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General discussion

Whizkid, here is the MacBookPro - Dell comparison...

Dec 30, 2006 7:29AM PST

From the other camcorder forum...

Which Dell laptop are you comparing to which MacBook Pro.

All I could find were:
$1,549 (after $300 rebate, so really $1849?) Dell M65 15"
and
$2,499 Apple MacBookPro 15"

Is this what you compared?

When I went through the Dell configurator, and selected the 2.33 GHz CPU it went to $2,359... The $1,549 is for the 1.66 GHz CPU... Even at $2,359, the machine has a 60 gig hard drive, CD ROM drive - not DVD (it is on the column on the right and not DVD writable - that feature is an upgrade). The Dell does have an infrared port - but I don't know what that is used for. I can't tell if the HSDPA and 1xEv-DO waide area wireless are optional or included (likely optional) or if all the other expandablity requires a docking station/port replicator.Looks like the Dell includes a dial-up modem the MacBook does not - I have not used one of those for years. There is an optional USB tail available for the MacBook for dial-up connectivity.

So... If I stay with the Apple 2.33 GHz @ $2,499 and list only the things the Dell machine does not have: the Mac comes with a 120 gig hard drive, a FireWire 800 port, a Double-layer DVD/CD write/read "superdrive", built-in bluetooth, illuminated keyboard (very handy for use in a dark environment) and a "MagSafe power adapter" (very handy - check it out - ALL laptops should have this), a built-in video camera, a combined optical/digital audio line-in and line out mini jacks (the Dell's line in and out jacks are analog only - no optical), and a wireless remote (for "Front Row" - also pretty cool, check it out).

Can you tell me which specific Dell you are comparing to? If it is the same machine (the Dell M65 @ 2.33 GHz, above), for $40, just the bigger hard drive and the Double Layer DVD "superdrive" are well worth getting the MacBookPro... Toss in the other stuff and that is a lot of gravy - and if you are a Windows user, you can continue to use that Operating System...

Discussion is locked

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The Dell Precision M65 prices out at $2,875, not $1,500
Dec 30, 2006 1:01PM PST

Dell Precision M65 starts at $1,549 but let's compare equivalent configurations using the Dell configurator:

2.33 GHz CPU
Windows (with media)
No upgrade to Vista
Video card - no choice
15.4 inch WXGA (included in price)
2 Gig RAM
120 gig hard drive (5400 RPM)
8X DVD+/-RW w/Roxio Software? and Cyberlink Power DVD? (this is the double layer DVD option)
No external drive
Add bluetooth module
Add Dell Wireless? 1390 802.11g Mini-Card
No 1xEv-DO or HSDPA
No router
No fingerprint reader
File system type is $0 either way
standard battery
no printer
no projector
no extra input tools
standard AC adapter
no extra AC adapter and nothing after this...

Please show me how to price out that $1,500 Dell with specs identical to a 2.33 GHz MacBook Pro with a 15.4 inch screen that is $2,499.

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ok.....
Dec 30, 2006 10:59PM PST

First of all: I was not comparing laptops in the first place. It didn't really matter which one either.
Let me check them out and I will get back to this thread...

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Ok...
Dec 30, 2006 11:39PM PST

Note: Some specs are not exact but are close.
Desktops:
Dell Dimension 9200 vs. iMac 20" 2.16GHz

2.13GHz < 2.16GHz
1GB 533MHz < 1GB 667MHz
250GB SATA = 250GB SATA
16x DVD-ROM < 24x DVD-ROM
20" LCD = 20" LCD
256MB nVidia 7900GS > 128MB ATI Radeon X1600
$1,164 $1,499

I really don't see how .03GHz, 133MHz, and 6x could make so much of a difference. Plus the graphics card is much better. I could even upgrade the Dell's processor to a 2.4GHz for only $100 more which would still only come out to $1,264. I could also get another GB of Ram for only $140 more which would STILL be less than $1500. If there's any other little add-ons (Bluetooth, Firewire) that I forgot, it probably won't be a lot more either.

