New iMac vs New PC - A purchase choice?

[Paladine]

Hey folks, just curious on your take on this perplexing issue I am having!

I have the money to buy a new system. PC or iMac. Now I have never given Apple computers much credit, as I have always been a dabbler in pc programming, and more so a gamer. But in the last few years (4+) I have been playing less and less new games and staying with strategy (lower graphic hogging) games. And it occured to me while planning to build a new PC system (specs below) that I am getting older now (we will say early 30's) and I play games less, and do more programming (Web Based, VB.NET, ASP.NET), Photoediting, and playing music than anything else. Well okay, I surf the Net more often than I game these days.

So I got to thinking would the new iMac G5 be a better choice?

I mean I can still use the my documents, pdf's, gifs' etc with the iMac, and it will talk to my current P3 1Ghz PC no problem. And the printer I have will work just fine as well. Dollars to build/purchase is the same!

What are your opinions? Don't make the decision for me, but rather voice you opinions either way. Good or bad.

Specs for the PC System

[b]
Asus P4P800-E Deluxe Motherboard
Intel P4 3.0E CPU 1MB L2 Cache
2 X 512MB PC3200 Kingston RAM
Asus V9999 Nvidia 6800 GE/TD 256MB AGP Video Card
80GB Western Digital IDE Hard Drive
80GB Wester Digital SATA Hard Drive
LG-GSA 4120B DVD-Writer
LG 52X32X52X CDRW
SB Audiology LZ Sound Card
[/b]

Thanks

[MikeAR]

As an avid mac user and Steve Job's cult member, I'm going with the iMac G5. I know people just like you who were tottering between the Mac and PC and they wet themselves with joy after purchasing the Mac. It's much better for music, whether your a pro or a amatuer. You'll also love the 64-bit optimized version of Photoshop CS. There is also Tiger coming out soon, a drool worthy new operating system. Apples are also much more secure due to their rock solid Unix base. And being a programmer, you'll love the Unix and standard X11 GUI.

The best reason is the pure sex appeal of the iMac.

[bullma99]

I've always used a pc at work, however, at home, I've always used a mac.
I'm not much of a gamer..I seldom play.. don't even own a ps/x box etc..
My kids however, play so they simply play online..
..as far my imac, I think is for those that just want to do work and not spent too much time troubleshooting pc etc...My imac is 5yrs old and never had to open it but once..that was just to add more memory. I use it for music (itunes/garage band etc), photo & movie editing (home use)..
...I also have a pc where i have become more tech inclined..not that I want to learn, but have no choice..there's always something going on w/pc..
..anyway, these are my 2cents.

[tshirtprinter]

i have limited experience of PCs running Windows. Those I have used seem quite unstable compared to Macs running System 7 8 or 9. Compared to my present G4 Mac running OSX (system 10.3) Windows is in my humble opinion extremely unstable, as well as being a cumbersome interface to use. Without doubt I would say that OSX's Unix based system is less subject to crashes, glitches and outside interfrence than any other main stream OS.

Previously the down side for some users will have been the lack of availability of some progs. This is now much less of an issue than before. In fact some of Apples own bundled i programs (imovie, iphoto etc) are what persuade some people to buy in the first place.

Hope this helps your decision making.

[hexstar]

Hey folks, just curious on your take on this perplexing issue I am having!

I have the money to buy a new system. PC or iMac. Now I have never given Apple computers much credit, as I have always been a dabbler in pc programming, and more so a gamer. But in the last few years (4+) I have been playing less and less new games and staying with strategy (lower graphic hogging) games. And it occured to me while planning to build a new PC system (specs below) that I am getting older now (we will say early 30's) and I play games less, and do more programming (Web Based, VB.NET, ASP.NET), Photoediting, and playing music than anything else. Well okay, I surf the Net more often than I game these days.

So I got to thinking would the new iMac G5 be a better choice?

