Apple versus Dell
Take a look at Dell's site at: http://www1.us.dell.com/content/prod...=19&l=en&s=dhs and then compare, for example, their 2400, 4700, 8400, and XPS Gen4, to the various Apple models [eMacs, iMacs, G4, mini, etc.]. I'm in the process of trying to convince quite a few friends and family members that an Apple configured in similar fashion to these models will be a much better choice for them. However, my knowledge is limited as to all of the specs and possibilities that all the various Apple's can offer. Main concern is to keep all specs as similar as possible, and then let the Apple model be determined to match that Dell model, and then finally see what price difference there actually is between the two models.
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Comments
Originally posted by the cool gut
They only offer a limited 90 day warranty on the base models? When did they start doing that?
WHen they started sucking harder
I just bought an sc420 ( 2.5ghz celeron, 512mb DDR2, 80gb sata, cdrom ) for $300 ( inc shipping to hawaii and tax ). That was a $275 discount offered by Dell, and they were running a double memory for free special, and double HD for $10. It was a no brainer. Came with free a keyboard and mouse ( PS2 ).
Of course, thats not a consumer machine, no OS, no audio, no monitor and unaccelerated video ( it is a server ). I only need to get a PCI Express graphics card and it will be a nice workstation. Currently I use remote desktop, which is plenty good enough.
It was cheap, and its as good a build as any Dell machine under $1500.
Originally posted by Nebrie
We buy a lot of Dells where I work. Spec for spec, they are not much better than Apple, especially when you consider that anything under the 8000 series is junk-quality. They are however, great if you want the cheapest piece of junk just to run Word and Internet Explorer on. We just got $400 2.4 celerons with 256mb of ram and 40gb hd with 15" lcds. Word barely runs, but hey.
Ok... so, here your computer-naive folks, cousins, and friends are looking at you to help them decide. They are bombarded every day by Dell ads, fliers, commercials, etc. They are familiar much more w/ the Windoze world, w/ Dell, and that offering. You mention Apple. They raise an eyebrow, and at best, say ok, fine, prove your point: what Apple would you recommend to match these particular Dells, what would the price then be, and the advantages/disadvantages be of each platform? hmmmmmmm...
Originally posted by MSMHobbes
Ok... so, here your computer-naive folks, cousins, and friends are looking at you to help them decide. They are bombarded every day by Dell ads, fliers, commercials, etc. They are familiar much more w/ the Windoze world, w/ Dell, and that offering. You mention Apple. They raise an eyebrow, and at best, say ok, fine, prove your point: what Apple would you recommend to match these particular Dells, what would the price then be, and the advantages/disadvantages be of each platform? hmmmmmmm...
Take them to the nearest Apple store or Apple product reseller, and they will have no choice but to get a mac.
Originally posted by john.outwater
Take them to the nearest Apple store or Apple product reseller, and they will have no choice but to get a mac.
LOL... ok, nice, but... Let me rephrase that scenerio. You &/or the people you are attempting to talk into switching live in the boonies [southern mid-MO and AL] and/or the nearest Apple store is >2 hours away. Dell catalog is in their hands, every other week. Dell ads are on the booby tube and the radio. Seriously, given "normal" configurations of these Dell models, which Apple would you recommend - and how so configured?
You could try showing them the mac mini. It is cheap, looks kind of kewl. Get it with 512mb, mouse, keyboard, mouse, and 80gb HD. Total about $682.
To a user that doesn't care about form or having OS X, that $600 Dell is going to look a lot better than the mac mini. Apple isn't for everybody.
If you would like a spec for spec comparison try everymac.com. They have pretty much every Mac's specs all laid out.
It's true that Apple isn't for everyone but I would make a case for the long term hassle of maintaining a Windows machine as a big con to the delly dells. If they are not particularly savvy then the mac will offer a great benefit in terms of usability and reliability.
Stress the benefits of iLife and the rest of the software that comes along with a mini and try to get them to consider the cost of comparable software for Windows as a part of the cost of the Dell.
Good luck
edit - If they are gamers it might be best to just let them go along on their delly path. Better not to have them embittered against the mac. But if you think you can convince them that a console is really better suited to their gaming needs then go for it with the mac recommendation.
I'm in the process of trying to convince quite a few friends and family members that an Apple configured in similar fashion to these models will be a much better choice for them
Each person may have a different reason for buying a computer. If it's purely a decision based on the lowest price, which is how some people will buy, then whitebox manufacturers will always win out. A lot of people look at specs, and that's apparently the route you want to take, but I think comparing Macs spec for spec with Dell or whitebox computers misses the main point of why you'd want to go with the Mac.
The Mac's value for most people lies in its design; not just how the computer looks, but how the computer works over time. Of course most people who look at Macs will be impressed or at least affected by how the case looks and how the operating system looks on screen, but of course there's more to it than that. The appreciation of having a balanced, reliable system isn't developed by viewing a spec sheet, but I think that's what keeps people using Macs.
but really.
you like gaming, funny programs, and heavy programming?
get the Eden f:2 Voodoo. http://www.voodoopc.com/sellPage.aspx?productID=1001
You low/middle class, spring for the less expensive iMac g5. MUCH more long term stability, I assure you. I doubt they will go obsolete for another two macworlds and a WWDC. If you just want something to do like, *pfff* your job, and uncreative things on, spring for the winBlows junkboxes.
For most, I'd suggest the 1.6 imac, 17 inch, get some more memory if you "Manage data". and don't go through Voodoo or apples online ordering service. You go crazy...Youll end up with useless junk. Get the airport and a basestation. that is really awesome to have. Laptop... spring for the dell, if you plan to buy soon. Expected is the new powerbooks...but they really burn man. I used one once for four hours, started lighting my pants on fire. sizzle...
Originally posted by MSMHobbes
LOL... ok, nice, but... Let me rephrase that scenerio. You &/or the people you are attempting to talk into switching live in the boonies [southern mid-MO and AL] and/or the nearest Apple store is >2 hours away. Dell catalog is in their hands, every other week. Dell ads are on the booby tube and the radio. Seriously, given "normal" configurations of these Dell models, which Apple would you recommend - and how so configured?
How far do you live away from springfield Mo? Database Systems is a local reseller and a good place to demo products.
Originally posted by MSMHobbes
Take a look at Dell's site at: http://www1.us.dell.com/content/prod...=19&l=en&s=dhs and then compare, for example, their 2400, 4700, 8400, and XPS Gen4, to the various Apple models [eMacs, iMacs, G4, mini, etc.]. I'm in the process of trying to convince quite a few friends and family members that an Apple configured in similar fashion to these models will be a much better choice for them. However, my knowledge is limited as to all of the specs and possibilities that all the various Apple's can offer. Main concern is to keep all specs as similar as possible, and then let the Apple model be determined to match that Dell model, and then finally see what price difference there actually is between the two models.
Thanks!
http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/edit...nges/index.php