No iMac - Here's my new PC specs

[Winni]

Keep in mind that Apple products retain market value - I could sell immediatley my late 2009 iMac 27 to Gazelle for about 500 dollars

A 2009 27" iMac for 500 bucks - and you seriously talk about "retaining market value"? Selling it for that little money rather translates to "it lost more than 1500 bucks of value since I bought it a bit over two years ago".

By the way, I also own a Late 2009 27" iMac i5, and if you offered me 500 bucks for it, I'd rather give it away to a charity than sponsoring you with my money.

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The only downside would be I'd be on Win7 and Linux, but I can do everything I need to do in those two OS's.

And what exactly would be the downside here?

I don't know about you, but I make my living in IT and I have to come to one brutal realization when I compare OS X with Windows and Linux: The Windows and Linux ecosystems are where I MAKE my money. OS X on the other hand has always only COST me money.

In the last 20+ years, OS X has had ZERO relevance in my job life.

So, please, tell me how it can be a downside to use operating systems that have some actual relevance in the business world?

 

[JKK photography]

So, please, tell me how it can be a downside to use operating systems that have some actual relevance in the business world?

Personal preference has a value, doesn't it? And he seems to prefer OS X. That would be the argument for it.

But I agree; the idea that OS X is somehow significantly better than Windows or Linux is an outdated thought. While I prefer the look and styling, there are parts of OS X that annoy me and I find are much better in other operating systems (for instance, window management). A Windows and Linux setup will undoubtedly serve the OP well, especially if he goes in to it with an open mind.

 

[Cygnus311]

And the point of your post is what precisely?

BTW, any 1080p 27" monitor under $400 is crap quality-wise compared to the iMac. If you want to get comparable quality you should go for 1440p Dell or Samsung (or something like that), which cost $700+.

Nice gamer rig. Hope you enjoy it.

Note that you'll need to spend more than $400 on the monitor if you want to match Apple's screen quality. I think the Dell monitor that's closest to Apple's is $600? If you're getting a desktop GTX 680, don't cheap out on the monitor.

Not true. http://www.overclock.net/t/1232496/crossover-27q-led-led-p-27m-led-2720mdp-gold-led-monitor-club

 

[Scythe5]

OS X is just a personal preference. I have to use Win7 and a *nix OS at work - I have no fear of of navigating those operating systems. A lot of my software will install on OS X and windows, so I'm not losing much if I have to move over.

After many comments on the monitor, I can still fit within my iMac budget by downgrading the monitor to 24" and getting a much higher quality monitor.

Thanks for all the comments about the monitor.

 

[John.B]

The only downside would be I'd be on Win7 and Linux, but I can do everything I need to do in those two OS's.

Enjoy your new Win7/Linux PC.

I'm guessing you'll be hanging out at WindowsRumors.com or LinuxRumors.com from now on?

 

[Cygnus311]

I'm getting ready to build a pc too. Do you really think the i7 and the GTX 680 are worth the extra cost over i5 and 670? I've seen some reviews stating the 680 is hardly any faster especially after over clocking the 670.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

BTW, any 1080p 27" monitor under $400 is crap quality-wise compared to the iMac. If you want to get comparable quality you should go for 1440p Dell or Samsung (or something like that), which cost $700+.

Not true. http://www.overclock.net/t/1232496/crossover-27q-led-led-p-27m-led-2720mdp-gold-led-monitor-club

But then there is this, on the page you linked to:

What's the difference between a A-, A or A+ display?
While these use the same LG S-IPS panels found in Dell, HP, or Apple monitors they are the "rejects" so to speak that didn't quite meet the company's quality standards. In our case, we might have some minor backlight bleed (normally found in the bottom right-hand corner) and some dead or stuck pixels.

 

[Cygnus311]

Right but if you read through that thread you'll see that people are seeing very minor if any problems with their actual monitors. So his statement remains untrue. You can find very nice monitors under $700, under $400 in fact.

I would hardly call a display crap because it has 2 stuck pixels you can barely see when it was $750 less than an Apple or Dell display.

 

[Scythe5]

Enjoy your new Win7/Linux PC.

I'm guessing you'll be hanging out at WindowsRumors.com or LinuxRumors.com from now on?

I take it you're not expecting a iMac refresh with the ML release?

 

[InlawBiker]

So, please, tell me how it can be a downside to use operating systems that have some actual relevance in the business world?

Wait, what relevance does your personal life have with the business world?

