What's the best Mac?

[Adelante]

Old or new. In your experience. What was the best model produced?

[htuttle]

1. In my opinion, they just keep getting better

The old G4 gooseneck iMacs had a particular coolness, but had some flaws regarding cooling. The newer 'flat upright' iMacs seem to be even better than that in most every way.

And the new 'Pro' models (with the quad Xenon's) just blow the doors off anything else I've seen so far. If you open one up, they look like a UFO inside...

And now I hear they are going to be releasing an 8-processor model. Zoom, zoom!

I say all this having used a Mac regularly since I had a Mac Plus, way, way back in the day. Some of the models during the 'Scully era' sucked, but other than that, it's pretty much been upward and onward since Jobs came back.

[Adelante]

5. I have an iMac G5

I LOVE the way it looks. It's my first Mac ever and I don't see myself ever going back to a PC. However... I wouldn't buy another iMac after this one. As of today I am investing my daydreams in a Mac Pro and hoping for a windfall.

[Poiuyt]

6. Apple already has released the 8 core models

8-core power from two 3.0GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Clovertown” processors. Shipping within 24 hrs.

(I still think of my dual 1.8ghz G5 PowerMac as being fast. It looks pretty feeble up against that!)

[LeftCoast]

2. My MacPro is the computer I have always wanted

It is a total workhorse.

[Adelante]

3. Sounds like Mac Pro, so far

Thanks :)

[Poiuyt]

4. They DO just keep getting better though there have been some standouts

The old Quadra was quite a powerhouse. I never had one, but I know it was used for some powerful applications. I did have a 9600, which was nice because it had 6 PCI slots (that seems so old-fashioned now).

The Pismo was a really nice Powerbook.

[alfredo]

7. The 7100/80 was excellent, a solid machine. Unlike the

Performa, it had plenty power.

My Dual 450 G4 (Sawtooth) has been my favorite so far.

I might buy a Mini soon, maybe this fall. It will be my first non Pro model.

[Elwood P Dowd]

8. What about the worst?

The old Performa 6200 and 5200 series were real "Road Apples". I still have one of those dogs collecting dust in my storage room. Talk about sloooowwwww...

[Adelante]

9. Listing the worst is good, too

So people know what to stay away from.

[Rob H.]

10. I have a 20" iMac G5 and love it

Traded up from a gumdrop G3 iMac. I only wish I'd waited for the second-gen G5, since it came with more video memory and a built-in iSight camera. :(

I have an old SE/30 that still works, too. It was a great little computer back in the day.

[TommyO]

11. The best Mac is the one you're using at the time.

I use a PowerMac 2.3Mhz dual-core G5, but was working with a 1Ghz gooseneck iMac over the weekend and it worked wonderfully as well.

[yellowdawgdem]

12. they're all good

But I recently traded in my trusty g4 desktop for an intel imac, and have been disappointed overall. I think I would've been better off with an imac g5. I still am considering selling the intel and buying a g5. Other than doing that, I will have to purchase an older laptop that can run my os9 programs. In addition to not having a 'classic' environment, I somehow think of the intels as being more pc than mac. Also there are less tweaks you can do.

[Brundle_Fly]

15. umm.

OS9 died in 2000.

move on.

cant imagine there is a program you'd need that hasn't migrated in the last 6-7 years.

[yellowdawgdem]

17. Not sure if spindoctor has migrated

And I love the look and fexibility of os 9. Just call me retro.

[emmadoggy]

13. LOVE my iMac G5!

Previously had (still have - now the kids' computer) a grape iMac. We bought our G5 right when they released the Intel iMacs and we had to decide which to get. I felt the G5 was more "proven" at that time and was leary of getting in on the first Intel Macs without knowing how well they would go.
I have heard lots of wonderful things about the Intel Mac (along with some complaints) but I have been VERY pleased with our G5 and have not regretted it for a second. It is a dream.

[Brundle_Fly]

14. Dual G5 2.5

x800 xt video, dual 10,000 rpm mirrored drives, and 4 gigs memory, still holds its own against my fancier macbook pro.

