Recommend me a home PC

[Bob_the_lost]

What particular 'low-spec' computer are u referring to? the iMac?

Doesnt seem low-spec to me, im on it at home at the moment and its really fast? Does everything I want... I dont think you quite understand what the OP is wanting it for? You sound like you're in IT so natch you'll have different needs - for a home pc tho the iMacs the dogs..

That's because you don't realise what low spec is these days. It's slower than the £400 PC that was suggested earlier. It's low spec.

The IMacs are beautifully stlyed, easy to use and have an excellent OS. If you've got the money then by all means buy a mac, but if you know how to use a windows PC happily and you desire any sort of value for money then they're a fool's choice.

 

[Crispy]

That's because you don't realise what low spec is these days. It's slower than the £400 PC that was suggested earlier. It's low spec.

The IMacs are beautifully stlyed, easy to use and have an excellent OS. If you've got the money then by all means buy a mac, but if you know how to use a windows PC happily and you desire any sort of value for money then they're a fool's choice.

What, this one?

That's got worse graphics card, and slower chip (by 400MHz and 1MB of cache)

 

[Bob_the_lost]

What, this one?

That's got worse graphics card, and slower chip (by 400MHz and 1MB of cache)

No it doesn't.

It's CPU is only 200mhz slower. But you're right, it is slower (the cache is irrelevant in 95% of cases) and the GPU is worse (since we're not playing games on this i'm not sure of the relevance, far worse is the smaller screen. My bad. But if we are arguing the cost efficency of apples then check out what you get for £800 in windows land.

2.4Ghz Quad core
4 Gig of RAM
Better graphics card
22" LCD
500Gb HD

If i were picking a machine to last five years then that's what i'd be looking at.

 

[gabi]

and you desire any sort of value for money then they're a fool's choice.

I think we have a different definition of 'value for money' I couldnt give a fuck what spec it is, as long as it does everything I want it to, and does it in style

 

[Crispy]

I think the ability to get the job done with minimum hassle and maximum enjoyment is the most significant thing. Unfortunately, these things cost more than they ought to.

 

[Bob_the_lost]

I think the ability to get the job done quickly and at the minimum price are the most significant things. I doubt i'd get £300 more enjoyment out of OSX.

 

[gabi]

I think the ability to get the job done quickly and at the minimum price are the most significant things.

You must be a blast to hang out with...

 

[Bob_the_lost]

You must be a blast to hang out with...

How about you shove your tongue back up steve job's arsehole and leave the discussion to the adults.

Or perhaps you'd like to contribute something useful next time you post?

 

[gabi]

How about you shove your tongue back up steve job's arsehole and leave the discussion to the adults.

Or perhaps you'd like to contribute something useful next time you post?

Nah, I'll just go back to drawing pretty pictures, you barrel of laughs you..

 

[Tricky Skills]

All very interesting - I'm still following all of this

Just to state again my needs, all quite basic really:

Web browsing, photo storage and editing and *maybe* mp3 storage. I have no interest in gaming or downloading or watching movies on my machine.

My only concern with the Mac is the lack of extra software, plus I'm still trying to get my head around the extra £300 - £400 for a an easy to use OS.

 

[jæd]

As for OSX not needing more RAM, min spec for 10.0 was 128mb, 10.4 is 256mb, 10.5 is supposed to be 512mb. It may be lower than windows but it's still increasing.

i wouldn't go with below 512Mb for 10.4

Any computer is hard pressed to stay current for five years, planning your purchase with that sort of useful life expectancy is risky, doing so with such a low spec machine is very foolish.

Well... It depends on how your requirements will change and you don't have to upgrade if you really don't see any point in it.

Its unlikely there will be a new version on Windows in 5 years, so any computer bought now that runs Vista well will be still chugging alone fine. However, it would be hard to find a £400 computer that will still run Vista well. (Ie, with all the bells + whistles)

A Mac Mini (or Imac), bought new now will run Tiger well. It will also run 10.5 well, and it will also run 10.6 fair to middlingly well. (Release date in about 4 years time.). 10.7 is uncertain, but based on Macs built in the Classic days (ie, pre OS X) they will still run it.

 

[jæd]

Web browsing, photo storage and editing and *maybe* mp3 storage. I have no interest in gaming or downloading or watching movies on my machine.

My only concern with the Mac is the lack of extra software, plus I'm still trying to get my head around the extra £300 - £400 for a an easy to use OS.

iLife comes as standard, and will do all the above.

