The Mac Observer: AAPLTalk System Shootouts - US$2,000 Desktop System Shootout

DATES CONFIGURED: 7/17/02 - 7/18/02

Must include: CD-RW, DVD-RW, and either 17"+ LCD or 16"+ (viewable) flatscreen CRT display

READ THESE IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS & EXPLANATIONS BEFORE PROCEEDING!!!
All images and logos are copyright 2001 to the respective companies listed.

Company

Apple

Dell

Compaq

Hewlett Packard

Gateway

Sony

17" iMac Flat-Panel

Dimension 8200

Presario 8000

Pavilion

500X

VAIO RX-770

Design/ Styling

"Lamp"-style / White

Black Tower

Beige Tower

Baja Blue Tower

White & Black Tower

VAIO Styling Tower

Mobility:

All-in-one design
23 lbs. total

(all PC systems listed range from appx. 40-60 lbs. including tower + flat-panel display + speakers)

Component Access?

Quick access to memory & wireless cards

(all PC systems listed have thumb-screw or other relatively easy access for panel removal & component access)

Cords/Cables:

6 cables/cords

(all PC systems listed require appx. 10 cables/cords total,
including tower, display, modem, speakers, keyboard, mouse & microphone)

Deskspace Used:
CPU + Display + Speakers

88 sq. inches

appx. 390 sq. in.

appx. 220 sq. in.

appx. 200 sq. in.

appx. 390 sq. in.

Noise Volume:

Ultraquiet Fan

Loud (full-size cooling fans)

Energy Use:
Energy Notes

130 Watts total

appx. $24 / year

appx. 380 Watts total
appx. $69 / year

appx. 250 Watts total
appx. $40 / year

appx. 230 Watts total
appx. $38 / year

appx. 320 Watts total
appx. $58 / year

Processor:
Rating Notes

1.2 GHz P4
800 MHz
PowerPC G4

2.0 GHz P4
2.0 GHz
Pentium 4

2.2 GHz P4
1.67 GHz
Athlon XP 2000+

2.26 GHz P4
2.26 GHz
Pentium 4

2.2 GHz P4
2.2 GHz
Pentium 4

L1 Cache:

64k

32k

128k

32k

L2 Cache:

256K on-chip

512K on-chip

256K on-chip

512K on-chip

L3 Cache:

Memory Type:

SDRAM PC133

RDRAM PC800

DDR PC2100

RDRAM PC800

DDR PC2100

Frontside Bus:

100 MHz bus

400 MHz bus

266 MHz bus

533 MHz bus

400 MHz bus

Memory Amount:

256 MB (1 x 256)

512 MB (2 x 256)

512 MB (1 x 512)

512 MB (2 x 256)

Max RAM:

1.0 GB
(2 slots)

2.0 GB
(2 slots)

1.0 GB
(2 slots)

2.0 GB
(2 slots)

1.0 GB
(2 slots)

Hard Drive Capacity:

80 GB

Hard Drive Type:

Ultra ATA 66

Ultra ATA 100

Ultra DMA 100

Ultra ATA 100

Hard Drive Speed:

5400 rpm

7200 rpm

5400 rpm

CD-Rom:

24x CD

48x CD

32x CD

40x CD

CD-RW:

8x4x CD-RW

12x10x CD-RW

8x4x CD-RW

12x10x CD-RW

24x10x CD-RW

8x4x CD-RW

DVD-Rom:

6x DVD

8x DVD

6x DVD

16x DVD

6x DVD

4x DVD

DVD-/+RW:

2x1x DVD-RW

2x1x DVD+RW

2x1x DVD-R/RAM

2x1x DVD-RW

Floppy Drive:

Yes

Zip/Other Drive:

Zip 250

Memory stick port

PCI/AGP Slots:
Available / Total

0 / 1

2 / 5

3 / 7

1 / 4

2 / 4

Internal Bays:
Available / Total

0 / 1

1 / 2 (?)

