Desktops: Mac Pro or PC
Mac Pro or PC
by jeffgirard - 7/18/07 6:15 PMI am looking to buy a gaming PC that can handle video software that can (or will) handle AVCHD. I also want to buy one that can handle future software (games and others). I am willing to spend 3-4K (without monitor). The Mac Pro looks good but is pricey and more expensive without the HP, and they (apple), tell me that it will last much longer than a PC with MS. I find that hard to believe but is there an advantage to having the MAC OS? Any help or suggestions?
Fewer Games
by aimforzero - 7/18/07 6:31 PM In reply to: Mac Pro or PC by jeffgirardI have never used a Mac before for more than an hour or so, but I can tell you that you may have some trouble finding all of the games you would like to play. Do some research beforehand to see if your favorite games have a port for Macs.
The deal with Apple is..
by R. Proffitt
- 7/18/07 6:33 PM
In reply to: Mac Pro or PC by jeffgirard
You don't spend time updating your AntiVirus and Firewall before you use the machine. How much is it worth to you to just use the machine?
If this is not something worthwhile to you then just stick with the PC.
-> I've been using the PC before there was a PC. My first machine was on CP/M and I cringe at the post where the topic of a "long lasting" PC is brought up.
Let me share what I do. I don't buy the latest quad core monster. I'll buy one or more steps from the top end and pocket the savings to replace the machine in a few years.
Bob
Not a gaming PC.
by fbbbb - 7/20/07 11:22 AM In reply to: Mac Pro or PC by jeffgirardThe Mac Pro is a workstation, which is a slightly different beastie from a gaming machine. The chipset is different, the processor is different, and it's exclusive use of PCI-E slots means you're locked out as far as upgrades in gaming sound, etc goes.
The Mac Pro is excellent value for a twin-Xeon machine, and provided you aren't using it in a situation where workstations are usually demanded where you're really hitting the machine all the time, then it's a viable dual-personality PC/Mac machine if you spend the majority of your time in OS X.
However the problem of the Pro behind the pretty design in comparison to other dual-Xeon machines is that the engineering is slightly ropey. Heat management is not good especially when you put high-performance parts inside, and build quality is variable. This wouldn't be a problem if the engineering of the computer allowed for variations in build quality, but the Pro's design doesn't. As a result, I only recommend it if you have to use OS X and you need something expandable. It doesn't to me qualify as a bona fide Windows machine in this price range.
OS X is an OS. It's not an earth-shatteringly big deal. It is a more elegant looking and in many ways more elegant-working OS. The thing is that if you're going to buy this machine primarily to run games, then you're going to be in Windows the majority of the time and in this case, you might as well get a machine that's a better Windows machine than something that can more or less be a Windows machine.
The reason why people tend to say Macs last longer than PC's is that Apple's product range has always tended to 'oversell' to the buyer. i.e. at most price points, the chances are that you spend more on your Mac than you would on any PC that you may have been considering. This is not due to Macs costing more for the sake of it, it's due to you not being allowed to move down to a less powerful machine which you will probably regret buying later. Other manufacturers don't have the luxury of doing this since there's intense competition, and as a result if you buy a Windows machine and don't know EXACTLY what you want, the chances are that you'll cheap yourself out and will have to upgrade sooner. Make sense?
I'd say look at a Core 2 Duo-based gaming PC, which would seem to make more sense for you. And provided you're using a Sony camcorder, get Vegas which is an excellent video editing package.
PC recommendations
by jeffgirard - 7/20/07 12:40 PM In reply to: Not a gaming PC. by fbbbbThanks for the info!!! I think I'll stick with a PC. I have read alot about possibly building one but honestly don't have the time or want to go through the trouble. Any recommendations on a vendor? I have been looking at overdrivepc.com and cyberpowerpc.com. Are these reputable vendors?
Have you found...
by R. Proffitt - 7/20/07 1:02 PM
In reply to: PC recommendations by jeffgirard
That QUAD CORE from HP that is spotted for under 1K?
Bob
I'm not in the US, so my vendor experiences will be...
by fbbbb - 7/20/07 2:13 PM In reply to: PC recommendations by jeffgirard...different to yours. For desktops, I currently buy from Dell's XPS / Precision range and HP's xw range. The Precisions and xw's I buy are machines directly comparable to the Mac Pro, uglier inside and out but better engineered. Dell XPS gaming range IMO balances performance and support quite well - but with the 710H2C's I have there are a few cut corners I don't like. I haven't yet ordered the newest 720H2C which spec-wise promises better performance and much less corner-cutting, and you may like to consider the air-cooled XPS 720 (the non-H2C), which comes to ~$4K for a system with a factory overclocked (3Ghz) QX6700, factory overclocked RAM and including a 20" monitor.
For US-domestic makers, Maingear and Velocity Micro (Overdrive PC - a high-performance overclocker with also a very good rep - was taken over by Velocity) seem to have good cred among enthusiasts who don't want to break the bank with their systems. On the other hand, iBuypower and CyberPowerPC get bad reps from people who seem to know what they're talking about.
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