Apple iMac Desktop 15" M8535LL/B (800MHz PowerPC G4, 256MB RAM, 60GB HDD, DVD-RW/CD-RW drive)

[Archived in Apple, Apple Computer, Products, iMac Desktops]

Manufacturer: Apple Computer
Price at amazon.com: Used from $999.99

Product Description:

Average Customer Rating:

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Comment: Best Mac For PC Users!!! Rating:
Being a long time Windows user, I was completely floored by how happy I am with a product from Apple. This machine is absolutely awesome. Gorgeous, feature rich, and a real value for the money.

This machine exposed all of my platform switching worries for what they really were: a bunch of fear, uncertainty and doubt that was baseless once I had the courage to open my mind enough and evaluate the machine honestly with a hands-on test drive. Software? I run Microsoft Office and freely and seemelessly exchange files glitch-free with my PC systems and PC co-workers (Macs can read and write to a variety of PC-formatted media like floppies, Zip disks, etc. - did you know that?). Adobe? Macromedia? I'm covered. Everything I'd ever want to do on a PC, I am doing better, faster, and far more worry-free on this iMac. For PC-only software that doesn't have a Mac version, Virtual PC 5.0 rocks! Even Windows runs better on a Mac - and when Windows crashes under Virtual PC, it takes only SECONDS to restore everything to normal. OS X with its UNIX base is also decidedly a more solid yet friendly OS than anything from Microsoft (sorry, Billion dollar Bill ... and I NEVER thought I'd say that). Finally, don't forget the Apple-only software that's included for FREE like iTunes, IMovie, iDVD, and iPhoto. They win the ease-of-use (and JOY to use) war hands down. And on top of all this, the iMac is a design dream. It just works.

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Comment: Once you go IMac - you never go back Rating:
Considering the new IMAC and you are a PC user. Well I took a plunge last week with this new unit. I got one of the first ones in Houston - yea for me. Since day one I have been able to learn the operating system, manage programs and files with NO difficulty. Its is more windows like then you think. Moreover , It has not crashed, given me a blue screen of death or locked up point where you have to pull the plug. The new OS X (the only apple OS I know) is wonderful. I added an extra 128 Megs of ram to the 256 that came with the machine and the performance improvement was terrific.
I am not a PC gamer, I use computers for a living. I have one athlon 1 gig laptop, a 1.2 gig athlon desk top both running xp, and a win 2000 600 MHZ corporate laptop. If only these other computers behaved anything like the mac.

The mac is virtually silient and generates only minor heat (compaired to the blast furnace of the athlon desk top). The flat screen is all digital and so is the signal from the graphics card. This gives the screen its tremendous clarity (my other computer screens are all blurry and dark by comparison). The screen does not tire your eyes as an analog display does.

Let me be candid for a moment at simply say for those using an analog display with a high end graphics card - YOURE MISSING THE BOAT. The graphic representations may be better but the limitiation in crispness and color defination is in your screen - not the graphic card - nothing you do will make your screen look better! BTW - you cannot use apple screens on PC's. Apple screens are designed with graphic card manufacturers for digital output. This is why apple tends to use "older generation cards".
For a compairson - I went to compusa and a PC DIGITAL flat panel monitor will run near 1100 dollars, then you need to purchase a card to support the monitor. This alone is closing in on the price of the IMAC - can you say BARGIN in the IMAC?

For those who would like to see a 17inch monitor. The 15 has the viewable equalivent of a 17 inch standard CRT screen. If you are prosumer graphics specialist, you may opt for a power mac and a larger flat panel screen. The 17'' screen is 1000.00. For me the 15'' this is not a problem and I own a 19 inch viewable CRT screen . I love that the screen goes were you want it! A huge quantum leap in design and function.
Downside to the Imac: if you like to add on to your system you will need external devices. Software: there is a lot of it out there but not as much as there is for a PC. But how much do you use? Personally I use an office suite, photoshop and web design software and accounting. All done easily and effectivly

Running applications and the internet: is there a difference: - I have run side by side compairsons with the internet. The only difference I see is the mac outperforms the PC's with streaming video - both speed of download and improved visual quality: Using the quicktime download movie trailer site and MSN's entertainment site. Applications - using ms office X is a far better experience then using windows office XP (Remember I am a PC person)

In summary - quiet, virtually no heat, fast, a terrific adjustable screen, DVD - R and CD-RW, stable and sensible operating system - Wow we have a winner. It is really an easy computer to work with, and that my friends is the beauty of it.

PS I have not touched my desktop or lapot in the last week unless I had to use specific software.

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Comment: I like mine but I know I paid too much Rating:
I am pretty used to the MacOs so I stuck with it when I decided to buy a new computer. However comparing what I got to a Windows PC didn't make me feel good. For 1/2 the price you can buy a PC with the same features, flat screen and speed. So I paid over 500 more for the privilege of using the MacOS. If I knew how to use Windows I would have switched. I was pretty steamed.

Posted at November 11, 2003 07:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)