Anyone have an Alienware PC or Mac G5?

[Variance]

I'm pretty unsatisfied with both of my computers right now.

My desktop is pretty much a Frankenstein hodge-podge of newer parts (motherboard, processor...) and parts from previous computers (hard drive, RAM...). The thing is pretty slow by today's standards and it been grating on my nerves for a while.

The Compaq laptop is much faster (2.8GHz Pentium 4, 512MB RAM) but is an unreliable POS. The power connector broke, the keyboard and touchpad are dead and the montior has some dead pixels. Not to mention it gets hot and is loud as hell.

So I've recently been looking at alternatives for the future and came across a pretty good-looking deals on Alienware and Mac G5 computers.

Now I have very little Mac experience so I'm more curious about them. The specs look good, though. Here's one for $650...

http://newyork.craigslist.org/fct/sys/157420955.html

If I go Mac, will I go back?

As for Alienware, I guess I just want to know how reliable they are.

[Endo]

I'm pretty unsatisfied with both of my computers right now.

My desktop is pretty much a Frankenstein hodge-podge of newer parts (motherboard, processor...) and parts from previous computers (hard drive, RAM...). The thing is pretty slow by today's standards and it been grating on my nerves for a while.

The Compaq laptop is much faster (2.8GHz Pentium 4, 512MB RAM) but is an unreliable POS. The power connector broke, the keyboard and touchpad are dead and the montior has some dead pixels. Not to mention it gets hot and is loud as hell.

So I've recently been looking at alternatives for the future and came across a pretty good-looking deals on Alienware and Mac G5 computers.

Now I have very little Mac experience so I'm more curious about them. The specs look good, though. Here's one for $650...

http://newyork.craigslist.org/fct/sys/157420955.html

If I go Mac, will I go back?

As for Alienware, I guess I just want to know how reliable they are.

I've got an Alienware. Took a few weeks to get it after I ordered but I've had it for almost 3 years with no problems.

Why are you looking for a high-end computer? Since you're considering a Mac I assume it's not for gaming.

[Variance]

Why are you looking for a high-end computer?  Since you're considering a Mac I assume it's not for gaming.

It's not really for any particular reason. I don't do that much gaiming (I have consoles for that) but I do some Photoshopping and video editing now and then. Nothing heavy but I want something that's considerably quicker than the desktop I have now. I only just came across the G5 while browsing and it looks to be a high-performance machine for a great value.

[Drew Dowdell]

Alienware is now owned by Dell.

If you get a Mac get an Intel based Mac. They're faster then the G5 cousins and all the new Mac software will be written for them. With the new MacIntels, you can also get a piece of software called BootCamp that will allow you to boot into Windows XP or the forthcoming Windows Vista. The best part is, Windows XP runs faster/better on a MacIntel than it does on most PCs.

That said, I use a PC for my business.... but I steal my partner's Powerbook G4 whenever I can. Even though it's nearly two years older then my Acer Ferrari 64, it's almost as fast at most applications.

[Drew Dowdell]

It's not really for any particular reason. I don't do that much gaiming (I have consoles for that) but I do some Photoshopping and video editing now and then. Nothing heavy but I want something that's considerably quicker than the desktop I have now. I only just came across the G5 while browsing and it looks to be a high-performance machine for a great value.

Don't do the G5! Seriously. Nothing is wrong with the processor itself except that Apple has already determined it's obsolesense. All new software will be written for the MacIntels.

[Variance]

The more I read about the Mac, the more I'm intrigued. I just might pick up one of the new Intel-powered ones when I can.

[Chris_Doane]

Intel powered Mac towers are coming this summer.

[Variance]

The iMacs look cool, though. It would free up a lot of space on my desk, too.

[capriceman]

I have had BAD EXPEIRENCES WITH MAC!! Im an HP guy for the past 5 years. Alienware kicks ass tho but you have to dish out some money.

[Variance]

I have had BAD EXPEIRENCES WITH MAC!! Im an HP guy for the past 5 years. Alienware kicks ass tho but you have to dish out some money.

Details about your Mac experience? Every HP/Compaq I've ever had has had some piece(s) of hardware fail.

Used Alienwares are pretty cheap for the performance, too.

I think a Mac desktop and Alienware notebook would work great for me (or vice-versa). I'm not sure I want to abandon Windows/PCs altogether. I know about Boot Camp but still some reviews state it's not 100% like a PC since some apps still run slower on a Windows Mac (mainly games which though I don't play much of on computers, I still would like to be able to if I want).

[Drew Dowdell]

I have had BAD EXPEIRENCES WITH MAC!! Im an HP guy for the past 5 years. Alienware kicks ass tho but you have to dish out some money.

Well... like what kind of bad experiences?

Apple's Applecare warrenty is the best in the business.

[scharmer05]

no i don't, but alienware just built a huge new building on our campus, and apartly once they open up, students will be able to get a decent discount from them, so i may soon.

[tmp]

I've had six or seven PC's in the last ten years or so (paid for by work) including my latest Dell, which is already having problems. I've had two Macs in the past 12 years, a PowerBook 540 that I retired 5 years ago because the 500 Megabite Hard Drive and 19k modem was just not cutting it, and my current iBook SE (key lime), which will have to be replaced in the next few years, only to keep current with the Intel upgrades. I'll stick with the Mac, but I'll wait to see how they iron out the Intel stuff out first.

[capriceman]

out of my 3 macs years ago and one 2 years ago i fry the bored's and hard drives. I think im unlucky though. i keep my computers on 24/7 and either downloading stuff of the web or playing music. I abuse um. my one mac broke becuase i got pissed at it since it froze and i beat the $h! out of it. the borad cracked and when i turned it on it caught on fire. I no people that have good luck with them. but i hav horrible luck with them. and I biased since i hate apple becuase of the IPOD.

Compaq's are bad they have problems for some reason. my current HP is great i get a computer every 4 years.

my AST was a great computer in it's days but i think they died off or somthing.

[loki]

the macintels have no reliabilty info for them , but they are supposed to be pretty fast, and probably will be reliable as anything else. i agree w/ capriceman, i don't like how they monopolized thier own digital music "conglomerate". i have heard that some problems would be with their service... as in if there was a problem, like , i tihnk something about the last powerbook overheating , was kept lowkey, and tried to pass it off as not a problem...? sorry if i can't give you more of a exact answer on that.

too bad you can't build your own laptop like you can desktops/towers.

if you buy an ibook, hope you'll be happy w/ it. if dell puts its software on alienware, well i'd wipe it and do a freash install of xp after you got it.

hope some of this is helpful.

[scharmer05]

the great thing about macs is that you can buy applecare for them, which is apple's warrenty plan they sell. They will replace almost anything under the plan...it usually doesn't matter how it happened.

I know a guy that one time left his ipod in a cupholder, next to soda that he had got at some fast food place. He left them both in there for a day and becuase the soda was in a paper cup, the leftover soda bled out over night and ruined his ipod that was in the cupholder as well. he called apple to see what he could do about it. the guy at apple asked him if he had applecare...when he said no they guy told him to go buy it and then call them back in a few weeks and he could get it replaced.