All right. I'm a senior in high school and I'm thinking for x-mas to ask for a computer. But right now I'm so stuck on either an Alienware computer which overs much more memory and such or if i should get an iMac decked out. See the problem I posses?? please help....I need the computer for home for two years then in a dorm for three I need it to last and peform well for school.
Windows PC or Mac
- Thread starter YoungJimi
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What draws you to alienware? It's way overpriced even for a gaming rig.
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Well I'd get a Mac personally 
Get what you *want*. You'll probably be happy with either, but have a look through the OS X pages on the Apple site to see if it whets your appetite.
Get what you *want*. You'll probably be happy with either, but have a look through the OS X pages on the Apple site to see if it whets your appetite.
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macs cost a bit more. but you get a better quality product. hardware and software.
There are almost NO viruses on Mac. Windows viruses are expected to hit about 1,000,000 soon (thats 1 million).
There are almost NO viruses on Mac. Windows viruses are expected to hit about 1,000,000 soon (thats 1 million).
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An iMac with a 3.06 C2D and an 8800GS would suffice for a good amount of games, now that being said your not going to max Crysis out or anything. I play most anything in bootcamp on XP with my iMac, it's a 2.66 C2D. The reason why a Mac will cost you more versus a PC is the overall mechanical design is superior in every way, they use cutting edge processors, memory, and peripherals, they are up to date using EFI instead of old world rom, iLife is a SWEET USABLE software suite, and OSX is 64-bit (if your CPU supports it) with full backwards compatibility with 32-bit, no choosing this or that version of the OS to 64-bit, and then trying to get 64-bit drivers, etc etc, and OSX is a sweet OS in general.
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Definitely go with a mac if you want it to *last*.
My mum bought alienware and the crap they load on it is crazy. The "skin" that is used doesn't work with some programs such as Yahoo messenger, just makes the programs crash unless you uninstall the skin program.
Save yourself some money on buying and registering spyware and virus software as well.
My mum bought alienware and the crap they load on it is crazy. The "skin" that is used doesn't work with some programs such as Yahoo messenger, just makes the programs crash unless you uninstall the skin program.
Save yourself some money on buying and registering spyware and virus software as well.
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I see, you may be making the classic mistake of selecting the RAM and upgrades from the apple store.
Try costing up the other way. Select the base system you want. THen go to third parties like crucial and cost up the extra ram and hard drive there, see how much money you save
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Mac will definitely last you through college. My mac mini lasted me through high school and im starting college in 2 weeks and my MBP is coming with me haha. Im pretty sure it will last 4 years =p
ohhh so your saying get the basic of the computer I want and get upgrades else where. That's a great idea idk why I didn't think of that. That's probably what I'll end up doing. What do you mean buy from crucial?
Crucial is a company that sells RAM. They're very reasonable for pricing, and they sell high quality memory. As for whether to get a Mac or an Alienware... I just recently bought an iMac, and I'll tell you my experience. Maybe you can use that to make up your mind?
I play some games, but wouldn't consider myself "hardcore" anymore. I enjoy WoW, thinking of trying out Warhammer, and would like to give Spore a shot. Crysis is nice and all, but it doesn't seem to offer me much over Call of Duty 4. I actually like the environment of CoD4 better, tbh. FPS just seem to be very much the same now, and that's fine --- it's a genre that works. I purchased the iMac 3.06 C2D with the Geforce 8800GS. It's playing anything I throw it like it was an old NES ROM -- lightning fast!
--I love the form factor of the iMac as well. It takes up no more room on my desk than a monitor. I like the style a LOT. The monitor screen itself is downright amazing, and has to be seen in person to realize how beautiful and perfect it displays. I have a (what I thought was fantastic looking) Viewsonic 22" widescreen. I just recently set it up as a second monitor on the iMac, and the iMac screen is simply lightyears beyond the 22".
--I like how OSX operates in quite a few ways. Cut and Paste is a feature I'm missing, but not too much. Moving files is pretty easy once you learn the "Mac way" of doing it. Also, you can move files within OSX while they're being downloaded (unlike Windows). I just figured that out on accident the other day. Not a selling point necessarily, but a neat trick
I think what you need to ask yourself is "What am I purchasing a computer for?" "What is my endgoal, and my requirements to get there?".
1) Hardcore, bleeding-edge gaming? Get an Alienware, Dell XPS, or something simliar. Prepare yourself for the cost though.
2) Office products for school/work? Any competent system will do, and you won't need high end hardware at all. A Mac Mini or nearly any system that runs Windows at all.
3) Casual gaming as I described above? An iMac, or a medium-level Windows system. Maybe any Dell except the bottom-price garbage. The lowest price Dells, in my opinion, are barely worth the plastic enclosing them. The medium priced systems are far more worth it. HP/Compaq as well.
4) Audio/Video production? iMac or Mac Pro, hands down. I wouldn't even consider a Windows computer for that.
5) Email/Youtube? Buy the cheapest thing you can get your hands on. I would suggest an Eee PC with Linux. They're amazing, and I love the size and ease of use. ANYONE can use the Eee PC. No geek required.
I think you'll do just fine if you research all your options. Good luck!
I play some games, but wouldn't consider myself "hardcore" anymore. I enjoy WoW, thinking of trying out Warhammer, and would like to give Spore a shot. Crysis is nice and all, but it doesn't seem to offer me much over Call of Duty 4. I actually like the environment of CoD4 better, tbh. FPS just seem to be very much the same now, and that's fine --- it's a genre that works. I purchased the iMac 3.06 C2D with the Geforce 8800GS. It's playing anything I throw it like it was an old NES ROM -- lightning fast!
--I love the form factor of the iMac as well. It takes up no more room on my desk than a monitor. I like the style a LOT. The monitor screen itself is downright amazing, and has to be seen in person to realize how beautiful and perfect it displays. I have a (what I thought was fantastic looking) Viewsonic 22" widescreen. I just recently set it up as a second monitor on the iMac, and the iMac screen is simply lightyears beyond the 22".
--I like how OSX operates in quite a few ways. Cut and Paste is a feature I'm missing, but not too much. Moving files is pretty easy once you learn the "Mac way" of doing it. Also, you can move files within OSX while they're being downloaded (unlike Windows). I just figured that out on accident the other day. Not a selling point necessarily, but a neat trick
I think what you need to ask yourself is "What am I purchasing a computer for?" "What is my endgoal, and my requirements to get there?".
1) Hardcore, bleeding-edge gaming? Get an Alienware, Dell XPS, or something simliar. Prepare yourself for the cost though.
2) Office products for school/work? Any competent system will do, and you won't need high end hardware at all. A Mac Mini or nearly any system that runs Windows at all.
3) Casual gaming as I described above? An iMac, or a medium-level Windows system. Maybe any Dell except the bottom-price garbage. The lowest price Dells, in my opinion, are barely worth the plastic enclosing them. The medium priced systems are far more worth it. HP/Compaq as well.
4) Audio/Video production? iMac or Mac Pro, hands down. I wouldn't even consider a Windows computer for that.
5) Email/Youtube? Buy the cheapest thing you can get your hands on. I would suggest an Eee PC with Linux. They're amazing, and I love the size and ease of use. ANYONE can use the Eee PC. No geek required.
I think you'll do just fine if you research all your options. Good luck!
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