System Shootouts: Education: Apple vs. Dell

	Systems Configured: 5/06/03 directly from Apple & Dells' EDUCATIONAL online stores (INSTITUTIONAL PURCHASE) Read the AAPLTalk System Shootout FAQ All images and logos are copyright to the respective companies listed.
Attention Educational Computer Decision-Makers! Visit Web sites by John Droz and Kern Trembath for more information.		PDF Format (requires Acrobat Reader)

$1,000
Desktops

Apple eMac Combo Drive

Dell Dimension 2350

$1,013 as configured w/3-yr. warranty

$1,017 as configured

Design/Styling:

All-in-one design

Black/silver minitower + CRT

Ease of set-up:

4 cords/cables

about a dozen cords/cables; color-coded

Weight:

50 lbs. total

59 lbs. total

Component Access:

quick access to wireless/RAM slots/Serial #

Thumbscrews for easy component accessibility

(open debate on whether school computers should be wide-open for easy upgrades or semi-sealed to prevent student tampering)

Deskspace Used:

270 sq. in. total

383 sq. in. total

Noise Volume:

Virtually silent (Ultraquiet fan)

Standard cooling fan noise

Energy Use:

170 watts continuous (appx. $20/yr)

330 watts continuous (appx. $40/yr)

Processor:
Notes

1 GHz PowerPC G4
1.5 GHz Pentium 4

2.2 GHz Pentium 4

L1 Cache:

64k

L2 Cache:

256k on-chip

512k on-chip

Memory Type:

SDRAM PC133

DDR-SDRAM PC2100

Frontside Bus:

133 MHz

400 MHz

RAM Included:

256 MB (1 DIMM)

Max. RAM:

1.0 GB (2 slots; 1 available)

Hard Drive Capacity:

60 GB

Hard Drive Type

Ultra ATA 66

Ultra ATA 100

Hard Drive Speed:

5400 rpm

7200 rpm

CD-ROM:

32x CD-ROM

48x CD-ROM

CD-RW:

32x10x CD-RW

48x24x CD-RW

DVD-ROM:

8x DVD-ROM

16x DVD-ROM

DVD-RW:

Floppy Drive:

Ext. USB/Firewire Zip/floppy drives avail.

no floppy drive as configured

(open debate on whether floppy drives are still useful for outdated school media or are a liability since they allow one more way to infect computers with viruses, etc.)

Other Drive:

PCI/AGP Slots:

0 available / 1 total + 1 Wi-Fi slot available

3 PCI available / 3 total

Internal Bays:

0 available / 1 total

External Bays:

1 optical drive bay filled

1 optical drive bay available (2 total)

Mouse Included:

Ambidext. USB optical mouse

PS/2 2-button scroll mouse

(open debate on whether a single-button is better for children since it's easier to learn for lefties, vs. 2-button wheel being better for contextual menus, etc. Slight edge goes to 2-button here)

Keyboard Included:

USB Keyboard
(vol./mute/eject keys+2 USB ports)

standard PS/2 keyboard

USB Ports:

5 USB 1.1 ports (2 on keyboard)

6 USB 2.0 ports (2 on front)

FireWire Ports:

2 on-board ports (400 Mbps)

Other Ports:

1 ser., 1 par., 2 PS/2

Graphics Card:

ATI Radeon 7500

Integrated Intel 3D Graphics

Video RAM:

32 MB dedicated DDR SDRAM

"up to" 32 MB (shared)

VGA Out:

Mirroring via optional adapter

Yes (no mirroring or spanning)

S-Video Out:

optional adapter

optional PCI card

Composite-Out:

optional adapter

optional PCI card

DVI Out:

Display Included:

integrated 17" (16" viewable) flat CRT

17" (16" viewable) flat CRT

Native Disp. Res.:

1280x960

1280x1024

Audio In:

Built-in microphone; audio-in; digital-audio

audio-in; digital-audio

Audio Out:

headphone jack; audio-out; digital audio

Speakers Inc.:

integrated H-K stereo speakers

H-K 206 speakers

10/100 Ethernet:

10/100 Base-T Ethernet (integrated)

56k Int. Modem:

56k v.92 integrated modem w/fax software

no modem included as configured

802.11b Airport

Internal 802.11g card slot; Integ. antennae

External USB 802.11b adapter available.

Wireless Network:

Built-in 802.11g access point (req. opt. card)

Bluetooth?

optional 3rd-party Bluetooth cards available

Hardware Extras:

Included OS:

OS X 10.2; OS 9.2 (dual-boot); BSD Unix;
Apache web server, Rendezvous networking;
System-wide PDF support (any file)

MSFT Windows XP Professional

Windows Supp.:

DOS/Win 95/98/ME/2000/XP via opt. VPC

DOS/Win 95/98/ME/2000/XP native

Linux OS Supp.:

Various flavors supported natively

Word Processor:

AppleWorks 6.2 (Word Compatible)

Spreadsheet:

AppleWorks 6.2 (Excel compatible)

Presentations:

AppleWorks 6.2

Database:

AppleWorks 6.2

Drawing/Painting:

AppleWorks 6.2

E-mail/Cal/PIM:

Address Book; iCal; iSync; OS X Mail; iChat

Outlook Express

Project/Planning:

Financial:

Reference:

World Book Encyclopedia 2003 OS X

Digital Photo:

iPhoto 2

Dell Picture Studio/Image Expert Std.

Digital Video Edit:

iMovie 3

MSFT MovieMaker 2

Music/CD Burn:

iTunes 4; Disc Burner; Sound Studio

MusicMatch / Roxio Easy CD Creator

DVD Burn/Author:

Disc Burner

Roxio Easy CD Creator

Games Included:

Chess; Otto Matic; Deimos Rising (?)

Solitaire, Minesweeper

Other Software:

Quicktime 6; DVD Player; MSFT IE; Safari; Earthlink; AOL; Acrobat Reader
Hardware Test CD;
Other assorted additional software bundled.

Windows Media Player 8; DVD Player; MS IE 6.0; MSN 8;
Other assorted additional software bundled.

ISP/Services:

1 Month Free Earthlink (req. modem);
90 Day .Mac Trial

6 months free Earthlink (requires modem)

Viruses/Security:

almost NO known viruses (60,000+ for Windows)

60,000+ known viruses

Built-in Firewall; not vulnerable to IIS DDoS

built-in firewall

Warranty:

3 yr. Ltd.; 3 yr. phone; 3 yr. on-site

Product Quality
& Service:

Exemplary "Good Guys"
http://www.consumeraffairs.com

Banished to the "Rogues Gallery"
http://www.consumeraffairs.com

Total Price:

$1,013 as configured

$1,017 as configured

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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