[Review] 24 inch iMac 2.8ghz

By +StevoFC
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Grand Master

+StevoFC MVC

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Nice review Stevo. It's a nice line up but I'm still doubting which setup I should take. Probably the same as yours I guess. You've been a couple days further, how do you feel about the iMac now?

I'm really happy with it. It performs great. I've been running the folding@home smp client for almost 3 full days now and even that doesn't slow it down. I can't complain about it at all.

I don't see any reason to even consider the nvidia 8800 unless you plan on playing games on it and want the highest settings possible.

Grand Master

+StevoFC MVC

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iMacs are simply amazing machines :) I've had mine for almost six months now and it has never put a foot wrong for me. I can see myself choosing to go for Macs over regular PCs for a long time.

It's actually annoying now for me to use my pc at work because I am so used to OSX here at home. I have absolutely no reason to purchase a new pc other than from Apple anymore.

Grand Master

+Frank B. Subscriber²

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It's actually annoying now for me to use my pc at work because I am so used to OSX here at home. I have absolutely no reason to purchase a new pc other than from Apple anymore.

I know the feeling. It took me about a week to get used to OS X. Ever since Windows feels alien to me.

Grand Master

Quillz

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I know the feeling. It took me about a week to get used to OS X. Ever since Windows feels alien to me.

Unlike some, I don't have an issue with any OS. I use Windows, Mac OS X and Linux regularly and all feel "at home" to me.

Grand Master

what

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I think the thin keyboard is the greatest part of the computer. :D

Maybe :p When it was first described as being lifted straight from a Macbook, I was a little weary, but it's the best keyboard I've ever used. It's got a great feel to it, and because it's so thin, you can actually use the desk as a rest for your wrists. AND because the keys cover up the gaps, the only dirt you can see is on top of the keys and on the aluminium. I have to say I'm not fond of the smaller bluetooth version, but the wired one is simply excellent.

Grand Master

Quillz

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Maybe :p When it was first described as being lifted straight from a Macbook, I was a little weary, but it's the best keyboard I've ever used. It's got a great feel to it, and because it's so thin, you can actually use the desk as a rest for your wrists. AND because the keys cover up the gaps, the only dirt you can see is on top of the keys and on the aluminium. I have to say I'm not fond of the smaller bluetooth version, but the wired one is simply excellent.

I have the wireless Bluetooth version and think it's great. The function key sits in the lower left corner, making it easy to access keyboard functions.

Grand Master

Wannes

Posted
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I'd say maybe it feels cheap and dirty, but not alien.

That's personal. When I started using Mac and had to switch back to Windows I also found it weird and frustrating, nothing seemed logical anymore but I guess it would be the other way around as well.

Experienced

Aperture

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I duel boot between Vista and OS X . I think each one has it's pluses and minuses. For instances the UI maybe better in OS X but some reason cleartype is looks better for me then the equivalent in OS X.

I'm in agreement with the cleartype. Although the functionality and ease of use with OS X makes me choose that at boot time, over Vista.

Grand Master

giga Veteran

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I duel boot between Vista and OS X . I think each one has it's pluses and minuses. For instances the UI maybe better in OS X but some reason cleartype is looks better for me then the equivalent in OS X.

It's a personal preference, but I will handily disagree. Typeface preservation is a high priority for me and this is where OS X does it right instead of adhering to a pixel grid. Of course this does lead to some "blur" in smaller characters with sub-pixel rendering, but it's a sacrifice I'll take to get the correct fonts.

http://jontangerine.com/log/2007/11/comple...-cleartype-miss

http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2007/06/12.html

http://sarathc.wordpress.com/2007/06/14/sa...ixel-rendering/

Experienced

MMaster23

Posted
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I've always found the fonts to look weird and "wrong" in OSX. Perhaps it's the Windows brainwash, but I really like Windows font, Truetype and most of all the new Vista fonts. Really complete the UI.

Perhaps it's wrong and OSX officially has it right from a typography point of view, but I likes it .. very much :)

Enthusiast

sk3

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argh

I'm so jealous about your new iMac :D

My current Pc's are my beautifull macbook pro 3,1 C2D 2.4Ghz with 4GB ram and an aging 478 CPU 3.2 Prescott with 2GB ram and a X1650pro (got some usefull upgrades since i work in a computer shop :p and it has been running for 5 years 24/7 :D)

I'll definitely gotta buy an iMac on christmas. I might go for the high end with 750GB option (aditional ram i can get it much cheaper than apple). But i've yet to find an benchmark for the 8800GS (or 8800M GTS like some call it). I want to see what that baby can really do before buying.

does anyone got some benchmarks so we can see what it truly worths for gaming? (i actually have a PS3 but i also play games on PC but not that much anymore lol)

Collaborator

LaXu

Posted
Posted
I've always found the fonts to look weird and "wrong" in OSX. Perhaps it's the Windows brainwash, but I really like Windows font, Truetype and most of all the new Vista fonts. Really complete the UI.

Perhaps it's wrong and OSX officially has it right from a typography point of view, but I likes it .. very much :)

I have to agree that Vista seems to do smaller font sizes better but it also totally fails on REALLY large fonts. There seem to be artifacts and non-smoothed sections on very large fonts. Of course, you don't encounter these very often in normal use but Cleartype does still have some issues.

OSX on the other hand does badly on bold letters. They easily become somewhat blurry. To me it seems like OSX's font smoothing aims for what letters would look like if they were printed in a book, whereas Windows' ClearType is adapted to screen viewing.

And yes, the Mighty Mouse is a terrible POS for a mouse.

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