sister_in_faith Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 So I want to get my honey his 'dream' computer, and he has decided on an I Mac 27" with 16 GB, boot camp and windows 7 (I don't even know what all that means! Not a big computer girl...) and it will be about $3,300. That includes a printer and some kind of package... My question is, is this a good computer? Worth the money? And is it pretty easy to learn how to operate? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy740 Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Apple makes some great computers that have a reputation of being very user-friendly. Sounds like he's looking for an 'ultimate' power-user system. Apple also makes some of the most expensive computer equipment too. (You can probably find a non-mac computer with similar specs for 1/2 the price and with a touch-screen.) Yes, this computer is a really good one and if it's what he wants... then all I have to wonder is when he's gonna marry you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sister_in_faith Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 HE SHOULD if I buy him stuff like this, huh?!? I bought him his dream grill this summer... You know the one with gas and charcoal side by side and a smoker attatched. The thing is 10 feet long for goodness sakes. He likes to do photo stuff and claims he wants to hook one of the piano keyboards up to it (although I've only seen him play a couple of times) he also plays games once in a blue moon... He does like to dink around with computers tho (he was just giving me a hard time when he got home and I scurried off to my room with the laptop... "Where are you going with OUR laptop, honey?" Go play with your grill. hee hee hee!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slamjet Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 The question is what is he going to do with it? Graphics? Photo and/or video post-production? Heavy duty gaming? Then yes. Anything else is a waste of money because Apple tends to update their software to the expense of hardware most of the time. But then I'm not an apple guy. Never cared for it, most likely never will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sister_in_faith Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Go play with your grill.ACTUALLY, that's not a bad idea. I'm hungry. <yelling into the livingroom> "HONEY!!!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubaloth Posted October 9, 2011 Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 It depends on what he is using it for. I am more and more surprised how people are buying an Apple computer and putting Windows on it. You could probably by all the parts and have the same computer yourself for half the money (or around that). Unless you work for NASA nobody really needs 16gb of RAM! (even though RAM is pretty cheap). It depends on what the computer is used for! Facebook? Internet? You don't need this computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sister_in_faith Posted October 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 He likes doing a lot of photo stuff... We take Sophie fly fishing a lot in the mountains, and I like taking pictures of him and Sophie... He likes to mess with the colors and contrasts and that kind of stuff... He wants to do music on it, and then (every once in a while) he plays games, which he may get into more if he had a good computer. He has a flight simulator thing and I got him a model airplane thingy a few christmases (sp?) ago he hasn't really been able to play. And he does a lot of presentations and stuff for his CIT and negotiator classes (he's an instructor)... We like to watch a lot of blutube videos and stuff like that... That's pretty much it I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sister_in_faith Posted October 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 Apple tends to update their software to the expense of hardware most of the time.slamjet??? what does this mean? Sorry, I'm really not much of a computer person...Thanks for all the input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleWyvern Posted October 9, 2011 Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 If it's possible for you to post the complete stats of this machine, I could answer your question more definitively. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bytebear Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Apple is overpriced. And that dream system is ridiculous. Is he going to be processing massive video files in real time? Or run a website with 50,000 concurrent users? Honestly, I don't see the point of spending more than $1000 for any but the most high end needs. I bought one exclusively for video editing, and still only spent $1200. My laptop is about $600 and is way beyond my needs for a laptop. The video editing software cost more than the PC. Oh, and Macs are easily 40% higher in cost than the equivalent PC hardware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleWyvern Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 (edited) Speaking of that, if you're feeling brave building your own computer isn't nearly as hard as everybody things it is. Building your own computer is often 30% less expensive (probably 50% less with a mac), you get to choose exactly what goes into your computer, and you have complete control over it. I could help you pick hardware if you want to go that route. :)EDIT: The only problem arises is if you are set on running OS X. With Apple, in order to run their operating system you must use their computer, with Apple hardware, an Apple monitor, an Apple keyboard, an Apple mouse, etc. That's why Apple can sell their computers so much higher: if you tried to install OS X on any other computer it would refuse to install. You're paying for the privilege to use OS X. Edited October 10, 2011 by LittleWyvern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 I tend to agree with bytebear. Computers are commodities these days. $500 should buy you a very good system, complete with screen and printer. $1000 should buy you a high-end workstation. I am a computer programmer and writer, and I have a two-year-old machine that was the cheapest decent machine available (I think I paid <$400). Today, it's still twice as much computer as I need, though I'm not complaining. Your "dream system" sounds very nice, to be sure -- too nice, vast overkill. Your hubby would probably be just as happy with a system at a fifth the price. If you insist on going Mac, then it will cost you two or three times as much for equivalent functionality, but you still should not be spending much over $1000, everything included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Tell him you'll match the cost of his computer with the cost of your wedding, but the wedding has to come first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Why get married if he's getting 10 foot grills and $3300 computers while being single? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy740 Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Unless you work for NASA nobody really needs 16gb of RAM! (even though RAM is pretty cheap). I still remember reading articles a few years ago when "no one would need more than 512mb ram" back when XP was the main OS. I'm typing this on my netbook and I've got 2 GB ram on it (the maximum I can have). I know that netbooks have weak processors... but the main needs on my netbook are the battery life (now about 5 hours on a 1-year old battery) and the size.We're finally at a time when computer requirements don't need to increase much to run the advanced software today. Yes, the better specs are certainly nice - particularly for video editing and online competitive gaming. But to run the basic office software (word processing, email) and other miscellaneous software... a very basic computer will do the job today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Why get married if he's getting 10 foot grills and $3300 computers while being single? :)Why buy the cow when you can get the grill for free? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sister_in_faith Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 For some reason I am under the impression that PC's crash a lot and Mac's don't... Is that right? And he has been tossing around the idea of rebuilding his old computer... he's got everything (monitor, speakers, all that stuff...) he would just have to rebuild the rest of it. But the poor guy has been trying to patch that thing together for years now. I don't know how many sound cards and video cards hes gone thru... thats one reason I thought we should just start over with a new computer... but this makes me rethink that... i may encourage him to look at that option again... hum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackmarch Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 (edited) So I want to get my honey his 'dream' computer, and he has decided on an I Mac 27" with 16 GB, boot camp and windows 7 (I don't even know what all that means! Not a big computer girl...) and it will be about $3,300. That includes a printer and some kind of package...My question is, is this a good computer? Worth the money? And is it pretty easy to learn how to operate?Thank you!Yes macs are good computersThe questions you need to ask, is what do you want, and what are you willing to work with, and how much are you wanting to spend?If you want to get something that just does the job with the least amount of money, probably PC.If you know how to work around and tweak the system to get more out of it, and don't mind the headaches, as well as being able to throw in more hardware when ya want, go pcIF you know youre going to be using mainly windows based programs probably want to look into getting a PC.If you want something thats more streamlined, userfriendly, and pretty much ready to go out of the box, with a lot less hair pulling (and capable of doing the major operating systems out there), and lots less mess, you may want to look into a mac.If you know youre going to need to use programs from both windows and the mac operating system, definitley loook into a mac.however if youre just wanting to do media consumption (such as watch movies, browse the internet, read stuff, send the occasional email..) i'd really suggest looking into an ipad (ease of use) or an android equivalent (more open operating system but not as streamlined as ipad).another thing to think about if youre really thinking of going the way of the imac is to waight till they get a couple of video in portsand last but not least, if you aren't married... are you willing to drop 500-2000$$ down on your friend?(to be honest if my friend did that to me i'd be ecstatic)Apple is overpriced. And that dream system is ridiculous. Is he going to be processing massive video files in real time? Or run a website with 50,000 concurrent users? Honestly, I don't see the point of spending more than $1000 for any but the most high end needs. I bought one exclusively for video editing, and still only spent $1200. My laptop is about $600 and is way beyond my needs for a laptop. The video editing software cost more than the PC. Oh, and Macs are easily 40% higher in cost than the equivalent PC hardware.yes they are. and the more I use PCs the more i'm liking the "overpriced" mac i bought.Dunno how the computer pricing works out but as of the original ipad when it came out that about 2/3 of the price was used up just for purchasing components from the various producers. and considering that everyone elses cheaper tablets price about the same as well I doubt it (with about the only seeming exception i've seen is the kindle fire). Edited October 10, 2011 by Blackmarch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackmarch Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 (edited) For some reason I am under the impression that PC's crash a lot and Mac's don't... Is that right? And he has been tossing around the idea of rebuilding his old computer... he's got everything (monitor, speakers, all that stuff...) he would just have to rebuild the rest of it. But the poor guy has been trying to patch that thing together for years now. I don't know how many sound cards and video cards hes gone thru... thats one reason I thought we should just start over with a new computer... but this makes me rethink that... i may encourage him to look at that option again... hum.It used to be, however operating sysytems are set up now so that if a program crashes it doesnt take the whole system down with it.. usually.I generally tend to have more fits of rage and angst with microsoft products as they usually do all the small things wrong >.<, but that tends to be more user interfface/software design rather than hardware problems Edited October 10, 2011 by Blackmarch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slamjet Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 slamjet??? what does this mean? Sorry, I'm really not much of a computer person...Thanks for all the input!Apple has a nasty habit of updating their software while at the same time making it not backwards compatible with the older hardware. I'm not sure if they do that much anymore because of their switch to more mainstream hardware. Plus, all their software (from what I understand) is more expensive. But then I'm biased because I've never been a fan of Apple to begin with.I'll tell you this, for the price of that computer, I was able to build a honking Windows computer that will spank it in every speed test including three monitors (and yes, I do use it for work). But there are some folks who will only have Apple computers. To each their own.But I tell people that the best gauge of what to get is what do your family/friends have? That way they can help out in case of emergency. For example, there is one sister in my Ward who is totally computer illiterate. Her son gave her an Apple laptop that he no longer used to check her emails with. The last thing I helped her with is what I believe is the button to turn it on and then I told her that she will need to get her son to show her how to use it because I don't touch Apples (I don't know anything about how they work, so I'm not going to mess with them). Her son moved so she's up the creek to find someone to help her out. The same with my oldest. Her biological dad gave her an Apple laptop for school. She knows to not call me with any issues with it because I'm clueless as to how to help her. So now that I confused you even more, good luck? BTW, I have 16 GB of memory in my computer but then I not only need to satisfy my geeky side, I need to run Adobe Creative Suite (at least that's my excuse). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slamjet Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 For some reason I am under the impression that PC's crash a lot and Mac's don't... Is that right? And he has been tossing around the idea of rebuilding his old computer... he's got everything (monitor, speakers, all that stuff...) he would just have to rebuild the rest of it. But the poor guy has been trying to patch that thing together for years now. I don't know how many sound cards and video cards hes gone thru... thats one reason I thought we should just start over with a new computer... but this makes me rethink that... i may encourage him to look at that option again... hum.I had an older computer that wasn't keeping up with what I was throwing at it. So here is what I built to replace it:- AMD Phenom II 965 (3.41GHz) Black Edition Processor- COOLER MASTER Hyper N 520 processor Fan- Two G.SKILL Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 Memory (16 GB total)- ASUS Sabertooth 990FX Motherboard- Two ZOTAC ZT-50401-10L GeForce GTX 550 Ti video cards- Three Hanns.G HH241 23.6" Monitors- Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W Power Supply- NZXT Gama Case- Three 120mm Case fans- 1.5TB SATA 6.0Gb Hard drive- Asus DVD-RW- Windows 7 Home Premium OEMI got all my components from newegg.com and it ran me around $2000.00 at the time. And I can assure you that it will spank that Apple computer any day. As far as crashes, not a one. Windows have gotten much, much, much better so that crashing problem really is no longer a concern. Just so long as you have a good anti-virus and anti-spyware software running and protecting your system and are not messing with it too much such as over-clocking, etc.As for my old computer, it is now connected to my TV. So now that I've confused you even more, good luck :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sister_in_faith Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Thank you slamjet! I am going to encourage him to price out how much it would be to rebuild his old computer... He likes having more than on cd drive, and he has umpteenmillion USB ports on his old computer, which he wouldn't have with a mac... hummmmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierGuy Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 So I want to get my honey his 'dream' computer, and he has decided on an I Mac 27" with 16 GB, boot camp and windows 7 (I don't even know what all that means! Not a big computer girl...) and it will be about $3,300. That includes a printer and some kind of package...My question is, is this a good computer? Worth the money? And is it pretty easy to learn how to operate?Thank you! 16 GB hard drive? Isn't that rather small for a new computer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 I tend to agree with bytebear. Computers are commodities these days. $500 should buy you a very good system, complete with screen and printer. $1000 should buy you a high-end workstation. I am a computer programmer and writer, and I have a two-year-old machine that was the cheapest decent machine available (I think I paid <$400). Today, it's still twice as much computer as I need, though I'm not complaining.Your "dream system" sounds very nice, to be sure -- too nice, vast overkill. Your hubby would probably be just as happy with a system at a fifth the price. If you insist on going Mac, then it will cost you two or three times as much for equivalent functionality, but you still should not be spending much over $1000, everything included.Wintel machines are commodities. Macs are highly differentiated. There's a reason Apple is the most successful company on earth... and it's not because they sell window boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 (edited) So I want to get my honey his 'dream' computer, and he has decided on an I Mac 27" with 16 GB, boot camp and windows 7 (I don't even know what all that means! Not a big computer girl...) and it will be about $3,300. That includes a printer and some kind of package...My question is, is this a good computer? Worth the money? And is it pretty easy to learn how to operate?Thank you!Tis the stuff that dreams are made of.9 years ago we got our first Mac. Now we have 7, including the very first one that still works great (and two iPads, 6 iPhones and a bunch of iPods). We threw out our last Windows PC 3 years ago - it was only a few years old but worthless. I got my latest just last year so I don't need one right now but otherwise I'd get the exact same dream machine you are looking at with less memory however. 16 is a lot. Plus, the new Macs all have Thunderbolt - the PC herd will have to wait till next year to join the 21st century.Your husband is a fortunate man. Edited October 11, 2011 by Snow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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