You have 1000 pounds to spend on a computer...

neil_g said:
hooray... who had 15:29 in the who'd say it first sweepstake?
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Neil, as we always find, one of them always has to say it! They don't even realise how silly it makes them sound! I'd buy water, it just works!
 
and if anyone does upgrade their monitor and have a spare one note the "LCD wanted" in my signature :)

Swap for 15" touch screen monitor(s) and or other bits
 
If you game PC, if you dont iMac.... but not if you got £1000.

For £1000 you could build yourself a great PC. TBH £700 would build you a great PC, PC tech is far and away ahead of ay game of program ATM, you no longer need a top of the range PC to play the latest games or use the latest programs.
 
My Advise think about the software you will use and then check you can get on Mac or something similar otherwise you can still go Mac but you'll have dual boot or buy some extra software to run the windows only software.

Personally just changed to a Mac myself Last Month but have a PC at work with Windows 7 can't say i've had major issues with either. But then i'm a techie learn to live with the minor issues :)

I'd not self build in todays day and age unless you really want a particualr mother board with a particular graphics card etc you can get pre built machines with good graphics cards too not much saving in self build unless you can get parts at trade price. And thats coming from a person who used to build and sell system now for PC i'd always buy branded Dell etc not worth the hassle self building.
 
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Thing is every thread that involves both turns out like this :shrug:

They're just tools for a job and WE pick the ones WE want. If someone want to use MacOS, Windows or Linux does it actually matter? No....

I couldn't give a monkeys what someone else is running to be honest! Each OS has it's advantages and disadvantages, building and buying has advantages and disadvantages etc etc.

We pick what is best for us but each camp spouts some cracking rubbish about their machines and the other camp (I will miss Linux users out as they will be sat somewhere with their pipe smugly drinking real ale and having a laugh over not paying for anything) !!
 
neil_g said:
it implied that PC should only be bought if you game.. :)
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Ahhhhhhh i see, well if i didn't game I would prob just have my macbook pro or id buy an iMac but I would miss Windows and would hate myself for being an Apple fan boy hmmmmm :thinking:. Wish it was back in the days of my trusty Comadore 64.
 
Donki said:
Ahhhhhhh i see, well if i didn't game I would prob just have my macbook pro or id buy an iMac but I would miss Windows and would hate myself for being an Apple fan boy hmmmmm :thinking:. Wish it was back in the days of my trusty Comadore 64.
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Then we would be arguing about Commodore versus Spectrum versus Amstrad versus Acorn!
 
cowasaki said:
Then we would be arguing about Commodore versus Spectrum versus Amstrad versus Acorn!
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Ha I forgot about that, my mate had a Spectrum Sinclair and my brother had an Atari I really did think the Amiga was better I still have the Amiga 500 and 600 in the loft I think. I seen comadore came back a while ago to make PC's but i think although they were well built they stopped trading.
 
cowasaki said:
Thing is every thread that involves both turns out like this :shrug:

They're just tools for a job and WE pick the ones WE want. If someone want to use MacOS, Windows or Linux does it actually matter? No....

I couldn't give a monkeys what someone else is running to be honest! Each OS has it's advantages and disadvantages, building and buying has advantages and disadvantages etc etc.

We pick what is best for us but each camp spouts some cracking rubbish about their machines and the other camp (I will miss Linux users out as they will be sat somewhere with their pipe smugly drinking real ale and having a laugh over not paying for anything) !!
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True.. I just like to pick holes in flawed argument :D
 
neil_g said:
True.. I just like to pick holes in flawed argument :D
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I often do. It is quite funny because I was once accused of being a Windows AND a Mac fanboy in the space of about 15 posts once :) I use both but run MacOS on my main machines out of choice.
 
cowasaki said:
Thing is every thread that involves both turns out like this :shrug:

They're just tools for a job and WE pick the ones WE want. If someone want to use MacOS, Windows or Linux does it actually matter? No....

I couldn't give a monkeys what someone else is running to be honest! Each OS has it's advantages and disadvantages, building and buying has advantages and disadvantages etc etc.

