Discussion
I figure that there has been extensive arguements about Mac vs PC.
I have priced up an iMac, 24-inch, 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme and it works out at £1270 ex VAT when a few extras have been added on.
I can get my CS2.3 changed over to Mac for free, then upgrade to CS3 for about £500 IIRC.
If I price up a fairly decent spec PC, say:
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™2 Quad Q6600 (4 X 2.40GHz) 1066MHz FSB/8MB L2 Cache
Memory (RAM)
4GB CORSAIR DDR2 667MHz - LIFETIME WARRANTY! (2x2GB)
Motherboard
ASUS® P5K SE: DDR2, SATAII, PCI-e x16, 2 PCI, 3 x PCI-e x1
Operating System
64 BIT WINDOWS® VISTA Ultimate (inc CD & License) (£119)
USB Options
8 x USB 2.0 PORTS (6 REAR + 2 FRONT) AS STANDARD
Memory - 1st Hard Disk
500GB SERIAL ATA II HARD DRIVE WITH 16MB CACHE (7200rpm)
Graphics Card
512MB GEFORCE 8500GT PCI Express + DVI + TV-OUT
Power Supply & Case Cooling
700W Quiet Quad Rail PSU + 120mm Case Fan (£79)
Processor Cooling
ASUS SILENT KNIGHT II PURE COPPER ULTRA COOLER (£36)
--
It comes out at under £800, allowing me an awful lot for a very nice monitor, or two for that matter.
The upgrade for CS3 would be the same cost.
Whilst there is not a lot in it monetary wise, I am really not sure what to do!
The only stumbling block I can see would be Adobe would want me to un-install my existing version on my PC when I have the Mac version. I was hoping that I would keep a copy on my home computer for emergencies.
Also, how workable is it to move the iMac if I was working away for a week for example?
TIA.
A rather confused and frustrated computer user.
I have priced up an iMac, 24-inch, 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme and it works out at £1270 ex VAT when a few extras have been added on.
I can get my CS2.3 changed over to Mac for free, then upgrade to CS3 for about £500 IIRC.
If I price up a fairly decent spec PC, say:
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™2 Quad Q6600 (4 X 2.40GHz) 1066MHz FSB/8MB L2 Cache
Memory (RAM)
4GB CORSAIR DDR2 667MHz - LIFETIME WARRANTY! (2x2GB)
Motherboard
ASUS® P5K SE: DDR2, SATAII, PCI-e x16, 2 PCI, 3 x PCI-e x1
Operating System
64 BIT WINDOWS® VISTA Ultimate (inc CD & License) (£119)
USB Options
8 x USB 2.0 PORTS (6 REAR + 2 FRONT) AS STANDARD
Memory - 1st Hard Disk
500GB SERIAL ATA II HARD DRIVE WITH 16MB CACHE (7200rpm)
Graphics Card
512MB GEFORCE 8500GT PCI Express + DVI + TV-OUT
Power Supply & Case Cooling
700W Quiet Quad Rail PSU + 120mm Case Fan (£79)
Processor Cooling
ASUS SILENT KNIGHT II PURE COPPER ULTRA COOLER (£36)
--
It comes out at under £800, allowing me an awful lot for a very nice monitor, or two for that matter.
The upgrade for CS3 would be the same cost.
Whilst there is not a lot in it monetary wise, I am really not sure what to do!
The only stumbling block I can see would be Adobe would want me to un-install my existing version on my PC when I have the Mac version. I was hoping that I would keep a copy on my home computer for emergencies.
Also, how workable is it to move the iMac if I was working away for a week for example?
TIA.
A rather confused and frustrated computer user.
kiwisr said:
The iMac would be a hell of a lot easier to move, just a screen + power cable, then keyboard and mouse (all wireless)
yeah, I figured that. I have done it before with my current beast, but not so usable.My heart says iMac (not being brand led whatsoever *coughs) but the brain says PC.
The 24" screen isn't light....