1 / 2

External Bays:
Available / Total

0 / 1

1 / 4

0 / 3

1 / 3

0 / 3

Mouse Included:

USB Optical
(2-button wheel mice available)

USB Optical 2-button scrollwheel

PS/2 2-button scrollwheel mouse

USB Optical 2-button scrollwheel

PS/2 2-button
scrollwheel

USB Ports:
available = after keyboard & mouse

3 available
5 total
(2 on keyboard)

2 available
4 total
(2 in front)

3 available
4 total
(2 in front)

4 available
4 total
(2 in front)

5 available
6 total
(2 in front; 4 USB 2.0)

4 available
4 total
(2 in front)

Firewire Ports:

2 On-board

2 ports (PCI)

3 ports (PCI)

(1 in front)

1 port (PCI)

2 ports (PCI)

2 On-board

Legacy Ports:

Legacy-free

1 serial
1 parallel
2 PS/2

2 serial
1 parallel
(2 PS/2; 1 used by keyboard)

2 serial
1 parallel
(2 PS/2 used by keyboard/mouse)

1 serial
1 parallel
(2 PS/2; 1 used by keyboard)

1 serial
1 parallel
(2 PS/2 used by keyboard/mouse)

Graphics Card:
Rating Notes

nVIDIA
GeForce4 MX 440

nVIDIA
GeForce4 MX 420

nVIDIA
GeForce4 MX 440

nVIDIA
GeForce4 Ti 4200

nVIDIA
GeForce4 MX 440

Video RAM:

32 MB DDR

64 MB DDR

128 MB DDR

64 MB DDR

VGA Out:

Yes

DVI/ADC Out:

DVI

TV-Out:

Yes

S-Video Out:

Dual Display Support?

(Mirroring)

Display:

17" viewable
widescreen LCD
100% digital;
180° swing arm

16.0" viewable
flat-panel CRT

Max. display resolution:

1440x900

1600x1200

1280x1024

1600x1200

Microphone/
Line in:

Built-in microphone

Line in jack

Headphone/
Line out:

Headphone jack; Line-out jack; Digital-audio ready

Speakers:

Harmon Kardon
stereo speakers

Harmon Kardon
HK-695 speakers w/Subwoofer

JBL stereo speakers

Philips Multimedia Speakers

GSC 300 Speakers

Stereo Speakers

10/100 Ethernet?

Yes

Yes (via PCI)

Yes

Yes (via PCI)

Yes

56k Modem?

Yes

Yes (via PCI)

802.11b Wireless Network Card?

Integrated 802.11b antennae?

Yes

Hardware Extras Included:

Included OS:

Mac OS X 10.2;
Mac OS 9.2;
BSD Unix;
Apache Web Server

Windows XP
Home Edition

Windows/DOS Support:

DOS/95/98/ME/
2000/XP
(via Virtual PC)

DOS/95/98/ME/2000/NT/XP

(Native)

Mac OS Support:

Mac OS 8,9,X

(Native)

Mac OS 8 only (via emulation)

Linux OS Support:

Various flavors (Native)

Unix OS Support:

Various flavors (Native)

Word Processor Included:

AppleWorks 6.2
(MSFT Word compatible)

MSFT Word XP
MSFT Works 6.0

MSFT Works 6.0

MSFT Word XP

Corel WordPerfect 10

Spreadsheet Software Included:

AppleWorks 6.2
(MSFT Excel compatible)

MSFT Works 6.0

MSFT Excel XP

Quattro Pro 10

Presentation Software Included:

AppleWorks 6.2

Corel Presentations

Database Software Included:

AppleWorks 6.2

MSFT Works 6.0

Drawing/Painting Software Included:

AppleWorks 6.2

Calendar/PIM Software Included:

MSFT Works 6.0

Outlook XP

CorelCentral 10

Planning/Project Software Included:

Publisher XP

Web Browser Included:

Internet Explorer 5.2
Netscape 4.7

Internet Explorer 6

E-Mail/Address Book Included:

OS X Mail
Outlook Express 5

Outlook Express 6

Outlook XP
Outlook Express 6

CorelCentral 10
Outlook Express 6

Media Player Included:

Quicktime 6
DVD Player
Media Player 7 avail.
RealOne Player avail.

