iMac All-in-One?

[Watchmen]

I'm a long-time PC user, but I've had it with poor performance and virus issues. I'm thinking of switching to a Mac, based mainly on those brilliant commercials.

Right now, I'm looking at the iMac All-in-One. Does anyone have experience with it? Any opinions/reviews?

Thanks!

Apple - iMac - The all-in-one desktop for your photos, movies and music.

 

[Apex]

If you go to the Dark Side I will have to completely shun you. I am sorry, but you will force my hand.

 

[Watchmen]

If you go to the Dark Side I will have to completely shun you. I am sorry, but you will force my hand.

That's not helpful.

 

[TheKnight]

Macs and PCs are either good or bad for what you are using them for. My opinion is that if you are only going to use a computer for everyday functions (such as typing etc) then a mac is better. If you are going to use a computer for music/movie editing, then a mac is better*. If you want a computer for gaming, you will always win with a PC. If you want a computer for programming, you will always win with a PC.

Ultimately it depends on why you're using it. I like to mess around with programming so I like PCs better. And I don't have anti-virus software and rarely get viruses.

Movie/music editing can be easy and good with a PC, BUT you'll almost always have to pay a lot for a good music/movie editor with a PC whereas with a mac such products are easier to find, they are cheaper, and they're easier to use.


*By better I mean easier to use.

 

[DadBurnett]

I'm a long-time PC user, but I've had it with poor performance and virus issues. I'm thinking of switching to a Mac, based mainly on those brilliant commercials.

Right now, I'm looking at the iMac All-in-One. Does anyone have experience with it? Any opinions/reviews?

Thanks!

Apple - iMac - The all-in-one desktop for your photos, movies and music.

I have not used an IMac, however I checked it out, read the reviews, bought an IMac magazine, etc and what I found that the programs I use most are Windows based and many of my other programs I use will not run on the IMac. So, for me, I boughta a new Windows based PC. It all depends, I think, on exactly what it is you want ot use it for. Another consideration, about your job or future vocations ... what will you be apt to be called on to be familiar with, Mac of PC? Good luck.

 

[BucephalusBB]

I'm a long-time PC user, but I've had it with poor performance and virus issues.

This sounds like a usererror, not a computer error.

I'm thinking of switching to a Mac, based mainly on those brilliant commercials.

Now if you would have said you liked the design of apple I would be "It's getting old by now to me, but ok..". If you said you liked the slick design of the OS I couldn't agree more! If you said you are a multimedia-user only and do not play games on your pc, you made the right choice...

But you are deciding this over a brilliant commercial?????

Right now, I'm looking at the iMac All-in-One. Does anyone have experience with it? Any opinions/reviews?

I can give you an opinion..
I am definatelly not a mac-fan. But I won't bash it either anymore. If you have the right reason to switch, by all means do so. (To be honest though, your reasons are not good ones in my mind )

A mac is a combination. You either compare windows with OSX or you compare any hardware to Apple's hardware. If you wish power and performance in hardware, no apple could beat a pc. Generally you can get better hardware for the pc. As you are going for the all in one, I asume you prefer a neat and clean solution. Mind that it won't be easy adding hardware if ever you want to.
Also, you are paying for all that design.. Macintosh computers can be twice the price of a PC with the same hardware sometimes. I just checked the $2199 version of your link and it's hardware equals mine (Even though my pc has a bit stronger hardware), but mine must have been $500 cheaper or so..(And then I run SLI, so the difference could have easilly been $750 or more)
Now back to my opinion.. The macdesign bore me.. They were awesome at first, but... meh..
Personally there would be no way I would pay that much for design..

About OSX vs Windows.. preferences.. As said before, if you are into gaming, forget this OS.. If you are into multimedia, embrace it!

 

[Apex]

That's not helpful.

You need to give us some more information as to exactly what you want your computer to be able to do and what you will use it for. For example, do you wish to upgrade your computer any time in the future? If you do then the majority of macs are out of the question, especially the one you are looking at. In order to upgrade those, you basically need to buy and entire new system. You can also take my setup as an example. I thrive on customization and being able to upgrade. I also have a limited budget. To get the equivalent set up using a mac as what I have now would have cost me twice as much money.

 

[silvermoon383]

I fully encourage your switch to Mac. Everything about MacOS is simple and intuitive, the hardware runs just fine and doesn't have to be upgraded, cleaned-out, or repaired every 6 months like a Windows PC. You have no compatibility issues to worry about (everything made for MacOS runs perfectly), no BSOD to worry about (the last time I had the Mac BSOD was back in 2002 after I tried to force a MacOS 8.4 max computer to run 8.5. I didn't know at the time that you couldn't do that.), and there are Mac programs for everything now.