I am an I.T. pro and a good one. I have my choice of laptops at work, a full-blown Thinkpad or a full-blown MBP. At work I pick the Thinkpad. It's rather amusing to watch my colleagues struggle with AD auth issues and doing stuff in a VM.

At home ... personally I'm going with Apple. I've used them all, even Ubuntu for two solid years as my home desktop machine. Apple does have some drawbacks but, why would I let my work life affect my personal choices? They have nothing to do with one another.

 

[harcosparky]

I don't know about you, but I make my living in IT and I have to come to one brutal realization when I compare OS X with Windows and Linux: The Windows and Linux ecosystems are where I MAKE my money. OS X on the other hand has always only COST me money.

I can understand that. Some years ago I managed, for a school, a 10 - 20 user student network on a volunteer basis. I was spending a lot of MY time there fixing the various software/user problems as well as hardware issues from time to time. My contact at the school informed me they had 20 iMacs coming in and wanted to know if I wanted to be involved in the changeover. I agreed and it was a pleasant experience. Almost immediately the time I needed to spend there managing the network and taking care of software/user problems was reduced by 60 - 70%.

So yeah if I was billing them by the hour for my services I would have lost money as a result of Apple OSX.

 

[mojothemonkey]

Whoever said that this is a "comparable" system is out of their minds. This thing will be an enormous computing machine and the difference between the desktop and mobile GPU (which they use in the iMacs) is vast indeed. No comparison.

You also forget that you can upgrade the GPU in this self-built machine. The first thing that gets obsolete on a non-number-crunching machine is the GPU. (so unless you render professional HD video all day, this means you). The CPU is more than enough to crush your day-to-day tasks for the next 6 years. A GPU refresh (just one pop-and-swap part) about half way through that time period will make you feel like you have a brand new computer all over again for a fraction of the price. There is value in this that everyone seems to be ignoring, particularly for gamers.

If you're not a gamer or professional user, you just dont need anything above the near-lowest-end i3 anyway. You're in denial and lying to yourself about what % of your total computer time is even spent waiting to render an iMovie splice. Everything else is just to make you feel good (excluding SSD drives, of course).

I'm getting ready to build a pc too. Do you really think the i7 and the GTX 680 are worth the extra cost over i5 and 670? I've seen some reviews stating the 680 is hardly any faster especially after over clocking the 670.

If you're actually worried about money.... like a rational person.... it's always better to buy one tiny bump down from the top. The price premium is always a much, much higher % than the performance % difference.

But as to your reasoning about the 670 being near-as-fast on overclock... it's not really fair then, because you should then look to compare it with overclocked 680 numbers if you're looking to tinker.

 

[robgendreau]

One feature I like in this build is the expandibility. iMacs are dandy appliances, but both the software and hardware integration that makes that so also makes it a less desirable tool, IMHO. And I'm not saying that as a DIY advocate, necessarily. The idea that a machine I rely on for business can't replace as fallible a component as a hard drive is just, well, scary.

But yeah, it would look nicer. Maybe he should hide all that stuff under the desk and use a dead iMac as the monitor...best of both worlds.

Rob

 

[mojothemonkey]

One feature I like in this build is the expandibility. iMacs are dandy appliances, but both the software and hardware integration that makes that so also makes it a less desirable tool, IMHO. And I'm not saying that as a DIY advocate, necessarily. The idea that a machine I rely on for business can't replace as fallible a component as a hard drive is just, well, scary.

But yeah, it would look nicer. Maybe he should hide all that stuff under the desk and use a dead iMac as the monitor...best of both worlds.

Rob

I agree with the sentiment, but my understanding is that it doesnt take a rocket scientist to replace the RAM and HD. Forget everything else, though.

 

[Melbourne Park]

Monitors: we have a games PC, with water cooled CPU and twin Nvidea Gigabyte GTX 570 Overclocked GPUs, etc etc. It has a Dell 24" monitor, whcih cost on a special deal, about $350. Normally $399. Its a type of IPC monitor. Its an OK monitor. But its not nearly as good as the iMac white 24" screen, that has been used since 2006. So ... make sure you get an Adobe certified monitor, that is IPS technology (or Samsung's equivalent). A PC will cost more than a Mac at the end of the day if you match the monitors, but it will have the benefit of SSD cheaply, and also with GPU choice, it will be able to run all games. But if games aren't you thing, then its best to prey that Apple gets their desktop act together and stops ignoring is traditional customer base.

