Convince me to stay with the iMac

[battlekid]

PC fanatics people (and mostly Apple hater) would argue:

With $2000 you can build a $1600 gaming CPU (i7, XFire 6970 and all other components) + $400 cheapo ugly TN panel display. They will argue not everyone needed an expensive display. Answer this then, why bother using expensive and multiple GPUs but you use a crappy display?

It's a bit unfair to be honest. When you have to include 27" IPS 1440p display .. well those people are just ashamed and dead silent. They end up spending $2500-ish with their computer. Cost more!! The next thing is that they just can say "But ... but .. but" and ranting.

Whenever you try to match custom built PC into $2000 while keeping that gorgeous 27" display, well you just can't beat iMac. You'll just end up having the same spec with hi-end iMac with some bonus (i.e upgradeability system and also power hog computer).

I challenge OP to build custom PC that can surpass equivalent iMac, cost $2000-ish and still using 27" IPS WQHD display. Can you do that?

I hardly upgrade my computer anyway. If I want something new, I'd just sell my whole computer.

The cost of partial upgrade is not feasible anymore to me. For example: old model RAM cost more than new one, so if I have to upgrade old RAM slot on my main board, it would be more expensive than it should be.

Or having an old motherboard with LGA775 can only maxed out to Core 2 duo. If I want Core-i5 or i7 .. I need new motherboard, which not really cheap. So I don't really bother with upgrading my CPU anymore. Just waste of money and time to me.

Actually, that is incorrect, you can get a bit better hardware for the same price, assuming you build your own computer and purchase the Dell screen with the same specs as the iMac's.

 

[iSayuSay]

Actually, that is incorrect, you can get a bit better hardware for the same price, assuming you build your own computer and purchase the Dell screen with the same specs as the iMac's.

Maybe .. just a bit better. You may get a bit better GPU, an i7 instead of i5 for the money .. But not really big difference.

When I tried to build a PC that match iMac spec (i5 3.1GHz, Radeon6850 desktop and all .. plus 27" display) I ended up a bit below $1900.

Being $100 more. I chose iMac instead

 

[zarathu]

Actually, that is incorrect, you can get a bit better hardware for the same price, assuming you build your own computer and purchase the Dell screen with the same specs as the iMac's.

And then when you are done, what do you get to use for software.... why Windows 7. Yeahhhhh......

 

[Protiusmime]

Why Should You Stay with Mac?

You would stay with Mac for several objective reasons:

1. If you want a professionally constructed platform that others have tried to emulate without success, then the Mac is for you.
2. If you want a personal or business computer that defines most all the purposes for having one, then Mac is for you.
3. If you want a reasonably trouble-free tool that provides dependable results and one that you can rest knowing you have the technology that defines "state-of-the-art", then Mac is for you.
4. I could go on and on with the amenities, but....
5. If you have ever owned and operated a PC, then you already know all the reasons to stay with Mac.

 

[TinHead88]

For me, NO more future iMacs. Yes. As a general statement, they are slick, they are simple and they have no visus "situations". For the CPU size, they run fast as well. Very sweet machine and OS. But.... The cost... OMG.... I can buy many Windows machines for the same cost of buying an iMac machine. When overlaid with my limited available dollars, I would buy a Windows based machine. Especially for my typical home user tasks.

Buy / Drive Ford, Dodge, GM or Imports. The choice is really yours as well...

.

I certainly hope all these people quoting cheap PC builds are adding the cost of Windows into the equation. How much is that Ultimate 7 again? Around $300?

 

[Icaras]

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For me, NO more future iMacs. Yes. As a general statement, they are slick, they are simple and they have no visus "situations". For the CPU size, they run fast as well. Very sweet machine and OS. But.... The cost... OMG.... I can buy many Windows machines for the same cost of buying an iMac machine. When overlaid with my limited available dollars, I would buy a Windows based machine. Especially for my typical home user tasks.

Buy / Drive Ford, Dodge, GM or Imports. The choice is really yours as well...

.

I certainly hope all these people quoting cheap PC builds are adding the cost of Windows into the equation. How much is that Ultimate 7 again? Around $300?

Don't forget anti virus software

 

[Abazigal]

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Don't forget anti virus software

Who pays for anti-virus software? Those like Norton are crap which just slow down your PC, and there are enough good free ones available on the net, like AVG.

 

[lantree]

To the original poster i would stay stick with it, i've been building my own pc's since the windows 1995 days. This time when my pc was ready for replacing i decided to give apple there chance. I've also running Windows 7 in a boot camp partition so I've got the best of both worlds you would say. Point is the mac is very powerful and i've not come across anything yet that it struggles with.

 

[villicodelirant]

Yeah of course I would clean install windows. The thing that gives windows a bad name is cruddy prebuilds made by dell and HP.

And I can agree with the macbook pro line being deeply superior to Windows laptops. I still haven't seen a windows laptop with a decent trackpad.

In the interest of trolling and flaming, allow me to disagree (but mantain that the abysmally stupid default settings - namely, tap-to-click - cripple even the best touchpads) and note that trackpads are broken by definition anyway.

If you are serious about typing while holding your laptop on your... em, lap, a pointing stick is more or less the only way you can keep you hands and wrists in anything remotely resembling a non-harmful position.

Then again I'm one of those people who can't understand what's the use of a tablet without a stylus.

 

[villicodelirant]

you have to put up with Windows 7

Not that I think Windows 7 isn't a perfectly usable platform, if crippled by Microsoft's obsession with backwards compatibility, but Windows and OS X are not the only operating systems out there.

 

[villicodelirant]

Why should I stay with iMac?

You should if it makes you more productive, its TCO is inferior and in general enables you to do your work instead of getting in the way.

You know, if you feel so inclined - and have the cash - you can actually own both and use each for different tasks (say work vs. family photos).

Or don't, it's just a brand of computers, as bad as Windows 8 is it won't give you venereal diseases.

 

[villicodelirant]

what does Windows do? oh yea, it crashes.

1999 called, they want their stereotypes back.

 

[villicodelirant]

Sorry for necroposting, I just realized this thread is oooooooooooold.

No idea how I ended up here.

 

[santaliqueur]

1999 called, they want their stereotypes back.

2011 called, it wants its thread back.

Also, 1994 called, it wants its joke back about other years calling them.

 

[Lankyman]

I think you need to look at it as choosing a Maserati over a Mini. Both will get you from A to B, but the Mac is pure class.

Not sure that is a good analogy as in reality the Mini is probably more reliable and better screwed together.

I do just love to reply to dead threads.