Apple to drop sub-$500 Mac bomb at Expo

ThinkSecret.com ^ | December 28, 2004 | "Nick dePlume"

[general_re]

I think the 2:1 ratio is about right.

Doesn't really matter what we think - what matters is what we can prove, and I think that claim will be tough to prove.

[antiRepublicrat]

Asking these Mac enthusiasts to question anything about a Mac would be like asking a Jim Jones follower to ask whats in the Kool Aid.

Let's compare it to the comparable $500 Dell:

	Dell	Mac	Comments
Processor	2.4GHz Celeron	1.25GHz G4	Both have enough for the casual user
OS	XP Home Edition	Mac OS X	No comparison, Mac wins over the injured XP
Hard drive	40GB ATA 100	40-80GB, probably SATA	Likely same size, Mac drive will be faster
CD	CD + free CD/RW (special offer)	Combo drive	Mac does DVDs, Mac wins
Form factor	Standard bulky black case	Something small and sleek	Mac wins, saving your desk or floor space
Software	WordPerfect	Loaded with lots	Mac wins
Power/Noise	Sucks up a lot/loud	Uses very little/very quiet	Mac wins, also a good choice for a small home server
Monitor	None	None	Neither comes with a monitor, your main complaint about the Mac

[Rodney King]

OK, so then the Dell is not a $500 computer either. Otherwise, I don't know enough about computer tech to comment on whose hard drive is faster, etc.

[HAL9000]

Doesn't really matter what we think - what matters is what we can prove, and I think that claim will be tough to prove.

Perhaps we can run some benchmarks and settle the issue. What speed are you running now?

[Rodney King]

Modern Macs have Quartz Extreme, which greatly improves video performance

Yeah, but windows machines have Mach 5 radical edge with the quadrophonic Blaupunkt. It blows the Quartz Extreme away.

[Liberty Valance]

"People who compare Macs with PCs based on cold hard cash are deceiving themselves. The cost of virtually guaranteed virus, worm or spyware outbreaks can be many times the cost of your computer in lost time and aggravation."

I am a living testament to these problems. I want to get the new iMac G-5 17" flat panel.

[cmsgop]

Cool Deal! I already have a second iMac, but if I did not I would get this ot the eMac in a Heatbeat.

[cmsgop]

I bought back in at $20, it's all those darn iPods!!!!, If this keeps up it may split again buy back in.

[antiRepublicrat]

OK, so then the Dell is not a $500 computer either.

It shows there is a market for computers without monitors.

Otherwise, I don't know enough about computer tech to comment on whose hard drive is faster, etc.

ATA is an ancient standard for connecting the internal hard drive to the computer. It started to get phased out over the last year or so in favor of Serial ATA (SATA), which is the latest and greatest standard. I wouldn't buy any computer these days that only used ATA. I think the Dimension 3000 is the only desktop that Dell ships with ATA -- the rest of the line (starting at $800) uses SATA.

Anyway, I was wrong, the Dell apparently does ship with an el-cheapo monitor. OTOH, to get the Dell up to the likely feature set of the Mac would probably cost as much as that monitor. Updgrading XP Home Edition to something a bit closer to the Mac OS's abilities (XP Pro) would almost buy you a new monitor in itself.

[hedgie]

10.3.7 runs great on the 466 G3 iBook that I picked up for my son.

[kevkrom]

Sure, but its not a $499 computer.

Yes it is. While "package" prices are somewhat common in the "WinTel" PC market, most PC prices are quoted exclusive of the monitor.

[antiRepublicrat]

Yeah, but windows machines have Mach 5 radical edge with the quadrophonic Blaupunkt. It blows the Quartz Extreme away.

Yeah, well, the Mac's volume control goes up to 11!

(waiting for who catches the reference first)

But seriously, Quarts Extreme may be a stupid marketing name, but the underlying technology is awesome. Microsoft is still trying to duplicate it in an operating system with an unknown release date a couple of years away. Quarts Extreme is here, now, and it works.

[general_re]

Perhaps we can run some benchmarks and settle the issue.

Why reinvent the wheel? One, two, three - shall I go on?

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[kevkrom]

Yeah, well, the Mac's volume control goes up to 11! (waiting for who catches the reference first)

Couldn't you just make "10" louder?

[Andy from Beaverton]

I have a LinXcel USB KVM switch running my dual processor G4 Mac and my PC. The bummer is I have to run separate speakers.

[Rodney King]

Yes it is. While "package" prices are somewhat common in the "WinTel" PC market, most PC prices are quoted exclusive of the monitor.

Well, if there was no keyboard, mouse, or hard drive would you still say that "Apple was selling a $XXX computer"? If you got one of these "computers" for a kid for christmas, would the kid think that you had gotten him a computer?

[solitas]

S'about damned time! :)
I don't see any mention of PCI slottage though, or what kind of video (AGP/PCI)...
If they can keep the AC power requirements down it'll make a nice little server!
Sign me up for one.

[Andy from Beaverton]

Run a KVM switch and use only one keyboard, mouse and monitor.

[Rodney King]

Yeah, well, the Mac's volume control goes up to 11!

Nigel Tufnel.