Apple Launches $1099 21.5-Inch iMac With 3.3 GHz Dual-Core i3 Processor for Educational Institutions

[glenthompson]

This would be a great system for light duty users that only need email, web browsing, small apps, etc.

Speaking of educational markets, saw a listing on our local Craigslist for 36 G5 iMacs for $1,000. Looks like they came out of a school. These were the round base models.

 

[TMar]

I think 4 GB of RAM is quite sneaky even for as school computer. It's 2013. 8 GB of RAM would be more reasonable.

Not to long ago I had to get by with less. Had to bring out an old rig that is chipset limited to 3.5 GB on a Pentium D. It still runs Photoshop, lightroom, LoL, diablo 3, swtor, wow, ect (8800gt) while not fast I' was for sure never been memory limited except a little depending on what I'm doing in PS. Again most schools aren't doing this. They're not using memory intensive programs and most the time anything for 4 is overkill for them.

 

[G51989]

"Don't know why budget-conscious schools don't buy PCs. PCs are far better than Mac even though I'm a Mac, iPhone, and iPad user."

When you consider that Macs will run Windows, OSX and Linux, virtualized or through bootcamp... Does the monetary difference trump that capability?

Yes, because you don't change your OS as a high school, or even most colleges, if you buy a Mac, for your entire campus, in 5 years, they will all need to be replaced, as Apple will drop support for them, even will stop patching them. If you buy a Windows Machine, there is a good chance that Microsoft will support your OS for 10+ years.

0 reason for public funded schools to waste money on Macs when they could pay half the price for a Linux or Windows machine.

I used Macs as a young boy in school, some of those early 90s Macs were total garbage.

 

[the8thark]

yay. true reason why we needed a thin edge? anti-obesity.

Anorexia?

 

[Squilly]

Don't like the idea. If schools are getting Macs, its going to be for high end use, like graphic design. Not just web browsing/Word documents. Might as well give them Dell laptops if it's just for that.

 

[Frisco]

I don't deny that you think they're better, that's cool... but why do you believe that "PCs are far better than Mac [sic]"?

True. That's why 99% of schools buy PCs. Oh, I miss my days in college when it was 75% Mac.

 

[fastlanephil]

Apple could sell start selling Macs to schools, educators and students with great discounts like they use to and create another Apple gray market fiasco.

 

[lcseds]

Couldn't stick a freakin' i5 in there. Really?! Schools need mileage out of these machines. i3? Apple has enough cash to help schools out a little better than this. Shameful.

 

[jonnysods]

Ships in 5-6 months

 

[uknowimright]

A unit from Lenovo with a similar form factor (ThinkCentre M92z) will run you about 929.00 which is not much cheaper and much uglier possibly with a lower resolution screen.

my company offers us discounts from many different manufacturers so I looked this model up on Lenovo with my reg discount, not even including corp volume pricing and its $789.65

and it would be even cheaper when not choosing an all in one system

 

[ChrisA]

Don't know why budget-conscious schools don't buy PCs. PCs are far better than Mac even though I'm a Mac, iPhone, and iPad user.

At my school they buy the iMac to head of a student run revolt. I and most everyone else on campus would complain loudly if they put Windows based PCs in the library or computer labs.

Also the total cost of ownership is NOT the purchase price. You need to also factor in the cost of the support staff. Supporting Macs is less costly

 

[Fatalbert]

That's extreme. If I was running a school, it would have nothing better than 2006 iMacs (G3s if they didn't use so much power). What the heck do you need a 3.3GHz dual core processor for in a school?

If public schools end up buying these, I will lose all remaining respect for any politician requesting extra school funding.

----------

True. That's why 99% of schools buy PCs. Oh, I miss my days in college when it was 75% Mac.

Is that statistic real? I'm pretty sure a lot of schools in California at least use Macs primarily or a mix.

 

[HarryKNN21]

Your not making sense, Windows XP based Machines have been supported for over 10 years, and PCs and Macs are made of the same Asian built parts, Macs are supported for 5 years tops, a Windows Machine is supported twice as long. Lots of schools still use XP and are just switching to 7 10 years later..

I love my macs, but the long term support for them is pretty poor. And the last generation imac had serious hard drive, dust under the screen, and heat issues. i would know, I own one.

And anyway, this Machine is a complete ripoff for the price your paying.

Umm, you know you cannot compare a Mac, which is a factory-built machine to a custom PC, right? This is same as you can never compare Bugatti Veyron's engine to a true purpose-built dragster's engine, but it doesn't mean Veyron's engine has to be junk.

Also why do Apple need to support an single OS for 10 years like M$? Apple is a company not a charity. Also I don't see a reason for not switching to Win 7, because of steep license fee or Windows 7 failed? I am not sure about license fee but sure Windows 7 is usable.

M$ may have very well technical support to their software and OS but if they cannot sell new OS to schools and enterprise this means M$ still fail.

 

[koban4max]

i3? LOL.

 

[Fatalbert]

This would be a great system for light duty users that only need email, web browsing, small apps, etc.

Speaking of educational markets, saw a listing on our local Craigslist for 36 G5 iMacs for $1,000. Looks like they came out of a school. These were the round base models.

"Light duty", please. You can do all that work on an iPad 1. All I can see this being used for is gaming at school, which is bad.

 

[TheRainKing]

lol what school is going to waste money on an imac anyway?

What can it do (education wise) that a normal crappy dell computer can't do.

 

[ChrisA]

my company offers us discounts from many different manufacturers so I looked this model up on Lenovo with my reg discount, not even including corp volume pricing and its $789.65

and it would be even cheaper when not choosing an all in one system

What is the total cost over the expected life of the system. Windows PCs typically cost more to support then you pay for them. But most importantly, what does the end user prefer?

So they buy the Lenovo and save $300 over buying the iMac. Lets say the school buys 100 computers and saves $30,000 The saving is not much compared to even the cost of the floor space the computer takes up or the cost of the electric power to run the computer for three years.

 

[Fatalbert]

This is whats wrong with many schools. They don't know how to budget. They don't have the sense to buy cheap PCs instead of buying expensive Macs, and then spend the extra money on other resources. Macs are great if you have the money. But you are a school on a budget, don't even consider it.

It's the opposite. You can buy an old Mac for cheap, and it won't have much power, but it'll be way better for a school environment because it's easier and more stable. Plus, you won't have to worry about kids playing DOTA or something on them because they can't.

Buying a new Mac for a PUBLIC school is shameful. "We need more money" my a**. You guys wasted it all, that's why.

 

[osaga]

So many haters. Mac's are harder to screw up, and less susceptible to viruses. The idea that they'll require the same amount of maintenance as a PC (on the software side) is asinine. I would bet that the hardware is of a higher quality than most PC's as well. Granted PC's are more reliable than ever now.

Also, which computers would you want your kids to have in their school? Which one would you rather use? Which one will get the most attention and productivity out of a kid?

If a high school of 1200 kids bought 30 computers, the cost would be:

$18,000 for $600 PCs and $30,000 for iMacs. The extra $12k is spread over a 4 year life span, so $3,000 a year more. That school's budget is probably close to $5 million a year. Big deal.

 

[codefuns]

I really don't know about this model. I mean, if $200 gets you an i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and the very decent GT 640M as opposed to the integrated graphics, I think that any consumer wanting to get one of these iMacs would still choose all of the above over a $200 discount. But this is hardly a discount for schools, it is just a lower-price option.

i think same

 

[Casiotone]

That's what happened with the eMac.

If I remember correctly, the eMac was offered to the public because the then brand new iMac G4 lamp was significantly more expensive than previous iMacs (and too weird for some). The eMac was more of a "plan B" for Apple than anything else.

 

[Fatalbert]

What is the total cost over the expected life of the system. Windows PCs typically cost more to support then you pay for them. But most importantly, what does the end user prefer?

I have a 2006 MacBook that I got for free since it was significantly damaged. Replacing the hard drive for $43 plus a few minutes of labor got it working decently well. And using that vs using our school's new, high-end, powerful Dell laptops... no-brainer. I use my Mac.

There have been times before I had my MacBook when the school Windows PCs have screwed me up schoolwork-wise. Schools should just buy old Macs. They're the best thing for learning.

 

[Renzatic]

They're not using memory intensive programs and most the time anything for 4 is overkill for them.

Quoting for the truth. If you need more than 4GB to use a goodly number of light to moderate applications smoothly, you need to look for a better OS.

4GB is fine for about 90% of what you're going to be using a computer for at this point in time. Yes. Even games.

 

[G51989]

Umm, you know you cannot compare a Mac, which is a factory-built machine to a custom PC, right?

Schools don't buy built at home PCs, they buy from Dell, Hp, large local vendors, ect.

This is same as you can never compare Bugatti Veyron's engine to a true purpose-built dragster's engine, but it doesn't mean Veyron's engine has to be junk.

This makes no sense, the Mac is the Veyron? This Mac has a Geo Metro engine.

Also why do Apple need to support an single OS for 10 years like M$? Apple is a company not a charity. Also I don't see a reason for not switching to Win 7, because of steep license fee or Windows 7 failed? I am not sure about license fee but sure Windows 7 is usable.

Now for me, Macs are cheap disposable items, I don't care if they only support their Machines for 5 years. I'll just buy another one.

For schools, funded by TAXPAYER MONEY, Schools need to buy machines that will last the longest, thats Windows and Linux machines, not Macs.

M$ may have very well technical support to their software and OS but if they cannot sell new OS to schools and enterprise this means M$ still fail.

They have been selling their OS to schools, and home users, and business, Microsoft commands the vast majority of the market.

 

[CShort]

Umm my old college had Macs in the design, Art and Media department. I did media at college and used the iMacs. You may think PCS are cheaper, but in the long run they are far more expensive to maintain and keep working properly. I don't recall ever seeing an IT tech doing anything to any of the Macs and we had over 500 in the one building. It was a daily occurrence them going round fixing crashed PCS though in other parts of the college LOL. They also have to run constant updates on the PCS and make sure all anti virus stuff is working correctly.

Key word - old college. Old PC's, the times have changed!
I admin both Macs and PC's in a work environment. The PC's can all be remotely managed and set up to be auto. Even auto out of the box (connect it to the domain and the rest basically just happens). The Mac's take ages to set up initially and I have to manually intervene on each one with admin passwords for software updates etc.

At least the Macs in the school will give someone a job