 

[leman]

Not true. http://www.overclock.net/t/1232496/crossover-27q-led-led-p-27m-led-2720mdp-gold-led-monitor-club

You do realize a difference between an internationally acclaimed and accessible manufacturer like LG, Samsung or Dell and an obscure Korean company utilizing factory rejects which is sold on ebay, do you? Its the same as this Catleap thing. Of course you can get things cheap. And sometimes they might be as good as the real thing. Often enough, you get what you pay for though.

 

[John.B]

I take it you're not expecting a iMac refresh with the ML release?

I'm just kidding with you, buy the computer that works best for you. Personally, I get enough Windows Server 2003/2008/2008 R2 at work. But if that's the best next computer for your needs then, by all means, go ahead and get it.

 

[Arni99]

Sick of waiting anylonger...

My Ivy-Bridge quadcore + 8GB RAM + 512GB SSD + 2TB HDD + Nvidia GTX 560TI GPU is up and running .......Lion 10.7.4 + Windows 7 dualboot. Was sick of waiting for the iMac 2012.
Costs: 899 EUR.- (had the SSD yet)

 

[turtlez]

please stop posting sympathy threads. I know the iMac is way over due but you know realistically Apple executives are not going to read this forum and you are not playing the guilt trip to anyone of any importance by posting to this thread. Just annoying a lot of people. It has already been proven over and over that the iMac is a competitive price vs the pc market so get over your guilt trips and wait another couple of weeks for the new iMac like everyone else.

 

[Scythe5]

Please quit reading sympathy threads.

 

[forty2j]

A 2009 27" iMac for 500 bucks - and you seriously talk about "retaining market value"? Selling it for that little money rather translates to "it lost more than 1500 bucks of value since I bought it a bit over two years ago".

By the way, I also own a Late 2009 27" iMac i5, and if you offered me 500 bucks for it, I'd rather give it away to a charity than sponsoring you with my money.

And how much does a 2009 Dell sell for?

Note that the $500 price is for a no-hassle online company that's guaranteed to buy your goods. You can do much better on eBay/Craigslist. I can get more than $500 for my 2007 on the open market.

 

[leman]

And how much does a 2009 Dell sell for?

Note that the $500 price is for a no-hassle online company that's guaranteed to buy your goods. You can do much better on eBay/Craigslist. I can get more than $500 for my 2007 on the open market.

Well, I sold my 2011 iMac for almost the same amount it cost me, one week before the warranty expired

 

[LostSoul80]

If your only concern is having Windows, you can build a hackintosh.

 

[Cygnus311]

Built my PC this week and have no regrets. The thing is blazing fast with a GTX 670 and the Fractal Arc Midi case is beautiful. Also the Crossover 27Q display is every built as impressive as the iMac display (since it's the same panel) and has zero flaws that I can find. Faster and less expensive than the next iMac (or 2 or 3).

 

[Johnf1285]

Just wanted to chime in. I am doing the opposite of the OP. Figured I'd share my story for the heck of it.

I am recently selling all of my computer components on eBay in preparation for a 2012 iMac. I had a nice gaming rig, but it turned out I only played Blizzard Games, or indie games off Steam that weren't graphically demanding.

For me, I am switching back to Mac. I have been a huge Mac fan since 2001 and have been on board from 2001 to 2009 when I got bit by the "pc building" bug (thanks to Wow and it running better in Boot Camp - guess it opened my eyes to the PC gaming world).

I switched and sold my 24" 8800gs iMac (just as well, reading all these defect stories make me cringe and wonder what happened to my former iMac).

Then after tooling around with Windows 7 and typical PC hardware for a year. I switched back to a 27" iMac mid 2010. I plopped an SSD inside, and it was great. But I missed the raw power of a PC. So I switched back - AGAIN. And now, a year later, upgrading hardware on and off, I am switching back once again. This time permanently - or else my wife will kill me.

I miss OSX and the elegant simplicity of the iMac. I know I will miss upgradablility on a PC and gaming in Windows (even Bliz games get an advantage with Windows in situations where hardware is equal and the OS is the determining factor). I guess for me, I am getting to the point in my life where work and family are cutting into my PC gaming time and tinkering time. I'd rather just have something that is limited in a sense, so I don't waste any more time and money on upgrades.

My wife still has her little ITX AMD A8-3870k "gaming" PC, that should be enough to tinker with for now. Until I turn her over to the 2012 Mini... lol.

So in my experience, I've switched a few times. However, my heart was always with OS X and Apple.