PC -v- Mac - Which Is Best For Animation?

Mac -v- PC. Which is best?

One question we get asked a lot by animation students looking to buy a new laptop is "which is best for animating in Maya - a PC or a Mac?"

It's an important question because you don't want to spend a lot of money on a machine that doesn't do the job properly. Of course, while you are studying at Escape Studios we provide you will all the hardware and software you need. But lots of students like to have their own workstation at home, so they can keep working on their projects out of hours, or on holiday.

So, which is best? A Mac or a PC?

The good news is - you can use both.  Maya files can be uploaded on both Windows and Macs, and are fully interchangeable. You can switch between systems as often as you like. The bad news (for Mac users anyway) is - the PC is probably better.

PC -v- Mac
Here at Escape Studios we recommend using a PC for several reasons.  First of all, our online videos (a super-useful resource available to all our students) are recorded on a PC, and the Maya interface is a little different on the Mac.  Second, a number of free Maya plug-ins are much easier to install on a PC.  Finally we run PCs in all our classrooms, because this is what students are most likely to find when they are working in industry. To see the full IT Spec of our machines at Escape Studios, read this post.

Plugins

The ZV Parent Master Plugin

The Parent Master plugin, which is very useful for attaching and un-attaching objects in Maya, is not especially easy to install on the Mac.  The ZV Parent Master plugin is something I use a lot for attaching and un-attaching objects in Maya. Without this tool, the process of attaching and parenting in Maya can be pretty fiddly.

Audio Playback problems
Audio playback in Maya can also be a little troublesome on a Mac.

These are all small reasons, and none them mean that you can't run Maya on a Mac.

Dual Boot
Of course, don't forget that you can install Boot Camp on your Mac so you can boot it up as a Windows machine.  And you have an instant PC.

Personally, I have both a Mac and a PC. For animation, I use my PC.  For everything else, I use my Mac.
 
----Alex

The Escape Studios Animation Blog offers a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects. To find out more about our new BA/MArt, follow this link.  To apply, visit the offical page here.