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Is the Dell XPS One Better than the Apple iMac?
An anonymous reader writes "The Apple iMac is probably the standard all-in-one desktop computer. Great operating system, built-in software and design around solid, but pretty normal, hardware guts. According to Walter Mossberg, there's a new kid in town that not only matches it but is 'sightly ahead': the Dell XPS One. His latest review is already causing the usual suspects to weigh in. Mossberg says it is a better machine, but Vista and its built-in software make it inferior than Apple iMac's Leopard and iLife suite. Would you choose the better hardware of the Dell XPS One -which is more expensive- or the elegant design and software of the Apple iMac?"
"Would you choose the better hardware of the Dell XPS One -which is more expensive- or the elegant design and software of the Apple iMac?"
Personally, I'm still choosing neither. Why? Because I can't afford them and I don't spend enough time using a desktop machine to justify it if I could. I put money into my laptops, because that's where I live and work. For my desktop, I want a big case that I can dig around and play in. And for the most part it's all cheap stuff. Would an imac be nice? Sure. Just like a Mercedes would be a lot nicer than my '95 Taurus. But the Taurus and my gateway case with a motherboard I got on special at Frys do the job - and that is enough.
When family our friends are looking for a new home pc - if they are looking for something in the price range of the imac - I encourage them to go that route without hesitation.
It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
and yet I have to concede that the Dell XPS One is an impressive looking AIO. I dare say its industrial design appears to be superior to the iMac's. It also bests the iMac with its TV tuner and Blu-ray option. I also have to admit that I'm typing on my office machine - an Inspiron - that I bought because Apple no longer offered a low-end laptop with dedicated graphics; consequently I have grown to appreciate Dell hardware. However, Dells will never run OS X (without hax0ring), and OS X is far superior to Windows. I am so much more productive on my G5 than on my Dell, but until I can justify purchasing a MacBook Pro for the office I'll be on my Inspiron. Even though Dell hardware may be nice for what it is, and even though I was justified in getting a Dell over a Mac for my business, I'd still opt for and recommend a Mac if at all possible.
Part of the hardcore faithful who believed in Apple long before it was cool again to do so
The one thing that sucks goatse's backside on the 20" iMac is that the LCD is 6-bit (256K colors). They use a form of dithering to fake more colors. Is the XPS LCD 6-bit or 8-bit (16M colors)?
But if forced at gunpoint I'd pick the mac. First, I like simple and elegant. Second, Dells all run Microsoft OS and I absolutely hate the way MS writes their software. MS software all seems bass-ackwards to me, starting with the directory seperator ("\ is ass backwards, Bill) to its double click.
If there is one thing that confounds me when I'm trying to show someone how to use a computer it's that godoffal damned fuckwitted doubleclick. I wind up exasperated saying "click on the icon and press 'enter'. It's easier. Its frustrating to new users.
And it's pointless. There's no reason why you should have to have two clicks in a certain time period; one click should highlight, a second should execute. Especially since MS and Linux mice have more than one button!
There are so many things I hate about MS software (not even including bloat, bugs, etc) I'd run out of bits listing them all.
So give me a few new parts and let me install Linux. If I have to buy a whole box it'll be a mac.
-mcgrew
mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest
I saw OSX with a Unix core, commercial application like Office and Adobe, and said screw it and bought an iBook. i got the stablity of Unix with the commerical software support that Linux lacked. Further more it just works. After I graduated from college and went out into the real world I quickly understood the value of my time. I need things that work. Yes, Apple costs more up front, but the amount of time it saves me not having to tweak this, find some missing dependency that, is well worth the extra cost.
Last year my Dad was needing a new computer. I got him the 17" iMac with the ATI video card (instead of the integrated graphics) and one year later, the number of support calls I've gotten?
1: He had one question about setting up Mail with his new DSL provider. (And I have to admit, I even had to call their tech support because they had some screwy config)
I set up and went back home. He had no problems getting Turbo Tax to install and use it. Now he had some initial questions the first couple days on how to use tabbed browsing and why he needed FireFox for some sites.
"The problem with socialism is eventually you run out of other people's money" - Thatcher.
As I said I do use those programs myself or one just like them. .exe I get in email or install codecs from questionable websites. AVG works well.
But...
No anti virus program will stop every virus. I honestly don't worry much about viruses since I don't click on
But again this is for my father. He is almost 70 and likes to travel, go hiking, and go on cruses. He just doesn't want to worry about his PC.
Even with your solution to one of his problems I would still have to find software to install to replace iLife and then would still have to install iTunes for him to use his iPod with.
I could set up a Windows Box that would be pretty safe and secure. I could set up a Linux Box that would be very safe and secure. Or he could buy a Mac.
It is just easier to set up a secure mac and keep it secure than a Windows Box.
There are Apple Stores all over the place where he can go if needs help and Apple's tech support line which I hear is much better than most Windows PC makers support lines.
The thing is I think you have it backwards.
He wants a new computer and a Mac will do everything he wants to do better and with less hassle than a Windows PC will.
So why not get a Mac?
See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
Maybe in the past, but I'm not so sure of the present. We have mid range Dell's at work (can't recall exactly what they are). We're a small hospital and there are about 75 PCs of various ages, all running XP. They just work. There is the occasional hard drive failure, the occasional monitor going south, but that's about it.
I recently bought a Mac Book Pro hoping to get off the Microsoft treadmill and yet continue to use Photoshop. After about a week of very stable running, it kernel panic'ed left and right. After dealing with the Usual Suspects - and learning more about the internals of OS X than I had really wanted to - it appeared to be the fault of an (Apple supplied) stick of memory.
After replacing it, it's better, but still not rock solid (unlike my two XP laptops). Looking at the inside of the MBP, and a friend's new Mac Pro - it's the same consumer grade electronics that you see in any midrange computer product from any vendor. No more, no less.
Apple's vaunted hardware - software intergration also seems to be straining at the seams. In attempting to source out the kernel panic issue, I had cause to stumble around Apple's web site, Mac Fix it and various other places. The problems (and solutions) were resoundingly similar to those I've had to deal with using various flavors of Windows (and Linux) over the years. Reading Pouge's Missing Manual, I'm struck with how bad the previous versions of Apple's operating systems have been (at least version 9 which he disses left and right).
I just canceled an order for a Mac Pro because I'm just not impressed enough to ditch my current XP box. Ask me in a year or three, but for now, it just doesn't really add up. I will give Apple kudos for their sales support. No long holds, no horrid language barriers, friendly and competent people. Could be a model usefully copied by some other computer companies (and I'm looking at YOU, Adobe).
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
Isn't it obvious? Mossberg is shaking down Apple to come out with a new iMac and send him a review unit.
In Repressive Burma, it's not just your connection that dies. slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=314547&cid=20819199
I swear I am going to go crazy if I keep hearing people say industrial design when referring to every single product (especially Apple products) under the sun.
What ever happened to the word 'design?' Do you catch the ghey if you just say something has a nice design? Do you have to say 'industrial' before 'design' so you sound all high-tech? Is it like 'design' is a homosexual concept to men, so you have to say 'industrial' to make it sound manly?
I mean, I get it. I have a Mac Pro at home and a Power Mac G5 at work. Industrial design is probably the best way to describe them. It is NOT the best way to describe other products which are simply well-designed. I have an iPhone, nice design. The Dell XPSOne looks very well designed. But what the hell is industrial about it? It was bad enough when every review of an Apple product that in some way incorporated metal had to say it had great industrial design. But now we're applying it to plastic Dells, too?
What's next, man, I really like the industrial design of your tie?
arrrrgh!!!!
Everyone has an anecdote to throw into this pool about how in their shop and the lot of systems they bought some brand is more reliable than some other brand. Anyone looking for objective data, however, should look at an independent study. I recommend Consumer Reports. Their methodology is not perfect, but it is better than anything else I've seen. They don't take ad money and they don't accept donated hardware from companies (who have been know to cherry pick models to send for review). They buy everything through regular retail channels, anonymously.
For their most recent report, Apple took the top spot for laptops and desktop reliability and support. Dell, did surprisingly well with laptops, moving into the same ballpark as Apple after years of being near the bottom, but their desktops still rank in the middle or lower on average.
