iMac Alternative

[$MacUser$]

I've been milling over the 24" iMac for a little while now. I was gearing up to wait for Montevina, in the hopes that the cards would be updated, etc. All this because I intend to do a little gaming.

However, I sat back for a moment and did some thinking. When all is said and done, I'd be spending $2200+ on a top of the range iMac, just to get mediocre gaming performance (at best). After doing a little research, I found that for that much money, I could buy the base Mac mini for all my OSX duties (surfing the net, email, documents, etc), and use the remaining $1600 or so to buy a DVI/USB switch (http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=3113), and build up a PC gaming rig that would smoke an iMac into oblivion. With the switch, both computers would use the same monitor and keyboard/mouse.

This is for sure the direction I'm now going to go. Although the idea of having a Mac that could do it all is very appealing, I'd be cheating myself if I got an iMac. In fact, overall I'd pay more for the 24" iMac with a copy of Vista than I would for the aforementioned setup.

After years of Mac-only, having a PC back in the stable is going to be a bit disquieting. However, it will be games only...that's it. I cannot stand using a windows machine for anything but games these days.

 

[Scarlet Fever]

If you're really that hardcore into the gaming, wouldn't it be better to put that $1600 towards a PS3 or an xbox 360?

Out of the two, it sounds like a MM and a gaming rig would suit you best.

 

[$MacUser$]

If you're really that hardcore into the gaming, wouldn't it be better to put that $1600 towards a PS3 or an xbox 360?

I had an xbox 360, and currently have access to a PS3. I like PC games better. I'm not going to pay 400 or 500 dollars for a console when the same amount of money would buy a PC with twice the performance.

 

[GSMiller]

I had an xbox 360, and currently have access to a PS3. I like PC games better. I'm not going to pay 400 or 500 dollars for a console when the same amount of money would buy a PC with twice the performance.

Ain't that the truth. Sony only made the PS3 to push Blu-ray.

 

[mwa731]

Ain't that the truth. Sony only made the PS3 to push Blu-ray.

hahaha.


you really believe that?

 

[0098386]

If you're really that hardcore into the gaming, wouldn't it be better to put that $1600 towards a PS3 or an xbox 360?

Out of the two, it sounds like a MM and a gaming rig would suit you best.

Heh, that could be true if consoles were as good as PC games. But what with easy game updating, easy access to add more content and better input the PC has it.

OP- Why not just buy a regular PC then? Cheap Mac and a powerful, gaming quality PC sounds like your best option.

And it's true, btw.

 

[$MacUser$]

OP- Why not just buy a regular PC then? Cheap Mac and a powerful, gaming quality PC sounds like your best option.

Yeah, that's basically my idea. The DVI switch I mentioned in the first post is the key. I'm just going to pick up the most inexpensive, but new, Mac Mini I can get my hands on, and build up the best PC I can with 1000-1500 dollars.
Given that I'm not going to be doing this for at least another 1.5-2 months, I assume some of the hotter PC components out now will have come down in price. nVidia is slated to release a 9K series, so that should push the top of the range 8800's down by a hundred or so. Plus, Penryn just came out today, which should, over time, reduce the price on the E6750's by a few bucks.

These are the specs I'm milling over at the moment:

Core 2 Duo E6750, OCed to 3.2ish
BFG Tech 8800 GTX OC 768MB video card
Abit IP35 Pro motherboard
4 GB Patriot DDR2 800 (4-4-4-12)
Enermax 500 watt PSU

 

[GSMiller]

hahaha.


you really believe that?

Indeed I do...You mean you don't?

 

[$MacUser$]

I have to agree about the PS3. Sure, Sony is going to make $$ from licenses, etc, and that shouldn't be discounted, but adding Bluray was on the short list of things to do. With all the people they *knew* would buy a PS3, it would only make sense that they add the BR, in an effort to gain ground in the HD wars.