And if your work/school/favorite game company give you programs that are Windows only? Not a problem: ever since MacOS 10.5 (we're on 10.6 now) it comes with a handy utility program called Boot Camp. It's a simple partitioning program that helps you install Windows on the computer as well, just in case. It saved my game withdraw issues.

And just remember, pretty much everything Microsoft has done Windows is a bad copy of what Apple has done for Mac.

 

[BucephalusBB]

the hardware runs just fine and doesn't have to be upgraded, cleaned-out, or repaired every 6 months like a Windows PC.

This is just silly..
The I-Mac he is searching for has a normal intel duocore processor, a normal nvidiacard (Or ATI 4850 with the upgrade), a normal motherboard, RAM etc..
So this is the hardware that goes in both your mac and PC. (On of the reasons why nowadays you can install windows easilly on your mac..) If you do not need to upgrade your MAC with that hardware, neither do you need to upgrade your PC.
"Cleaned out" and "repaired" has to do with the manufacturers of the PC, So stop buying medion/trust/etc and get asus/HP/etc..

I am no longer in favor of bashing MAC, but if others will bash microsoft I will speak in their defence..

 

[YmirGF]

I am no longer in favor of bashing MAC, but if others will bash microsoft I will speak in their defence..

I couldn't agree more. For the most part, the mac world is no longer superior. Perhaps in and before 1995 but that was a fairly long time ago.

I did get a chuckle out of the comment that the OP was influenced by a commercial.

The notion that PC have to be repaired every six months is plain ludicrous and if there are any problems it is likely because the end-user "cheaped out" to begin with.

If Apple had been really serious in its attacks on the Windows based systems they would have hit hard and dirty way back in 1998 when Windows crashed just by looking at it. They passed on that and now their commercials just look silly. Frankly, it wouldn't even occur to me to buy an Apple product.

 

[Panda]

Like others said need more info on what you want it for. Also are you willing to pay a lot more for the design of the Mac? As a lot of the price of a Mac is in the design and style not the actually hardware or software.

 

[BucephalusBB]

If Apple had been really serious in its attacks on the Windows based systems they would have hit hard and dirty way back in 1998 when Windows crashed just by looking at it. They passed on that and now their commercials just look silly. Frankly, it wouldn't even occur to me to buy an Apple product.

Actually, I think Windows '98 SE was a pretty decent OS.. It was a year later where they would have needed to beat ME.. That would have been easy..
About buying an apple prduct, I wouldn't know. I do think they are growing towards the right direction now with adding standard hardware, the acception of other standards like USB and compatibillity. Untill they would accept the upgrade of hardware (including beta and new products) however, it would never become a primairy system for me.
A friend of mine did go apple all the way and the compatibility support of apple product between eachother is amazing!

 

[Apex]

A friend of mine did go apple all the way and the compatibility support of apple product between eachother is amazing!

That is one of the benefits of a company who maintains an iron fist on what it will allow to run on its machines. The downfall is while you get great compatibility, you only get to choose from a few pre-approved products.

 

[Watchmen]

I was influenced by Apple's clever marketing because it has led me to believe tha PC's crash, get viruses and have performance issues all the time while it's smoot sailing with a Mac. Someone said if I have issues it must be user-error. I use protection that updates regularly, but my wife's computer is dealing with a couple viruses that it can't seem to shake. At this point, it will take someone who knows a lot more than I do to clean up her system.

We use computers mainly for surfing the net, watching videos, and storing/editing photos.

ZERO gaming. ZERO desire to upgrade or fiddle around with the computer (I'll buy a new one when it's time).

Price isn't really a barrier.

I'll also say that things went downhill when I switched to Vista - someone told me it's because Vista demands too much of somethign (ram???).

 

[BucephalusBB]

Now we are getting somewhere

I was influenced by Apple's clever marketing because it has led me to believe tha PC's crash, get viruses and have performance issues all the time while it's smoot sailing with a Mac.

That's what commercials do
And ofcourse in avarage there is some truth in it as well. For example, when I bought my ddr3 motherboard it was brandnew on the market and the first few firmwares did give me crashes. This could not have happened with Mac's hardware simply because they wouldn't allow it. However, statistics grow blurry here as one of the reasons why I didn't take a mac was because I wanted to take that risk.. And my only option was a PC.