 

[boskysquelch]

Boobi & gabi sitting up a tree...

 

[Bob_the_lost]

Then reconsider the Mac Mini, it's £400 for the basic unit. It's only £100 more than the windows box and similar specifications to both it and the Imac. (plus it's tiny!) Hard drives can be bought seperately as can DVD burners if you need them (or if you don't have another machine that can do the job.

The mac mini and a 19" LCD would set you back £500.

 

[jæd]

as can DVD burners if you need them (or if you don't have another machine that can do the job.

You can get a DVD burner fitted to a Mac Mini as a custom option from the Apple store...

 

[Tricky Skills]

Are all LCD's universal, or would I need a specific Mac one? Plus would the Mac Mini have Word, Excel etc installed? That's an extra £90ish btw with the PC's linked to from here to the Mesh site, so I'd be lookng at around £500 all in for a PC spend (need virus protection as well )

 

[Bob_the_lost]

Universal. I doubt you'd get Word etc. included crispy / gabi will know.

Virus / Spyware protection doesn't have to cost anything, i use a free firewall and virus checker, there's quite a few out there.

 

[gabi]

That's an extra £90ish btw with the PC's linked to from here to the Mesh site, so I'd be lookng at around £500 all in for a PC spend (need virus protection as well )

You really have to get this concept of paying for software out of your head.. Mines fully kitted out with everything (including good ole office) but i didnt pay a cent for it.

I dont know anyone who does actually pay for software (for personal use anyway)... anyone?

 

[Bob_the_lost]

iwork is only £55, it's supposed to be pretty good for home users. There's a thread kicking about somewhere...

 

[jæd]

Are all LCD's universal, or would I need a specific Mac one? Plus would the Mac Mini have Word, Excel etc installed? That's an extra £90ish btw with the PC's linked to from here to the Mesh site, so I'd be lookng at around £500 all in for a PC spend (need virus protection as well )

You could try the new Mac Office Suite from Apple, called iWorks...

 

[jæd]

Virus / Spyware protection doesn't have to cost anything, i use a free firewall and virus checker, there's quite a few out there.

That assumes your time is free as well...

 

[jæd]

Are all LCD's universal, or would I need a specific Mac one?

Yes, but get a digital one. Minis ship with both connectors, though.

 

[Crispy]

Yeah, iWork is very nice - MS Office compatible, but much nicer to use.

 

[Tricky Skills]

Mmm - still can't decide.

The Mini for £400, plus an LCD, keyboard and mouse, iWork software and I'm looking at around a £600 spend. If I'm gonna blow the budget, I may as well blow it on the £800 (plus software) iMac

The refurbished iMac has now gone from the Apple site but they have a £499 Mini instead. Do these offers change pretty much daily?

Love how this thread started off as Recommend me a home PC, and here's me about to buy shares in Apple

Sod it - PC World it is for the £279 entry level

 

[metalguru]

The Mini for £400, plus an LCD, keyboard and mouse, iWork software and I'm looking at around a £600 spend. If I'm gonna blow the budget, I may as well blow it on the £800 (plus software) iMac

Plus Apple Care support - another £139...

 

[Crispy]

Only if you want the extended warranty.

 

[metalguru]

well it may be an unrepresentative sample, but most of the people I know who have macs say it's essential.

 

[Bob_the_lost]

All of our macs lasted to glorious obsolescence. I'd consider it (and probably discard it) for a laptop, for a desktop i wouldn't touch it with a stick.

 

[gabi]

well it may be an unrepresentative sample, but most of the people I know who have macs say it's essential.

Bollocks

 

[renegadechicken]

my wife sold her macs and brought pc's and doesn't miss them although tbh she doesnt do half the graphic design she used to ( just uses indesign/photoshop/illustrator/dimensions)but she hated the fact that software was so expensive, and being self employed and working for large well known companys she wanted legit software. she thinks her c2d intels are faster than her g5's were and the software and support is cheaper and the dvd rewriter/keyboard/bigger hd included was not such a rip off. Me never used Macs apart from in the early days when they struggled to open word documents and froze when you tried to do more than one thing, although they were her macs tbh. She sold 2 g5's, monitors,printers,scanners including tranny capable for £10 on ebay last year. i believe she said she just wanted them gone.

eta. Opps sorry she just informed me they were G4'S