Spring RTS Engine

Alright, So my mother would like to buy a computer.

To be honest she wants to get a mac, we want her to get a mac, and she can afford a mac... but...

She only wants to pay $700 Canadian for a new computer and she will need to get a new monitor... ain't happening cause the bottom of the line Mac Mini Costs 639.00 cad and it doesn't include a Monitor.

Sooo... I want to compare, apples to apples, what a PC of the same power would cost... I found this package at a "local" computer store.

http://pccyber.com/scrItem.asp?product_ ... t_id=12149

PC Cyber Intel Value Package
CPU Intel - C2D E4400
Motherboard Biostar P4M900-M7
Memory Generic 1GB DDR2 800
Hard Drive WD 160GB IDE (WD1600JB)
Optical Drive LG - 18X DVD -/+ RW GSA-H54N (beige)
Video VGA (Integrated)
Audio 6 Channel Audio (Integrated)
Network Ethernet 10/100 LAN (Integrated)
Case Beige Case Tower w/PSU

$ 347.00 CAD

* Get a Canon IP1700 Printer for only $9.77 more (regular $40)!
* Get a Mercury Office Keyboard for only $10 more (regular $19.99)!
* Get a FREE Optical Mouse (regular $7.77)!
* Get a 19" E197FP LCD Monitor for only $172 (regular $184)!
* Get a 22" E228WP LCD Monitor for only $260 (regular $277)!
* Get a Brother DCP-7020 Printer for only $137 (regular $146)!
* Get Microsoft XP Home Edition in either French or English for only $94 (regular $99)!
* Get Microsoft XP Professional Edition in either French or English for only $162 (regular $167)!
* Get Microsoft Vista Premium Edition in either French or English for only $130 (regular $139)!

Now I'd need to add XP (100) and buy the monitor(150-200) so add $250-300 to the price and we get out around $600-650 cad

Comparing this to baseline Mac Mini:
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/W ... KHb/6.?p=0

Mac Mini Starting @ $599.00
* 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
* 1GB memory
* 80GB hard drive
Ships: Within 24 hours
Free Shipping
$599.00 - $ 639.00 CAD
or as low as $15 a month

Doesn't Include Display, Mouse or Keyboard.

To this one we only need to add a monitor for $150-200 so we get out at $790-840... already over the target price...

My problem is that the extra money might be worth it if the packages we're looking at are really comparable..

So is the Mac Mini Processor-

1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

comparable to the

Intel - C2D E4400

Are there other factors I'm leaving out of the comparison that need to be addressed?

Is the above system going to be good enough for someone who seriousely only uses the computer for email and word processing going to be good enough?

If you want a Mac so bad, buy a regular PC and install mac OS on it. You can do that now, right?

Anyway where are you located? I can look for a deal for you if you want. The price you quoted seems rather high TBH. especially if it doesn't even come with an OS.

The 1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo is the Intel - C2D E6300 or the E6320. Conroe, lower clock multipler, higher FSB.
The 2.00 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo is the Intel - C2D E4400. Allendale, higher clock multiplier, lower FSB.

I would say they are equivalent processors for her purposes.

Why not a 35W Athlon...? It's not like your mom needs to play oblivion in HD with 24xAA.

Yes, what are her needs? If she plans to do multitasking and a little Photoshop, I might go for a Core Duo, but a Core 2 Duo is Gamer/Video Editing Territory.

Problem is I don't know what she would do if she had a decent computer, right now it's just email and word... maybe looking at pictures her friends send her and emailing people pictures she's taken.

I would suggest if she truly wants a Mac but only wants to spend $700 that she get it used. Most of the Macs in that range selling used will be PowerPC based not Intel based but you might be able to find some or it might not matter. Also why does she want a Mac? Is it just ease of use or also the power or style or? She probably could use a couple year old computer if all she is doing is basic stuff.

just get her an iPod...

tell her its the "new thing"

I would get her the non-mac PC. It would be suited to her a lot i would think.

My mum has a low-end laptop and does music, pictures, internet, seriiusly unless you mum is a gamer/photo editor/video editor don't spend more than $500 on something.

Okay... Here's What I'm thinking...

Either:

$ 557.00 CAD

System Specs CPU AMD AL64 DUAL CORE 4000+ AM2
Motherboard Biostar TA690G-AM2
Memory Kingston KVR667D2N5/1G
Hard Drive WD 250GB SATA II
Optical Drive LG - 18X DVD -/+ RW GSA-H54N (beige)
Video ATI Radeon├óÔÇ×┬ó X1250 Graphics, On Board Graphic Max. Memory Share 512 MB
Audio Realtek ALC888 8+2-Channel HD Audio
Network Ethernet 10/100 LAN (Integrated)
Case Antec CS400 (beige) w/ 480W TaoTec PSU

* $50 Coupon for Stationery w/ Purchase

You also receive (free of charge):

1 E198WFP 19" Wide LCD Monitor
1 Mercury Office Keyboard
1 Mercury C2220 Mouse

** ADD $15 more and get a Belkin F5D7230-4 Wireless-G Router!

or

$ 347.00 CAD

System Specs CPU Intel - C2D E4400
Motherboard Biostar P4M900-M7
Memory Generic 1GB DDR2 800
Hard Drive WD 160GB IDE (WD1600JB)
Optical Drive LG - 18X DVD -/+ RW GSA-H54N (beige)
Video VGA (Integrated)
Audio 6 Channel Audio (Integrated)
Network Ethernet 10/100 LAN (Integrated)
Case Beige Case Tower w/PSU

* Purchase this system and take advantage of any of the following Back to School Promotions:

* Get a Canon IP1700 Printer for only $9.77 more (regular $40)!
* Get a Mercury Office Keyboard for only $10 more (regular $19.99)!
* Get a FREE Optical Mouse (regular $7.77)!
* Get a 19" E197FP LCD Monitor for only $172 (regular $184)!
* Get a 22" E228WP LCD Monitor for only $260 (regular $277)!
* Get a Brother DCP-7020 Printer for only $137 (regular $146)!
* Get Microsoft XP Home Edition in either French or English for only $94 (regular $99)!
* Get Microsoft XP Professional Edition in either French or English for only $162 (regular $167)!
* Get Microsoft Vista Premium Edition in either French or English for only $130 (regular $139)!

Either way I need to add XP to the price because I don't feel like saddling her with Linux.

So, Package 1 all i Need to add in XP (do I need to get XP Pro 64-bit ?)

557+XP
MS Windows XP PRO x64 Edition English OEM $ 163.00
MS Windows XP Home Edition OEM(ENG) $ 99.00

so $656 or $720

And With Package 2 I need to add just a monitor+XP

and XP 347+172+99

so $618


I can get a better deal from Best Buy but it's gonna come with Vista... and I don't like vista...

And so it was spoken by all the tech deities in the known world "though shalt not get XP 64bit, lest thy suffer for thine grievous error in ways unbeknownest since the dark ME ages".

From what I've been picking up, you should be able to set up Vista in such a way that it should be a smooth operating experience for her (standard user, I think its supposed to not get all those security pop-ups). It might actually be easier for her to learn, and she might find its interface refreshingly mac-ish (again, just stuff I've heard). Since you won't actually be the one using it, and she doesn't really need max available power for her programs like a gamer does, the only real question that should or should not eliminate it as an option is what are the specs on the computer you looked at from Best Buy?

1. Must have a minimum of 1gig of ram. Anything less, and well, the tech deities will utter more curses.
2. Intel onboard video is a good enough reason not to buy. Preferably you'll want it to already have some pci-e card in it (any will do), or at least Radeon Xpress 200 onboard graphics or newer ATI and nVidia onboard graphics. Xpress 200 chipsets, and the newer iterations, have full graphics features, unlike the older generations of integrated crap, so can actually be used!
3. You may not need a dual core processor for Vista, but I'd make sure it has one anyway. Besides, most of the time that they don't come with a dual core they instead come with some super cheap alternative thats unlikely to live up to expectations.

If it fills those 3 reqs, and still saves you a bit of money, it might be worth reconsidering. The tech support might even save you some hours down the road

Archangel of Death wrote:And so it was spoken by all the tech deities in the known world "though shalt not get XP 64bit, lest thy suffer for thine grievous error in ways unbeknownest since the dark ME ages".

From what I've been picking up, you should be able to set up Vista in such a way that it should be a smooth operating experience for her (standard user, I think its supposed to not get all those security pop-ups). It might actually be easier for her to learn, and she might find its interface refreshingly mac-ish (again, just stuff I've heard). Since you won't actually be the one using it, and she doesn't really need max available power for her programs like a gamer does, the only real question that should or should not eliminate it as an option is what are the specs on the computer you looked at from Best Buy?

1. Must have a minimum of 1gig of ram. Anything less, and well, the tech deities will utter more curses.
2. Intel onboard video is a good enough reason not to buy. Preferably you'll want it to already have some pci-e card in it (any will do), or at least Radeon Xpress 200 onboard graphics or newer ATI and nVidia onboard graphics. Xpress 200 chipsets, and the newer iterations, have full graphics features, unlike the older generations of integrated crap, so can actually be used!
3. You may not need a dual core processor for Vista, but I'd make sure it has one anyway. Besides, most of the time that they don't come with a dual core they instead come with some super cheap alternative thats unlikely to live up to expectations.

If it fills those 3 reqs, and still saves you a bit of money, it might be worth reconsidering. The tech support might even save you some hours down the road

or just don't get a 64 Bit OS for a under $1000 CPU...

dude seriously, just find 32 bit cpu/micro atx motherboard combos, throw in a case and call it good. CHeap as hell.

Why not ubuntu? Seems computer illiterate safe to me. Better then XP even considering it shouldn't get as loaded down with random internet crap.

If you go with Mac, check out the refurbished section on the web site. Significant saving on a new one, and it has to be in the same quality as the macs they sell new, by law. A friend who works at Apple gave me the tip, and I've never bought a full price Mac or iPod since. Really helps take the edge off the "cool tax" Apple makes you pay.

SinbadEV wrote: Is the above system going to be good enough for someone who seriousely only uses the computer for email and word processing going to be good enough?

I recommend a PIII 800mhz running Xubuntu, with Abiword and Thunderbird.

Total cost: probably about $75 at a second hand store, leaving $625 for a very large monitor. It will be great for movies, too.

But you can't watch 9000x9000 SUPER-HD movies then.

Zpock wrote:Why not ubuntu? Seems computer illiterate safe to me. Better then XP even considering it shouldn't get as loaded down with random internet crap.

No, it isnt actually. Depending on hardware etc it can be a PITA for mildly computer-illiterate people
And also, computer illiterate people cant really adapt from windows to any sort of other enviroment, like doing stuff in terminal.

And theres no builtin PPPoE support >_<

why not get mother old comp 4 internet browse????