Imac first impressions -- whoa!

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My situation only lets me peck away a short time each day on the new machine. (iMac 20"; 2gbram; graphics upgrade; 250gbHD) However, compared to my existing PC, (HP media center m490m; P4; 3.4ghz; etc.) I am astonished in the early going. Here's why I'm impressed:

1) Imac is silent. Starting up the PC after an iMac session is startling.

2) Imac is faster. Existing PC is clean and about as fast as it gets short of gaming machines. However, iMac is 2-3 times faster getting around the internet site-to-site or page-to-page within a site. Download speeds similarly faster. Cable and modem are the same so the difference is the machine. Photo manipulation also much faster. For example, bringing one particular 55mb tif poster from HD to screen, takes 2-4 seconds on the PC. Takes under 1/2 second on the iMac. I don't know what combination of attributes accounts for the difference, but its really something.

These were really just anecdotal tests. Haven't done enough to comment on my serious aps yet but I see no reason not to expect similar improvement in performance compared with PC based on this early experience.

3) Imac is portable. This is no laptop, but with only three components and just a little over 20lbs it is desk-to-desk portable. I can take this with me when I change locations.

4) Imac starts up and shuts down quickly and quietly. Cold start-up about 35 seconds. Shut down about 5 seconds. Sleep and reawaken in seconds. PC takes 4-5 times that long for everything and makes noises while its doing it.

5) Imac doesn't waste my time with maintenance chores either for the machine itself or for the programs the PC needs to accomplish the maintenance. Notwithstanding my having to learn the new (to me) OS, this leaving behind of those incredibly annoying maintenance requirements is indescribably wonderful.

6) Imac reads and processes data from my external drive and flash drive via USB2 connection much faster than PC

More later. On we go.
 
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Not saying you are lying, but I don't see how your internet speed is significantly faster. Besides the write speed of the hdd and the ram perhaps, I don't know what else would help the imac speed up your internet.

I have 4 pcs, in a WIDE range of specs, from a lowly, almost 10yr old P3 450mhz to the machine my mini replaced, AMD XP2100 (1.67ghz) and my internet speed (surfing around/download) is virtually indentical on all.

Now some of the other points I agree:

1) startup time is sick on my mini - 15-17sec

2) shutdown in mere seconds

3) virtually silent compared to my last pc which sounded like it was ready for takeoff

All that said though, my 3yr old pc is still faster than the mini at opening apps. Mini is still stock 512mb ram, but so is pc. Hoping to upgrade ram soon and see an improvement.
 
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McNewbie

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I think then that the saying is running true then for most "Mac First Timers" which is: "Once you go Mac you never go back"...lol~
 
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voodoodaddy said:
Not saying you are lying, but I don't see how your internet speed is significantly faster. Besides the write speed of the hdd and the ram perhaps, I don't know what else would help the imac speed up your internet.

As I said, I don't understand what factors are involved in producing the difference I've observed. However, during this transition period I'm working with the two machines side-by-side on the same desk. I've been surfing with this particular PC for two years so am very familiar and accustomed. The internet speed differences I described between it and the new iMac are quite impossible to ignore.

PS: Not saying you're less than diplomatic, but I think there are nicer ways to express your doubt.
 
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If you are using firefox on the PC it definately loads/renders images more slowly than safari or internet explorer. Just a thought...
 
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ezhangin said:
If you are using firefox on the PC it definately loads/renders images more slowly than safari or internet explorer. Just a thought...

Had a class at the Apple Store today (ProCare program) and talked to a couple reps about it there. They've heard this before. They said it doesn't make sense in terms of connections and the usual specs of the machines but suspect may be related to firewalls, AV programs and other stuff on the PC which the iMac doesn't have. No clear answer, just fishing. I don't really need to know why. Just very happy to see the improvement with iMac.

Was using Safari. May try FireFox one of these days.
 
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asolo said:
Had a class at the Apple Store today (ProCare program) and talked to a couple reps about it there. They've heard this before. They said it doesn't make sense in terms of connections and the usual specs of the machines but suspect may be related to firewalls, AV programs and other stuff on the PC which the iMac doesn't have. No clear answer, just fishing. I don't really need to know why. Just very happy to see the improvement with iMac.

Was using Safari. May try FireFox one of these days.

so many different factors can contribute to internet speed especially what the reps mentioned above. I actually thought my internet ran slower on my mini than my PC it replaced here at home. However i am using a combination of Safari and FireFox and no longer notice any difference.

you could have a few computers on the same network and they will each load the internet up differently during casual web browsing. I just purchased an iMac myself and am eager to see how it runs compared to the mini and my old PC. But first i have to clean my desk.... :)
 
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I believe what the original poster was referring to when he said the internet was faster, was the speed at which web pages load and are rendered. There is a very real speed difference between different browers, with MSIE being one of the slowest, and Safari being one of, if not the fastest. Real numbers here:
http://www.howtocreate.co.uk/browserSpeed.html
 
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LadyInRed

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One possible explaination for the internet being slower in XP than in OS X might be found here:

http://www.updatexp.com/dns-windows-xp.html

I'm a recent switcher, 2 months now, and my own experience with XP and the internet echoes what the OP's has observed. When it works its all good, but all too often things go wrong, and with so many variables to consider, its sometimes just easier to reinstall XP, rather than try to locate where the problem lies :(

Side note: I'm very happy with OS X and my new iMac. I won't say all is perfect, but overall its a much better experience than anything Windows, and I've used them all. I for one won't be going back to the pc world.
 
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I'll agree with the OP that my iMac is much faster at returning web pages than any of my windows machines, and I can't explain it either. It even appears faster than my high speed connections in my office. My wireless router is also only 802.11b, not the faster g version, and my connection is 1600 kbps dsl.

File downloads seem faster too, but I can't back that up.
 
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FWIW, it's now 7/10 -- about four weeks into the switch. As far as this thread is concerned, nothing to do other than re-iterate opinion posted at the beginning as repeatedly-obvious fact. It isn't my imagination or ego. The new iMac is noticeably/measureably faster.

PS: Haven't turned the PC on in over 10 days...an indication of how things are going, perhaps.
 
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Maybe there is some link to the ISP in all of this. My mini still appears to be slower on the net (hardwired to router, your choice of browser: FF, Safari, Camino) than my sons pc which is wireless running FF.
 
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m0bster

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voodoodaddy said:
Not saying you are lying, but I don't see how your internet speed is significantly faster.
His internet speed isnt significantly faster, but Safari is MUCH faster than IE with web pages. That gives the impression that the internet is faster. overall, though, the Mac outshines the PC in every facet except gaming...period.
 

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