Someone said if I have issues it must be user-error. I use protection that updates regularly, but my wife's computer is dealing with a couple viruses that it can't seem to shake. At this point, it will take someone who knows a lot more than I do to clean up her system.

I guess I am that someone.. And it merely based on experience. Now I am one of those computernerds that help family and friends with their PC's. I can remember helping people in the '90 removing virusses and spyware to clean up their computer. Nowadays, people need some spywarecleanup once in a while, but even then the automatic weekly scans seem sufficient. Now I am only needed for homenetworks and new hardware
You allready admit that your PC with regularly updates is doing better than your wife's computer.

We use computers mainly for surfing the net, watching videos, and storing/editing photos.

Ok, purelly based on this, and nothing more, both OSX and Windows would suit you fine. Mind that drivers are different on both operatingsystems. Now an expensive good camera will surelly have mac-drivers as well. However, some cheap camera's are not so good in driver support. They will have the windowsdrivers, but better check if it is mac-compatible before you buy one.

ZERO gaming. ZERO desire to upgrade or fiddle around with the computer (I'll buy a new one when it's time).

Again, purelly based on this, both OS's should suffice.

I'll also say that things went downhill when I switched to Vista - someone told me it's because Vista demands too much of somethign (ram???).

Updates enabled? I agree that Vista gave some troubles before the first Service Pack. However, most troubles were solved with SP1. When you are going for the next PC, you should get either Windows 7 or the upgrade Vista>7 pack and windows 7 is in my eyes a magnificent OS. So you'll be fine, wichever OS you take.. After you checked the drivers of your camera's/mobile phone-camera's

 

[Panda]

I was influenced by Apple's clever marketing because it has led me to believe tha PC's crash, get viruses and have performance issues all the time while it's smoot sailing with a Mac. Someone said if I have issues it must be user-error. I use protection that updates regularly, but my wife's computer is dealing with a couple viruses that it can't seem to shake. At this point, it will take someone who knows a lot more than I do to clean up her system.

Viruses and stuff are normally caused by users opening things they shouldn't be (provided they have firewalls, anti virus etc). Few tips like not opening emails from people you don't know, especially ones with attachments, avoiding sites that seem dodgy you should be able to stay completely virus free. I've only ever got viruses when I've not followed those rules.

We use computers mainly for surfing the net, watching videos, and storing/editing photos.

Macs have some wonderful photo editing software.

ZERO gaming. ZERO desire to upgrade or fiddle around with the computer (I'll buy a new one when it's time).

Then either should be fine for you

Price isn't really a barrier.

Like I said before you can get a far superior PC for the same price as you would pay for the Mac, this is probably the main reason I don't consider getting a Mac.

I'll also say that things went downhill when I switched to Vista - someone told me it's because Vista demands too much of somethign (ram???).

Yup though Windows 7 fixes a lot of these problems, I am using it just now and it runes perfectly had no issues with it at all, hasn't ever crashed on me or froze. Plus it is so easy and intuitive to use and would recommend that if you get a PC make sure get windows 7 or vista with 7 upgrade. I wouldn't bother getting another Vista machine.

 

[Apex]

FYI, Windows 7 comes out on the 22nd of this month. So if you go for a PC, wait till after that date for a good computer that will already have Win7 preinstalled for you.

EDIT: Also, if that all-in-one imac looks good to you, there are several PC variants that are equally as beautiful, more if you ask me. Ill see if I can hunt them down. Although if you have a local Best Buy they always have one or two on display.

 

[Apex]

Found it.

HP® Official Store — Buy an HP TouchSmart IQ800 and IQ800t series desktop PC from HP
It has a touch screen too.
And it comes with a free windows 7 upgrade.

 

[Watchmen]

The iMac I'm looking at has the following specs:

24 in. screen.

3.06 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo.

4GB memory.

1 TB hard drive.

NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 w/ 512 MB of GDDR3 memory.

Various inputs, ports, bluetooth and so on.

 

[Apex]

The iMac I'm looking at has the following specs:

24 in. screen.

3.06 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo.

4GB memory.

1 TB hard drive.

NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 w/ 512 MB of GDDR3 memory.

Various inputs, ports, bluetooth and so on.

If it is the same one I am looking at for $2,199, all I can say is HOLY **** that mother is over priced!! I just ran through the HP I posted and customized it to better specs and it still came out at $500 less then the mac. The only real differences were it had a 2.8 GHZ processor, and DDR2 RAM. But, from what you said you will use it for, you would not even know the difference.

EDIT: with the $500 savings you could buy a better CPU than the mac and install it after market.