Choosing a new System

[Aciddan]

A lot of stuff I have read in the threads recently has been about "Should I get a PB now?", "Should I get a G5 or G4" etc. etc. etc. I thought I'd share my experiences and I hope others will also in order that we can help switchers (and upgraders like me) come to a right decision (and the right system for them). I have created my own formula when looking to buy a new system:

1. Feature Set
2. Secondary or Primary machine (heh, in my case my iBook BECAME my primary, but being intended for a Secondary and not to override my desktop, it doesn't fit the primary role as well as I like) - given my experiences, I think this should be a more important factor than you'd think.
3. How does it help your lifestyle -> One thing my Mac excells at is personal lifeastyle support: iLife, iCal, iSync but also the Bluetooth module is a must for anyone with a bluetooth phone - You'll wonder what you did without it.
4. Performance (of the system, not just the processor)
5. Future-Proofing - this one is a hard one but I think a very relevant one (especially for GFX, Music and Developers) when you want to get your "money's worth" and not be forever upgrading every 6 months...

If you're buying for work, you should also look at what is required to operate in that environment for 2 years. it took my work 3 PCs across my desk (I develop windows apps - yikes! - then go home to my mac ) - to finally get one that will last me a long time in this kind of environment...

What are your thoughts/criteria for selecting a new system?

-- Dan

 

[Daveman Deluxe]

There are two very important rules:

1. Know how much money you have to spend on a system.
2. Do not pay for more than you need even if you have the money for a better system.

Don't forget to consider whether you need a laptop or a desktop system. You pay more for less with a laptop but especially for college students (such as myself) they are a godsend if you need one. A good test is to set a laptop next to a desktop with similar specs. Then put $700 on top of the desktop. Think carefully, sleep on it, then buy the one that calls to you.

Consider what you do. Don't buy a G5 if you want to do e-mail, Internet, Word, and lay the smack down on some l33t gamers on occasion. An iMac will do that just fine. Heck, an eMac will do that just fine.

Another issue is what monitor to get. Consider that the iMac and eMac are almost the same except the iMac has a flat-panel screen. If you have the dough and plan to spend a considerable amount of time in front of the screen, buy the iMac because it is easier to read and clearer. Otherwise, buy the eMac because it is cheaper. Similar considerations go into questions of whether to get a 12" or 14" iBook, what sort of monitor to get for your new G4/5, etc.