A Dodge Neon can go 80
A Dodge Neon plays CDs
A Dodge Neon has tires
A Dodge Neon takes gas
A Dodge Neon can look cool
A Dodge Neon can be tricked out

JUST LIKE...

A Z06 Corvette can go 80
A Z06 Corvette plays CDs
A Z06 Corvette has tires
A Z06 Corvette takes gas
A Z06 Corvette can look cool
A Z06 Corvette can be tricked out

Now, which would you honestly rather have? If you need transportation to work and live on a budget. You drive the Neon. IF you are a professional driver (graphic designer, musician, film industry - NEXT time you watch a 100 million dollar movie or your favorite TV show remember this - - - IT WAS produced and edited with PROFESSIONAL MAC PROS! NOT PCs) then you drive the Apple Mac.

I use it for professionally for work, for the fact I don't deal with viruses, I HATE the OS PC offers from Microsoft who copied OSX by the way!!! So, I say this, get used to OSX via Apple and you will not go back to PC unless as it was pointed out already. Some DO use them for gaming. Whatever, I have no time to play 'games' I have a life to live.

My conclusion is some people never get it. Some make things happen, some watch things happen, the rest wonder what happened. Some are the bug, others are the windshield.

Basically, your comparing APPLES to Mellon's!!! LITERALLY!!!!

scottster

Derek Devine

I must express my bewilderment again at how people can go on about how macs are underpowered and not worth it, but when they get more powerful with a static price point, they're suddenly overkill?

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

brutek

c64

kzooguy

Tiger-Fever

YOu hit it man. This is overkill for the current apps most people would use for an iMac. Unless Crysis or Age of Conan are coming out for the Mac, there is no need for anyone to buy this system.

CS3 and Final Cut users will always by the MacPro or Powermac. This machine is a waste for the casual user, which is who the iMac was built for.

xibis

GeekyNerdGuy

wonkydonky

There is an odd dichotomy with mac users though, at the other end of the spectrum some very intelligent and informed people use macs primarily for the same reasons that the uninformed do.

The GUI is attractive and intuitive. I know that you probably hate hearing that but it makes working easier for the people that don't understand and for the person that understands but doesn't want the hassle. Imagine a wife that looks good and you can easily talk to. It just makes sense that it is something desirable.

The stability is there, this makes sense to people who don't know why their computer just broke and to people that deal with computers breaking every day and don't want to deal with it at home. Again a wife that is rational and you don't have to figure out why she's crying and upset with you. Sure you can do it but if you didn't have to.

The only problem. . . shes not a gamer chick. Thats a deal breaker for some, not for others.

Castle1914

[benbensons.com]
[www.smithandwollensky.com]

wonkydonky

Step 1: Build a PC to play your games.

Step 2: Buy a Mac to get any real work done.

Step 3: STFU

Bistroengine

clap

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clap

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clap

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middle digit...

discomonkey

1.) Comparing a self-built system to a retail purchase is accurate ONLY if the prospective computer owner has the knowledge, desire and the time for research, comparison shopping, assembly, set-up and trouble shooting. If someone is proficient at building a computer, then GREAT, but most of us don't have the have the time or the desire to learn various minutiae regarding something that we'll (hopefully) only have to apply every 3-4 years.

2.) With regard to gaming, wouldn't a "gaming specific" machine be better than a "jack-of-all-trades" computer? Is an $800 self-built machine really a better value than owning BOTH an Xbox and a PS3?

3.) People that like Macs will find the iMac a capable machine that will fill THEIR needs. People that prefer PC's won't. What's the argument?

chonnes

but for the record ive been in IT for right under 10 years.

jackbling

jackbling

Viakenny

Rofl, stoopid :)

Evangelion

mrsalty

My basis is that I work in an industry that changes very quickly and we move from one platform to another as each one advances past the other. I work on everything from dusty old mainframes and OS2 warp boxes to 64 bit Linux platforms. There is very little other than punch card machines that I do not deal with in my work.

You say that Mac users are uninformed. You are insulting and when I react you act as if you are the innocent.

No, in fact you are the one who is uninformed. How many Macs have you used? I would hazard to guess one or two or maybe you've just seen them in college.

Your right I will be replaced by someone younger, maybe more skilled. You see I have no illusions about being the greatest or the smartest person in the world as you feel that you are, I simply know that when it comes to computer platforms, I am "informed".

Castle1914

teeck

MrBlahBlah

All run just fine. I don't understand why people feel the need to say that a machine cannot play games just because it doesn't have the latest and greatest $600 video card.

Stoopid pc fanboys.

tizod

hmm, and since when was Windows stable? Everyone I know has problems with Vista, and XP just now started to be 'stable' after 7-8 years?

I'm not saing Mac's are great, they sure have issues too, but I would say they are by a mile more stable than Windows based PCs...

