mac pro
polycounter lvl 19
for anyone who's interested, heres the keynote speech: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/wwdc05/ (without that annoying PC vs MAC bullshit advertising)
one thing I just wanted to highlight though was a price comparison, check out the base specs (its a customizable machine so you can lump other stuff in there just like the G5 and G4)
2 x 2.66 GHZ Dual-Core Xeon
1gb ram
250 HDD
GeForce 7300GT, 256mb
16xdvd
for $2,499
Sounds expensive right?
The same spec machine from Dell, is $3,448!!
A saving of almost $1000...
For exactly the same spec machine!! That's just insane. You could buy a Mac Pro, install windows on it and use it as a windows machine. Alternatively you could make the mac os switch but in any case that's a huge saving whatever operating system you love and enjoy.
The myth that Macs are expensive for less power has finally been smashed.
Laptops also. The great thing about the intel laptops is that they are kind of like this modular object, with all of them sharing the same configuration, with only 5 or so variations. You're buying a tangible consumer product, without the headache of using a machine that gets discontinued 6 months down the road. (a-la HP style)
Some of my thoughts about the new features in OSX10.5 (leopard)
Time Machine:
This feature has been available in windowsXP for a long time but now it has some kind well defined purpose, instead of removing dodgy drivers or corrupted DLLs. What Apple are basically suggesting is that you go out and buy an external HDD, then just leave it plugged in. The mac will do the rest.
Spaces:
OK so this looks kinda cheesy because linux and windows have had multiple desktops for ages, but again Apple taken this and given it some kind of unified purpose. Before it was just useful to have multiple desktops, Apple are suggesting that you use it to group things you are working on.
Core Animation:
This is nice. Essentially giving graphic developers core features that can be called up using minimal lines of code.
one thing I just wanted to highlight though was a price comparison, check out the base specs (its a customizable machine so you can lump other stuff in there just like the G5 and G4)
2 x 2.66 GHZ Dual-Core Xeon
1gb ram
250 HDD
GeForce 7300GT, 256mb
16xdvd
for $2,499
Sounds expensive right?
The same spec machine from Dell, is $3,448!!
A saving of almost $1000...
For exactly the same spec machine!! That's just insane. You could buy a Mac Pro, install windows on it and use it as a windows machine. Alternatively you could make the mac os switch but in any case that's a huge saving whatever operating system you love and enjoy.
The myth that Macs are expensive for less power has finally been smashed.
Laptops also. The great thing about the intel laptops is that they are kind of like this modular object, with all of them sharing the same configuration, with only 5 or so variations. You're buying a tangible consumer product, without the headache of using a machine that gets discontinued 6 months down the road. (a-la HP style)
Some of my thoughts about the new features in OSX10.5 (leopard)
Time Machine:
This feature has been available in windowsXP for a long time but now it has some kind well defined purpose, instead of removing dodgy drivers or corrupted DLLs. What Apple are basically suggesting is that you go out and buy an external HDD, then just leave it plugged in. The mac will do the rest.
Spaces:
OK so this looks kinda cheesy because linux and windows have had multiple desktops for ages, but again Apple taken this and given it some kind of unified purpose. Before it was just useful to have multiple desktops, Apple are suggesting that you use it to group things you are working on.
Core Animation:
This is nice. Essentially giving graphic developers core features that can be called up using minimal lines of code.
Replies
A home brewed system could probably be built for less
However, that's still a very good deal for what you get.
Still my biggest complaint about Macs are the lack of good graphics cards. Laptops are awful in that regard, and to get a good 3d card in the mac pro you need to shell out 1650 for the quadro. 7300 is far too low end, and I don't touch ATI with a ten foot pole. Why no 7900 love?
I ended up getting an HP nw9440, which is similar statswise to the low end 15" macbook pro, only the HP has a 17" screen, and a quadro 1500m (think 7900 gt) in it. Oh and it costs 200 dollars less.
In my opinion Apple products are still too expensive with either not enough options, or not the *right* options for my needs. So even though they can now sort of run windows, it's still a no go.
OSX vs Vista is pointless. I don't use an OS, I use programs.
is comparable... at a grand less.. both don't include a monitor.
unfortunately, the low-mid range apples still are overpriced, but if i needed a powerhouse like that, i'd go for it in a heartbeat!
The macbook and imini both have integrated graphics, which obviously suck for gaming but can output 1080p movies to a HDTV (I have seen this in action, it's far from slow). Show me a rival product for the same money that can do that!
My HP laptop had an awesome graphics card for the time that I bought it, turns out it was too much for the configuration and melted.
