I got a new computer at work

[Thunder Dan]

For those who remember, I needed help ruining my old computer so I could get a new one. Well I finally got a new one and I have to admit it is pretty sweet. I'm not really a computer guy, and remember my company got it for me to do work and not dick around with games and movies.

It is a Dell Optiplex 360 that runs on Vista. I know everyone hates Vista, but it doesn't seem all that bad for what I do. I'm amazed at the sound quality of this thing (says HD audio) and the picture on this monitor which is like flawless to me and is better looking than my HDTV at home.

Here is my question: I was looking at getting a desktop for my home to replace my old PC. I was looking at an 24 inch Imac, but do Imacs have this kind of soundcard and graphics card? I basically just use my computer at home to listen to music and surf the net, and this Dell setup would be pretty sweet for doing that.

Anyway, to break down this convoluted question: How does the IMac's sound and graphics compare to this Dell?

[koriwhat]

well considering i got yelled at last night, for blaring the sound from a movie off my imac, by my roommate i'd say the sound is alright. loud enough for me.

the graphics card is an ati i believe.

when you buy a mac i think it's more so because of the operating system and less the system itself. i could've built something faster for cheaper but i wouldn't have osx and thus i chose apple.

btw, the screen is nice!

[Thunder Dan]

well considering i got yelled at last night, for blaring the sound from a movie off my imac, by my roommate i'd say the sound is alright. loud enough for me.

the graphics card is an ati i believe.

when you buy a mac i think it's more so because of the operating system and less the system itself. i could've built something faster for cheaper but i wouldn't have osx and thus i chose apple.

btw, the screen is nice!

I think the thing that impresses me most about this new computer is the how clear everything looks on this screen. If Mac has something close to this I'll probably go with it. I just have always had problems with PC's getting some kind of problem

[Libri]

my company got it for me to do work and not dick around with games and movies.

...and Spurs forums. :lol :D

[Thunder Dan]

...and Spurs forums. :lol :D

well they didn't buy it for me to dick around, but that's all I end up doing. I mean I signed on here back in 2007 when it was one of the only sites not blocked at work and 2 years later, a kid from outside of Cleveland has like 3500 posts on a San Antonio Spurs message board. Don't let anyone tell you that dreams don't come true


..edit I notice I have 5800 posts which officially makes me either a loser, or really lucky I haven't been fired yet

[ElNono]

I think the thing that impresses me most about this new computer is the how clear everything looks on this screen. If Mac has something close to this I'll probably go with it.

You should honestly go to an Apple store and take a look for yourself. The whole 'clarity' dilemma is really subjective and personal.


I just have always had problems with PC's getting some kind of problem

Well, the iMac SHOULD help you some with that.

[Dex]

One thing to keep in mind about iMacs is that the graphics and sound cards are typically integrated onto the logic board. In other words, you custom order it when you buy it, and can't easily change it out later.

Sound cards are pretty much the same for all the iMacs and cannot be altered. They offer the following capabilities:

* Built-in stereo speakers
* Internal 24-watt digital amplifier
* Headphone/optical digital audio output (minijack)
* Audio line in/optical digital audio input (minijack)
* Built-in microphone
* Support for Apple Stereo Headset with microphone

The base model of iMac (2.66 GHz processor) is locked with the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics with 128MB memory. It's probably not as good as the Dells, but is a decent graphics processor and works great for general applications. More graphic-intensive stuff like games, video and rendering software, or hi-def movies over 720p will usually require a more robust graphics card.

The 2.93 and 3.06 GHz iMac both come with upgraded graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 256MB memory/NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 with 512MB memory), and can be custom ordered to upgrade even further to an ATI Radeon with 512MB memory.

Tech specs can be found at http://www.apple.com/imac/specs.html

If all you are using this for is browsing, email, etc...then you probably don't need the upgraded graphics options. I've got a 2.66 GHz that I hit with more processor-intensive programs like Photoshop, Flash, and Dreamweaver, and it seems to handle it just fine. Just max out the RAM for best results.

None of these are really going to make much of a difference for display clarity, but the iMacs have beautiful built-in LCDs that are sure to impress, and also support one extended display. The big question is really whether you want matte or glossy.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

well considering i got yelled at last night, for blaring the sound from a movie off my imac, by my roommate i'd say the sound is alright. loud enough for me.

the graphics card is an ati i believe.

when you buy a mac i think it's more so because of the operating system and less the system itself. i could've built something faster for cheaper but i wouldn't have osx and thus i chose apple.

btw, the screen is nice!

yeah, because when talking about sound quality, we're talking about how loud you can listen to it :rolleyes

being able to annoy your neighbors isn't a sound quality thing, its an annoying twat thing

[balli]

I needed help ruining my old computer...
What did you end up doing? Or did time take care of it?

[Cry Havoc]

yeah, because when talking about sound quality, we're talking about how loud you can listen to it :rolleyes

being able to annoy your neighbors isn't a sound quality thing, its an annoying twat thing

:lmao

Well said.

If you're just looking to do basic tasks, don't overpay for a Mac.

Go here: newegg.com and get the best display you can find for the money you're looking to pay. That's going to give you a great picture.

As far as sound quality goes, the sky is pretty much the limit. With a good sound card, you can run actual stereo speakers through your system, (as opposed to computer speakers, which are mostly junk by comparison).

For my computer, I have a set of Swan 2.1 computer speakers and I could not be happier with them. They sound absolutely phenomenal.

[TDMVPDPOY]

i say you buy a DIY box

and buy the screen from dell im talkin about the ultrasharp models which is about 1k each....not the TN panels.

[symple19]

Forget anything pre-made. Find somebody who knows WTF they're doing and have them put it together for you with what you want inside. PC! You'll save money and get wayyyyyy more bang for your buck than anything MAC has ever dreamed of. Cry-Havoc is spot on about newegg.com They are the absolute best place to get all of your hardware needs.Good luck!