[onehandle]

16. My first G4 PowerBook in 2001.

It was the first portable that enabled me to stop using desktop models all together.

I could edit video in Final Cut Pro in a coffee shop and connect to an external big monitor and firewire arrays at my home and office workstations.

Changed my life in a big way.

I had a G3 PowerBook before that, but the power was just not there, not to mention OSX.

[Sanctified]

18. Mac Pro amazing machine for the money. n/t

[Awsi Dooger]

19. I loved the old 7500

Great video capability and a sensible case that made tinkering and expansion so easy compared to the pizza box Quadras I had previously. I threw a bargain G3 card in there and suddenly it flew.

I'm more old school, still using a G4 dualie. That's an even better case design but it should be since it was made 8 or 9 years after the 7500. And I do still boot into 9 occasionally. A couple of old games I use were never modified for OS X, although X is infinitely superior to classic. Plus I prefer some of the older and more simple versions of Excel to anything recent. An old classic control panel called Type It For Me really simplifies and shortens my Excel work by expanding brief abbreviations. For example, if I'm typing San Francisco into a workbook I have it set to expand if I type sf. I have more than one thousand abbreviations set up in the data base. There may be an OS X version of that but I didn't find one that worked as well, or that I could transfer my abbreviations to without starting from scratch.

I've tinkered with the G5s at my friend's house and at CompUSA but see no need for them, not remotely close. I'm on the internet and Excel primarily, nothing that requires the latest and greatest. I view computer purchasing the same as buying a car, the dealers thrill to screw you with new stuff when they know damn well the slightly older models offer by far the greater value.

The only exception was when I bought a new iBook a couple of years ago when it came with an excellent price plus so many related rebates and combination offers that I was able to get a $250 printer for 40 bucks.

[bullimiami]

20. the new intel mac pros are pretty amazing.

[fightthegoodfightnow]

21. If you are a Window User *ANY* Mac is Better

I used to so annoyed at the cult of Mac users until I became one myself. And for good reason.

Better operating system.
Better design.
Better features.
Better software.

I've owned two notebooks. They are not without faults.... I had a bad battery that warped. I had a mag cord not work after eight months. But the pros have far outweighed the problems. I will never buy anything other than a Mac.

[Awsi Dooger]

22. I'm on my 4th iBook keyboard

So yeah, Macs are terrific but there are minor flaws.

The iBook keys wear out and fade, which is ridiculous. The first two went blank within months and I got them replaced on warranty.

Then once I went to an Apple Store and they replaced only the worn keys, one by one. But the last time I was beyond warranty and had to purchase a replacement on eBay. Luckily I found one from an individual and not a power seller, and I got the keyboard at a bargain, about $2.50 plus $12 shipping.

This time I've covered the keys with clear plastic, which is not ideal since they get dirty around the edges and the overall look of the laptop suffers, but at least I don't have to worry about keys steadily going blank.

I have no idea why they included such a cheap keyboard. My previous laptop was a 1400 and it had a phenomenal keyboard, no hint of wear in the 5 years I owned it.

[fightthegoodfightnow]

23. Apple Corporate Culture

I think what I like (and most people like) about Macs is their willingness to make innovation and creativity a part of their corporate culture which is so rare these days.

The magnet power strip is a fine example, I think it shreds (and bends to easily) near the end of the cord where you plug it in, but the concept is amazing and I'm sure it has saved lots of repair costs from accidents. I'm also sure they will re-evaluate it and improve it. The back lit key board is another feature that doesn't "have" to be there but it's great. I just think so much of what they do is wonderful. Virtually anything you do on a Mac is easier, simplier and faster, because someone asked the question "Is there a better way to do this?" Creativity isn't just a department that stamps approval on something - it's a corporate culture on every level of the company. I also appreciate their corporate values of diversity. Mac owners put up with shortcomings, because they value the bigger experience, product and corporate identity. They took some grief for their "Think Different" advertising campaign (probably from Window owners), but I thought it was great. They do think differently and I llike people and institutions who do.

Anyway......... I guess I'm a member of the cult now.

[fightthegoodfightnow]

24. Think Different

In case you never saw their "Think Different" ad

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/redlightrunner/thinkdifferent.mov

[moggie]

25. Have you considered a proper keyboard protector?

For a while now I've used one on my iMac, and a few days ago I got one for my MacBook. iSkin do a range of "ProTouch" keyboard protectors for Macs, including one for the iBook, which fit snugly over the keys. You might think that putting a condom on your keyboard would spoil the typing experience, but I've found that it doesn't.

[Awsi Dooger]

26. Yes, I've looked into it

There's iSkin, and many cheaper versions that are sold on eBay in different colors. The sellers always want a very low amount for the item but then rip you off on shipping, which is my pet peeve on eBay. There's no way I'm spending 12 bucks to ship a thin piece of plastic.

Right now I'm happy with the little round clear stickers that I got from one of the office supply stores. I put them on every key that has faded in the past, which was more than 20 last time.

When I find a great bargain I'll buy one of the keyboard protectors.

[Sancho]

27. Good question...history is 20/20!

My first Mac Plus ('84) got the most attention and was an unbelievable change over the IIe's and IBM (MS-DOS) machines. The real cool things were MacDraw and wysiwyg...I think it lasted about 3 years with one memory upgrade. It was best for beating up the PC folks and getting us out of the DOS/CPM disaster. My IIGS still suffered from OS confusion but the graphics were cool.

The best operating system changes occurred with the IISI / IICI . I also bought a laser printer with the IISI and that was a real innovation that changed the world for me. The IISI and IICI were affordable and easily upgradable. In many ways that was the best dollars ever spent for a computer that was usable for 6 or 7 years! The beginnings of a modern OS (systems 6 and 7) were amazing and fun to use. This was also the first game machine!

The IMac series is best for innovative hardware designs by far. My "blue box" was used daily for about 5 years and was a real workhorse. Not only best for reliability (at least mine was), but also the best new keyboard design and CD video. A real hardware leap. My current IMac (4 years in August) is still going strong. I think the best thing is the movable screen (don't have to hunt for my glasses) and wigets!

:toast: :freak: :hi:

[rocktivity]

28. I bought a Quadra at a clearance sale--and then the first Power Macs came out.

I was ready to replace the Quadra at the same time the Power Mac prices had dropped, but a last-second money glitch forced me to wait a month. A blessing in disguise--by then the G3s had come out, saving me from making the same mistake all over again. I bought one in 1998, and since then have turned it into a G4 with a 1000Hz processor card, a Super drive, USB/Firewire cards, a bigger hard drive, and OSX for a third of what a new Mac would cost.

So to answer your question, it really all depends on what you need your Mac to do. When the time comes that 768MB of RAM isn't enough anymore, I'll move on--but I'll make sure that something new isn't about to come out first.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Captain Angry]

29. I'm using a Mac Mini

The first generation model.

It's silent, tiny, and does everything I need for normal use. When I want to play a game, I have a monster computer that I turn on for that time only.

So, 30W as opposed to 750W power draw. Which is how I keep my electric bill under $20.00 a month.

I like the interface, the standard application set, and the ease of use. I used to teach Windows and Linux, and like it all.

I hope a new, silent, low power consuming Mac Mini comes out in the future. I'd love to be able to switch to Vista via Boot Camp if I have to use Windows for something.

[Dukkha]

30. my current G4 is 6 years old

and running very strong! upgraded from 733mHz to 1.8gHz, added a 500GB SATA drive and card, added USB 2.0, doubled the RAM, upgraded the graphics to ATI Radeon 9600 Pro, second display had a Radeon 7000. Works as well as any CPU on the market today.

and they whine that the Mac has no upgrade path :eyes: They last for a long long time! Most of the 90's I used an old Macintosh IIcx, a 1989 model. It got me on the Internet, desktop publishing, music, the whole works!