[CheeseHead]

Simon42 said:

What I meant is that a iMac is costlier than an equivalent or far superior desktop PC. It is made from laptop parts, which limits overall performance makes costs higher and also makes the great look they have possible.

You should really get some updated material... Laptops are steadily replacing desktops. The part difference is minimal especially in the large quantities that these manufactures are buying. Not sure you can compare a $700 mini to an iMac that has fewer laptop parts in it. If you take a look at some of the reviews you would find that the iMac fares very well to its PC counterparts. See the cnet imac review for example.

>This is the same problem with a Mini and that's why Psystar could come up with a way cheaper computer.

I doubt that Pystar will be delivering much of anything. They don't even seem to know their own address. They are also going to get totally killed on the OS since they won't get OEM pricing. Pystar will need to pay employees, rent, utilities, packaging, and so much more. I think just from the comments and the way they have started their business clearly shows that they lack a sustainable business plan, and will most likely hurt more people than help bring to the mac.

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I have chosen my parts and for around 1000$, I have a Quad Core beast with a GeForce 8800 (probably cheaper than what Apple offers because it's not directly from NVidia). That leaves many hundred dollars to buy a fully ajustable monitor (that can even be rotated)

What you're excluding is your labor, software, support, compatibility, and a catch all warrantee. You will also void any support for the OS as well other vendors by violating the EULA. All of that may mean nothing to you, but someone running a business or making a living will not be willing to make those sacrifices. There is really no need to anyway since it has been shown many times that the ROI of a mac is actually faster than that of the PC.

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and to customize the case tastefully up to Mac standards.

No matter what you do it will NEVER be even close to mac standards.

[palane]

Nice article, Dan, but I think you chose the wrong fallacy. It wasn't that MS had to lose for Apple to win. Rather, the fallacy was that clone manufacturers would grow the market. I had a Umax computer back in '97, basically because I needed a cheap desktop. The Umax sale was a lost sale for Apple. Apple didn't have the operating margins to be profitable on the basis of OS licenses.
For those who would suggest splitting the company between hardware and software, look at what a disaster Palm has been since doing so.
BB

[pfletcher]

please if I hear this phony nonsense one more time I will barf. The last time I got a laptop, I compared Apple with Dell and item for item I bought a Dell with marginally more power and a lot more storage for $400 less...... 3 months ago

[pfletcher]

so let me see you 'pretend' to have worked on PCs for 20 years and yet you claim to have so many problems? you are a very slow learner it seems. As for installing 2 hard drives and 2 memory modules in 10 minutes - including formatting - I doubt it - opening the case and even unpacking the components and physically installing - without even formatting would take at least that amoutn of time - or does Steve Jobs have a time dilation module that gives you unreal time....?

[Chris Breen]

pfletcher said:

please if I hear this phony nonsense one more time I will barf.

You do and you and your Windows box will be the ones mopping it up, Mister.

[pfletcher]

I just find it unbelievable that Mac users even have to defend their purchases to other Mac users with these crazy, made up tales

[Chris Breen]

Fletch, we get it that you like Windows and have issues with Macs. In order to avoid being labeled a troll you might want to build a little credibility here by making cogent points and refraining from personal attacks.

You might begin by listing the components of your Dell machine along with a link to Dell's site to back it up. That way readers can compare for themselves the value you see Dell offering that Apple doesn't.

[pfletcher]

I certainly don't want be labelled a troll or flame bait - I merely made a comment about the social interaction of some of the Mac fanbase.

Having been a commentator for many years and a tech analyst for a number of tech companies I was kind of hoping that with the move to x86 Apple may open up OSX to more people. While it is not my cup of tea personally - and yes I have tried in both Apple brew and Home brew on a Dell I can see some places and markets where it would be of interest. However having become an accidental Ubuntu user (I have a Compaq laptop that kept up-chucking Win XP because of a hard disk error) and seeing how easy that flavor of alternatism is to use I don't know if OSX for everyone is too late.

Anyway AmigaDOS still rules :-)

[lastcookie]

One thing is for sure, it takes all kinds.

[pfletcher]

I think it would be nice if there was a 'tinkerer version' available to people who wanted build their own system - maybe even a vertical market OEM version.

[nuke61]

{quote}please if I hear this phony nonsense one more time I will barf. The last time I got a laptop, I compared Apple with Dell and item for item I bought a Dell with marginally more power and a lot more storage for $400 less...... 3 months ago{quote}
I guess it depends on exactly what you're comparing. For example, if I want a small laptop I'm looking for something in the ~13" range

Apple - 13" white Macbook, 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo with 2 GB ram, 160 MB hard drive and DVD drive is $1299

Dell - XPS M1330 with 13.3" screen, 2.0 Core 2 Duo with 3 GB of shared ram, 200 GB drive, DVD drive, regular price is $1928, price as of 8:15 PST on 4/25/08 is $1179.

So, the Dell is $100 less with 40 more GB hard drive and 1 more GB of ram, but only if you get it while it's at the sale price. Normally it's more expensive.

Now let's go for a desktop replacement type notebook, so I want a 17" screen:

Apple - MacbookPro, of course. 2.5 GHz Core 2 Duo, 2 GB ram, 250 GB hard drive, DVD drive, 8600M GT w/512 MB ram, $2799

Dell - XPS M1730, 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo, 2 GB shared ram, 160 GB hard drive, DVD drive, 8700M GT, but using SHARED memory, $2399 But wait... I can upgrade the Dell to a 250 GB hard drive, add $150. Now the Dell is $2549. Getting the 8700M GT w/512 MB of it's own VRAM is another $300, HOWEVER, I don't know whether this is significantly faster than what Apple offers. Maybe someone more knowledge about 8600M GT vs 8700M GT Shared vs dedicated 512MB ram could offer their insight. In any case, just adding the option to go to the 250 GB drive on the Dell puts it within $250 of the Macbook Pro.