The mac pro can use the following graphics cards:
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT (256MB)
NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 (512MB)
ATI Radeon X1900 XT (512MB)
(check it out http://www.apple.com/macpro/graphics.html)
For the money, I think they use good graphics cards. The laptops might not be blisteringly fast... but do you seriously need to play doom3 all day?
No thanks.
And I read the graphics configuration options, I mentioned them all in my previous post.
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT (256MB) Sucks, lowest end card Nvidia makes in the current gen
NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 (512MB) yay for performance, boo for 1650 USD price tag
ATI Radeon X1900 XT (512MB) Ati yuck. best price/performer, but it isn't Nvidia.
Anyway yes, I wouldn't advise a macbook pro just yet, not until they fix some fans on the damn things.
I use an imac 20" with the ati radeon x1600 256mb - runs max, HL2 and other things very very well. Not sure if the hardware inside is good value for money... probably not.
And it runs every piece of software he needs.
It's not me, I don't have a mac laptop. Yet.
Not really fare to compare something the end user has to assemble, and comes with zero support or software at all.
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I would assume anyone that has any use of a system like that has the smarts to build / optimize their own system, and you can get warranties through newegg or the manufacturers; winXP isn't exactly hard to come by. Really the only reason to get a mac is if you want the apple os... which any gamer doesn't.
The new mac pros are sweet any way you slice it. Good hardware, great OS. With even better just around the corner (dual quad cores and leopard being fully 64 bit).
Ultimately I only care about the software I use too, but good hardware to run it on, combined with a great OS just make these new machines that much more appealing.
Ati yuck. best price/performer, but it isn't Nvidia.
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You make me giggle.
I like how Mac is becoming tough competition.
My 400 dollar acer laptop (pentium m 1.8ghz, 512mb ddr, intel gma900) with Mac OSX 10.4.6, Ubuntu Linux, and Windows XP Pro all on a triple boot.
https://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion/Wis...tle=Apple+Sucks
is comparable... at a grand less.. both don't include a monitor.
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Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww Windows x64! what a pile!
Oh yeah, not to mention that what you have there in your wishlist wouldn't work. AMD's socket 939 chips don't support DDR2, it just wouldn't fit in the mobo... You're gonna have to bump it down to DDR PC3200 bro, unless you get Socket AM2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103751
I've got it all figured out
My 400 dollar acer laptop (pentium m 1.8ghz, 512mb ddr, intel gma900) with Mac OSX 10.4.6, Ubuntu Linux, and Windows XP Pro all on a triple boot.
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unfortunately, mac os only works on machines built by apple. or fortunately, depends how you look at it
link to info on how to do it
doesn't look very stable.
So you are telling me I would have to use LESS expensive ram? that totally changes my point.
Gwot said it best, people use macs, to use OSX. The hardware only looks like a bargain, cause people are so used to apple raping their wallets.
updated, tweaked ram, added PSU and DVD burner
$1,430.38
If I really was building this system, I am sure I could get it even lower, looking for parts with rebates.. etc.
as far as I can see.. if you have the knoweldge.. to use a workstation.. you have the knowledge to build one.. or should.
Otherwise, if I was buying grandma or mom a Mac, it would probably be a mini, much cheaper.
Just messing man, though I agree about the workstation, if you know how to use it, you know how to build it.
as far as I can see.. if you have the knoweldge.. to use a workstation.. you have the knowledge to build one.. or should.
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err, what?
I'd say about 0.000001% of computer users are arsed about shit like that. The rest just want to make fancy spreadsheets in Excel.
We are a minority that can actually make PC's (frankly I dislike building computers but have done in the past for myself and friends). Japan of all places, has probably the lowest interest in building PC's. People just throw them out and get a new one when they can't load Word up fast enough.
with hindsight, i would have gone the pre-built route earlier. would have saved me alot of trouble and busy nights.
I am not completely disregarding the mac as a useful machine. Just refuting the point that hawken had to make about not being able to buy the components for that price.
Buy a mac for OSX.. if you don't want OSX.. Build a PC yourself.. or call gateway or something.
http://www.powermax.com/articles_reviews/article.php?id=33
This guy sure got more than the standard unit.. Quadro...
I will say it appears to have some nice cooling, that fan rack was smooth and talk about heatsinks, I bet they add some weight to the unit.
Couldn't resist
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dude that looks like me waiting for a train here in Tokyo.
not sure of the connection between mac hardware and pedophiles or how that image is meant to represent pedophilia.
weak game sir.