Anyone have a Macbook?
HCF Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,180
From: Chicago, Illinois
RE: Anyone have a Macbook?
ORIGINAL: cderalow
things you're missing:
20" Samsung LCD Screen $250-$300
Keyboard $15-$100 depending on quality ($50 for apple)
Mouse $15-$100 depending on quality ($50 for apple)
Webcam $75 for equivalent logitech (1280x1024)
Bluetooth adapter $30 for a trustworthy external one
Wireless N card $60
Super Drive $50
20" samsung will easily kill the $300 difference to step up to the 2.4GHz processor, and the keyboard, mouse, wireless etc will easily satisfy the $150 to upgrade to 2GB of ram... so in other words, you'd be paying a premium of $100 to not have to build your own. ($100 to upgrade to 500GB). (also, you'd probably almost pay that in shipping anyway, plus tax in some states, v free shipping from apple, and tax if they have a store in your state)
but then you'd have to factor in your time to assemble, install the OS, and trouble shoot any driver/hardware issues. not to mention the whole building your own concept means that you have to go to 8+ people to deal with warranty or hardware issues, instead of 1.
to me, seems like a fairly easy decision to make. Now if you're a student, that difference goes away with the student discount (10%) on macs if your college has access to the apple education store, and you end up paying more for a similar spec PC than for the iMac.
Yes, after using windows for almost your entire life, it does take some getting used to OS X, but when I beta tested Vista, I found that a lot of the features of Vista were very similar to OS X. After using strictly OS X for a couple of days, even my wife (adamant mac hater) got accustomed to it.
After showing people the math, it's pretty easy to get them to switch. now it's hard to convince someone who'll go out and buy the $300 pile of crap dell to switch to the $700 mac mini, simply because they're not bright enough to recognize the difference between a steaming pile of dog crap, and their own right hand... but you can't help everyone, and everyone is entitled to make their own mistakes and have their own opinions.
things you're missing:
20" Samsung LCD Screen $250-$300
Keyboard $15-$100 depending on quality ($50 for apple)
Mouse $15-$100 depending on quality ($50 for apple)
Webcam $75 for equivalent logitech (1280x1024)
Bluetooth adapter $30 for a trustworthy external one
Wireless N card $60
Super Drive $50
20" samsung will easily kill the $300 difference to step up to the 2.4GHz processor, and the keyboard, mouse, wireless etc will easily satisfy the $150 to upgrade to 2GB of ram... so in other words, you'd be paying a premium of $100 to not have to build your own. ($100 to upgrade to 500GB). (also, you'd probably almost pay that in shipping anyway, plus tax in some states, v free shipping from apple, and tax if they have a store in your state)
but then you'd have to factor in your time to assemble, install the OS, and trouble shoot any driver/hardware issues. not to mention the whole building your own concept means that you have to go to 8+ people to deal with warranty or hardware issues, instead of 1.
to me, seems like a fairly easy decision to make. Now if you're a student, that difference goes away with the student discount (10%) on macs if your college has access to the apple education store, and you end up paying more for a similar spec PC than for the iMac.
Yes, after using windows for almost your entire life, it does take some getting used to OS X, but when I beta tested Vista, I found that a lot of the features of Vista were very similar to OS X. After using strictly OS X for a couple of days, even my wife (adamant mac hater) got accustomed to it.
After showing people the math, it's pretty easy to get them to switch. now it's hard to convince someone who'll go out and buy the $300 pile of crap dell to switch to the $700 mac mini, simply because they're not bright enough to recognize the difference between a steaming pile of dog crap, and their own right hand... but you can't help everyone, and everyone is entitled to make their own mistakes and have their own opinions.
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 991
From:
RE: Anyone have a Macbook?
ORIGINAL: AgentofDarkness
A 20" iMac comes with 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo, 1GB of RAM, 250GB Hard Drive, 8X super drive and an ATI 2400XT w/128MB. $1200
EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard $200
Intel Quad Core X3320 2.4GHz $300
Corsair XMS2 (2x1GB) $100
Hitachi Deskstar T7K500 $75
CoolerMaster CM690 Case $56
ULT31848 ON PS $56
GForce 8800 $300
Vista 64 Bit Ultimate $200
DVD-RWs are cheap, I have a couple around my house so I wouldn't bother buying one anyway.
Thats $1300 w/o the monitor. However, you get twice as much ram, 100GB more hard drive space and a 2.4GHz Quad core processor and a better V-card than the iMac. On top of that, the motherboard I have selected is very good and you can install 2 PCI-E video cards(SLI) and a physics card. You don't get a 20" display but the machine is much faster than the iMac. You would have to pay $2300+ for the 24" iMac with the 2.4GHz Core 2 extreme, 2GB of RAM, and 500GB hard drive. My parts list is very crude because I did this in about 15 min. But all the main components of a PC should be there. I do ocassionaly use macs at work. I work in a computer lab with macs so I end up having to help users with the problems with the macs so its not like i've never used one before. I actually make an effort to use the iMac at work whenever I can so I can help users better. That bieng said, OSX still drives me nuts.
A 20" iMac comes with 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo, 1GB of RAM, 250GB Hard Drive, 8X super drive and an ATI 2400XT w/128MB. $1200
EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard $200
Intel Quad Core X3320 2.4GHz $300
Corsair XMS2 (2x1GB) $100
Hitachi Deskstar T7K500 $75
CoolerMaster CM690 Case $56
ULT31848 ON PS $56
GForce 8800 $300
Vista 64 Bit Ultimate $200
DVD-RWs are cheap, I have a couple around my house so I wouldn't bother buying one anyway.
Thats $1300 w/o the monitor. However, you get twice as much ram, 100GB more hard drive space and a 2.4GHz Quad core processor and a better V-card than the iMac. On top of that, the motherboard I have selected is very good and you can install 2 PCI-E video cards(SLI) and a physics card. You don't get a 20" display but the machine is much faster than the iMac. You would have to pay $2300+ for the 24" iMac with the 2.4GHz Core 2 extreme, 2GB of RAM, and 500GB hard drive. My parts list is very crude because I did this in about 15 min. But all the main components of a PC should be there. I do ocassionaly use macs at work. I work in a computer lab with macs so I end up having to help users with the problems with the macs so its not like i've never used one before. I actually make an effort to use the iMac at work whenever I can so I can help users better. That bieng said, OSX still drives me nuts.
HCF Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,240
From: Bay Area
RE: Anyone have a Macbook?
ORIGINAL: AgentofDarkness
The processor I have listed is not a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo its a 2.4 GHz QUAD Core 2 Duo.The iMac doesn't come in Quad core. The only Mac that comes with a 4 cores is the dual quad core Mac Pros(start at $2500). The fastest is iMac is the the $2300 iMac with the 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme. I don't need a $50 keyboad. I have one I got for free and it works fine. Same thing with the mouse, I have a microsoft optical. It even has 2 buttons. Don't need a webcam. Wired internet is faster, more stable, and more secure. I have a DVD-RW drive w/litescribe that I can use. They aren't expensive either, like $40 from MicroCenter. So add $330(monitor + bluetooth) and your at $1630 which is still $670 less than an iMac that isn't as fast as the PC. The the extra money you could upgrade to 4GB of RAM, get a bigger HDD, better video card or put the money in your pocket. Not only did I save money over buying an iMac, I have better hardware. I also have more room for upgrading. I can get another video card and hook it up in SLI. I can also buy an optional physics card.
ORIGINAL: cderalow
things you're missing:
20" Samsung LCD Screen $250-$300
Keyboard $15-$100 depending on quality ($50 for apple)
Mouse $15-$100 depending on quality ($50 for apple)
Webcam $75 for equivalent logitech (1280x1024)
Bluetooth adapter $30 for a trustworthy external one
Wireless N card $60
Super Drive $50
20" samsung will easily kill the $300 difference to step up to the 2.4GHz processor, and the keyboard, mouse, wireless etc will easily satisfy the $150 to upgrade to 2GB of ram... so in other words, you'd be paying a premium of $100 to not have to build your own. ($100 to upgrade to 500GB). (also, you'd probably almost pay that in shipping anyway, plus tax in some states, v free shipping from apple, and tax if they have a store in your state)
but then you'd have to factor in your time to assemble, install the OS, and trouble shoot any driver/hardware issues. not to mention the whole building your own concept means that you have to go to 8+ people to deal with warranty or hardware issues, instead of 1.
to me, seems like a fairly easy decision to make. Now if you're a student, that difference goes away with the student discount (10%) on macs if your college has access to the apple education store, and you end up paying more for a similar spec PC than for the iMac.
Yes, after using windows for almost your entire life, it does take some getting used to OS X, but when I beta tested Vista, I found that a lot of the features of Vista were very similar to OS X. After using strictly OS X for a couple of days, even my wife (adamant mac hater) got accustomed to it.
After showing people the math, it's pretty easy to get them to switch. now it's hard to convince someone who'll go out and buy the $300 pile of crap dell to switch to the $700 mac mini, simply because they're not bright enough to recognize the difference between a steaming pile of dog crap, and their own right hand... but you can't help everyone, and everyone is entitled to make their own mistakes and have their own opinions.
things you're missing:
20" Samsung LCD Screen $250-$300
Keyboard $15-$100 depending on quality ($50 for apple)
Mouse $15-$100 depending on quality ($50 for apple)
Webcam $75 for equivalent logitech (1280x1024)
Bluetooth adapter $30 for a trustworthy external one
Wireless N card $60
Super Drive $50
20" samsung will easily kill the $300 difference to step up to the 2.4GHz processor, and the keyboard, mouse, wireless etc will easily satisfy the $150 to upgrade to 2GB of ram... so in other words, you'd be paying a premium of $100 to not have to build your own. ($100 to upgrade to 500GB). (also, you'd probably almost pay that in shipping anyway, plus tax in some states, v free shipping from apple, and tax if they have a store in your state)
but then you'd have to factor in your time to assemble, install the OS, and trouble shoot any driver/hardware issues. not to mention the whole building your own concept means that you have to go to 8+ people to deal with warranty or hardware issues, instead of 1.
to me, seems like a fairly easy decision to make. Now if you're a student, that difference goes away with the student discount (10%) on macs if your college has access to the apple education store, and you end up paying more for a similar spec PC than for the iMac.
Yes, after using windows for almost your entire life, it does take some getting used to OS X, but when I beta tested Vista, I found that a lot of the features of Vista were very similar to OS X. After using strictly OS X for a couple of days, even my wife (adamant mac hater) got accustomed to it.
After showing people the math, it's pretty easy to get them to switch. now it's hard to convince someone who'll go out and buy the $300 pile of crap dell to switch to the $700 mac mini, simply because they're not bright enough to recognize the difference between a steaming pile of dog crap, and their own right hand... but you can't help everyone, and everyone is entitled to make their own mistakes and have their own opinions.
Anyways, to the original poster, go to an apple store and test out the store model and if you like it, buy it.
HCF Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,180
From: Chicago, Illinois
RE: Anyone have a Macbook?
ORIGINAL: gsumano
Yeah, but most people don't even need that much processing power. About the webcam is the same thing with the 4gb of ram, unless your using a serious program that requieres that much ram you don't need that much.. I'm quite positive that most peope just used their computers for internet, typing and watching movies, and hardly ever upgrade their computers. Of course wire internet is faster, but it's always nice to have wireless, just like a having a cellphone is nice eventhough it's probably less stable than a wire telephone
Anyways, to the original poster, go to an apple store and test out the store model and if you like it, buy it.
Yeah, but most people don't even need that much processing power. About the webcam is the same thing with the 4gb of ram, unless your using a serious program that requieres that much ram you don't need that much.. I'm quite positive that most peope just used their computers for internet, typing and watching movies, and hardly ever upgrade their computers. Of course wire internet is faster, but it's always nice to have wireless, just like a having a cellphone is nice eventhough it's probably less stable than a wire telephone
Anyways, to the original poster, go to an apple store and test out the store model and if you like it, buy it.
HCF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 991
From:
RE: Anyone have a Macbook?
I disagee with Mac being cheaper. I would only recommend Macbook since you cant upgrade much in a laptop plus you get a nice package with the Mac.
That said the iMacs and Mac Pros are more expensive than PCs.
A 20inch 2.4 Ghz iMac, 2GBs of RAM, 320GB HDD, 256MB ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO, SuperDrive, webcam, keyboard and mouse costs $1650
Compare that to one system I put together in 10 minutes:
https://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion...asp?ID=8869527
EVGA SLI 680i motherboard : $160
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 2.66GHz: (vs 2.4Ghx) $195
2GB CORSAIR DDR2 800 (vs 667Mhz on the Mac) $55
2 x 256MB 8600GT running SLI (8800GT is out of stock,lol) $220
2 x SAMSUNG 20inch monitors (dual screens) $500
Vista 64bit Ultimate $180
SAMSUNG DVD Burner with Lightscribe $30
320GB HDD $80
COOLER MASTER case + 650W PSU $115
Logitech Webcam 2.0MP $100
ASUS Bluetooth $20
Logitech Wireless Mouse&keyboard $53
For a total of $1700. That's even included things not-everyone-going-to-use like webcam and bluetooth.
And that's enough to run latest games like Crysis, FEAR, Worlds in conflict
That said the iMacs and Mac Pros are more expensive than PCs.
