Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Macs cost considerably more than PCs and Have significantly fewer hardware configuration options. Comparing Mac and PCs is like comparing a home cooked meal to a TV dinner.

The problem is that Macs can’t/won’t ever be able to compete with PCs in sheer terms of price per component. There for the ONLY was for Mac to survive is to offer certain "conveniences" that they hope that their competitors will be unable to offer. The problem is that if need these conveniences, then you can benefit from the Mac business strategy, but if not, you just get screwed.

For example, low end Macs are dismally over priced and could never compete with PCs. Mac does not offer a computer for less than $600 (which of course comes with absolutely nothing) while Dell has a computer (with a 22in monitor) for 350. So if all you need is e-mail and word processing, there is literally no possible way to ever justify the purchase of a Mac.

However, in accordance with the Mac business strategy, the 600 Mac offers something you get from a PC; The Mac is 6.5in square and only 2 in tall. So, if you absolutely NEED a computer that is the size of a mug of coffee AND you don't mind that it is literally 2X more expensive than an equally equipped PC, then the Mac mini is for you. However, if this is not the case, then buying a Mac mini FORCES you to waste money.

Similarly, the i-Mac has a built in monitor, something that they feel that their competators cannot offer. So if you don't own a monitor (there is no reason why this should ever be the case) then the i-Mac would be good for you (again assuming your money grows on trees and you don't want an inarguably better machine for less from dell). I however own a monitor meaning, and I understand to concept of money, so an i-Mac would be a colossal waste of money for me.

So basically if my next computer were a Mac I would have no option but to get the Mac pro, which starts at $2500. Apart from being more than I will ever be able to spend on computer, the purchase of a Mac pro would a laughably inefficient expenditure of money considering that fact that for $2500 I could get a handedly better machine from Dell, or better yet, just put one together from scratch.

If you know absolute nothing about computers, and you are too old or too stupid to learn, and you are too stupid/ Don’t care to make any of your own choices/decisions, and you are willing to shell out big bucks for an idiot proof machine that has all the decisions and the required thinking built right in, and is "ready to go out of the box" then Mac might just be for you.

But you can keep your expensive TV dinner; I would rather cook for myself. I rather enjoy it and there much better things for me to blow my money on.

I have successfully partitioned my drive and installed Mac OSX on a PC. There were some issues with drivers for obvious reasons. I believe in the future, especially due to the architecture, you will be able to do both flawlessly. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to have the best of both worlds in one kick ass computer?

@Joseph Herbert

"The problem is that Macs can’t/won’t ever be able to compete with PCs in sheer terms of price per component."

This statement is very untrue. IN reality if you built a PC with the same exact top of the line components as a Mac Pro...a PC would run $50 to $100 more. I know because I have built both a PC and Mac systems for work.

Also comparing a Dell to a Mac is like comparing a gourmet meal to a tv dinner. Dell is so cheap because they use the cheapest parts they can find. A Mac mini has more high end tech then a Dell under $600. And I consider a Mac Mini pretty lame.

Here is a good example using same quality components and same config.

A Basic Mac Pro for $2299.00
One 16x SuperDrive
320GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
2GB (2 x 1GB)
Apple Keyboard (English) + User's Guide
Accessory kit
One 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (quad-core)
Apple Mighty Mouse
ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB (Two dual-link DVI)


Now a Dell with the same config. $3,161
Quad Core Intel® Xeon® Processor E5430 (2.83GHz,2X6M L2,1333
2GB, DDR2 SDRAM FBD Memory, 667MHz
Enhanced USB Multimedia, 8 Hot Keys
256MB PCIe x16 nVidia Quadro FX570, Dual Monitor DVI Capable
16X DVD-ROM with Cyberlink Power DVD
New Dell USB Optical Mouse with scroll, All Black Design
320GB SATA 3.0Gb/s,7200 RPM Hard Drive with 8MB DataBurst Cache

Looks like the Dell is a bit more then the basic Mac Pro. You can try even using cheaper low end parts the price difference will not be by much. Actually, Dell uses the cheap parts to begin with LOL.

@Alberto

Well just looking on Newegg, a E5430 is $485, just some random motherboard by Asus is $470, 2GB of FB RAM is about $120 (bought some recently), a DVD burner is

@ joseph
Im with you all the way....i just have a few improvements...
Macs cost considerably more than PCs and Have significantly fewer hardware configuration options. Comparing Mac and PCs is like comparing a home cooked meal to a TV dinner.



So, if you absolutely NEED a computer that is the size of a mug of coffee
Dell studio desktops start at around $450 and are a little bigger than the Mac mini

Similarly, the i-Mac has a built in monitor, something that they feel that their competators cannot offer.
Two words: HP Touchsmart

get the Mac pro, which starts at $2500.
For that price....you could get a bunch of gaming rigs including:
HP Blackbird, and a more than half of the Alienware line.

Any OS that youve been using for a long time will be the easiest to use.
OSX is based off of Unix...a Linux distro....which is exactly what OSX looks like. Get real apple fan boys....

But you can keep your expensive TV dinner; I would rather cook for myself. I rather enjoy it and there much better things for me to blow my money on.