Design a computer...

[BittleRyan 10]

I would like to see what peoples design would be of the best possible computer that is under 2500 dollars. You can get parts from a website and have to assemble it or you can go to dell.com or other websites.

Rules:

- You ONLY have $2500

- You need a keyboard, mouse, operating system, monitor, speakers, etc.

- It needs to be able to run games, such as arma, 45-60 FPS at least.

Have fun :P

[Madus_Maximus 0]

Apple 27" iMac

# 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7

# 8GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 4x2GB

# 1TB Serial ATA Drive

# ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB

# 8x double-layer SuperDrive

# 27" H-IPS Panel display, 2560 x 1440 resolution

$2,399.00

[ballistic09 241]

Apple 27" iMac

# 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7

# 8GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 4x2GB

# 1TB Serial ATA Drive

# ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB

# 8x double-layer SuperDrive

# 27" H-IPS Panel display, 2560 x 1440 resolution

$2,399.00

F*CK Yes! :icon_eek:

[Fudgeblood 10]

Apple iMac

Sorry, stopped reading right there.

[oyman 0]

Apple 27" iMac

# 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7

# 8GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 4x2GB

# 1TB Serial ATA Drive

# ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB

# 8x double-layer SuperDrive

# 27" H-IPS Panel display, 2560 x 1440 resolution

$2,399.00

[CameronMcDonald 146]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/oyman/1262209410558-1.jpg

Amen brother, Amen.

[ballistic09 241]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/oyman/1262209410558-1.jpg

I can play any game I want on my iMac with Boot camp.

I run both Apple's and PC's in my house, and I strongly prefer Apples. That said, the PC is my main gaming rig, and the iMac is for work and sometimes an occasional game or two... and yes, the iMac runs ArmA II quite nicely. :cool:

[Fudgeblood 10]

I can play any game I want on my iMac with Boot camp.

But why would you buy an overpriced Mac just to run Windows?

For gaming you're much better off just going with a PC and not wasting your money on a Mac.

[ballistic09 241]

But why would you buy an overpriced Mac just to run Windows?

Because you still have the option to use OSX when you're done playing games... hell, you can even run windows while still in OSX.

For gaming you're much better off just going with a PC and not wasting your money on a Mac.

For gaming it's really hard to beat PC's just because of cost and upgradeability... That's why I built one just for ArmA. If given the choice, I would have gone with a mac pro, but considering they cost $2500 for the base model, and I built my PC for just under $1000, there was just no way I could justify the extra cost. :(

[dmakatra 1]

I have no idea what I'd be getting, but I'd probably spend half of it just on a cooling system 'cause I'm fecking tired of having to deal with overheating components.

[Madus_Maximus 0]

I find it interesting how so many people are happy to bash Macs, yet many of those same people actually want one because they're sick of Windows lol. People just put up with Windows because it has more software available, primarily games. Plus, think about the benefits of having an iMac for LAN parties. You'd just pull the ONE cable out of the back, pick it up, put it in the box with the keyboard and mouse and tada, one game capable monster machine with a big ass awesome quality display that's nice and simple to set up. Put on desk, plug in that ONE cable and you're good to go.

Plus, if all you do on your computer all day is game then you need to assess your life. You can actually get work done on the Mac too and have access to a much larger software library than just being on Windows, because you can run Windows too. You can even use Virtual Machine software like Paralells or Fusion, or even the free Virtual Box from Sun to run Windows and it's applications at the same time as OS X, and use those applications as if they were native to the Mac, they show up in the dock and everything.

Oh, and Windows runs better on a Mac because all the drivers are written specifically for that hardware so they're highly optimised.

And to Ballistic09: The Mac Pro is a workstation too using server hardware, hence the price. Be a bit overkill for gaming lol. Although I'd love to see an uber gaming rig spit out the kind of stuff a Mac Pro does. Different tools for different jobs!

Edited January 20, 2010 by Madus_Maximus

[MehMan 0]

Macs are overpriced for what they offer. I have to use a Mac at college. God it sucks ass. From shortcuts to the mouse. There are a few gadets I'd like in windows. But hey presto, I can have that in windows too with a few modifications. Then why the fuck use macs? They're really made for people who just can't bother to learn how to use PCs. The people who are sick of windows and bash macs either switch to linux or would switch to linux would it have DirectX/XYZ component implementation.

[echo1 0]

Mac fanboi attack! Batten down the hatches!

I find it interesting how so many people are happy to bash Macs, yet many of those same people actually want one because they're sick of Windows lol. People just put up with Windows because it has more software available, primarily games.

Use Linux then, and don't blow your money on a glorified, overpriced PC.

Plus, think about the benefits of having an iMac for LAN parties. You'd just pull the ONE cable out of the back, pick it up, put it in the box with the keyboard and mouse and tada, one game capable monster machine with a big ass awesome quality display that's nice and simple to set up. Put on desk, plug in that ONE cable and you're good to go.

Great, because 27" screens are so portable, amirite? Get a gaming laptop instead. Probably much faster and cheaper.

Plus, if all you do on your computer all day is game then you need to assess your life. You can actually get work done on the Mac too and have access to a much larger software library than just being on Windows, because you can run Windows too.

So what killer apps does Mac have that Windows doesn't?

And I like the sneaky ad hominem attack - just because some people have PCs dedicated to PCs doesn't mean that they are freaks or whatever. Besides when it comes to stereotypes - you're a Mac user - people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

And to Ballistic09: The Mac Pro is a workstation too using server hardware, hence the price.

Cop out argument. I can still build an equivalent spec myself for much less. Looking at the upgrades list, you can see why quite quickly - they screw you for memory and graphics cards (conviniently you can't use standard graphics cards with Macs, even though they use the same GPUs). I remember looking at the price list about two years ago, and they were charging €100 for a second DVD drive, when at the same time I could a good quality one for €20-25. I'm not sure if this is still the case, but it gives an idea of what you're up against.

Macs are overpriced for what they offer. I have to use a Mac at college. God it sucks ass. From shortcuts to the mouse. There are a few gadets I'd like in windows. But hey presto, I can have that in windows too with a few modifications. Then why the fuck use macs? They're really made for people who just can't bother to learn how to use PCs. The people who are sick of windows and bash macs either switch to linux or would switch to linux would it have DirectX/XYZ component implementation.

This. I've used plenty of weird and wonderful *NIX environments, so I'm not bashing it because 'LOL ITS NOT WINDOWS'. But the Mac UI is just confusing and inconsistent. Im sure if I sat down at it for a while I'd get the hang of it, but I'm not entirely sure why I'd bother. Besides, isn't it meant to be idiot proof?

Edited January 20, 2010 by echo1

[Sertorius21 10]

Concerning the $2400 Mac, I wouldn't fork over that kind of cash for a system with a less-than-cutting-edge graphics card. I'd want a 5870, or even a 5970.

My brief NewEgg romp yielded the following:

Case: Antec 1200

PSU: Corsair 850TX 850W

Mobo: MSI 790FX-GD70 AM3 AMD 790FX

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4GHz

GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD 5870

RAM: 8GB (4X2) Patriot G Series

HD: 1TB (2x500MB) Western Digital Caviar Black

Keyboard: Logitech G15 Gaming (Wired)

Monitor: HP 27"

Speakers: Logitech Z-2300

Mouse: Logitech Performance Black Tilt Wheel Wireless

For $2100 bucks. That's got the same size monitor, a much juicer graphics card, and a set of speakers that can shake your floor. You could increase costs by using an i7 CPU, but I've had good luck with my 955 in ARMA2.

[norsu 180]

Apple 27" iMac

# 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7

# 8GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 4x2GB

# 1TB Serial ATA Drive

# ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB

# 8x double-layer SuperDrive

# 27" H-IPS Panel display, 2560 x 1440 resolution

$2,399.00

I find it amusing that a new 2400$ high end computer has an older medium level graphics card despite all other components are cutting edge. That's why I would never buy an iMac for high(est) end computing (read gaming), it just gets old way too fast for its price and you can't help it really. And if I buy a computer it has to be cutting edge because I'm going to do everything with same machine.

