Why an AIO might actually be a good idea for me
For years, I've held that AIO machines are just not my style. If I wanted a desktop, I'd want a nice expandable PowerMac, I said.
Well, a couple years of computer experience has changed my thoughts. I'm seriously considering getting a flat panel iMac in six months to a year. Why? Well, mainly because my iBook is frustratingly slow. If it was any slower it would be up for sale now. So far it's just barely fast enough in general OS X usage that I still want to keep it. And being small and portable helps too, as I live in a dorm and I like to bring the computer with me to kill time between classes.
But the reason I think an AIO would be actually a good idea for me is because I don't really care about how fast it runs games. The only thing that's bothered me about AIOs is their lack of expandable graphics, which would usually be one of the only things I would upgrade if I got a PowerMac. Since I realized I don't play any games other than EV Nova and Fallout 2, both of which will run well on a beige G3, I really don't need an awesome graphics card, just an acceptable one. As far as hard drive space goes, 80 GB is just big enough for me, but it's not impossible to replace the hard drive in an iMac, and I can always get Firewire drives. I already have an external 40 GB portable hard drive for my iBook, but even that doesn't provide quite enough space because of the iBook's tiny 30 GB internal hard drive.
The main thing I like about my iBook is the fact that it's very portable and it has wireless internet. Those two combined let me surf the internet and check my email while I'm out on campus. But I never actually use my iBook in my classes, only between. My calendar and contact info is kept on my iPod anyway, in case I need that, and there are numerous computer labs on campus as well that I can use if I want to surf the internet.
Anyway, the frustrating thing is that Apple won't update any of their computers! They came out with the G5 and they've been riding that wave for months, paying no attention to when their old stuff came out. 15" PowerBooks haven't gotten a refresh in ten months. 12" and 17" PowerBooks have been out for eight without one. iMacs have gone seven months, and iBooks are coming up on upgrade time, five months out. If I do get an iMac, I'd want at least a 17" 1 GHz one, so I bet when they're updated (if they ever do get an update
) I can pick up a used 17" 1 GHz one for not too expensive, especially if the new 17" gets a significant price drop.
What are people's thoughts on this? Do you think that AIOs actually do provide a good solution for a lot of people who are just blinded by the thought of not being able to upgrade (even if they wouldn't upgrade anyway)? Are Apple's prices too prohibitive to promote the sale of AIOs, even if there are people out there who want to buy them?
Well, a couple years of computer experience has changed my thoughts. I'm seriously considering getting a flat panel iMac in six months to a year. Why? Well, mainly because my iBook is frustratingly slow. If it was any slower it would be up for sale now. So far it's just barely fast enough in general OS X usage that I still want to keep it. And being small and portable helps too, as I live in a dorm and I like to bring the computer with me to kill time between classes.
But the reason I think an AIO would be actually a good idea for me is because I don't really care about how fast it runs games. The only thing that's bothered me about AIOs is their lack of expandable graphics, which would usually be one of the only things I would upgrade if I got a PowerMac. Since I realized I don't play any games other than EV Nova and Fallout 2, both of which will run well on a beige G3, I really don't need an awesome graphics card, just an acceptable one. As far as hard drive space goes, 80 GB is just big enough for me, but it's not impossible to replace the hard drive in an iMac, and I can always get Firewire drives. I already have an external 40 GB portable hard drive for my iBook, but even that doesn't provide quite enough space because of the iBook's tiny 30 GB internal hard drive.
The main thing I like about my iBook is the fact that it's very portable and it has wireless internet. Those two combined let me surf the internet and check my email while I'm out on campus. But I never actually use my iBook in my classes, only between. My calendar and contact info is kept on my iPod anyway, in case I need that, and there are numerous computer labs on campus as well that I can use if I want to surf the internet.
Anyway, the frustrating thing is that Apple won't update any of their computers! They came out with the G5 and they've been riding that wave for months, paying no attention to when their old stuff came out. 15" PowerBooks haven't gotten a refresh in ten months. 12" and 17" PowerBooks have been out for eight without one. iMacs have gone seven months, and iBooks are coming up on upgrade time, five months out. If I do get an iMac, I'd want at least a 17" 1 GHz one, so I bet when they're updated (if they ever do get an update
) I can pick up a used 17" 1 GHz one for not too expensive, especially if the new 17" gets a significant price drop.What are people's thoughts on this? Do you think that AIOs actually do provide a good solution for a lot of people who are just blinded by the thought of not being able to upgrade (even if they wouldn't upgrade anyway)? Are Apple's prices too prohibitive to promote the sale of AIOs, even if there are people out there who want to buy them?
Comments
I truly believe many, many people suffer from a common affliction that makes them believe they need the biggest, fastest, most expensive, etc. for reasons of a less-than-sensible nature (bragging rights, they're a spec whore, small penis complex, etc.)
Oh yeah, you get the student discount, don't you? In that case you might as well get the iMac.
My needs would really be best served by a 15" PowerBook G4. But I don't have that kind of money. And if I were to buy a current 17" iMac, I may as well spend that same amount of money on a 12" PowerBook (once they're updated of course).
I have considered an eMac. Yeah, they're huge, and yeah, the screen is a CRT, but the price sure is right. What I'm hoping is that by the time I'm ready to get a desktop, iMac pricing will be reasonable - say, $200 more for an iMac with the same specs as an eMac. Right now it's way out of proportion.
As far as my educational discount is concerned - a 1 GHz Combo eMac with a tilt/swivel stand will only set me back $900. Then of course I'd have to buy RAM, and I'd probably jump straight to 1 GB. It's $1150 for the 1 GHz Superdrive eMac w/ stand which is very similar to the 17" iMac in specs - same processor speed, same 80 GB hard drive, same 256 MB of RAM, same optical drive. Meanwhile, the 15" and 17" iMacs are $1200 and $1700 respectively (yes, that's INCLUDING the educational discount!!!). So the 15" has a 200 MHz slower processor than the Combo eMac, a lower screen resolution, and it costs $300 more. It does have the LCD and a bit more RAM but it seems like a rip-off to me. Also, the eMac will boot into OS 9 and the iMac won't.
If Apple's not going to update their machines then would they at least do some price cuts? They did do some much-needed cuts on PowerBooks, but the iMacs are in dire need of something, anything to make them more attractive. I love the form factor, but seriously! They're just not worth that much money! Even the educational discounts on the iMacs suck, only $100 off for either model. The eMac's discount is $50 on the 800/CD model, $150 on the GHz/combo model, and $200 on the GHz/superdrive model.