Zeuxis

MrBlahBlah

because that's how they make money

MrBlahBlah

BTW, this looks $exy.

Evangelion

GeekyNerdGuy

GeekyNerdGuy

lol, basis? im not gonna play the e-peen game, but lets jsut say i speak from experience, and judging from the way you present yourself, your bias overrules any real information you might hear. even if you are a sys admin(which is slightly believable with your attitude) you will soon be replaced by a younger,more skilled, and more willing to learn tech, the same way i replaced the one before me.

jackbling

daftrok

itchytooth

kahri

aznplayer213

I work with Windows PCs at work, manage Windows servers, Red Hat servers and Solaris Servers. I work with a wider variety of hardware and software than you'll ever see.

I choose to run Macs at home. The developers at the multi billion dollar company I work at prefer Macs. So sad to inform you is you're drinking your own koolaid.

Castle1914

Joseph

MrBlahBlah

And will the GPU help these at simply playing back video? Video seems horribly choppy to me whenver I've tinkered with a current iMac in stores. The notebooks all seem to play video more smoothly.

OliverTwist

snitch29

justinpe

My friend and I did that for one of our buddies, and I would do the same thing if money were an issue for me. His old PC took a crap on him, and we pieced together his old PC and my friends old G4 along with some parts we got online:

He has under $250 in it right now.

$60 for the Power mac G4
Threw in 2 hard drives from his old PC (160GB)
$60 Graphics card [ATI Radeon 9600 XT (RV360)] - From friend's old G4, he got a sweet deal)
$100 - 1.5 Ghz Processor (got an awesome deal on a used one on ebay - retail $250)
$5 - white Apple keyboard from goodwill
OSX Tiger - free (was running OS9 when we got it)

We took a few other parts from my buddy's old G4 that he didn't charge for (USB 2.0 card, DVD RW drive).

Anyways, he got a lot of computer for his money, and he won't be switching back to a PC anytime soon.

justinpe

snitch29

b33g33

Xenocide

snitch29

whootowl

spaceman37

No one has mentioned Vista in this thread but you.

Sortafast

Apple has Final Cut Pro and if you know anything about video editing, it's the only program that matters.

So you can have your world of avatars, I'll take the world of shooting videos of surfing and hot chicks.

Chester_Copperpot

jackbling

show me one professional vid editor using an all in one......

lol the self serving vague metaphors...no amount of facts will ever convince you, i have used both and for the average user(assuming non gamer) macs serve jsut as well as pc's. bias is something one should avoid...do not limit your experiences out of stubborness.

i leave this discussion with this, for encoding/rendering, look up gpu assst then bash pc's.

jackbling

Remember, iMac's are for the Joe User population who need the family computer that sits in the living room, looks nice, always works, and lets them actually do stuff with photos and video. Mac Pro's are not for the casual user. Compare against that.

Steak is cheaper if you buy it/cook it yourself. Taco Bell is not.

The "kool-aid" is in the OS + software, not the hardware. PC software doesn't compare (even the same software most of the time).

bronskrat

That's exactly what I did, though not through Craigslist.

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

GeekyNerdGuy

Eruanno

"dell could stomp all over that deal..."

Try stacking it up against the Dell XPS One. Comparing an iMac to other non all-in-ones is like comparing Apples to Oranges. Apple doesn't make a computer in the same category as Dell's high-volume crap. People who buy iMacs aren't just buying specs.

BTW, I could buy an old Power Mac G4 on craigslist and customize it to blow away any high-volume Dell POS, for less money.

justinpe

crycry

I'd rather have Apple supported hardware personally. One that I can update to fix bugs and not have to worry about it not working. Plus that company still seems a little shady to me.

Matronix

If you want to make an actual comparison to a Dell, try the XPS One system. Part of the point of the iMac design is to do away with the multiple components on the desktop, as is the One. Check the specs and prices, and the iMac turns out to be a pretty good deal, especially now.

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

SuperCollider

people hold on to the archaic notion that macs>pc for video/graphic design....its all the same hardware...you can get teh same software on both....

plain and simple...macs are for the plain and simple. if you dont feel like taking the time to educate yourself on what you are using, buy a mac.

and as a side note, dell could stomp all over that deal, in fact for a basic system(like the one in this article) you cant beat dell building your own as they are selling pc's at a loss(their money comes from warranty)

jackbling

alter

amasephy

strider_mt2k

@gyffes: Longevity is a joke in a all in one computer that cannot be upgraded and forces you to throw away the monitor when you finally get a new computer. Computer = Car analogy's don't work well since all car brands are within 5% of each other in reliability now. The worst brands for reliability are ironically Merc's and BMW's now.

Xenocide

Nice.

Tank

You're complaining about the stability of a Mac from 8 years ago?

I'll agree that OSX wasn't the most stable when it came out, but they've had a few updates since then. Should we also complain about the stability of PCs running Windows ME from the same time period? Come on.

Sortafast

Joseph

Joseph

Having said that, I've had far fewer problems with my macs than with any PC I've ever owned, no matter what OS I was running.

Yes, Macs aren't the best for gaming -- isn' that why people buy Wii/Playstations/Xboxes? If the sole criteria you have for your computing purchase is gaming ability, buy a dedicated console.

However, if you'd like the greatest chance at stability, longevity and overall ease of use, Macs are hard to beat.

You can make the same argument about car purchases: yes, a chevy POS has tires and will roll about, but resale will bite when compared to an Accord/Lexus/etc, it won't last as long, and you won't necessarily enjoy the rolling about as much.

And for those of us who run multiple systems under virtualization (gotta love Spaces+Fusion!), the extra power is welcome.

gyffes

It's an improvement, but still absurdly overpriced.

getgreg

@desostros: Yeah, you can build your own machine. And? You pay for the convenience of a prebuilt. How many people would give a shit about having to collect the parts to assemble it? Get a clue.

@FreemanGman: What I find very ironic is that people bash Apple for not having the best GPU's, and when they get an improved graphics card, they bash them for being pointless.

@BenjiClayton: Reserve a seat at Peter Luger's or likewise, then come back when you know what the fuck you're talking about.

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

Matronix

a nice steakhouse will generally cost about 50-60 for a nice cut

i don't think he's talking about outback or sizzler

i have to laugh at the general angsty attitude against macs on this sites' user comments.

i use both every day. i use my PC for docs, web conferencing, and office applications. i use my mac for all my adobe apps.

that being said, i could just as easily use parallels or boot camp on my mac. it works flawlessly. i just like having separate screens.

props_nyc

Yes, the keyboards are pretty, but I need power to do my work.

GeekyNerdGuy

lpxxfaintxx

rsquared

Where the fuck are you getting steak at? Does that include a complimentary hand job from the hostess?

BenjiClayton

BostonPimpDaddy

I work on daily basis on PCs for the last 8 years, used to work on Macs for many years before but changed due to my current job.

Saying that, with a Mac you pay for the quality of hardware, the detail put into those machines, keyboard etc is just beautyfull. As far as I know people don't buy Macs for gaming, they buy them for sound design, video editing and graphic design. At work we have pretty much same spec PC and MACs for video editing but due to how the Mac's OS works with the hardware the video renders waaaaay faster than the same spec PC. I got a Mac for my wife for her internet browsing, typing docs etc, its perfect for her, when she had a PC laptop I had to keep restoring it for her due to crashes, and crap from internet, now her Macbook boots up 3x faster than my top range PC at home! which pisses me off :P

PCs and Macs are not made for same purpose so please unless you understand it don't flame. Its like comparing Bugatti Veron against CL65AMG, two different breeds...

Zeuxis

Lester56

$25 to $30 bucks is still cheaper than $50 to $60 bucks that most decent steak houses charge for the same steak.

regexp

You mean apart from Boot Camping to play games while still having another awesome operating system worthy of doing real stuff?

Eruanno

Eruanno

GeekyNerdGuy

regexp

FreemanGman

SHAMEFUL.

LagunaSol

Newsflash: most of us don't care. I've built my own boxes in the past. It's simply no longer worth my time, blood, sweat, or tears. My current iMac is the best computer I've ever owned, home-built or otherwise. I'll not go back.

Sidenote: you can also cook your own steak for less than you'd pay at a nice steakhouse. IT'S TRUE!

LagunaSol

I have a feeling that Apple enthusiasts will hove no trouble putting the video to good use. :)

Just let 'em be.
We all got our stuff we like, and this is theirs, so let's, I dunno...co-exist?

Plenty of folks would look at what I'm running, or maybe what you're running and ask why as well.
The specs look great to me!
My Dell is aging quickly and that machine has twice to three times anything I'm running, so I say good for 'em.

strider_mt2k

itchytooth

FreemanGman

That's just over $1,000 for a MUCH faster computer, more capable machine.

Of course, I already had a monitor, case, keyboard, etc. laying around, so I saved a bit, but still ... much faster.

GeekyNerdGuy

Earthslide

And people still buy that crap, tjeez...

Just built a comp for my bro : E6600, 2GIG DDR2 800mHz RAM, SLI abit
mobo, 8800gt 512mb, 320GB HD, DVD burner, keyboard+mouse(logitech),
20" TFT acer....and all the other usual bells and whistles.

800$

Yes i did assemble it myself but hell...double the performance for
1/3rd price? Thank you very much indeed.

desostros

Slap Bet

Hiphopopotamus

sickboy

MadColombian

Michai

Viva La Volvo

Hiphopopotamus

Hiphopopotamus