[Madus_Maximus 0]

Concerning the $2400 Mac, I wouldn't fork over that kind of cash for a system with a less-than-cutting-edge graphics card. I'd want a 5870, or even a 5970.

My brief NewEgg romp yielded the following:

Case: Antec 1200

PSU: Corsair 850TX 850W

Mobo: MSI 790FX-GD70 AM3 AMD 790FX

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4GHz

GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD 5870

RAM: 8GB (4X2) Patriot G Series

HD: 1TB (2x500MB) Western Digital Caviar Black

Keyboard: Logitech G15 Gaming (Wired)

Monitor: HP 27"

Speakers: Logitech Z-2300

Mouse: Logitech Performance Black Tilt Wheel Wireless

For $2100 bucks. That's got the same size monitor, a much juicer graphics card, and a set of speakers that can shake your floor. You could increase costs by using an i7 CPU, but I've had good luck with my 955 in ARMA2.

Comaplining about Macs and saying you can make your own for less is complaining about EVERY OEM machine. How many Dell All-in-ones can you upgrade? Oh that's right, the same number... non! Same with laptops, you can't do much with them either beyond RAM and Hard drives. Compare like for like. You can put 16GB of RAM into the iMac too by the way, rather impressive for an all-in-one the size of a monitor.

A tower system is NOT an all-in-one. Also, the display in the iMacs are IPS panels. Look into that, tell me now how that HP is better? The HP uses a TN panel. The resolution is also lower on the HP, it's 1920 x 1080, the iMac display is 2560 x 1440, almost twice the pixel density. Getting an equivilent display on it's own would cost u almost as much as the iMac itself. Trust me, I've looked.

The GPU in the iMac was the best mobile option available at the time. Why is the GPU the most important thing to most Windows users? I really don't understand it. It's like it's the only thing they have left to bash about Macs. Macs dont need the latest and greatest GPU's because they don't use DX, they use OpenGL and make better use of the hardware than Windows does. OS X is a more efficient OS than Windows is, period.

Macs are more than capable of gaming, and very well.

---------- Post added at 08:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:05 PM ----------

I find it amusing that a new 2400$ high end computer has an older medium level graphics card despite all other components are cutting edge. That's why I would never buy an iMac for high(est) end computing (read gaming), it just gets old way too fast for its price and you can't help it really. And if I buy a computer it has to be cutting edge because I'm going to do everything with same machine.

High end computing goes well beyond gaming. Gaming is nothing compared to real "high end". Also read my other reply above this. That's the best MOBILE GPU available at the time they last refreshed them. Look at the size of the iMac and you'll see just how rediculous it is for people to compare the GPU's inside to a full blown desktop GPU. You don't see ppl bitching about the GPU's inside laptops do you? It's the same components due to form factor. Desktop GPU's are HUGE, they'd take up a good chunk of the entire machine and have to make them much thicker and heavier to accomodate the extra cooling required.

[norsu 180]

High end computing goes well beyond gaming. Gaming is nothing compared to real "high end". Also read my other reply above this. That's the best MOBILE GPU available at the time they last refreshed them. Look at the size of the iMac and you'll see just how rediculous it is for people to compare the GPU's inside to a full blown desktop GPU. You don't see ppl bitching about the GPU's inside laptops do you? It's the same components due to form factor. Desktop GPU's are HUGE, they'd take up a good chunk of the entire machine and have to make them much thicker and heavier to accomodate the extra cooling required.

Of course high end computing goes higher than gaming but if you're like me you also want to run latest games in high or highest settings for many years to come without updating the whole machine. And couldn't they just make it possible for consumers to upgrade the GPU in iMac? That would make more sense since after all we are talking about a desktop computer here, not a notebook you can carry around. Not to mention the very high native resolution it has which obviosly requires even more from GPU in the future.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Norsu

[Madus_Maximus 0]

Of course high end computing goes higher than gaming but if you're like me you also want to run latest games in high or highest settings for many years to come without updating the whole machine. And couldn't they just make it possible for consumers to upgrade the GPU in iMac? That would make more sense since after all we are talking about a desktop computer here, not a notebook you can carry around. Not to mention the very high native resolution it has which obviosly requires even more from GPU in the future.

