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All-In-One Design is Fail IMO

D

Doggman

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 19, 2012
88
0
Only reason Apple even went to an All-In-One is because it would sell. The truth is there is NOTHING beneficial about the All-In-One design beyond it looking pretty and neat and being super user friendly for a dumbass that can't plug a monitor, keyboard, and mouse into a tower...

Personally I wish they would drop the AIO design and make a true desktop... How does, taking a bunch of heat producing computer components out of a box with multiple fans designed to properly cool said components and putting them behind the SCREEN (who the hell wants all that heat behind their screen?!) make any since?

All the while they had to sacrifice a great deal of raw computing power to do so... A mobile GPU in a desktop? Ha that's a joke...

AND last but not least... the only iMac thats really worth getting is the maxxed out 27" and of course Apple wants an arm, a leg, two fingers, and one of your kidneys for it... Don't even get me started on how badass of a super computer you could build using Newegg with a $3,000+ budget...

/end rant

However I completely understand why Apple did what they did. The majority of consumers either dont know/or dont care about the stuff above. The average Joe would of course think a screen with no tower is 100x cooler and better... :rolleyes:
 
I agree with everything you said.

So much heat and bad performance for the price you pay for it, just because it's a computer and a monitor in the same chassis?
 
Doggman said:
Big IMO
Click to expand...

Well that's your opinion, Apple sales and team beg to differ.

o-rly-I-beg-to-differ.jpg
 
jav6454 said:
Here, I'll highlight it...
Click to expand...

Well if you go read my first post I clearly state that the reason Apple (or should I say "Apple's sales and team") decided to make the AIO is because it would sell. Then I went on to talk about why, regardless of the fact that it would sell, it is a terrible design.

P.S. - thanks for your worthless post... all your saying is I have a different opinion than Apple which is pretty obvious just by reading the Thread Title...
 
Doggman said:
Well if you go read my first post I clearly state that the reason Apple (or should I say "Apple's sales and team") decided to make the AIO is because it would sell. Then I went on to talk about why, regardless of the fact that it would sell, it is a terrible design.

P.S. - thanks for your worthless post... all your saying is I have a different opinion than Apple which is pretty obvious just by reading the Thread Title...
Click to expand...

My opinion is the same as theirs this time, so I gave it to you. That it is worthless is only to you, but not for me. I agree with the All-In-One design.
 
This is just me, but you do get a lot of power and reliability for your money in an iMac. Get a nice processor, high end mobile GPU, combo drives, and a nice 27" display, you have a great machine for around 3k. Yes you can build a tower, but then you have to factor in the cost of a display and the reliability factor comes into question (it is homemade), especially if you rely on the computer for work or school. Just my 2¢... :apple:
 
Doggman said:
The truth is there is NOTHING beneficial about the All-In-One design beyond it looking pretty and neat...
Click to expand...
There's a lot to be said for a computer that looks nice sitting on a desk.

My iMac lives in our living room. I looked at a Mac Pro for that location, but in the end - the iMac could do everything I needed it to AND it is virtually silent, uses less power, and looks nice.

The "Wife Acceptance Factor" is a big deal in things that end up in the living room.
 
Technically yes, there is no any benefit with AIO design. Except maybe saves you a bit space because it has no tower. But really, tower itself doesn't costs you a lot of space.

Having a space for 27" means you also have space for the tower itself.

So yes, I despise iMac design. It overheats easier, disposable, performance limited, and expensive to maintain.
MacPro design is no less sexier than iMac, and I believe wifes also would love them :D

Problem is MacPro is pretty much dead in Apple's book. It doesn't get the attention it deserves.
 
I agree mostly with the opening post but you need to remember 99% of users don't need a tower PC anymore, it's why so many are going to laptops.

They don't need the raw power of a top tower PC or Mac, they don't want the options to add more internal HDDs or a 2nd DVD/BD. If they want a bigger screen they can add one for desk top work just like you can add a 2nd screen to any current iMac.

Most people would be perfectly happy with a base model iMac for the life of the computer. It would be more than fast enough and with cheap external storage more space is no longer a problem. And this coming from someone who has only owned desk top towers. Starting with a lowly LC630 through a 6400 and G4 and now on a G5 but I'm waiting on an iMac, yes the 27" model when Apple updates them. The main reason I'm not getting a Mac Pro is the cost, yes PCs are cheaper but I don't want a PC as my main computer. I want a Mac and the iMac will do all I need to do.

As for space, well I just redesigned and build a new desktop to specially accommodate the 27" iMac, currently my G5 is under the desk, something I hate doing because of the dust but it's up off the floor a little. So even if I has a Pro it would be hidden from view and I couldn't afford the Apple LCD so all I would see daily is the LCD, KB and touch pad/mouse. With the iMac I'll see that all the time.
 
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Apple's refusal to make a consumer tower is the only reason I don't own an Apple desktop. The iMac just doesn't offer the performance I want (particularly in the GPU department), and the Mac pro is too expensive. If I could get something with consumer parts (non-xeon) that still was expandable, I would gladly pay iMac prices for it. Which should actually be more profitable to Apple since they wouldn't have to be supplying me with a display.

However, with consumer parts offering the power that they do, such a tower would cannibalize mac pro sales. So I guess I understand why they don't do it. But still, until then, I'll be using PCs on my desk (maybe with an osx86 install if I really feel like it)
 
With an iMac you have to factor in the cost of an IPS display when looking at value per spec.

27" IPS display typically is $900-1000 from Dell.
 
munkery said:
With an iMac you have to factor in the cost of an IPS display when looking at value per spec.

27" IPS display typically is $900-1000 from Dell.
Click to expand...

Well I think the consensus here is about AIO form factor, not the display quality. Screen is undoubtedly gorgeous indeed, but the form design brings more problems than benefit.
 
Of course its beneficial with a all-in-one. For a lot of us using a Mac, we care about looks. That's one thing. Less clutter is second. For a lot of users, including myself, I prefer not being able to open the machine etc if I get the hardware I want...it's as pointless as changing battery on a phone - I don't need these possibilities. and te heat issue hasn't bothered me, even though I've pushed my iMac really hard... So what's wrong with having it all-in-one then?. And that's the Mac philosophy, if that doesn't fit you then maybe Mac isn't for you? Personally I think desktops will become more and more all-in-one. Most people don't realy want to he the ability to operate on their own computers....like with cars.
 
iMcLovin said:
Of course its beneficial with a all-in-one. For a lot of us using a Mac, we care about looks. That's one thing. Less clutter is second. For a lot of users, including myself, I prefer not being able to open the machine etc if I get the hardware I want...it's as pointless as changing battery on a phone - I don't need these possibilities. and te heat issue hasn't bothered me, even though I've pushed my iMac really hard... So what's wrong with having it all-in-one then?. And that's the Mac philosophy, if that doesn't fit you then maybe Mac isn't for you? Personally I think desktops will become more and more all-in-one. Most people don't realy want to he the ability to operate on their own computers....like with cars.
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I'm sorry, but I think you said okay with AIO because :apple: said so? Owning a tower doesn't mean you have to open or tinker with it, but at least you have the option to do so.

There was a MacPro for people who need a Mac solution, but also a real desktop in all its glory. It wasn't for everyone, it wasn't cheap indeed. But it also a desktop computer should be. And again sir, you don't have to open it if you don't want to.

Let's be honest now, if Apple sells a quad MacPro together with the 27" Cinema Display for $2000, would you still pick the iMac over it? Come on, just think about it? Give me a straight and honest answer here?

See?
It's not people who don't want or need it, but Apple does not provide the solution. Plain and simple
 
iSayuSay said:
Let's be honest now, if Apple sells a quad MacPro together with the 27" Cinema Display for $2000, would you still pick the iMac over it? Come on, just think about it? Give me a straight and honest answer here?
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Sorry I know this doesn't make sense to you but I would choose the iMac :D not in my office because there I don't care how it looks. But for my home office which is in my living room I would go iMac. Even the big box would annoy me. And remember the iMac IS for consumer market even if it's powerful today for professional use. A lot of people use it at home of in businesses were a single screen computer is perfect. The fact that you can have it as an office machine if you want to have a really sexy looking office is just a cool bonus for apple.
I know this don't make sense to some. But buying apple I the first place even doesn't even make sense for many pc users.
 
Doggman said:
... The truth is there is NOTHING beneficial about the All-In-One design beyond it looking pretty and neat and being super user friendly ...
Click to expand...
It seems like a good enough reason for a lot of people. I am on the brink of getting one.

I have a few PC towers around the house, cannot say I love them. Cables making a mess, a tower collecting dust -- I would love to have a screen with computer in it, only one cable going to power outlet and the rest wireless.

