All posts in Fun

Are Mac people really different than PC people? Hunch wanted to find out, so they used their impressive assessment engine to poll visitors to their site.

First, they asked people whether they self-identified as a Mac or a PC person; then, each visitor was asked the same series of preference questions. The results are interesting, and may support what many people already believe to be true. (On the other hand, they may just stoke the flames of a tired old debate.)

Here are the key findings from the study:

• Mac People are more likely to see the existing world in a light of “sameness” and thus express a desire to be perceived as different and unique.  This is consistently reflected in their aesthetic choices such as bold colors, “retro” designs, one-of-a-kind clothing and highly stylized art.
• PC People are more likely to see the world as “different enough already” and appreciate “being in tune with those around them.”  This is reflected in their more subtle, “mainstream modern” (neither retro nor extremely contemporary) design choices and their practical choices in clothing, footwear, and cars that favor getting the job done rather than making an overt design statement.
• Media choices and preferences vary greatly between the two groups, with Mac People trending toward more independent films, specialized comedians and design-centric magazines, and PC People trending toward more mainstream alternatives as well as sports.
• From a personality perspective, Mac People are more likely to describe themselves as “verbal”, “conceptual”, and “risk takers”, with PC People countering that they are “numbers oriented”, “factual” and “steady, hard workers”.

There are dozens of other interesting facts, some of which I’ve included below:

PC people are 27% more likely to choose beige for the color of their kitchens, whereas Mac people are 27% more likely to choose orange.

PC people are 26% more likey to identify an Eames chair as “a dated relic,” whereas Mac people are 18% more likely to identify it as “a timeless classic.”

PC people are 37% more likely to identify with Dilbert, and Mac people are 21% more likely to identify with Calvin.

PC people are more than twice as likely to choose USA Today, whereas Mac people are 53% more like to choose the New York Times.

Now, I’m sure some PC people will get irked at the results (“I’d never choose a Dodge Charger over a Mini!”), but as a self-described Mac person, I find the results equally, er, uncomfortable. Yup, I identified with most of the Mac “characteristics,” and frankly it gives me the same deep-down chill I got from this site.

Read the full report here, or get a summary with a funny cartoon here.