The iMac is pretty, and his wife likes to check her email in the morning. Plus it’s got this slim wireless keyboard that takes up no space. Even my mom keeps her netbook on the kitchen table. Things have changed since the days of the huge beige box.
Regarding price, you’d be surprised (I was). People always say you can get a PC that has the same specs as a Mac for way less money, but they typically ignore some of the specs specs. For example, the lowest-end Macbook Pro is $1200. For $1200, you can get a Dell with more graphics memory (1GB instead of 512 MB) and a bit nicer screen (900p instead of 800p), but it has a slower CPU ( 2.6 GHz boosted vs 3.1 GHz boosted) and no optical drive. For $1100, you can get an Alienware machine with more RAM and just as fast a CPU, but it’s two pounds heavier and has a lower-resolution screen. And it’s not like it’s $600. It’s $1100. Similar manufacturers it’s the same deal. If you truly want the same computer, it will cost you $1000 or more.
And of course, Apple’s development kit, Xcode, is free.
I’ve never purchased a boxed computer. I build every computer. The only integration I’ve allowed is that I’ve made is to pay someone else to attach the chip to the motherboard. Most PC gamers go this route, and I don’t think any buy their computers boxed or even from Alienware.
Macs have many strengths but current PC gaming isn’t one of them. However, this might change when GPU technology levels out.
I’m amazed your dad is allowed to put his PC on the kitchen table. Most women don’t like that.