More will be posted later, if needed, about laptops, plus even other brands (i.e. Gateway, HP)

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Your first comparison was an
Dec 31, 2006 2:38AM PST

Apple at $2,499 and a Dell at $1,500.

The only Macintosh I can find at the Apple store for $2,499 is the MacPro Tower... Not the 2.16 GHz iMac 20". And the iMac 20" is $1,499.

But let's see...

Dell Dimension 9200
upgrade to 2.13 GHz CoreDuo
Windows Professional included
No Upgrade to Vista
No memory upgrade
Upgrade to 250 gig hard drive
Upgrade to 16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability
Add 20 Inch monitor (the iMac has the 20 inch built-in...)
Add second monitor support (built-in to the iMac)
Standard video
Sound card standard
Speakers upgraded - apparently the standard speakers don't work with the monitor? It was the only way to clear an error message I got on the configuration and have at least stereo audio.
keyboard, mouse standard, no additonal software (even though the iMac comes with iLife bundled (iMovie HD, iPhoto, iDVD, GarageBand, iChat, iCal)
No Adobe or Office productivity software
Add IEEE1394 port
No security software (even though we all know this is a hard requirement for Windows)
standard 3rd party digital music app
No modem for dial-up
standard digital photo 3rd party app
No QuickBooks
No ISP service
No router
No support... no other extras

Total on the right side of the screen says $1,502...

There is no option for FireWire 800 - I use an external drive with FireWire 400, FireWire 800 and USB2 ports... and I can't tell if the Dell comes with USB, 10/100/1000 ethernet, 802.11a/g support or bluetooth or a remote (the iMac uses it for FrontRow) and there was nothing about a camera and the line-in or line-out audio jacks on the Dell are analog only as opposed to the analog/optical combo jacks on the iMac... and the iMac has a built-in mic - which I couldn't see putting on a tower and I did not see as an option to purchase from Dell... Heck, even if I upgraded the iMac video to 256 meg RAM and spotted you $75 and assume that the ethernet and wireless networking is supported, it comes out close enough where the optical in/out and the camera and the remote control still bring the iMac in as a better value.

So... I will grant you that the $3.00 difference is marginal, at best, but the additions on the iMac that are not mentioned on the Dell appear to turn that $3.00 delta into something more - but I won't put a dollar amount on it. And I won't include that the iMac looks way cooler (because that is subjective) and takes up less space than the Dell tower + monitor...

And I would like to take this opportunity to thank Kiddpeat for his "training", whether he meant to or not.

Happy 2007, all!

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So.....
Dec 31, 2006 3:15AM PST

When I said Mac=2500 and Dell=1500, that was not a real serious comparison. I was just saying that Macs are too expensive for me personally. I think this whole discussion is stupid. The Mac fans love Macs. The PC fans like PCs. If they are "supposedly" the same cost, then it comes down to personal opinion.
I don't use Firewire 800 or Bluetooth so that's not necessary to get something I don't need. Every Dell computer comes with (6-8!!)USB2 ports (which I need) and Ethernet. Audio in and out. Media Card reader (built in) is an advantage. Can't use Superdrive with my DVD camcorder since Superdrives can't handle miniDVDs. Alot more room for later upgrades. No upgrades with iMac. I don't really care about room saving because my tower fits in a little cubby that will never be used for anything else, and my flat panel takes up less than a sq.ft. of space on my desk. Many programs I use are only for Windows. I know you can do both but you still have to buy the whole XP OS to put on the Mac.

Happy New Year everyone!!!!!
Pr

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(NT) Game, Set & Match, boya84
Dec 31, 2006 5:37AM PST
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I know this contest is finished, but
Dec 31, 2006 5:46AM PST

I would point out that the 2.16Ghz iMac, the one that is being compared, does NOT come with a 24X DVD-ROM as stated by whizkid454.

It does, of course, come with an 8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD