Considering a Mac...
Hey, I'm considering to purchase a Mac (I'm leaning towards the 20" iMac) . However, I have some questions I need to be answered first:
1. How steep is the Mac OS X learnining curve for a PC/Windows Only user? (but one that is quite a Windows-Pro)
2. How difficult is to upgrade the Mac after the purchase? (HD/Memory) Is it better to buy these components from Apple or from another vendor? (which?)
3. Can I hook up the Mac to a 4 speaker/surround setup? How?
4. A bunch of questions for gamers:
a. Is the graphics card of the 20" iMac (ATI Radeon X1600 graphics with 128MB GDDR3 )good enough for today's modern games?
b. How do modern games handle widescreen LCDs? Isn't the non-standard resolution problematic with gaming?
c. Could anyone tell me what is the response time of the 20"s monitor? I can't find this info anywhere...
I believe this is enough for now
Any info would be highly appreciated! Thanks.
1. How steep is the Mac OS X learnining curve for a PC/Windows Only user? (but one that is quite a Windows-Pro)
2. How difficult is to upgrade the Mac after the purchase? (HD/Memory) Is it better to buy these components from Apple or from another vendor? (which?)
3. Can I hook up the Mac to a 4 speaker/surround setup? How?
4. A bunch of questions for gamers:
a. Is the graphics card of the 20" iMac (ATI Radeon X1600 graphics with 128MB GDDR3 )good enough for today's modern games?
b. How do modern games handle widescreen LCDs? Isn't the non-standard resolution problematic with gaming?
c. Could anyone tell me what is the response time of the 20"s monitor? I can't find this info anywhere...
I believe this is enough for now
Any info would be highly appreciated! Thanks.
Comments
1. OS X is incredibly simple to use, but can be daunting at first, because it is so much more like an actual desk, rather than like a machine that solves problems. If you try to figure out why it works the way it does, it becomes clear what to do in any situation.
2. Most upgrades are extremely hard to do and expensive. You cannot switch your HD on the 20" iMac. Once you've sipped Steve's Kool-ade you'll complain about this and you'll be in good company on these boards. As for the HD, it would be better to get an external HD when you need it, especially because of the features offered by Time Machine in the upcoming release, OS X 10.5 Leopard. Otherwise, get a 24" iMac or a Mac Pro, both of which have upgradable HDs.
3. Definitely, through whatever system you have. For an iMac, I recommend USB2.0 audio.
4. No idea, ask someone else. If you want to game, perhaps consider the 24" iMac or the Mac Pro.
And what about upgrading the memory of the iMac? You've only mentioned the memory issue in your post....
Normal audio can recieve interference from other magnetic, eletrical, and RF fields in the computer, including ones made by moving parts, such as fans and HDs. USB audio, either onnects digitally to a reciever or leads into a regualr audio jack converter to get it out of the interference range.
Memory is possible, but it is difficult to remove the case of an iMac, and it probably should be done by a trained service technician, although not necessarily an Apple employee. You can buy RAM from another company and it will be cheaper and generally work fine, but it is not convered by Apple's warranty and may release Apple from certain repair obligations.
Anything else?
If it's just a regular audio minijack like on any orinary Dell, then it's the same. I misinterpreted you, thinking that you have some unusual system, since you questioned the difference. Macs follow almost all standards, even some other companies have not yet adopted. The optical audio is actually serviced through the same port in a clever standardization trick.
Normal audio can recieve interference from other magnetic, eletrical, and RF fields in the computer, including ones made by moving parts, such as fans and HDs. USB audio, either onnects digitally to a reciever or leads into a regualr audio jack converter to get it out of the interference range.
Memory is possible, but it is difficult to remove the case of an iMac, and it probably should be done by a trained service technician, although not necessarily an Apple employee. You can buy RAM from another company and it will be cheaper and generally work fine, but it is not convered by Apple's warranty and may release Apple from certain repair obligations.
Anything else?
Yeah:
Regarding OS X: "If you try to figure out why it works the way it does, it becomes clear what to do in any situation. "
Do you know any good OS X guides on the net? Does the iMac come with a good OS X manual?
One thing that's annoying is that in the standard configuration, they put 2 sticks of 512MB RAM, taking up both slots. If you add some, you'll be stuck with what was in there to begin with. That makes it cost-effective to just let them do it for you, unless you can sell or otherwise use the RAM that you'll take out.
Yeah:
Regarding OS X: "If you try to figure out why it works the way it does, it becomes clear what to do in any situation. "
Do you know any good OS X guides on the net? Does the iMac come with a good OS X manual?
There are good guides out there, but I don't know what they are, generally. Look what is well reviewed in the Apple Online Store, and have it ship with your computer. Alternatively, go to an Apple Retail Store and ask the people who sell them.
Thanks for the tip on memory, I was trying to remember how people have described the process to me and I was proabably conflating the concept with the Mac mini which apparently requires a spatula to open... But the memory option on iMacs is odd, sine they offer several configurations of SODIMMs for MacBook Pros
Hey, I'm considering to purchase a Mac (I'm leaning towards the 20" iMac) . However, I have some questions I need to be answered first:
1. How steep is the Mac OS X learnining curve for a PC/Windows Only user? (but one that is quite a Windows-Pro)
The Mac will be initially frustrating because you will want things to be harder than they are.
2. How difficult is to upgrade the Mac after the purchase? (HD/Memory) Is it better to buy these components from Apple or from another vendor? (which?)
If it's a tower, it's no big deal. Any old drive ought to work. Memory can be gotten from crucial for cheap. Don't buy regular PC components like memory from Apple or you'll pay through the nose.
3. Can I hook up the Mac to a 4 speaker/surround setup? How?
Most of the new Macs have an optical audio out, don't they?
4. A bunch of questions for gamers:
a. Is the graphics card of the 20" iMac (ATI Radeon X1600 graphics with 128MB GDDR3 )good enough for today's modern games?
b. How do modern games handle widescreen LCDs? Isn't the non-standard resolution problematic with gaming?
c. Could anyone tell me what is the response time of the 20"s monitor? I can't find this info anywhere...
No idea.
The Mac will be initially frustrating because you will want things to be harder than they are.
Do you know any good online guides that will help me get past this frustration as fast as possible? Is the Apple documentation good enough?
If it's a tower, it's no big deal. Any old drive ought to work. Memory can be gotten from crucial for cheap. Don't buy regular PC components like memory from Apple or you'll pay through the nose.
a. It's not a tower. It's a 20" iMac.
b. If not from Apple - Where from?
Most of the new Macs have an optical audio out, don't they?
No idea.
Do you know any good online guides that will help me get past this frustration as fast as possible? Is the Apple documentation good enough?
Well, the issue is that you've been trained by Windows to think that things on a computer are supposed to be complicated. Setting up a network? Supposed to be complicated. On a Mac? Turn it on. That's it. Installing a printer? In most cases, plug it in.
From my experience switching about 10 years ago, it's just stuff that takes a little de-programming. Your best resource? Right here in this forum.
a. It's not a tower. It's a 20" iMac.
b. If not from Apple - Where from?
OK. I just bought one, myself. You wouldn't want to install a hard drive in one, anyway. Just get a USB2 external drive and plug it in.
I bought my two external drives at Best Buy. They work just fine. I buy my RAM from crucial.com
I did write up a guide for a friend, once. Forgot about that.
Well, the issue is that you've been trained by Windows to think that things on a computer are supposed to be complicated. Setting up a network? Supposed to be complicated. On a Mac? Turn it on. That's it. Installing a printer? In most cases, plug it in.
From my experience switching about 10 years ago, it's just stuff that takes a little de-programming. Your best resource? Right here in this forum.
OK. I just bought one, myself. You wouldn't want to install a hard drive in one, anyway. Just get a USB2 external drive and plug it in.
I bought my two external drives at Best Buy. They work just fine. I buy my RAM from crucial.com
I did write up a guide for a friend, once. Forgot about that.
Thanks. What about memory purchase?
Thanks. What about memory purchase?
He said http://www.crucial.com big guy...