Oh and your MAC is rather like a laptop - not really upgradeable - so when you come to swap out your system unit in a few years time and leave your nice wonderful monitors - you can't.
My 2 year cycle for system upgrades stretches to 4 for monitors. and a decent screen is now along with the graphics card the single biggest ticket item in a PC....
The MAC thing keeps tempting me - I do wander into apple stores and have a play - but I've just got back into the linux thing - OSX is BSD Unix based and am lovin it. Kubuntu 7.1 has pretty much just been plug & play..
Don't know wether CS3 is available for linux yet tho...
Oh and your MAC is rather like a laptop - not really upgradeable - so when you come to swap out your system unit in a few years time and leave your nice wonderful monitors - you can't.
My 2 year cycle for system upgrades stretches to 4 for monitors. and a decent screen is now along with the graphics card the single biggest ticket item in a PC....
The MAC thing keeps tempting me - I do wander into apple stores and have a play - but I've just got back into the linux thing - OSX is BSD Unix based and am lovin it. Kubuntu 7.1 has pretty much just been plug & play..
Don't know wether CS3 is available for linux yet tho...
51mes said:
The 24" screen isn't light....
Oh and your MAC is rather like a laptop - not really upgradeable - so when you come to swap out your system unit in a few years time and leave your nice wonderful monitors - you can't.
My 2 year cycle for system upgrades stretches to 4 for monitors. and a decent screen is now along with the graphics card the single biggest ticket item in a PC....
The MAC thing keeps tempting me - I do wander into apple stores and have a play - but I've just got back into the linux thing - OSX is BSD Unix based and am lovin it. Kubuntu 7.1 has pretty much just been plug & play..
Don't know wether CS3 is available for linux yet tho...
What would you recommend then? The iMac is going to be a company purchase, and hopefully in two years I won't be doing the graphics side, rather more like MD, so looking ahead isn't really an issue. My existing graphics beast has lasted six years, despite being a Mesh, and only now is struggling. It wasn't anywhere near the best at the time either.Oh and your MAC is rather like a laptop - not really upgradeable - so when you come to swap out your system unit in a few years time and leave your nice wonderful monitors - you can't.
My 2 year cycle for system upgrades stretches to 4 for monitors. and a decent screen is now along with the graphics card the single biggest ticket item in a PC....
The MAC thing keeps tempting me - I do wander into apple stores and have a play - but I've just got back into the linux thing - OSX is BSD Unix based and am lovin it. Kubuntu 7.1 has pretty much just been plug & play..
Don't know wether CS3 is available for linux yet tho...
If I was going to spend £1400 all in, what system would you get? I would need a monitor in that cost too. My usage is mainly graphics using Photoshop and Illustrator.
The Macs really are lovely machines to work on, it can be hard to espouse the benefits but it's just lots of little things like Spaces, Expose etc that just make working on them such a breeze.
Out and out gamer - PC
Anything else - Mac (but even then you can still run all games in Bootcamp)
Out and out gamer - PC
Anything else - Mac (but even then you can still run all games in Bootcamp)
kiwisr said:
The Macs really are lovely machines to work on, it can be hard to espouse the benefits but it's just lots of little things like Spaces, Expose etc that just make working on them such a breeze.
Out and out gamer - PC
Anything else - Mac (but even then you can still run all games in Bootcamp)
but up to date games not very well on an iMac (I play Oblivion on my MacBOokPro when travelling, so I feel qualified to speak on this subject).Out and out gamer - PC
Anything else - Mac (but even then you can still run all games in Bootcamp)
What "extra's" did you add? If ram, then thats the last thing you should buy from Apple. As they sell it at inflated prices. Its not as extortionate as it once was, but still you are better off getting it from somewhere like crucial instead.
As for games. I enjoy playing UT from time to time. And my 2.4ghz iMac plays UT2004 very well, and with Bootcamp also does a good job of UT3 as well. And thats the very latest game. But the gfx card in these iMacs is no Nvidea 8800GTS, granted.
As for the rest of the whole Mac VS PC thing. Its all been so done to death that im not going to enter into it further! There isn't an all round winner, only what is right for you. So the choice is entirely yours.
Im not really a huge Mac fan (boy) exactly.. Just someone who "likes" them and generally prefers them to the alternatives.
If you do plump for one, consider purchasing AppleCare for it too. Parallels software is also a "must have" if you still need to use some PC apps here n there. As you can then run them at the same time as your Mac stuff.
P,
As for games. I enjoy playing UT from time to time. And my 2.4ghz iMac plays UT2004 very well, and with Bootcamp also does a good job of UT3 as well. And thats the very latest game. But the gfx card in these iMacs is no Nvidea 8800GTS, granted.
As for the rest of the whole Mac VS PC thing. Its all been so done to death that im not going to enter into it further! There isn't an all round winner, only what is right for you. So the choice is entirely yours.
Im not really a huge Mac fan (boy) exactly.. Just someone who "likes" them and generally prefers them to the alternatives.
If you do plump for one, consider purchasing AppleCare for it too. Parallels software is also a "must have" if you still need to use some PC apps here n there. As you can then run them at the same time as your Mac stuff.
P,
If you're running OS X on Intel, and have non-universal applications, or run Windows in virtualisation (Parallels were the first and I use them, but the industry-leader VMware have an OS X version now AFAIK) then FILL YOUR MACHINE WITH RAM.
Seriously. Intel OS X running old PowerPC binaries does something called Rosetta (clever runtime binary instruction-set conversion, like a souped up version of what the old Dec Alpha could do), which can (under extreme conditions) double your RAM use for that app. Running Parallels and a copy of Windows is literally doubling your memory use (you're running two systems at the same time!).
On my previous contract, I had multiple heavy-use non-native apps (Microsoft Office - which has only been released as a universal binary very recently, and lacks macro support, so completely useless for me), one Win2k VM, Lotus Notes (memory hungry nasty port), an XML editor written in Java (memory hungry) and a load of unix stuff, and a Sybase database server. All running on my little MacBook with an additional monitor plugged in.
Ran like a dream, because I had 4 GB of RAM in it. At the time (2006?) it cost me an arm and a leg (the RAM cost more than the MacBook) but the very same 2GB so-dimms are £25 each now - I bought one for my Asus Eee a couple of weeks ago.
No excuse - get 4 GB RAM. OS X is BSD Unix (sorta) and, like all Unixes, like to munch on RAM anyway.
Seriously. Intel OS X running old PowerPC binaries does something called Rosetta (clever runtime binary instruction-set conversion, like a souped up version of what the old Dec Alpha could do), which can (under extreme conditions) double your RAM use for that app. Running Parallels and a copy of Windows is literally doubling your memory use (you're running two systems at the same time!).
On my previous contract, I had multiple heavy-use non-native apps (Microsoft Office - which has only been released as a universal binary very recently, and lacks macro support, so completely useless for me), one Win2k VM, Lotus Notes (memory hungry nasty port), an XML editor written in Java (memory hungry) and a load of unix stuff, and a Sybase database server. All running on my little MacBook with an additional monitor plugged in.
Ran like a dream, because I had 4 GB of RAM in it. At the time (2006?) it cost me an arm and a leg (the RAM cost more than the MacBook) but the very same 2GB so-dimms are £25 each now - I bought one for my Asus Eee a couple of weeks ago.
No excuse - get 4 GB RAM. OS X is BSD Unix (sorta) and, like all Unixes, like to munch on RAM anyway.
I use an iMac solely for working away from home. If I'm working at home then I use my Mac Pro and both give me the option of using OSX or Windows depending on the client's needs.
I've travelled everywhere with my iMac, but you do get a few funny looks when you're passing through an airport scanner - I use one of these (http://www.ilugger.com/blue-imac-carrying-case.cfm) to carry it around in (an all black version though).
Had the iMac for almost two years now, and was original carting my old G5 around everywhere - which is probably what caused it's demise I think.
I've travelled everywhere with my iMac, but you do get a few funny looks when you're passing through an airport scanner - I use one of these (http://www.ilugger.com/blue-imac-carrying-case.cfm) to carry it around in (an all black version though).
Had the iMac for almost two years now, and was original carting my old G5 around everywhere - which is probably what caused it's demise I think.
mmm-five said:
I use an iMac solely for working away from home. If I'm working at home then I use my Mac Pro and both give me the option of using OSX or Windows depending on the client's needs.
I've travelled everywhere with my iMac, but you do get a few funny looks when you're passing through an airport scanner - I use one of these (http://www.ilugger.com/blue-imac-carrying-case.cfm) to carry it around in (an all black version though).
Had the iMac for almost two years now, and was original carting my old G5 around everywhere - which is probably what caused it's demise I think.
they have a new product that might interest you. It's called a MacBook (PCs have a similar format called a laptop). It's like having an iMac that folds into two and has a protective cover. It also has a battery so that you can use it when out and about and is even more integrated than the iMac, because the keyboard and mouse are part of the package. The MacBook Pro is even availalbe with a 17" screen!I've travelled everywhere with my iMac, but you do get a few funny looks when you're passing through an airport scanner - I use one of these (http://www.ilugger.com/blue-imac-carrying-case.cfm) to carry it around in (an all black version though).
Had the iMac for almost two years now, and was original carting my old G5 around everywhere - which is probably what caused it's demise I think.
croxsons said:
I figure that there has been extensive arguements about Mac vs PC.
I have priced up an iMac, 24-inch, 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme and it works out at £1270 ex VAT when a few extras have been added on.
If I price up a fairly decent spec PC, say:
It comes out at under £800, allowing me an awful lot for a very nice monitor, or two for that matter.
Actually it allows you £470 for a monitor, which I'd bet is a little shy of the cost of a monitor of the iMac 24s quality. I'm saying this as an Apple Cinema Display user, the apple displays are very very nice to look at and work with.I have priced up an iMac, 24-inch, 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme and it works out at £1270 ex VAT when a few extras have been added on.
If I price up a fairly decent spec PC, say:
It comes out at under £800, allowing me an awful lot for a very nice monitor, or two for that matter.
Also - have you seen an iMac? Not sure why the dilemma really, they run very different software and I'd be walking out of the shop with the iMac while Joe Mug is still deciding what PC virus checker to use.
croxsons said:
is it easy to upgrade the memory myself? And will it invalidate the warranty?
Yes, and no.1 screw releases the memory hatch cover which is right at the bottom. Once off (can be a bit tight) you are faced with 2 (small) ram slots. Its as simple then as slotting in any other ram chip. Best to turn the iMac upside down to get better access. But other than that, its a doddle.
No warranty problems with doing this
While im here.. Im another Crucial memory customer and rate them quite highly, so would recommend them.
P,
Globulator said:
croxsons said:
I figure that there has been extensive arguements about Mac vs PC.
I have priced up an iMac, 24-inch, 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme and it works out at £1270 ex VAT when a few extras have been added on.
If I price up a fairly decent spec PC, say:
It comes out at under £800, allowing me an awful lot for a very nice monitor, or two for that matter.
Actually it allows you £470 for a monitor, which I'd bet is a little shy of the cost of a monitor of the iMac 24s quality. I'm saying this as an Apple Cinema Display user, the apple displays are very very nice to look at and work with.I have priced up an iMac, 24-inch, 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme and it works out at £1270 ex VAT when a few extras have been added on.
If I price up a fairly decent spec PC, say:
It comes out at under £800, allowing me an awful lot for a very nice monitor, or two for that matter.
Also - have you seen an iMac? Not sure why the dilemma really, they run very different software and I'd be walking out of the shop with the iMac while Joe Mug is still deciding what PC virus checker to use.
Adobe want me to uninstall my CS2.3 from my PC when they send over the Mac version, is there a way of them finding out if I don't?
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff