iMac - Beautiful, but expensive?

[Jahova]

Yes, I thought I would never come to this day. But after watching some videos about the iMac, I finally realised the true beauty of the machine and also the operating system, leopard.

I've grown up all my life with Windows. Since Windows 95 was out, I had been using it, and I thought nothing could get better. But then I saw Leopard. I had my doubts and thought it might be bad for my schoolwork and stuff. But then I relized you could still get MS products for a Mac.

So now, I have fallen inlove with the iMac. But one problem! I was thinking of getting a new computer very soon. Around the £400 mark for a decent spec Mesh or somthing. But then, the iMac came along.. Disrupting my plans.

Now I'm not being picky or anything. But I could buy a PC of the same spec of the iMac for 3x cheaper. So really, what are the good things about the iMac? Sure, it's beautiful and it runs OS X, but what else?

I need help being persuaded into buying a Mac. Oh and btw, does anyone know; How much % off do university or college staff get. As I don't actually work at one, but my mother does, I was wondering if I could get a decent discount.

Thanks for the help. Tom.

[Barmi]

I need help being persuaded into buying a Mac. Oh and btw, does anyone know; How much % off do university or college staff get. As I don't actually work at one, but my mother does, I was wondering if I could get a decent discount.

Thanks for the help. Tom.
I think it's 10%. These are the prices you would be looking at for new.

http://img.skitch.com/20090311-qgi1keeihcuquef3qx9uw77nmi.png

[Jordan,]

the discounts not much lol its like 10% or somthing like that apple are tigh fisted lol although i love em. They only give there staff 15% off lol

[kk.]

so 10% of 1400£ isnt a lot... 140£? its a reasonable chunk.

afaik, macs are good for artistic people. like, designers, musicians etc.. The interface is nice and its always good to get a change lol.

i fdont have one, its just what i like about them

[HotelUser]

I thought the exact same way, so I bought an iMac anyways (no restocking fee here if I didn't like it). It might feel overwhelming at first if you haven't used OSX before, but I know that after using my iMac, I'm not going back to a Windows PC.

[Barmi]

As for whether it is worth it, it's something only you can decide. There is without a doubt a premium there versus (for example, Dell PCs). But, you are not comparing like and like. Besides, many Sony products command a premium in the PC market. Sony is targeting the equivalent market.

If you can justify spending such sums of money on a wonderful computer (as some of us can), then go for it. If you can't justify it, then don't. All Macs are beautiful computers and a delight to use, but you shouldn't feel forced into buying one. :)

[Recursion]

Your speaking as if you've just fallen in love with a girl, get a grip!

[Barmi]

Your speaking as if you've just fallen in love with a girl, get a grip!
Surely when you fall in love, cost is not a consideration? :lol:

[Jaysun]

How about a mac mini?

[[Chris]]

How about a mac mini?

Yeah, they are decent, you just need your own screen

And the student discount is only 6%, i was in the apple store the other day

[Barmi]

;5668708']Yeah, they are decent, you just need your own screen

And the student discount is only 6%, i was in the apple store the other day
Then you've been had. On the iMacs, the discount for higher education staff or students is just over 13% (I've just worked it out).

Edit: The discount on the MacBooks is just over 16%.

Edit: The discount on the Mac Pros is a whopping 19%.

[Jahova]

Well thanks for this information. Only £600 to save ;)

[Nick.]

so 10% of 1400£ isnt a lot... 140£? its a reasonable chunk.

afaik, macs are good for artistic people. like, designers, musicians etc.. The interface is nice and its always good to get a change lol.

i fdont have one, its just what i like about them
It works nothing like that - that is just a stereotype.

Well - if you know someone who runs a business, ask them to buy it for you (give them the cash) as they can get the VAT back for you. They are pricey, the 3.06Ghz one was £1300 odd the other day. Apple really do love ripping people off... loyalty scheme plez.

[kk.]

what do you mean it works nothing like that?! im telling you what i know about them. I know theyre good for designers and artists. which is what i said. I didnt say just for designers and artists did i? no, i dont believe i did. Macs are far better for designing on.. so **** please

[Nick.]

what do you mean it works nothing like that?! im telling you what i know about them. I know theyre good for designers and artists. which is what i said. I didnt say just for designers and artists did i? no, i dont believe i did. Macs are far better for designing on.. so **** please
Sorry at what point did I say you said they were only for musicians and designers? I didn't did I. No, didn't think so. Explain to me why you think they are better for designing on? At least use the E's in P.E.E in your arguement (evidence & explain).

There is no proof they are better for designers, you can get Photoshop for Windows and Garageband alternatives easily (I'm not saying these are the only programs designers and musicians use). Photoshop runs just as well on Windows (well.. maybe) as it does on a Mac. The Mac doesn't have a just as awesome MS Paint equivalent... so not so good for pixel artists eyy. ;)

[[Chris]]

Well, the guy i talked to in the apple store said 6% discount

[Barmi]

Sorry at what point did I say you said they were only for musicians and designers? I didn't did I. No, didn't think so. Explain to me why you think they are better for designing on? At least use the E's in P.E.E in your arguement (evidence & explain).

There is no proof they are better for designers, you can get Photoshop for Windows and Garageband alternatives easily (I'm not saying these are the only programs designers and musicians use). Photoshop runs just as well on Windows (well.. maybe) as it does on a Mac. The Mac doesn't have a just as awesome MS Paint equivalent... so not so good for pixel artists hey.
When a designer chooses their computer based on whether they can easily compose some pixel art or not, MS Paint will be out of the question. Seriously, I see no reason why it is relevant to bring MS Paint into a discussion about any serious form of design. It's useless for anything other than tiny pixel art projects. Heck, even on Windows I had moved on from MS Paint for pixel art.


;5668842']Well, the guy i talked to in the apple store said 6% discount
There is a difference between a school student discount and a higher education staff/student discount. The OP was referring to the latter.

[kk.]

you said 'stereotyping'. Thats pretty much the same. Yeh, i do know what the Es stand for, im not an idiot.

and by artists i mean everything to do with being artistic. Not just musicians. Although there may not be as such, proof, that they are better, but macs are used in a lot if not the majority of design companies and large firms. It goes from functionality, looks (and yes, macs do look a lot better than PCs), software packages etc.

[Nick.]

When a designer chooses their computer based on whether they can easily compose some pixel art or not, MS Paint will be out of the question. Seriously, I see no reason why it is relevant to bring MS Paint into a discussion about any serious form of design. It's useless for anything other than tiny pixel art projects. Heck, even on Windows I had moved on from MS Paint for pixel art.
Yeah it was kind of a joke :)


you said 'stereotyping'. Thats pretty much the same. Yeh, i do know what the Es stand for, im not an idiot.

and by artists i mean everything to do with being artistic. Not just musicians. Although there may not be as such, proof, that they are better, but macs are used in a lot if not the majority of design companies and large firms. It goes from functionality, looks (and yes, macs do look a lot better than PCs), software packages etc.
Never said you were an idiot, just didn't know whether this method was taught in other schools. And yes, you are right, most design companies use Macs, but this doesn't proove they are the better performed for applications of the such. I do agree they seem much better because they have the sense of style about them (all the applications). Everything looks new, a lot of things on Windows can still sometimes look very outdates. Yes, Macs do look much better.

[Recursion]

Surely when you fall in love, cost is not a consideration? :lol:

In MattGarner's case.. yes :D

[xxMATTGxx]

In MattGarner's case.. yes :D

You cheeky bugger! >:[ , iMac's are sexy :P

[GommeInc]

Gosh, these AA* Mac threads are slightly worrying now. It's just a computer, if you can justify the amount of money spent on one, then get one. If not, then don't. At the end of the day, it does the same thing as another other OS, except does it differently (in a different way). That's all you need to know really, ignoring the looks.

Macs aren't "far better" at designing, what you can do on a Mac can be done a PC. Designers also use PCs for designing... Stereotypes are dreadful things, it's why the Apple Adverts fail to deliver much point other than to the mentally deranged..

* - AA as in Alcoholics Anonymous.

[HotelUser]

so 10% of 1400£ isnt a lot... 140£? its a reasonable chunk.

afaik, macs are good for artistic people. like, designers, musicians etc.. The interface is nice and its always good to get a change lol.

i fdont have one, its just what i like about them



Last time I checked Photoshop worked on Windows and OSX actually :D.

I've noticed OSX looks better, has better print screen. Not really better for designing.