Media Player 8
DVD Player
Quicktime 6 avail.
RealOne Player avail.

Quicktime 6
Media Player 8
PowerDVD
RealOne Player avail.

Financial Software Included:

Quicken 2002 Deluxe

Money 2002
Quicken 2002

Money 2000

Unknown ?

Quicken 2002

Reference Software Included:

World Book OS X

Encarta 2002 Std.
Streets & Trips 2002

Encarta 2000

Unknown ?

Encarta 2000

Digital Photo Management:

iPhoto 1.1

Image Expert
PictureIt! 2002

Unknown ?

ArcSoft My Photo Center

Unknown ?

Photoshop Elements

Picture Gear
PhotoPrinter 2000

Digital Video Editing:

iMovie 2

MGI VideoWave 4

Studio DV

Pinnacle Express

Adobe Premiere LE
MovieShaker

Music Software/
CD Burning Software:

iTunes 3
Disc Burner

MusicMatch 6.0
EasyCD 5.0

EasyCD 5.0

MusicMatch 6.1
HP RecordNow

Pinnacle Express

SonicStage
RecordNow

DVD Burning Software:

iDVD 2
Disc Burner

MGI VideoWave 4 (?)

DVDit!

Unknown ?

Pinnacle Express

DVDit!
Simple DVDMaker

Games Included:

Chess
Otto Matic
Deimos Rising

Mine Sweeper, Asstd. classic games

Additional Software Included

FaxSTF
Palm Desktop
Asstd. system software

Asstd. system software

Media Bar
Smart Capture
VisualFlow
Asstd. system software

Free ISP/
Other Services

1 month EarthLink

6 months MSN

1 year AOL

Virus Susceptibility/
Security Issues

45 known viruses

50,000+ known viruses (see FBI warning)

Built-in Firewall?

Yes

Warranty:

1 yr. ltd./mail-in
90 days phone

2 yr. ltd./at-home
2-yr. phone

3 yr. ltd./at-home
1 yr. phone

1 yr. ltd./mail-in
1-yr. phone

2 yr. ltd./at-home
2 yr. phone

1 yr. ltd./mail-in
90 days phone

Quality of Products & Service:
Consumer Affairs

"Good Guys"

"Rogues Gallery"

Navigation?

Easy

Poor

Easy

Poor

Customization Allowed?

Some

Full

Some

Full

Very Little

Subotal:
(includes rebates, add-ons, etc.)

$1,999

$1,916

$1,956

$1,948

$1,911

$1,998

+ Ground Shipping:

No Charge

$99

$80 (?)

$50

$99

$25

Total Price
as configured:
(Includes cost of all add-ons, rebates, etc.)

$1,999
tax not included

$2,015
tax not included

$2,036 (?)
tax not included

$1,998
tax not included

$2,010
tax not included

$2,023
tax not included

The information above is as accurate as I could make it based on a reasonable time studying the respective companies' Web sites. There is no guarantee that these configurations, prices, and features are the best that one could come up with; assorted bundles, free internet access, free extra memory, and so on can most likely be found for any of the above systems. The point of this chart is to demonstrate that Apple's lineup holds its own against any brand-name computer, even in areas in which it has traditionally had resistance. In short, do not base your purchasing decisions solely on this chart or information. Neither I, nor The Mac Observer will be held responsible or liable for any purchase decisions you make based on this presentation.

Charles Gaba started the AAPLTalk System Shootouts at AAPLTalk.com, and has brought them to TMO. Charles is the creative talent behind Brainwrap Web Design.

AAPLTalk System Shootouts Archives

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