The Mac Observer: AAPLTalk System Shootouts - US$1,300 Desktop System Shootout

DATES CONFIGURED: 2/04/03 - 2/08/03

Must include: 17"+ flatscreen CRT display + DVD-RW or DVD+RW

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

Company

Apple

Dell

HP/Compaq

Gateway

Sony

eMac SuperDrive

Dimension 4550

Presario 8000

700S

VAIO RS-100

Design/ Styling

White

Black Minitower

Platinum Tower

VAIO Styling

Mobility:

All-in-one design
50 lbs. total

(all 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:

4 cables/cords

appx. 10 cables/cords (Tower, Display, Web, Speakers, Keyboard, Mouse, Microphone)

Desk space Used:

270 sq. inches

(All PC systems listed take up appx. 330 - 400 square inches including tower + CRT + speakers)

Noise Volume:

Nearly silent
(ultraquiet fan)

Loud (full-size cooling fans)

Energy Use:

170 Watts total
appx. $30 / year

(All PC systems listed use between appx. 300 - 380 watts total
including tower + CRT + speakers; appx. $50-$70/year)

Processor:
Rating Notes

1.2 GHz P4
800 MHz G4

2.4 GHz P4
2.4 GHz Pentium 4

2.53 GHz P4
2.53 GHz Pentium 4

2.4 GHz P4
2.4 GHz Pentium 4

2.0 GHz P4
2.0 GHz Pentium 4

L1 Cache:

64k

32k

L2 Cache:

256K on-chip

512K on-chip

L3 Cache:

Memory Type:

SDRAM PC100

DDR PC2100

DDR PC2700

RDRAM PC800

DDR PC2100

Frontside Bus:

100 MHz bus

533 MHz bus

400 MHz bus

Memory Amount:

256 MB (1 DIMM)

256 MB (2 DIMM)

256 MB (1 DIMM)

256 MB (1 x 256)

Max RAM:

1.0 GB (2 slots)

2.0 GB (4 slots)

1.0 GB (2 slots)

Hard Drive Capacity:

60 GB

80 GB

60 GB

Hard Drive Type:

Ultra ATA 66

Ultra ATA 100

Hard Drive Speed:

5400 RPM

7200 RPM

CD-ROM:

24x CD

40x CD

24x CD (?)

40x CD

CD-RW:

8x4x CD-RW

16x10x CD-RW

12x10x CD-RW

8x4x CD-RW (?)

8x4x CD-RW

DVD-ROM:

6x DVD

16x DVD

8x DVD

8x DVD (?)

4x DVD

DVD-/+RW:

2x1x DVD-RW

4x2.4x DVD+RW

2.4x2.4x DVD+RW

2x1x DVD-RW (?)

2x1x DVD-RW

Floppy Drive:

Yes

Zip/Other Drive:

Memory stick

PCI/AGP Slots:
Available / Total

0 / 1

2 / 5

2 / 6

3 / 4

2 / 4

Internal Bays:
Available / Total

0 / 1

1 / 2 (?)

1 / 2

External Bays:
Available / Total

0 / 1

1 / 4

1 / 3

3 / 4

0 / 3

Mouse Included:

USB Optical
(2-button wheel mice available)

USB Optical 2-button scroll wheel

PS/2 Optical
2-button scroll wheel

USB Optical
2-button scroll wheel

PS/2 2-button
scroll wheel mouse

USB Ports:
available = after keyboard & mouse

3 on CPU side
+ 2 on keyboard = 5 total
3 USB 1.1 available

4 on CPU back
+ 2 on front = 6 total
5 USB 2.0 available

4 on CPU back
+ 2 on front = 6 total
6 USB 2.0 available

4 on back (2 are USB2)
+ 2 on front = 6 total
5 available
(1 USB 1.1; 4 USB 2.0)

2 on CPU back
+ 2 on front = 4 total
4 USB 2.0 available

FireWire Ports:

2 @ 400 Mbps

1 @ 400 Mbps

2 @ 400 Mbps

Available Legacy Ports:

Legacy-free

1 Ser, 1 Par, 1 PS/2

Unknown (?)

1 Ser, 1 Par, 1 PS/2

1 Par.

Graphics Card:

nVIDIA
GeForce2 MX 440

nVIDIA
GeForce4 MX 420

ATI Radeon 9000

nVIDIA
GeForce4 MX 440

Intel Integrated Graphics

Video RAM:

32 MB DDR

64 MB DDR

128 MB DDR

64 MB (shared)

VGA Out:

Yes

DVI/ADC Out:

DVI

TV Out:

Yes

S-Video Out:

Dual Display Support?

