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New desktop: iMac or self built Win7 PC?

U

UglyLittleSpud

macrumors member
Original poster
May 31, 2009
49
0
Okay, I currently have an early 2008 MBP and I would now like a desktop as well and I'm currently deciding whether to wait for the new iMac, or go with a self-built C2Q PC with Windows 7. Considering how Win 7 has narrowed the gap between the two OS', which would you go with?

I realise this is a Mac forum, so opinions might be biased, but I'm hoping for some objective POVs on the two choices.

What am I going to use it for? Video editing, photo editing, maybe some 3D work and a handful of games.
 
Keep in mind that you have to purchase new video/photo editing software and learn how to use it if you go Windows 7 as well. I think it is a bit early for praising Windows 7 - we will see how robust it is when it is out for a longer period of time. My iBook G4 is running Tiger since 2005 without a re install. By the way, what about activation, is it still there? As you can see i opted for a self build C2Q machine instead of an iMac or 4 Core Mac Pro - but kept OSX.
Edit:
Just realised that you wanted to play some games as well: Get a PS3 :)
 
For the price of an iMac you could build a pretty powerful Windows 7 system, and you also wouldn't have to put up with the crashes, hangs, kernel panics or software incompatibilities that Snow Leopard has.

You'd also get a system that is likely to match your needs much more closely and which can be upgraded in future. You'd get a desktop computer instead of a laptop on its side.
 
I would go with the windows machine, you already have a MBP that will last you a few more years. There are a lot of great games coming out for the PC and you can build a pretty good PC for gaming f your into gaming.
 
If you want a desktop, you should go for a real desktop - there's mch more bang for your buck.

And if built with some attention to the components, who's to say what OS it could run ;)


PS For half the price of the low end iMac, you can build a computer that spanks the high end iMac.
 
win7 pc easily. for probably half the price you could get a pc that would do video/photo/3d work/games much better than the imac.
 
Donar said:
Keep in mind that you have to purchase new video/photo editing software and learn how to use it if you go Windows 7 as well. I think it is a bit early for praising Windows 7 - we will see how robust it is when it is out for a longer period of time. My iBook G4 is running Tiger since 2005 without a re install. By the way, what about activation, is it still there? As you can see i opted for a self build C2Q machine instead of an iMac or 4 Core Mac Pro - but kept OSX.
Edit:
Just realised that you wanted to play some games as well: Get a PS3 :)
Click to expand...

Video editing: MovieMaker is free.
Photo editing software that's reasonably useful isn't free on the Mac either (iPhoto just allows a bunch of simple changes). You could get Photo Gallery (it might even come with Windows 7).

I love my MacBook, but when it comes to buying a desktop, I'd always go for a PC. They're easy to upgrade (just get new hardware from the store around the corner), and cheaper to start with. Since it'll just sit under my desk, it doesn't really matter that much how it looks (just buy a nice monitor).
 
neiltc13 said:
and you also wouldn't have to put up with the crashes, hangs, kernel panics or software incompatibilities that Snow Leopard has.
Click to expand...

What? I've had no issues at all with Snow Leopard except for my OLD Roxio Toast 6 not working and having to download a new version of a couple minor utilities. And this is on both of my Intel machines. :confused:
 
Go with your budget!!!

Go with what's in your budget!!!, and what you think that will give the most return on your investemnt.
 
UglyLittleSpud said:
Okay, I currently have an early 2008 MBP and I would now like a desktop as well and I'm currently deciding whether to wait for the new iMac, or go with a self-built C2Q PC with Windows 7. Considering how Win 7 has narrowed the gap between the two OS', which would you go with?

I realise this is a Mac forum, so opinions might be biased, but I'm hoping for some objective POVs on the two choices.

What am I going to use it for? Video editing, photo editing, maybe some 3D work and a handful of games.
Click to expand...

I have a Dell Quad system running Windows 7 that I'm selling right now for an iMac. I'm doing this because while Live Photo Gallery and Movie Maker are really really good, iPhoto and iMovie are just so much better. Video editing on my pc has been troublesome and can't even export in .wmv with Movie Maker. The one thing that is so much better on Windows 7 than on the Mac is the Media Center. I record television on my Dell and I'm wondering about how it will be on the Mac.