I mean I can still use the my documents, pdf's, gifs' etc with the iMac, and it will talk to my current P3 1Ghz PC no problem. And the printer I have will work just fine as well. Dollars to build/purchase is the same!

What are your opinions? Don't make the decision for me, but rather voice you opinions either way. Good or bad.

Specs for the PC System

[b]
Asus P4P800-E Deluxe Motherboard
Intel P4 3.0E CPU 1MB L2 Cache
2 X 512MB PC3200 Kingston RAM
Asus V9999 Nvidia 6800 GE/TD 256MB AGP Video Card
80GB Western Digital IDE Hard Drive
80GB Wester Digital SATA Hard Drive
LG-GSA 4120B DVD-Writer
LG 52X32X52X CDRW
SB Audiology LZ Sound Card
[/b]

Thanks

definitly go for the new iMac, you won't regret it as MacOS X (which I assume it'll be running as its OS) is VERY stable, based of Linux, looks VERY nice and lots of apps are being developed for it and ported to it, you can even get the Microsoft Office suite for it if you really still want to use it although AppleWorks is a nice change (Apples office suite)

[christov]

definitly go for the new iMac, you won't regret it as MacOS X (which I assume it'll be running as its OS) is VERY stable, based of Linux, looks VERY nice and lots of apps are being developed for it and ported to it, you can even get the Microsoft Office suite for it if you really still want to use it although AppleWorks is a nice change (Apples office suite)

I think that you could get open office as well on mac which is free. :)

[kc0arf]

Hello,

I too love the Mac, although with the abundent Intel hardware I have around, I have gotten quite deep in to Linux too. My main desktop is a OS X Powerbook G3; my main server is a Pentium III 550 Mhz running Fedora Core 3.

You can get games for Mac OS X. I recently completed Diablo II on OS X, and finished up the expansion pack too. There are other games out there too... perhaps not the most wiz-bang flashy bongo box the die-hard gamer desires, but then again, for that type of experience, perhaps a dedicated game station (XBox, Playstation) would be a better solution. I use my computer to fix things, and get work done. And I have not completely mastered XChess yet either, so I still ahve a game here to completely learn.

There are ways to make a Windows box stable... I'll be honest and say that I prefer Windows 2000 to Windows XP (eXtra Problems). Windows requires a continual vigalance to keep clean and secure, but it is not an impossible task.

There are ways to corrupt an OS X box or a Linux box too. If you explore these operating systems, you will need to secure them. They initially are more secure upon installation, but they are not perfect either. They are not nearly as naked as Windows 2000/XP are.

Looking at the dates, I can tell this is quite an old post, so I am betting that the original poster has made his purchase, and is moving right along.

OpenOffice is available for the Mac OS X, but it is not a traditional OS X Aqua program... it will look a little funny, it will not have the look and feel that you expect, but it will work, and will be stable. It does look and feel like the Linux version of OpenOffice. Just be sure that when you are setting up your Mac, that you add on the Unix extras, as you will need Darwin setup properly to make it work. I use it regularly, and have since removed Microsoft from my system.

Christian

[Rosette]

I recently purchased an iMAC G5 and I love it. If your going to work with graphics and the like, a MAC is your better choice. I am still learning how to use my new MAC because I have been a PC junky all my life lol, but from the looks of it, I will never go back to using a PC again.

[ladylinux]

I am also in the process of making the Mac vs. PC decision. I am going to be doing design work, so the obvious choice would seem to be Mac. I've talked to several people who are designers that use a PC and they say that it's just fine and less expensive. I'd like to get opinions on this. I'm also curious if anyone thinks the Apple's decision to use intel processors should have any bearing on the decision. Most people I talk to are religiously loyal to one or the other and give me reasons like "it's just better". I'd like to know why one may be better than the other.

Rosette, if you read this, I'd like to know what made you make the switch and what issues you may have had. I need to make a decison soon. I don't want to buy all my Adobe and Macromedia programs for one only to find out I should be using the other.

[ladylinux]

I just came across an interesting comment in one of the other forums. It's pure speculation, but what if the Intel based Macs will also run Windows? Has anyone here heard anything like that?

If that's true, then my decison is made.

[Rosette]

The reason I made the switch had to do with design purposes. Although I am part of the Advertising group for Spirit, I also do some graphic design. Sometimes we design ads and at times we partake in laying out articles.

At first, I used to use a PC and it always caused problems with the printer, and the quality of the magazine. The image colors and the size of our pages always were bad because we all used PCs and the printer used a MAC.

What I like most about MAC is that it also reads PC files, where PCs do not read MAC files. The color quality for graphics is amazing with a MAC.

If you are going to use the MAC for graphics, print media, and work for printers, publications, or publishers; I suggest you purchase a MAC. PCs do not have the graphics capabilites.

I hope that helps you in some way, and if you have any more questions please do not hesitate to ask.

Rosetta

I am also in the process of making the Mac vs. PC decision. I am going to be doing design work, so the obvious choice would seem to be Mac. I've talked to several people who are designers that use a PC and they say that it's just fine and less expensive. I'd like to get opinions on this. I'm also curious if anyone thinks the Apple's decision to use intel processors should have any bearing on the decision. Most people I talk to are religiously loyal to one or the other and give me reasons like "it's just better". I'd like to know why one may be better than the other.

Rosette, if you read this, I'd like to know what made you make the switch and what issues you may have had. I need to make a decison soon. I don't want to buy all my Adobe and Macromedia programs for one only to find out I should be using the other.

[listerino]

well ive been looking at the new imac g5, as ive got a pc and had it for a few years now, the other day i turned it on, and for some reason it would not come on at all, after resetting it and taking out a usb card i put in, it worked, also ive been having major problems since i installed a bluetooth system for my mobile phone. i like the look of the imac g5 but am wondering, if i can use programs like yahoo messenger and msn messenger, my dvd writing software, limewire, and my p2p software for my torrents?:sad::!: and worried that if i get a imac g5 that i cannot use those certain software progams, as i use them all the time, also photoshop would i have to buy a new version on photoshop for the mac.
as i know pc's have problems all the time, i cant help but think i might be missing out on certain software programs that i like.
also there is the fact of upgrading the mac, is it possible and is it cheap like what it costs to upgrade a PC, like memory or hard drive, as i would have to have a huge hard drive, and also a real good graphics card. things like usb ports, i also need a lot and i mean a lot of them. at least 10 ports. so what would the process be with that? i dont wanna spend all that money then realise i made a wrong decision because i cannot use the programs i want to use, to burn rip dvd's:evil:, music editing, also film and music coversion, when i convert my films from avi to mpeg's to go on my dvds that i make.
SO, if anyone can help me with this query, then id be most greatful, as it is bugging me now, on all aspects of the new imac g5 VS the humble PC, and all the pro's and con's of both systems.
Sorry to go on by the way, as i had a lot to say, and hope i can get a guide to whats best for me, as i am getting sick and tired of worried if my pc will work when i put certain softwares on it, for example, nokia PC suite, for my new mobile phone, when asked to update the software i did, and low and behold it didnt work, so i luckily had my bluetooth dongle to have as a back up to transfer files.
So i need to know everything from upgrading the mac, to softwares and programs that i love to use.
thanks if ya can help.lol

['Stein]

as i know pc's have problems all the time

Err..it sorta depends on the user/how he treats his computer. Take my machine for example--I rarely ever have problems with it.

is it possible and is it cheap like what it costs to upgrade a PC, like memory or hard drive,

Again, it depends. If you're able to install the upgrades yourself, then you can find parts pretty cheaply.

also need a lot and i mean a lot of them. at least 10 ports.

Jeez, never seen 10 USB ports before. ever. ;)

But ya, of course I'm biased. I'm a Windows guy (although owning a Powerbook along with my array of Dells). I guess if you're main focus will be media (music, vids, etc), you might just wanna consider a Mac, cause thats about the only thing theyre good with ;)