(Mirroring)

Display:

integrated 16" view.
flat-panel CRT

16" viewable
flat-panel CRT

16" viewable CRT

18.0" viewable
flat-panel CRT
*(see below)

Max. display resolution:

1280x960

1600x1200

1280x1024

1800x1440
*(see below)

*Note: system configured with larger CRT instead of extra RAM/larger hard drive/etc.
due to lack of customizable options on SonyStyle Web site.

Microphone/
Line in:

Built-in microphone
Line-in jack

Line-in jack

Headphone/
Line out:

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

Speakers:

integrated H-K
stereo speakers

Harmon-Kardon
HK-206 speakers

Platinum 2.0 Speakers

GCS300 speakers

Stereo speakers

10/100 Ethernet?

Yes

Gigabit Ethernet:

56k Modem:

Yes

Wi-Fi Card?

optional 802.11b
(11 Mbps)

Bluetooth Card?

optional

Free Hardware Extras Included:

HP DeskJet 3820 printer
w/promotion

Epson Stylus
C40UX Printer
128 MB Memory Stick

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)

Java 2 Support:

Native

(must be downloaded)

Save-as PDF Support:

Native (any file)

(requires 3rd-party app.)

Word Processor Included:

AppleWorks 6.2
(Word compatible)

WordPerfect 10

MSFT Works 6.0

MSFT Word XP

Corel WordPerfect 10
(Word compatible)

Spreadsheet Software Included:

AppleWorks 6.2
(Excel compatible)

Quattro Pro 10

MSFT Works 6.0

MSFT Works 7.0

Quattro Pro 10
(Excel compatible)

Presentation Software Included:

AppleWorks 6.2

Corel Presentations
(PwrPt. compatible)

Database Software Included:

AppleWorks 6.2

MSFT Works 6.0

MSFT Works 7.0

Drawing/Painting Software Included:

AppleWorks 6.2

Calendar/PIM Software Included:

iCal, iSync

CorelCENTRAL 9

MSFT Works 6.0

MSFT Works 7.0

CorelCentral 10

Planning/Project Software Included:

Web Browser Included:

Internet Explorer 5.2

Internet Explorer 6

E-Mail/Address Book Included:

OS X Mail, OS X Address Book

Outlook Express 6

CorelCentral 10

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
DVD Player
RealOne Player

Financial Software Included:

Quicken 2002 Deluxe

Quicken New User
TaxCut Deluxe

Money 2002
Quicken New Users

Money 2003
TurboTax Deluxe

Quicken 2003

Reference Software Included:

World Book OS X

Encyclopedia Britannica

Encarta Online

Encarta 2003
Streets & Trips

Digital Photo Management:

iPhoto 2

Image Expert Std.

ArcSoft MyPhotoCenter

Picture it!

Picture Gear

Digital Video Editing:

iMovie 3

Roxio Movie Creator

MovieMaker 2

DVgate

Music Software/
CD Burning Software:

iTunes 3
Disc Burner

MusicMatch 6.0
EasyCD 5.0

Veritas RecordNow

EasyCD Creator

SonicStage
Veritas RecordNow

DVD Burning Software:

iDVD 3, Disk Burner

Roxio Movie Creator

Sonic MyDVD
Veritas RecordNow

EasyCD Creator

Click to DVD

Games Included:

Chess
Otto Matic
Deimos Rising

Mine Sweeper, Asstd. classic games

Mine Sweeper, Asstd. classic games
The Sims!

Mine Sweeper, Asstd. classic games

Additional Software Included

FaxSTF
Palm Desktop
Asstd. system software

Asstd. system software

Free ISP/
Other Services

1 month Earthlink

6 months Earthlink

1 yr. 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

1 yr. ltd./at-home
90 days phone

1 yr. ltd./at-home
1 yr. phone/NO labor

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

Quality of Products & Service:
Consumer Affairs

"Good Guys"

"Rogues Gallery"

Navigation?

Easy

Fair

Easy

Fair

Customization Allowed?

Some

Full

Full

None

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

$1,299

$1,208

$1,253

$1,219

$1,320

+ Ground Shipping:

No Charge

$105

$50

$99

Free (ltd. time)

Total Price
as configured:

$1,299
tax not included

$1313
tax not included

$1,303
tax not included

$1,318
tax not included

$1,320
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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