For my personal experiences, buying lots of 100 (supposedly identical) Dell towers and finding out they actually have three different brands of hard drive, two different network cards, and two different video cards (only one of which had drivers for the OS we were using) was frustrating as hell, even when you don't count the 10% extra we had to order to keep on hand as replacements for the machines that were dead at any given time.
The EV-1 was interesting, but not particularly practical. Limited range, limited seating, relatively high cost, primitive battery technology (low lifecycle, poor performance in lower temperatures). And ultimately limited appeal. The waiting list peaked at a whopping five thousand vehicles, and supposedly only fifty of the people who signed on the waiting list actually purchased a vehicle when offered. Even if all five thousand had bought that's still far too few vehicles to make it economically feasible to maintain part production through the lifetime of the vehicle.
On the other hand, GM is expecting to start a full production run of the Volt on their newer E-flex drivetrain starting in 2010.
The best desktop machine I've ever owned is a HP Pavillion a6120n. I bought it at Circuit City during an end-of-model clearance, along with a Samsung 22" LCD, for $700. It has E4400 C2D processor, 2Gb memory, 400Gb storage, 7600gt (128Mb) DVI graphics, and a dual-layer burner.
Once home, I immediately wiped Vista and loaded OSX. The machine just screams. It's very, very stable; and some say, runs faster than an actual Mac.
Compared to an iMac or Mac Pro, I saved between $1000 and $3000.
Not only that, but now that there is an EFI emulator floating around, I was able to load Leopard from a retail distro I bought at the Apple store. I can take Apple updates and everything. Just like having the real thing - only better!!
Of course most Mac users are sheep, most people, in general, are sheep. People buy ipods because that's what everyone uses. People buy Windows also because that is everyone uses. At least the Mac sheep spent some time and made a conscious decision to buy something that most of the other sheeple didn't; so there is some hope for them.
For most people computers are just appliances. My wife introduced me to Macs. She bought one solely because she loved her iPod, and when she went to Circuit City, she looked at both PCs and a Mac, and because of her experience with her iPod she bought an iBook (this was many years ago). She's a smart cookie, but doesn't have an interest in technical stuff, so she said to her self: if the iPod works well the Mac must too; and for her it has; she now has a MacBook.
When we started dating, I started learning OS X on her machine. I was kind of amazed of what she was doing with her computer. Sure you CAN do everything she was doing on Windows, but no-one in my family had ever figured out how to do it. She was doing it on her Mac without really thinking of it. That got me intrigued.
For me, I'm a developer, a *nix developer to be precise. I had never been interested in Macs pre OS X, as the OS was kind of lame. But I felt right at home in the Terminal in OS X; I did have to learn the BSD way of doing things, but that was very easy.
I bought the cheapest Mac Mini to play with; ripped it apart, upgraded it, installed and reinstalled everything, etc. I then started to KVM between my Linux workstation and my Mac Mini. The mini was slow, but I started using it more and more. My next computer was a MacBook Pro; at that point I had my Mac laptop and my desktop Linux workstation.
When my Linux workstation was getting long in the tooth, I debated between a new shiny 4 core PC, or a 4 core Mac Pro. I had just built a very nice 4 core Linux workstation for a co-worker, and that worked really well for him. In the end I decided on a Mac Pro, and I've been very happy; I now have no PCs for workstations, only servers. OS X makes an excellent Unix workstation, and a great development environment. I'd be happy with a Linux workstation too, but I really like that the things I don't want to mess with (music, creating movies, etc) "just work" on the Mac, and things I really care about (development, the command-line, unix environment) work really well on OS X. Plus little things like OS X is 64 bit, and I can put 16gigs of memory in my Mac Pro; you really don't have to think about it (yes I know the 64bit versions of Windows and Linux can too, but most people aren't using those)
So I think my wife and I show two ends of the Mac spectrum; it's not as easy as saying "Mac users are non-technical sheep" because there are many people like me who need high powered unix workstations. And there are many people like my wife, who just want to do what they need to do and get back to what really interests them.