We pick what is best for us but each camp spouts some cracking rubbish about their machines and the other camp (I will miss Linux users out as they will be sat somewhere with their pipe smugly drinking real ale and having a laugh over not paying for anything) !!
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See, the problem is the misinformation that gets bandied around, particuarly by certain types of mac owner (and that is certainly not you, Darren!). The ones who seem to think the marketing bish is gospel! Its all about what is right for each person and that does not necessarily mean that we have to agree, we just need to make sure they make a decision free of some of the rubbish that can be propogated! Just look at this thread and see the person who recommends dual booting with XP! Only a loonie or someone with a very specific need puts XP on a new computer now as W7 is so much better. Mind you, vista was better than XP too but most people fell for the media bullpoop fuore.
 
menthel said:
See, the problem is the misinformation that gets bandied around, particuarly by certain types of mac owner (and that is certainly not you, Darren!). The ones who seem to think the marketing bish is gospel! Its all about what is right for each person and that does not necessarily mean that we have to agree, we just need to make sure they make a decision free of some of the rubbish that can be propogated! Just look at this thread and see the person who recommends dual booting with XP! Only a loonie or someone with a very specific need puts XP on a new computer now as W7 is so much better. Mind you, vista was better than XP too but most people fell for the media bullpoop fuore.
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There is at least as much misinformation bandied about by Windows users as MacOS users !!

Macs are expensive, Macs get viruses too etc etc

The point is that Macs are priced as a QUALITY Windows PC would be!

---------

Example 1

Build me a competitor to the 27" iMac which retails at £1399 or the 21.5" iMac at £999 :shrug:

Don't forget to include a version of the OS that has no limitations....


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Example 2

My top flight Windows Quad Xeon workstation's motherboard fails.......

Cost £300 - as it can be pretty much any motherboard of the same spec (or even a slightly newer one)

My Mac Pro motherboard fails.........

Cost £800 ??

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Example 3

New graphics card:

Apple top flight graphics card maybe about £300

Windows equivalent £120 OR pay £300 and get one TWICE as good as the Apple one.

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Example 4

New standard comes out like USB3

Windows - Instant support and available now

Apple Mac - When next update comes out or the one after that.....

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Example 5

You need X to run CSx

Windows - You do need X

Mac - You don't need X, you need X minus 20% (MacOS as a whole IS quicker for the same processor and ram because it does not require Anti spyware, anti virus or anti anything else)

-----------

Example 6

Macs get viruses too :razz:

NO they don't. There is not one single reported virus for the mac. There have been two reports of small attacks recently but BOTH these were trojans attached to software released on torrent sites. ANY computer can be attacked this way because if you give someone a file and tell them it does XXX and they run it with full authority for it to do anything it can run riot.

But there is anti virus software for the Mac

Yes this is to prevent Macs forwarding viruses to Windows users from email that the Mac user has got

Macs don't get viruses because only 15% of machines are Macs.

What a crock. If you are writing viruses then to write the ONLY one for the Mac would be better than writing the 257,231,343rd one for Windows!

It is all mis information.....
 
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cowasaki said:
...Sense
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Not going to argue with any of that. As I have said before I have used both platforms and don't really mind either. What bothers me (and you obviously) is people spouting tripe. However macs are expensive, just like expensive pc's are and therefore when people come into threads suggesting them for budgets that either won't stretch to them or that neither would be suitable for it gets a bit silly! Still not entirely sure about the specs thing though, decent antivirus software has such a small footprint that it shouldn't affect performance. However what does give benefits is the super locked down nature of Apple pcs. The fact that you can't have millions of different configurations of hardware and software can mean more stability and perhaps better performance per whichever unit you choose.
 
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menthel said:
Not going to argue with any of that. As I have said before I have used both platforms and don't really mind either. What bothers me (and you obviously) is people spouting tripe. However macs are expensive, just like expensive pc's are!
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Yes but there have been some notable exceptions to the rule over the years.

When I bought my Quad Xeon MacPro originally it cost £1699. At that time the processors "dual core 2.66GHz Xeons" were £650 each. The cheapest motherboard capable of taking a pair of these was £450 so

1300+450 = £1750 hmmm

these are all at the time prices!

Then 1Kw workstation class quiet PSU .... £200
Quality case... £150
Graphics card 7300GT.... £150
500Gb HD..... £100
16x DVD writer..... £40
2 x 512Mb FBDimms..... £180
Sound.... £30

That is without keyboard, mouse etc etc and OS

There were companies (and I know of one because I bought an Apple keyboard from them :)) that bought Mac Pros and stuffed extra RAM in them then installed Windows on them because it was cheaper than building them!!!!!

New iMacs

The 27" panel in the new iMac is available as a seperate panel but the cheapest place I have found it is from Apple!! so £1399-899 = £500

£500 minus FULL version of windows (to compare with full version of MacOS) - but we will use OEM

gives us .......£350 (Ultimate OEM from Scan)

Right now how much of a Windows machine are you going to get for £350 ???



I am not going down the route of supporting Apple kit but to outright say that it is expensive is misinformation!!

My examples about show that a lot of Apple stuff IS expensive such as a new graphics card for the MacPro but the machines are not generally that bad especially the iMacs and Macbooks. The Macbook Pros are expensive but they can be because they are the best in their field :)
 
£1000 is going to buy you a low spec brand new Apple computer, you might even get a decent spec one for second hand prices.

Window type computers, well you have a larger range of models and screens to choose from.
It all comes down to what you will use it for rather than how much.

If you want faster video editing and better processing then i would say the mac with a SSDrive.
If your after a wider range of software and games to load and use i would say windows, the new i5 and i7 processors are brilliant and will easily equal some of the work loads that the lower to mid range Apples can handle.

BUT pay a little more than £1000 and you can get an Apple computer than can not be matched by some thing a normal windows pc can handle.

Yes i know Apples can now run versions of windows and therefor the software too but it all slows down the computer and if you mainly have or want windows you might aswell get a windows based computer.
 
john182rs said:
£1000 is going to buy you a low spec brand new Apple computer, you might even get a decent spec one for second hand prices.

Window type computers, well you have a larger range of models and screens to choose from.
It all comes down to what you will use it for rather than how much.
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£1000 will get you the 21.5" iMac i3 3GHz !!

Well yes you have a larger range...

john182rs said:
If you want faster video editing and better processing then i would say the mac with a SSDrive.
If your after a wider range of software and games to load and use i would say windows, the new i5 and i7 processors are brilliant and will easily equal some of the work loads that the lower to mid range Apples can handle.
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Eh? The Mac and Windows machines run the same processors and the same HD options so that doesn't actually make any sense. Sorry

john182rs said:
BUT pay a little more than £1000 and you can get an Apple computer than can not be matched by some thing a normal windows pc can handle.
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You can't buy an Apple computer that CAN'T be matched by a Windows computer! They use the same components.


john182rs said:
Yes i know Apples can now run versions of windows and therefor the software too but it all slows down the computer and if you mainly have or want windows you might aswell get a windows based computer.
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No it doesn't.

If you install Windows via Boot Camp it runs at FULL speed and having Windows on a Mac does not slow it down whilst it is being a Mac.

If you mainly want or need Windows then yes buy a Windows machine but running Windows on a Mac is just like running it on a Windows machine. If you choose to stick Windows on a Mac you get BOTH OSes something that IS possible on a Windows PC but not at all easy and is in breach of the EULA.
 
The difference is value for money (relative and subjective) and cost I guess. The examples above are good value for money- the 27" iMac was on my list until the wife threatened to do unpleasant things to me if I spent that much. But in absolute terms macs, like high spec pcs with windows are expensive. That cannot be argued. Also please don't quote w7 ultimate in costings because its a red herring. All a home user needs is home premium. Much cheaper and definately up to the job.

Mind you we do seem to be argueing the same side of the coin!
 
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My friend having a new mac book pro using nero to convert from avi to dvd and also me on a windows based HP laptop converting the same video file using nero from avi to dvd.
My laptop did it 120ish seconds faster than the mac.

Put his mac on to some apple software for doing video conversion, it converted, recorded it to cd and spat the disc out before my computer could even finish converting the file.

Some macs are alot better work horses than most windows based computers.


Also, what is the point in buying Apple to run Window's OE?
 
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Well, I've had a look and I can't find this £1000 anywhere.
 
It all comes down to what software you already have, I mean you cant go running to Adobe and expect them to give you a free mac version of CS5 or lightroom cos you originally bought the windows version, you have to buy again.

Given that.. a better spec'd version of the vaio I have
 
iancandler said:
It all comes down to what software you already have, I mean you cant go running to Adobe and expect them to give you a free mac version of CS5 or lightroom cos you originally bought the windows version, you have to buy again.

Given that.. a better spec'd version of the vaio I have
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Actually, I think they do that. I am sure there is a swap service going both ways with adobe.
 
iancandler said:
It all comes down to what software you already have, I mean you cant go running to Adobe and expect them to give you a free mac version of CS5 or lightroom cos you originally bought the windows version, you have to buy again.