So, it might not be the fastest supercomputer the world has ever seen. But it is plenty fast for what I do on the computer. People I trust report that it simply works, they have no heat problems in doing similar things that I will do. I have no need to tinker with changing components and overclocking. It is pricey, agreed, compared to other computers now in the stores, but very lowpriced compared to what similiar performance costed a while ago (my first harddisc was 20 megabytes to put things into perspective, megabytes mind you, not gigabytes).

So yes, it might not be a screaming performance monster for small money, it might not be tweakable, it might not impress your friends -- it is simply a device doing its job. Like my stove or washing machine. Computers are boring, what you use them for is the interesting thing (at least for most of us).

Anyway, my two cents.

// Gunnar
 
iMcLovin said:
Sorry I know this doesn't make sense to you but I would choose the iMac :D not in my office because there I don't care how it looks. But for my home office which is in my living room I would go iMac. Even the big box would annoy me. And remember the iMac IS for consumer market even if it's powerful today for professional use. A lot of people use it at home of in businesses were a single screen computer is perfect. The fact that you can have it as an office machine if you want to have a really sexy looking office is just a cool bonus for apple.
I know this don't make sense to some. But buying apple I the first place even doesn't even make sense for many pc users.
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I am indeed surprised. But to each their own.

Because I do believe MacPro design is no slouch either. If I pretend to be a shallow tech-phobia who knows nothing and only care about looks, I'd think MacPro is no less sexy than any Mac out there.

Uh huh, sure it looks like one conventional computer. One box+one display+keyboard/mouse. But for Cinema/Thunderbolt Display + MacPro? .. Oh well I absolutely love the way it looks, be its front or back.
 
iSayuSay said:
Let's be honest now, if Apple sells a quad MacPro together with the 27" Cinema Display for $2000, would you still pick the iMac over it? Come on, just think about it? Give me a straight and honest answer here?
Click to expand...

$1000 for the display. So, $1000 remaining for the tower.

Can you build tower with the exact same spec as the $2000 iMac but without a display for only $1000?
 
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iSayuSay said:
If I pretend to be a shallow tech-phobia who knows nothing and only care about looks, I'd think MacPro is no less sexy than any Mac out there.
Click to expand...

I believe the forum has quite specific rules about insults.

No matter, when you've finished debating the merits of design why not read up on Theory of Mind and then try to understand why not everyone agrees with you. Throughout history people have reached the conclusion that their opinion can be the only opinion, it never ends well.

For my part, as the original poster gets upset about comments that don't add to the thread, I can see why Apple did it and why people buy it. Computers have long since passed the point where power exceeds functional requirement. Aside from gamers the bleeding edge of technology is lost to most people and a computer that is all in one, albeit a hot one (that you don't need to touch so of minimal concern), is not only adequate but also convenient.

We're not all about to bow down to your grammatically questionable conclusion so perhaps let sleeping dogs lie and accept that we all like different things.
 
munkery said:
$1000 for the display. So, $1000 remaining for the tower.

Can you build tower with the exact same spec as the $2000 iMac but without a display for only $1000?
Click to expand...

Back in 2011 when 2011 iMac was fresh? You can't. Now? It's possible.

But again, I wasn't debating about iMac spec-wise. We're talking about form factor here. iMac spec is a good deal for the money. But AIO brings a notebook limitation to desktop machine.

Then I ask you again the same question. IF Apple sells a quad MacPro + 27" Cinema Display for $2000, would you still pick the iMac over it?


jimN said:
I believe the forum has quite specific rules about insults.

No matter, when you've finished debating the merits of design why not read up on Theory of Mind and then try to understand why not everyone agrees with you. Throughout history people have reached the conclusion that their opinion can be the only opinion, it never ends well.

For my part, as the original poster gets upset about comments that don't add to the thread, I can see why Apple did it and why people buy it. Computers have long since passed the point where power exceeds functional requirement. Aside from gamers the bleeding edge of technology is lost to most people and a computer that is all in one, albeit a hot one (that you don't need to touch so of minimal concern), is not only adequate but also convenient.

We're not all about to bow down to your grammatically questionable conclusion so perhaps let sleeping dogs lie and accept that we all like different things.
Click to expand...

What insult? I didn't imply him being shallow tech-phobia if that's what you mean. I was talking about me being that.
And yes, I believe I wrote "to each their own" in my post, means I don't try to enforce my opinion here? I was simply stating my opinion too.
 
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