenever gets updated messes up everything.

No, you're right. I apologize for my tastes and will donate my Mac to Africa as contrition for my ignorance.

d.reamonn wrote:
No, you're right. I apologize for my tastes and will donate my Mac to Africa as contrition for my ignorance.

straight up troll right here...