Given that.. a better spec'd version of the vaio I have
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Adobe will swap a Mac or PC serial number for the alternative ONCE for free :)
 
menthel said:
The difference is value for money (relative and subjective) and cost I guess. The examples above are good value for money- the 27" iMac was on my list until the wife threatened to do unpleasant things to me if I spent that much. But in absolute terms macs, like high spec pcs with windows are expensive. That cannot be argued. Also please don't quote w7 ultimate in costings because its a red herring. All a home user needs is home premium. Much cheaper and definately up to the job.

Mind you we do seem to be argueing the same side of the coin!
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I appreciate what you are saying about ULITMATE but that would still only leave £400 but when you buy MacOS you always get the full version. That is another thing a lot of people find annoying about MS why should you pay more to get the full version. I have not included the fact that a Mac includes iLife in the software.

The point is that neither option is BETTER than the other! You decide which is BEST FOR YOU and buy it.

I used to be a full on MS Windows user but after buying all the kids a PC I ended up having to fix 1/2 every week with software issues. My wife bought a Macbook and after she did I decided to get a Mac Mini. I liked it so much that when I had a very serious car accident the compensation bought me my Mac Pro (and the start of my digital camera equipment :)). I then bought the kids a Macbook or iMac each and have never looked back. I have not re-installed the iMac or my younger daughters Macbook EVER in 3 years and my elder daughters Macbook has been re-installed once.

This is the reason I like MacOS for normal day to day working. Yes there have been issues such as the top cracking twice on Helen's macbook (replaced under warranty even when out of warranty!), my battery expanding to nearly exploding size on the Macbook pro (and replaced o/s of warranty) plus the power button on the original Mac Mini breaking....

I have a server running Linux and never switched off or re-installed

I have a couple of Windows machines that I run neither of which have cause me problems.

They ALL do the job and that is what several of us keep saying.
 
Having used PC's since the 1980's nothing would take me away from my love of PC's or would it.....

Two years ago I bought my first Mac - Happy days - I now have 5 and about to change my whole office 8 PC's over to Mac's....and this is why.....

Firstly I don't need to below to a gang, a PC or Mac Gang. I use what works for me and it might not work for you....

I like:
1) Never having to reboot my PC
2) replacing three PC's with a Mac Mini Server with Server software for £800 (unlimited users( with MySql database server etc etc
3) Plugging in a external hard drive and my Mac just back's everything up and getting files back (if I delete them) is simple.
4) Being able to boot off an external disk as if it was in my Macbook Pro (In case the hard disk fails when I am away for weeks at a time)
5) Taking a 7 year old Macbook into the Apple center when it didn't work and they reloaded the OS for nothing within 1 hour. (It was a friends)
6) Being able to create a video and upload to youtube with software that comes with the Mac in 15mins (and without having to donwload codec's and buy extra software etc)
7) Creating a nice looking website with software that comes with the Mac
8) Being able to run windows on my mac (although don't use it much now - and being able to scroll back when windows falls over)
9) buying a new mac and attaching a cable and my new mac copies everything across (I have family packs of all my software I use) so I can use my new Mac straight away.
10) Mobileme sync's everything between Macs, Ipad and Iphone
11) Creating a photo gallery is a piece of cake (even my mum can do it)
12) Creating a blog with photos takes 5 mins while I am away.
13) Not having to provide tech support for my mum and sister with their windows PC now they both have Mac's
14) No viruses
15) How much is your 3 year old PC worth...... and how much is a 3 year old Mac worth.....
16) Compare the Apple Store experience with the likes of PC world !!

I could go on.....

In the end buy what you like, it doesn't matter in the slightest to me but Mac's just work, are they more expensive - maybe they are but that's nothing when you think of the time you save.


and lastly.....I enjoy using my Mac (how sad is that) I never did with my PC

Hope that helps

Stu

www.systeminsight.co.uk
 
When have I said they don't all do the job? Or that you buy what is right for you? Never. I just find some of the misleading posts, not by you Darren, can be unhelpful. But there you are. I won't come back to this as I don't seem to be misunderstood. I am platform agnostic. Every time I get a new computer I look at all the options! Hey ho.
 
I can't remember where I read it, but one independent review "the best windows there ever is....is a Mac running windows" -
 
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