[Macworld.com]

If you're in the market for a new computer today, what should you purchase? Here are some suggestions from Rob Griffiths. [more]

[lwdesign]

Of course the Mac is the best recommendation for any computer user, regardless of OS choice. I've used many Windows-specific computers, both laptop and desktop and have uniformly found manufacturing quality and component quality to be relatively lackluster. Tacky keyboards, unpleasant aesthetics, low-quality fit and finish seems to be the order of the day with mose PCs. This is definitely not the case with Macs, again uniformly. Apple sweats the details and creates great hardware with quality components and fiit and finish standards that are way above the norm in the Windows world. Only once out of all the Macs I've owned, did I get one that was flaky, and I eventually traded it in. Apple deserves many more kudos for the quality of its hardware than it gets. So, get a Mac, then choose your software OS. It leaves tons of room open if you want to experiment with other OS's. Apple hardware is stable and won't let you down.

[Toki]

I think your preaching (mostly) to the converted.
I loved the conversation; It threw me off, and it was so true.

[Ventzi_Zhechev]

The only think I never understood is why would anyone want to run Linux on a Mac that misses the whole point of the MacOS being a UNIX OS.

[Jarmo]

"Are you a hard-core gamer who needs the absolute latest in system and video card hardware?"
Should read more like:
"Are you a casual gamer who'd like to try out new games occasionally, or who'd like video hardware that's not completely and utterly outdated?"
Or more simply:
"Do you have any interest, whatsoever, in gaming?"
Like X1600 in iMac, it wasn't a bad low-medium range part when iMac first got it (january 2006).
Today it's a sad joke, a $25 part.

[rocktaff]

The only thing that stops me agreeing wholeheartedly with you is the cost of a legit (i.e. non-OEM), non-hobbled copy of Windows if you're a Mac user.
It's fine if you just happen to have a spare retail copy just lying around, but of course most people don't. New PCs typically come with a legal OEM version of Windows pre-installed at a massive discount over standard retail prices. Mac users don't currently have this option, unless they want to breach the terms of Microsoft's EULA and buy and install an OEM copy anyway.
I know this is Microsoft's fault, not Apple's, but the end result is still an extra couple of hundred bucks' premium if you want to buy the Mac and run Windows on it. Changes the maths somewhat.

[montoid]

If I were an average home-user looking for a PC that did everything well, I don't think I'd consider a mac on the simple fact of price/upgradeability and performance. Yes, I understand the price competitiveness at the high-end, but that's not really relevant for your average home user, nor is the cross-platforming ability. This is from someone who's used macs and pc's in a design/repro environment for years and spends nine hours a day in front of his beloved G5 Dual. (plus half an hour lunchtime playing Halo at 640 x 480, lol)

[benroethig]

I wouldn't call the simplified purchasing exactly an advantage as its a double edged sword. It can be good for those who really don't know all that much about computers or those who are more interested in design than what's inside. However for those of us who want more control over what we buy to meet our specific needs, it can be very irritating to established Mac users and a deal breaker for some switchers. It can also be very expensive if you have to upgrade your Mac later on because what Apple thinks you should have doesn't quite line up with your requirements.

[benroethig]

Quote:

---

If I were an average home-user looking for a PC that did everything well, I don't think I'd consider a mac on the simple fact of price/upgradeability and performance. Yes, I understand the price competitiveness at the high-end, but that's not really relevant for your average home user, nor is the cross-platforming ability. This is from someone who's used macs and pc's in a design/repro environment for years and spends nine hours a day in front of his beloved G5 Dual. (plus half an hour lunchtime playing Halo at 640 x 480, lol)

---

I have to agree with you. Compare the Mini to any other entry level machine. It may be a clinic on how small you can make a functional computer, but it's also not very competitive due to those laptop parts. However, if you have a nice new display, it's your only option if you want to come to the Mac. If Apple were to think things out just a letter better and let practicality enter their minds, they could be #3 in sales easy.

[griffman]

Keep in mind that the "average home user" never opens their computer, and never upgrades anything more than the RAM and maybe the hard drive. If an "average" user needs more RAM in a mini, I would say that the solution is the same as when they need more RAM in their generic PC: they take it to a service shop, they don't do it themselves. To the average user, the inside of the computer is a very scary place.
For hard drive upgrades, I would recommend most users just add a FireWire drive to their setup; the miniStack units look great under a mini, for instance.
-rob.

[griffman]

The fact that you can rattle off the video card in the machine indicates you are well beyond a casual gamer. And even with that "antiquated" card, you can push 53fps in Doom3 at 1024x768. For the casual gamer, that's hardly terrible.
And for anything other than bleeding edge games, it will do even better. The only two Macs I wouldn't recommend to a gamer who occasionally ventures into 3D graphics territory are the mini and the entry level iMac, both of which have the Intel GMA 950 onboard video.
So $25 part or now, the X1600 is a good mix of price and performance for a typical home user.
regards,
-rob.

[macotaku]

We always get a great price when we sell our 2 year olds Macs.
So in fact Macs are cheaper than PCs because you can re-sell them!

[taldrich]

I think Macs are much better machines and would normally recommend them, BUT, have found in the last year that I have recommended NOT buying one to several people.
The reason is simple: lack of support in non urban areas. Several of my (older) friends/country cousins are just beginning in computing in places like Wales, and the west of England. If I was happy to be on hand to assist them, it would be fine, but the reality is that most small towns have a PC shop with someone available to hold a newbie's hand. In addition, computing classes are easily available.
I'd love to switch my (77 year old) father over, but I think it would give him palpitations as he doesn't like change and would be on the phone to me every day for a month! Much easier to fob him off with the excuse that I don't know how to use Windows XP............

[leicaman]

They only really ficticious part of that conversatin is hating OS X. No sane person could hate OS X.
So if I were to hear "I hate OS X." Then I'd just say, "Get WebTV, because you don't care anything about comptuers." /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif