gwmac's Profile

  • http://topgearelectronics.com/blog/
  • Apr 20, 2008
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Latest comments made by: gwmac

  • "Is that market anywhere near as large as the vocal online complainers think it is…" Of course there is. Apple has never tried. The Cube in some ways almost fit the bill, even though it was hard to upgrade the CPU or GPU, it was at least possible. The reason it failed was nothing more than price. They tried to rape people on price and it failed, no big surprise there. The switch to intel means that for the very first time end users could easily and cheaply replace the CPU in a year or two for a MUCH faster one if they so choose. Graphics cards are another issue since the pickings are rather slim. But one reason AMD and Nvidia don't bother is that only Mac Pro users can upgrade. Introduce a mid range and suddenly there are millions more potential Mac customers for them.
    gwmac had this to say on Apr 18, 2008 Posts: 3
    The Non Existent Glaring Hole in the Mac Lineup
  • One thing I forgot to add is that posts like this from delusional "Apple can do no wrong" apologists does little to help Apple in the end. Why does Apple think that making their computers smaller or thinner is nearly as important as price and horsepower. Imagine if there were an iMac one or two inches thicker but had easy access to swapping out the hard drive, graphics card, CPU, and ram. Can anyone in their right mind not say that they would prefer this versus one that is thinner? The other problem as I see it is the lack of decent graphics card options, even on the Mac Pro. Apple finally released an upgrade kit for older models, but why is it that we are always one or two generations behind? You can't tell me that AMD or Nvidia would not make versions of their latest and greatest cards if Apple requested it. We can't even watch blu-ray movies on Macs because not even one Mac are HDCP compatible. Apple has a bad habit of purposefully leaving out essential components and not providing an upgrade path simply to force us to buy a brand new Mac to get those features. That is unacceptable. I struggled along on my upgraded Quiksilver dual G4 1.2 GHz for seven years before I gave up and built a machine that suits my needs and budget because Apple refused to do so. I guarantee you that I am not alone and by dismissing our legitimate concerns as "whining" you really lose any credibility. Also, a mid sized tower would finally give businesses an Apple computer that they could justify buying. The iMac and mini do not come close to meeting the needs of most businesses or even schools.
    gwmac had this to say on Apr 18, 2008 Posts: 3
    The Non Existent Glaring Hole in the Mac Lineup
  • What a load of crap. I have been an Apple user since my first computer an Apple IIe back in the early 80's and I am still amazed that some Apple users can defend this irrational policy of not having a consumer desktop. In my case the Mac Mini is underpowered. It has a relatively slow CPU that is long overdue for an upgrade, dog slow integrated graphics, and a small and slow hard drive, and it is a huge PITA to even upgrade the ram. It is basically a Macbook in a box. The iMac is a little better, but there are huge tradeoffs. The graphics card is not only not upgradeable, it was already slow when it was new! And I have had enough hard drives die to know that it happens more than we would like. I have heard horror stories about trying to replace a hard drive in an iMac. I will NEVER buy an iMac because I do not like the glossy screen, already have a much nicer 28 inch monitor and a 22 inch. I also want a Mac that can play games well. I hate the one in all concept because I also know that my monitor will outlive the usefulness of the other parts. WIth the iMac you have to basically throw it away. It is really nothing more than a Macbook Pro with a faster and larger hard drive. So in reality every single Mac except for the Mac Pro are using laptop parts which means more expensive and slower. The Mac Pro is overkill for most people in terms of price and power. Intel have some amazing dual and quad core desktop CPU's that would not only be much cheaper but also faster. We would also have access to faster and cheaper memory. Who cares how many people actually upgrade their GPU or add a PCI expansion card? You completely ignore the argument that true desktop components are much cheaper and faster. I am sick of form over function from Apple. I don't even mind paying my Apple tax, but how hard is it to make dual or quad core computer with an upgrade path for under $2,000 when PC makers can do it for as little as $800? I for one got tired of waiting, I just built my own overclocked hackintosh for $1,400 and it blows away even a Mac Pro in games. So stop defending Apple no matter how insane their policies are and wake up to the reality that not all people will settle for a Mini or iMac or pay a small fortune for a Mac Pro. Whether you believe it or not, that gaping hole is there for all to see. Maybe you just need to open your eyes.
    gwmac had this to say on Apr 18, 2008 Posts: 3
    The Non Existent Glaring Hole in the Mac Lineup