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Exodus
Your Daddy
Premium Member
join:2001-11-26
Earth

1 recommendation

Exodus to itguy05

Premium Member

to itguy05

Re: Ready to dump Windows, is Mac or Linux better for me?

I do not sell systems. I've never sold systems. I've assembled hundreds and I've put all of mine together since I was 12 back in the early 90's.

We're in a position where we're giving advice to people who are already technically proficient enough to get here. The DIY PC assembly is easier than it ever was. There's no jumpers to screw around with. There's no voltage settings to screw with. Everything is color coated and everything plugs in one way and is blatantly obvious and labeled. You only screw around with that stuff if you want to and that's if you're beyond the hobbyist level.

In another forum on the same site, we regularly assist people with finding a series of components that will help them get the computer they want. We're talking about gamers here, who have steeper requirements. The big expense in these systems? The video card. Typically, you're going to need the PSU to back it up as well.

If we're giving advice on how to assemble solid computers for people that aren't gamers, like the OP, the price goes from $1299 down to about $500 for the same hardware. We're not talking about junk hardware either. We're talking about suggesting only quality hardware that is thoroughly tested and reviewed by independent sources (like Tom's Hardware) and purchased from reputable sites with good prices and good return/warranty policies (like NewEgg).

The $200 difference is for a pre-built system based off a ZD Net recommendation that appears to be video-only, so I can't even compare the hardware specs to see what's different.

The point I'm trying to reinforce is that the Mac Tax is very real and very expensive. You have to find high-end OEM builds to compare to low-end Apple builds with price. If someone's asking between Windows, Mac, and Linux, it means they already know what Linux is and they're competent enough to tackle a new build.

I understand the appeal of an Apple. I understand why people want their products, but I wanted to clear up the myth that the Mac Tax was minimal, as it is not.

I live in Mechanicsburg, so a few minutes away at most.
itguy05
join:2005-06-17
Carlisle, PA

itguy05

Member

I get helping people build them. I got from the OP that he was looking for something he can buy in a store rather than DIY.

I did the DIY route before I got my first Mac. Even choosing "quality stuff" there was always some little nagging issue. If you ended up with DOA or a bum component 6 months later you were SOL until your RMA was processed. Not so with a packaged computer. Heck, when my Macbook's Hard Drive died in 2008 I was in and out of the Apple store with a whole new computer in 30 minutes.
quote:
The point I'm trying to reinforce is that the Mac Tax is very real and very expensive. You have to find high-end OEM builds to compare to low-end Apple builds with price.
I get that but Apple's low end stuff is generally on par with mid to high end PC stuff. Look at Ultrabooks - something Apple pioneered. And generally they are all priced around Apple's prices. Look at that Dell I linked - it's priced the same as a Macbook Pro but the MBP has better battery life.

Decent AIO's are also around the same price as an iMac.

IMHO, the tax argument only comes into play when you go low end PC to Apple's low end. And then you are giving up much to go low end (like build quality, speed, battery life, weight, etc).

I sampled the Low End Netbook market with an Acer from BJ's. Seemed good on paper, 250GB HD, dual core AMD CPU, 2GB, high resolution screen, etc. The thing is a dog in Windows and Linux. The display is subpar. But it was $299.

I think even the PC industry has realized the race to the bottom hurts more than it helps. I believe you are seeing prices creep up there as vendors realize they have to actually make money rather than build cheap junk.

It is an interesting discussion and in the end it's up to the user to decide what they want. Do they want something a tad more expensive that will be like the TV where it just works? Or do they want to tinker? Both options appeal to different people.
quote:
I live in Mechanicsburg, so a few minutes away at most.
Small world - we used to be in Camp Hill but ended up in Carlisle.