What Mac to buy to replace Windows Box?

hotwire132002 · Apr 7, 2006, 05:33 PM

Now that Windows is successfully booting on Mac and Apple has been kind enough to release graphics drivers, I'm ready to replace my home built PC with a Mac. I use my PC mostly for light gaming and some Visual Basic programming, nothing really heavy. (In terms of games, I'm largely a simulation game person - The Sims 2, Roller Coaster Tycoon, etc., with the occasional shooter (mostly Halo) thrown in.)

The PC I'm currently using is a home-built 2.8Ghz Celeron box, with 512MB of RAM, an 80GB Hard drive, and a Radeon 9600.

I'm wondering which Mac I should get to replace this. I plan to sell my PC to help make up for the cost - so I was initially looking at at the Core Solo Mac Mini, but I'm concerned about the integrated graphics.

I'm guessing I'll need to move up into the range of the iMac. I would think the $1299 iMac would meet my needs just fine, and that's where I'm aiming right now, but I could definately use some input on that issue.

One last option I thought of is to sell both the PC and my PowerBook and upgrade to the MacBook. I bought the PowerBook a few months ago, hesitant to go with any first gen Intel hardware. However, I'm thinking this may be the best route -- as the MacBook seems to be a pretty decent system. If I go this route, I'll certainly have a few more questions before making "the switch" to Intel, but I'm sure someone here will be able to help me out if that's the case

.

Thanks in advance for any advice, and sorry for the long thread! I'm looking forward to making the Intel leap!

andrewheard · Apr 7, 2006, 05:51 PM

For what you want to do a Mac mini would be great....if it had a decent video card. Since it doesn't, I think you are right about buying an iMac. I've never had a laptop so you'll have to wait for someone else's input on that. All I can say is I wish I had a PowerBook to sell so that I could get a MacBook Pro.

trainguy77 · Apr 7, 2006, 06:09 PM

From what I have heard the mac book pro has gone through a couple revisions to fix some problems. So that may be a option.

wmmk · Apr 7, 2006, 10:55 PM

my friend is in love with his MBP

Lopez.T.H. · Apr 7, 2006, 11:06 PM

MacBook Pro. Its nearly the same thing as the iMac and you can take it on the go. Go high end though so you will be ok for a few revisions.

nylon · Apr 8, 2006, 09:39 AM

I bought a 2.0 MBP to replace my Dell box and my trusty Thinkpad T40.

greatdevourer · Apr 8, 2006, 10:00 AM

Depending on how good they are, a specced-up RevB MBP may become my gaming PC

hotwire132002 · Apr 8, 2006, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkapoor

I bought a 2.0 MBP to replace my Dell box and my trusty Thinkpad T40.

Cool - how's it working for you as a replacement Windows box? Do you do any gaming on it? If so -- how's it work for that?

miniConvert · Apr 8, 2006, 10:42 AM

Unless you plan to primarily compute on the move, I'd say the iMac sounds right for you.

I'm not sure about the rest of you but I'd rather use a 'full sized' machine for desktop computing and have a separate laptop for when the mobility need arises.

hotwire132002 · Apr 8, 2006, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miniConvert

Unless you plan to primarily compute on the move, I'd say the iMac sounds right for you.

I'm not sure about the rest of you but I'd rather use a 'full sized' machine for desktop computing and have a separate laptop for when the mobility need arises.

That's a good point -- but for two reasons, I think I'm going for the MacBook Pro. I would do a ton of editing on the go, if my laptop could handle HD. Editing even a multi-layered SD file on the PowerBook is painful, let alone HD. Now that Final Cut is Universal, the MacBook will be much better for editing on the go.

Also, if I sell both my PowerBook and PC, the MacBook ends up being the most cost-effective option that will work for me.

nylon · Apr 8, 2006, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotwire132002

Cool - how's it working for you as a replacement Windows box? Do you do any gaming on it? If so -- how's it work for that?

I haven't received it yet. Should have it early next week.

hotwire132002 · Apr 8, 2006, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkapoor

I haven't received it yet. Should have it early next week.

Ah - got it. Let us know how it works out for you when you do get it.

Apr 7, 2006, 05:33 PM	#1
hotwire132002 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cadillac, MI	What Mac to buy to replace Windows Box? Now that Windows is successfully booting on Mac and Apple has been kind enough to release graphics drivers, I'm ready to replace my home built PC with a Mac. I use my PC mostly for light gaming and some Visual Basic programming, nothing really heavy. (In terms of games, I'm largely a simulation game person - The Sims 2, Roller Coaster Tycoon, etc., with the occasional shooter (mostly Halo) thrown in.) The PC I'm currently using is a home-built 2.8Ghz Celeron box, with 512MB of RAM, an 80GB Hard drive, and a Radeon 9600. I'm wondering which Mac I should get to replace this. I plan to sell my PC to help make up for the cost - so I was initially looking at at the Core Solo Mac Mini, but I'm concerned about the integrated graphics. I'm guessing I'll need to move up into the range of the iMac. I would think the $1299 iMac would meet my needs just fine, and that's where I'm aiming right now, but I could definately use some input on that issue. One last option I thought of is to sell both the PC and my PowerBook and upgrade to the MacBook. I bought the PowerBook a few months ago, hesitant to go with any first gen Intel hardware. However, I'm thinking this may be the best route -- as the MacBook seems to be a pretty decent system. If I go this route, I'll certainly have a few more questions before making "the switch" to Intel, but I'm sure someone here will be able to help me out if that's the case . Thanks in advance for any advice, and sorry for the long thread! I'm looking forward to making the Intel leap!
	0

Apr 7, 2006, 11:06 PM	#5
Lopez.T.H. macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2005	MacBook Pro. Its nearly the same thing as the iMac and you can take it on the go. Go high end though so you will be ok for a few revisions. __________________ \| 1st Gen. iPod Shuffle \| 5G White iPod 30GB \| 16GB 2nd Gen iPod Touch \| Still waiting for an apple notebook
	0

Apr 8, 2006, 10:42 AM	#9
miniConvert macrumors 68040 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kent, UK - the 'Garden of England'.	Unless you plan to primarily compute on the move, I'd say the iMac sounds right for you. I'm not sure about the rest of you but I'd rather use a 'full sized' machine for desktop computing and have a separate laptop for when the mobility need arises. __________________ Where are we? What the hell is going on? --Hide And Seek, Imogen Heap
	0

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Apr 7, 2006, 05:51 PM	#2
andrewheard macrumors regular Join Date: May 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada	For what you want to do a Mac mini would be great....if it had a decent video card. Since it doesn't, I think you are right about buying an iMac. I've never had a laptop so you'll have to wait for someone else's input on that. All I can say is I wish I had a PowerBook to sell so that I could get a MacBook Pro.
	0

Apr 7, 2006, 06:09 PM	#3
trainguy77 macrumors 68040 Join Date: Nov 2003	From what I have heard the mac book pro has gone through a couple revisions to fix some problems. So that may be a option.
	0

Apr 7, 2006, 10:55 PM	#4
wmmk macrumors 68020 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Library.	my friend is in love with his MBP
	0

Apr 8, 2006, 09:39 AM	#6
nylon macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Toronto, Canada	I bought a 2.0 MBP to replace my Dell box and my trusty Thinkpad T40.
	0

Apr 8, 2006, 10:00 AM	#7
greatdevourer macrumors 68000 Join Date: Aug 2005	Depending on how good they are, a specced-up RevB MBP may become my gaming PC
	0


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