I wanted to get an iMac but now that I was looking at desktop PC's I don't know which one I should get. I was comparing the hardware of an iMac to a dell XPS machine and they blow the iMac out of the water and it is cheaper. But I plan on building a PC so I know I can get better hardware and it will be cheaper than the iMac. I am so confused right now but tell me what you guys think if I should get a PC or iMac because I am voting pc right now with price and hardware
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iMac or PC
- Thread starter DancesWithSmurf
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Don't forget the price of the LED IPS display you get with the iMac and the all in one option.
But since you only seem to look on the price and the specs *, get the Windows PC.
And if you are seriously interested in Mac OS X, have a look at the thousands "Mac vs. PC" articles and threads found everywhere.
Or look into Hackintoshs.
Or maybe state your computational needs.
Or get a Mac.
* In 2004 I bought a 1 GHz iBook with 768 MB RAM and also had a Windows PC with 2 GHz and 1.5 GB RAM.
For six months I didn't use the PC for more than copying data around or using it as server. I eventually sold the Windows PC, as I was much faster with my "slower" iBook due to Mac OS X and my mindset getting better results with Mac OS X.
But since you only seem to look on the price and the specs *, get the Windows PC.
And if you are seriously interested in Mac OS X, have a look at the thousands "Mac vs. PC" articles and threads found everywhere.
Or look into Hackintoshs.
Or maybe state your computational needs.
Or get a Mac.
* In 2004 I bought a 1 GHz iBook with 768 MB RAM and also had a Windows PC with 2 GHz and 1.5 GB RAM.
For six months I didn't use the PC for more than copying data around or using it as server. I eventually sold the Windows PC, as I was much faster with my "slower" iBook due to Mac OS X and my mindset getting better results with Mac OS X.
I just do very simple video editing but I am on the internet a lot so I dont want my iMac to be on all the time cause I felt one of those things in a store and it was super hot. I also want to play some games like minecraft, bf3, skyrim, etc. stuff that is better on PC than console. I think a PC would just suit my needs perfectly instead of spending a lot more money for no reason. Also, I will probably upgrade a lot of stuff in my pc like graphics cards and new processors and stuff like that
Hot doesn't mean a bad thing. The iMac is slim and has a desktop CPU inside and the aluminium shell works as good heat dissipator. Nothing to worry about that.
But if you plan to tinker, a PC might be the better solution.
I don't mind taking apart my iMac for upgrading the HDD to an SSD, but if I would want to upgrade the GPU, I couldn't do that, but I also don't play games.
All in all, I prefer Mac OS X (pre Lion) to Windows, I just can't get my hand around the ugliness and colours of Windows and all its complicated setup mechanisms.
But if you plan to tinker, a PC might be the better solution.
I don't mind taking apart my iMac for upgrading the HDD to an SSD, but if I would want to upgrade the GPU, I couldn't do that, but I also don't play games.
All in all, I prefer Mac OS X (pre Lion) to Windows, I just can't get my hand around the ugliness and colours of Windows and all its complicated setup mechanisms.
It may be worth searching the forum as there are hundreds of threads with basically the same question. People who buy Mac's rarely do so because the spec for spec they are better than a PC. Really the whole point of buying a Mac is not the hardware spec, but the whole Mac experience from the moment you walk into a Apple store, to unpacking the computer and then using it. It appeals to people that like the design and ethos that Apple have that few PC manufactures can match (Sony are perhaps the best at getting close). There is a good reason that year after year Apple top industry reliability and user satisfaction surveys, despite the premium price that people pay for the machines. I should also mention that Apple second hand prices hold up much better than PC prices and over 3 years you may well find that the total cost of owning a mac is much less than a comparable PC. If all you are interested is the best spec per $ then PC may be the right choice for you.
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Yep if you want to play PC games then get a PC, a Mac would be a waste of money in your case.
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Yep if you want to play PC games then get a PC, a Mac would be a waste of money in your case.
Where are these XPS Specs that blow the iMac out of the water? I am sure it is Apples to Oranges like most spec comparisons. If you build a system with actual comparable setups I would wager the price difference is much less.
Look a the fugly Dell All-in-ones. That is a more valid comparison, and they don't compare to the iMac, IMO. Plus they have to run Windows.