It uses notebook components because of the form factor. The whole machine is built into the back of the monitor, there's just no room to physically do it. You could change it in the same way you change a laptop GPU, but it'll require a steady hand with the soldering iron and most likely the upgrading of other hardware on the board like the chipset.

[oyman 0]

The whole machine is built into the back of the monitor

[Binkowski 26]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/oyman/1262209410558-1.jpg

Amen.

[norsu 180]

It uses notebook components because of the form factor. The whole machine is built into the back of the monitor, there's just no room to physically do it. You could change it in the same way you change a laptop GPU, but it'll require a steady hand with the soldering iron and most likely the upgrading of other hardware on the board like the chipset.

I would love to see an iMac style computer with changeable parts. It could be a bit thicker than iMac and use similar technology like those high end laptops where you can change vital components like GPU without soldering.

To be honest I would buy that newest iMac without hesitation if I just could update the GPU some day :(.

[sudayev 27]

How about Apple laptops? Thousand bucks for something with Intel GMA, anyone ? :D

[echo1 0]

Comaplining about Macs and saying you can make your own for less is complaining about EVERY OEM machine. How many Dell All-in-ones can you upgrade? Oh that's right, the same number... non!

Right, but the OP said that building his own was an option, so you're basically conceding that your choice is bad value for money.

The GPU in the iMac was the best mobile option available at the time. Why is the GPU the most important thing to most Windows users? I really don't understand it. It's like it's the only thing they have left to bash about Macs.

Because people want them for games? And let's face it - even the most basic CPU provides more computing power for what 90% of people use their computer for. Things like CPU power and Graphics only really come into play if (asides from games) you're doing virtualization, rendering, lots of software development... and basically a load of other stuff that very few people are going to be doing.

Macs dont need the latest and greatest GPU's because they don't use DX, they use OpenGL and make better use of the hardware than Windows does. OS X is a more efficient OS than Windows is, period.

Hah!. Leaving aside debates on just how good OpenGL really is, what use is it given how few games there are for the platform anyway? It's like the guy who came second in the race and then whinges that they're still somehow better than the person who won - no one cares.

High end computing goes well beyond gaming. Gaming is nothing compared to real "high end". Also read my other reply above this. That's the best MOBILE GPU available at the time they last refreshed them.

You have this recurring theme about how there's more to computers than graphics cards, which I completely agree with, but a) you fail to address what exactly they are and b) you fail to address the fact that there are much cheaper computers that do exactly the same thing and have exactly the same kit. And then...

Look at the size of the iMac and you'll see just how rediculous it is for people to compare the GPU's inside to a full blown desktop GPU. You don't see ppl bitching about the GPU's inside laptops do you? It's the same components due to form factor. Desktop GPU's are HUGE, they'd take up a good chunk of the entire machine and have to make them much thicker and heavier to accomodate the extra cooling required.

It uses notebook components because of the form factor. The whole machine is built into the back of the monitor, there's just no room to physically do it. You could change it in the same way you change a laptop GPU, but it'll require a steady hand with the soldering iron and most likely the upgrading of other hardware on the board like the chipset.

You say it's form over function. Which kinda contradicts your claims that Macs are somehow more capable or superior. Maybe they were back in the PPC days, but nowadays, they are just overpriced art pieces with off the shelf computer components.

Edited January 20, 2010 by echo1

[Madus_Maximus 0]

How about Apple laptops? Thousand bucks for something with Intel GMA, anyone ? :D

Apple laptop haven't had Intel GPU's for over a year lol. Best update yourself there.

[-Snafu- 78]

Macs are overpriced for what they offer.

This.

I was in an Apple shop a few days ago and almost died of a heart attack when I saw the prices of their computers and what they offered.

Plus, Apple is more of a fashion label these days.