Apple Mac or Windows PC?

[sneeks]

I'm currently trying to decide on a new computer. Unsure if I should buy a

Apple iMac

http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore.woa/61104042/wo/VS31KfjRdlfn2H9xsj32gjAMS5X/2.?p=0

or a Dell PC

http://configure.euro.dell.com/dell...10925&rbc=D10925&s=dhs&sbc=ukdhsftdppdesktop2

Any opinions on what would be the better system? I've never owned a Mac so I'm guessing that the Win PC will probably suit my needs more but having said that I'm told the Mac will now dual boot Win XP/Vista without any problems?

 

[Leeshez]

I have had 2 dell desk tops and 1 dell lappy and there fine

 

[Karen]

Despite my problems earlier this year, I much prefer using my Mac to my windows based pc at work!

 

[Munson]

I have to say, the 24" iMac seems damn fine value for a Mac. Aren't the iMacs basically a laptop on a stand and an external keyboard? Do they use the same Samsung panels of the Apple Cinema and Dell displays? If I wasn't a gamer I'd consider one of those over any Dell machine.

 

[Daz]

Mac.

I bought my Macbook Pro earlier this year, and it's the best laptop I've ever, ever used. OSX, The hardware etc.. quality.

 

[McBunny]

please lets not have another dell is crap thread

 

[Rich]

Go for the Mac. Apart from a slight battey issue sorted without hassle replacement battery under warrenty, I am very happy with my Macbook Pro.

 

[DebV6]

I'm using a pc at home and at work now, but I used to only use macs, at college, home and work, and I much prefer the mac.

 

[Daz]

Dell servers are quality.
There PCs aren't too bad either.

 

[McBunny]

there is nothing between any pc and a mac except the mac os and even that runs on a pc these days

 

[sneeks]

The spec of each:

Mac - £799

17-inch widescreen LCD
1440x900 resolution
2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor1
4MB shared L2 cache
1GB memory (2x512MB SO-DIMM)
160GB Serial ATA hard drive2
8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL, DVD±RW, CD-RW)
ATI Radeon X1600 graphics with 128MB GDDR3 memory
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Apple Remote



Dell - £825

Intel® Core® 2 Duo® E6400 Processor (2.13GHz, 1066MHz, 2MB)
Genuine Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005 (Does not include Operating System Re-installation CD)
Basic Package, 3 Year At-Home Service
1024MB Dual Channel DDR2 533MHz [2x512] Memory
320GB (7200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive with 8MB DataBurst™ cache
16X DVD+/-RW Drive
256MB ATI Radeon® X1300 Pro PCI Express graphics card

 

[tommyboy]

I have a Dell Dimension and got in on offer with a free upgraded to 250GB hard drive and 2048MB memory for £590. free printer too yay

 

[Gweebs]

IMO Mac's are better, hands down.

But if you are going to play any games on it, then maybe a PC is the better option.

 

[sneeks]

Not planning on playing games at all. At most it'll be used for browsing the net and using programs like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and Macromedia Dreamweaver. Are there plenty of good newsgroup progs available for the Mac, I currently use Newsleecher on the PC?

 

[sn00p]

Are there plenty of good newsgroup progs available for the Mac, I currently use Newsleecher on the PC?

No. They're all pretty rubbish. I use easynews because I can't be arsed with all this downloading headers & un-raring crap, so 1980's.

 

[Munson]

Whats the score with Macs playing avi packed video these days? DivX etc?

 

[Daz]

http://perian.org/

 

[Munson]

http://perian.org/

Cool

 

[Rich]

http://perian.org/

Looks Handy Daz, I have been using VLC

 

[Munson]

VLC plays just about anything, including all streaming formats and ISOs. I've not come accross anything it won't play. I didn't know it was even available for the Mac

 

[Rich]

There sure is - Been using the Mac version for a while mainly to play AVis that Quicktime won't.

 

[Iain C]

mac any day

 

[Munson]

okay I'm convinced. Sort out some good news readers, and better games support, and I'll swap

 

[sneeks]

I've been reading the test reports of Mac's running Win XP using a dual boot system and from what I can gather it runs perfectly. Maybe is worth me buying the iMac to have the best of both worlds.

 

[sn00p]

Sort out some good news readers

http://www.newsreaders.com/mac/clients.html

Unison is one I tried, I can't remember what it was like now - everything I tried was nowhere near as good as newsleecher. But I wasn't really bothered because I used easynews which is far better than any nttp client!

 

[bigmouk]

sneeks - you have a 360 dont u ? you will be able to stream music, pictures and videos to your 360 with the media center pc (inc xvid movies with a free bit of software - transcode360)

 

[sneeks]

Yeah I'm using that already to stream Lost season 3 to my TV I'd not want to lose the ability to do that so that is one reason to upgrade to a Win pc rather than the Mac.

 

[sneeks]

I've been considering what to do most of today and despite still not knowing 100% I'm definately siding more with buying a new XP pc. For £50 cheaper than the iMac I can get a pc with a faster chip and generally more impressive hardware spec. The negative side of this is I'd lose out on having a more stylish looking and self contained computer which does not take up alot of space in my house.

Basically I still don't know what to do

 

[Darren S]

I think going off your requirements that you posted earlier on sneeks, the Mac sounds like the better option?

D.

 

[Karen]

I've been considering what to do most of today and despite still not knowing 100% I'm definately siding more with buying a new XP pc. For £50 cheaper than the iMac I can get a pc with a faster chip and generally more impressive hardware spec. The negative side of this is I'd lose out on having a more stylish looking and self contained computer which does not take up alot of space in my house.

Basically I still don't know what to do

Macs do look nicer and how neat too

 

[Darren S]

okay I'm convinced. Sort out some good news readers, and better games support, and I'll swap

Do that - and I will hunt you down and beat you repeatedly with a rusty keyboard. :rasp:

D.

 

[sn00p]

Do that - and I will hunt you down and beat you repeatedly with a rusty keyboard.

I thought the chosen weapon of a geek was a sticky keyboard???

 

[Darren S]

Do that - and I will hunt you down and beat you repeatedly with a rusty keyboard.

I thought the chosen weapon of a geek was a sticky keyboard???

No way! That's reserved for other, special purposes......:rasp:

D.

 

[sneeks]

I've just installed Vista RC1 to see what I think of it and help me decide between this or a Mac. So far it's just the same as XP but with a few new buttons.

 

[sn00p]

I've just installed Vista RC1 to see what I think of it and help me decide between this or a Mac. So far it's just the same as XP but with a few new buttons.

Buy a mac.

 

[sneeks]

I'm thinking that'll be the best option, it can always run Vista/XP if I want to use them for anything.

I'm off to have a look at them this afternoon.

 

[sneeks]

The deed is done My iMac was ordered today and will hopefully be with me within the next week.

 

[martynh]

What did you go for?

I got a 24" Imac on my desk as I type, 2.33 Ghz, 3Gb RAM. 500Gb HD and the 7600 GT card, very nice machine, certainly looks the part, should so for a touch over £2k!

 

[sneeks]

I went for a higher spec and cost than I'd originally planned, only 1gb ram but I'll upgrade that myself for less cost in the future.

I ordered the 20" iMac, 2.16Ghz Core 2 Duo, 1Gb RAM, 250Gb HD, 128mb Radeon X1600 graphics card and wireless keyboard & mouse.

Now will be the time when everyone who said "get a mac" suddenly say I should have pought a Win PC

 

[Munson]

Seems like a good choice to me. If my next lappy is a Mac, I will definitely need to dual boot though. My main machine will always be a PC simply because it's only used for games.

Good work dude, keep the thread updated on what you think of the Mac.

BTW, pretty sure the iMacs use SODIMMS (basically laptop memory), so remember the memory upgrades will be slightly more expensive than the average PC.