Give me the World of OSX any day. The Apple ecosystem is worth $$ to me.
And if I need Windows, I can still run it.
Look a the fugly Dell All-in-ones. That is a more valid comparison, and they don't compare to the iMac, IMO. Plus they have to run Windows.
Give me the World of OSX any day. The Apple ecosystem is worth $$ to me.
And if I need Windows, I can still run it.
Well, I still can build a computer for the same exact money as an iMac and it would just kill the iMac
Then do so, if specs are the important aspect in your line of thinking about a computer.
Sounds like you've answered your own question. I do wonder why you would ask for the opinions of others if your mind is already made up.
Did you include a 27" IPS screen with 2560 x 1440 in that calculation? Did you include support fees? Building your own computer is great if you're not working, but it does not always makes sense if I can earn more money than I would save in the same time. Basic economics.
Buy the iMac 27"...PC gaming is dead, no need for super DDR crap or 6 core i7...we all moved to xBox-360 or PS3
apple not really targeting your type buyer...
if your computer savy (can build your own) and cost is a big concern then yes build your own box.
apple is targeting the buyer who wants...
-complete all in one solution (mac,ipod,iphone,tv ect) that simply work and work well togeather
-a os that simply can not be beat and one that is more secure, on the most part void of needing antivirus,spamware software ect
-a os that comes installed void of any crapware!!! (not a concern if building your own)
-computers that are unmatched in there design
if your computer savy (can build your own) and cost is a big concern then yes build your own box.
apple is targeting the buyer who wants...
-complete all in one solution (mac,ipod,iphone,tv ect) that simply work and work well togeather
-a os that simply can not be beat and one that is more secure, on the most part void of needing antivirus,spamware software ect
-a os that comes installed void of any crapware!!! (not a concern if building your own)
-computers that are unmatched in there design
Pretty simple. Do you want to run Windows or OS X? PC's will always be cheaper, that includes materials and build quality. But they can be faster since they are nothing but a sum of parts that have just been released. If you want to game and don't need OS X, get the PC. The 27" does not really have a GPU for the long haul. In 2 years it will most likely not be able to play new released games and right now it can barely play recent games in full native res. If you want to run OS X I am sure you'll fins a way to make it work.
I build my own gaming PC's (I gave up on Dell / HP crap a long time ago) and do everything except gaming on my 24" iMac.
8 times out ten 10, anyone asking this sort of question is going to end up at Walmart buying another e-Machine, Dell or HP anyway.
8 times out ten 10, anyone asking this sort of question is going to end up at Walmart buying another e-Machine, Dell or HP anyway.
Then go build one. Why come to a Mac site asking a quesition if that is your only concern.
Go build your super fast PC. Then install Windows and ruin it.
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If you are excited about updating processors, graphics cards, disks, etc, then just go buy a PC. No current iMac will allow you the flexibility to open up and easily change the internals.
I can only really echo the thoughts of most of the previous posts.
In short ... build yourself a PC and you'll have money left in your pocket ready to upgrade in a few months time when the next wave of games that you'll be looking to play are released.
In short ... build yourself a PC and you'll have money left in your pocket ready to upgrade in a few months time when the next wave of games that you'll be looking to play are released.
For a start, do you want/need the screen? That's half the cost of an iMac in one go, it doesn't work out that much cheaper if you were to build a PC to the exact iMac spec. Personally I wasn't especially interested in speed because the iMac was "fast enough" for everything I use it for: day-to-day use/web browsing etc, various design/development projects in Photoshop/Dreamweaver, music making. I'd rather use consoles for gaming, for anything else, bumping up the processor speed would barely be noticeable to me. The fact that you're straight in talking about hardware specs suggests you are using your computer for something pretty processor dependant, if so I would say get a PC.
If you are the sort of person who considers higher numbers more important than the overall experience buy a PC. If however you want a piece of well executed almost perfect design buy a mac. its as simple as that. Just because things under the bonnet are comparable it doesn't mean that the whole package is.
I love my iMac but I use my PC for anything processor or hard drive intensive because it has much better cooling than my iMac. The iMac's cooling isn't the greatest IMO..