So I'd say go for the Mac, it will be better for what you want to do.
 
what does the OP mean by saying that win7 has narrowed a "gap" between the two OSs?

I wouldn't call it a gap as much as an infinite chasm. Actually, I'll say that the two are on different dimensions of existence. I ran the RC of win7 on boot camp for a while and was utterly unimpressed. Every time I seemed to like a feature, it was because it was stripped (cheaply, I may add) straight out of max os.

Windows 7 will not put a stop to virus nightmares and moreover, I think the vast majority of windows users aren't ready for such a change in their OS. Most people who are used to XP will be challenged by its complexity masquerading itself as mac-like usability and simplicity.


Anyway, if you go with win7 good luck, and try not to look at your 2008 macbook pro with too much envy...

oh, and don't forget to host your win7 launch party!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cX4t5-YpHQ

token black guy not included.
 
You can never go wrong with a nice imac, you rarely ever go right with a custom build windows, albeit they are a lot cheaper.
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dwd3885 said:
I have a Dell Quad system running Windows 7 that I'm selling right now for an iMac. I'm doing this because while Live Photo Gallery and Movie Maker are really really good, iPhoto and iMovie are just so much better. Video editing on my pc has been troublesome and can't even export in .wmv with Movie Maker. The one thing that is so much better on Windows 7 than on the Mac is the Media Center. I record television on my Dell and I'm wondering about how it will be on the Mac.

So I'd say go for the Mac, it will be better for what you want to do.
Click to expand...

lol is this some kind of joke? you're selling your pc just to buy a mac with iphoto and imovie???? you do realize you can buy other video/photo software for pc right? dumbest reason i've ever read.
 
tempusfugit said:
what does the OP mean by saying that win7 has narrowed a "gap" between the two OSs?

I wouldn't call it a gap as much as an infinite chasm. Actually, I'll say that the two are on different dimensions of existence. I ran the RC of win7 on boot camp for a while and was utterly unimpressed. Every time I seemed to like a feature, it was because it was stripped (cheaply, I may add) straight out of max os.

Windows 7 will not put a stop to virus nightmares and moreover, I think the vast majority of windows users aren't ready for such a change in their OS. Most people who are used to XP will be challenged by its complexity masquerading itself as mac-like usability and simplicity.


Anyway, if you go with win7 good luck, and try not to look at your 2008 macbook pro with too much envy...

oh, and don't forget to host your win7 launch party!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cX4t5-YpHQ

token black guy not included.
Click to expand...

lol at people still blabbing about 'virus nightmares' for windows. i've been running xp for nearly 10 years, vista for 2, and windows 7 for several months now. i use no firewall/anti-virus software at all and have had 0 issues.

the best is you claim the gap between mac os and win 7 are of an 'infinite chasm' and yet you go on about how much win 7 supposedly rips off mac os's simplicity and usability. you are clearly a confused fanboy.
 
I was in the same boat at the beginning of the year. Ended up getting the top spec 3.06ghz iMac with the 8800 graphics card. Really happy with my decision although it would be nice if the iMac had quad core cpus. If you can wait, it might be worthwhile to see if they bring quad core cpus out in the next iMac. I'm currently running my iMac as a dual boot of Windows 7 and Snow leopard, but mainly use OSX and only use windows for apps that require it. OS X is still the superior OS in my opinion.
signature_silverapple.jpg
 
If your primary use is video editing/photo editing and so on, i'd go with a mac, however if you already have a macpro whats wrong with using that as your mac and having a pc too?

I've been using Win7 RC on my Quadcore desktop - which i have now sold to go towards my MBP 13" I currently use an Acer One netbook, which for what I paid is solid and running Win7 RC also, i'll be selling this once i get my mbp too. I'll be using my MBP as laptop and desktop essentially as I have no use for two machines and didn't utilise my pc's hardware capabilitys (built for gaming which I have grown out off)

So my recommendation, get a pc, decent spec, but remember unless you hackint0sh it you're not getting iLife (part of the reason i'm switching to mac)
 
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