A 20inch 2.4 Ghz iMac, 2GBs of RAM, 320GB HDD, 256MB ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO, SuperDrive, webcam, keyboard and mouse costs $1650
Compare that to one system I put together in 10 minutes:
https://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion...asp?ID=8869527
EVGA SLI 680i motherboard : $160
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 2.66GHz: (vs 2.4Ghx) $195
2GB CORSAIR DDR2 800 (vs 667Mhz on the Mac) $55
2 x 256MB 8600GT running SLI (8800GT is out of stock,lol) $220
2 x SAMSUNG 20inch monitors (dual screens) $500
Vista 64bit Ultimate $180
SAMSUNG DVD Burner with Lightscribe $30
320GB HDD $80
COOLER MASTER case + 650W PSU $115
Logitech Webcam 2.0MP $100
ASUS Bluetooth $20
Logitech Wireless Mouse&keyboard $53
For a total of $1700. That's even included things not-everyone-going-to-use like webcam and bluetooth.
And that's enough to run latest games like Crysis, FEAR, Worlds in conflict
HCF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 991
From:
RE: Anyone have a Macbook?
ORIGINAL: AgentofDarkness
Better off with one screen and quad core processor
Better off with one screen and quad core processor
HCF Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,240
From: Bay Area
RE: Anyone have a Macbook?
ORIGINAL: AgentofDarkness
Somebody made the comment that it was not possible to build a PC with the same specs of a $1200 iMac for $1200.
ORIGINAL: gsumano
Yeah, but most people don't even need that much processing power. About the webcam is the same thing with the 4gb of ram, unless your using a serious program that requieres that much ram you don't need that much.. I'm quite positive that most peope just used their computers for internet, typing and watching movies, and hardly ever upgrade their computers. Of course wire internet is faster, but it's always nice to have wireless, just like a having a cellphone is nice eventhough it's probably less stable than a wire telephone
Anyways, to the original poster, go to an apple store and test out the store model and if you like it, buy it.
Yeah, but most people don't even need that much processing power. About the webcam is the same thing with the 4gb of ram, unless your using a serious program that requieres that much ram you don't need that much.. I'm quite positive that most peope just used their computers for internet, typing and watching movies, and hardly ever upgrade their computers. Of course wire internet is faster, but it's always nice to have wireless, just like a having a cellphone is nice eventhough it's probably less stable than a wire telephone
Anyways, to the original poster, go to an apple store and test out the store model and if you like it, buy it.
HCF Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,180
From: Chicago, Illinois
RE: Anyone have a Macbook?
ORIGINAL: phoenix_gtr
Quad core would only add $80 more. Not many software are supporting quad-core plus I was trying to match the iMac specs with dual core
Quad core would only add $80 more. Not many software are supporting quad-core plus I was trying to match the iMac specs with dual core
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,164
From:
RE: Anyone have a Macbook?
I'm wasting brain cells trying to explain my point by now.
Yes, you might not need or want all of the extra things I listed, but the point is that an iMac has them.
the point of the exercise wasn't to compare exactly what you need or want, it was to compare actual specs of the machine to actual specs.
using the dual core processor, you come to a difference of $200 for the 20" iMac to a home built PC. of similar specifications (not exact obviously, but pretty damn close).
the reason i used the cost of the apple keyboard and mouse in there, is because that's about what the equivalent new logitech or microsoft counterparts would cost.
In the end, it will always come down to a person's needs, budget, preferences and knowledge of computers on which is the best decision for them. Personally, I got really tired of constantly having to update my machine to be able to do what I wanted, and always having to trouble shoot hardware issues to keep things running smoothly.
Now, I'm free of worries for the next 2-3 years, or until my wife and I decided to upgrade her old P3 dell laptop.
Yes, you might not need or want all of the extra things I listed, but the point is that an iMac has them.
the point of the exercise wasn't to compare exactly what you need or want, it was to compare actual specs of the machine to actual specs.
using the dual core processor, you come to a difference of $200 for the 20" iMac to a home built PC. of similar specifications (not exact obviously, but pretty damn close).
the reason i used the cost of the apple keyboard and mouse in there, is because that's about what the equivalent new logitech or microsoft counterparts would cost.
In the end, it will always come down to a person's needs, budget, preferences and knowledge of computers on which is the best decision for them. Personally, I got really tired of constantly having to update my machine to be able to do what I wanted, and always having to trouble shoot hardware issues to keep things running smoothly.
Now, I'm free of worries for the next 2-3 years, or until my wife and I decided to upgrade her old P3 dell laptop.