hello guys, i'm going to buy a new computer in the following months and I was wondering if IMac is a good option.My budget is 1800$ and I want to play ultra modded minecraft,
half life mods, garrysmod and call of duty.I don't want any lag so is the iMac 21.5-inch: 2.9GHz a good option ?If no, do you recommend any gaming computer?
The iMac should be able to run games fairly good, I would opt in for the 8GB RAM option if available. Although because its a Mac, you will be limited in what games you can play. If all you want is a computer for gaming only, you may consider going with a PC just because you will be able to play a lot more games.
You would do much better to buy yourself an Intel machine with an i7-4970K and a $400 graphics card. You'd get better performance for less money. Depending on how long you wait, there's an entirely new family of Intel chips coming to replace the current batch by sometime this winter, and they'll be that extra bit better than what's always available.
Apple hardware is more expensive for the same performance because there's a particular markup on the Apple brand. Macs have their uses, but gaming is not their specialty.
If you are looking for gaming hardware, Macs should not be your first choice unless you, like garry, are too rich to care and just buy a Mac Pro because it's some of the most powerful consumer hardware around.
[URL="http://www.pcper.com/leaderboard"]The "high-end system" build setup on this page[/URL], for example, would be at least equal to your iMac choice for several hundred dollars less.
thank you for the replies.Basically I don't care if I can play limited games :)I only play the games i mentioned and if i want to play something else I just buy it for my PS3 or I install it to my brothers laptop.But I want this computer to play these games without any freaking lag :P(Especially minecraft with a lot of mods :) )
[QUOTE=Mpizou;45265625]thank you for the replies.Basically I don't care if I can play limited games :)I only play the games i mentioned and if i want to play something else I just buy it for my PS3 or I install it to my brothers laptop.But I want this computer to play these games without any freaking lag :P(Especially minecraft with a lot of mods :) )[/QUOTE]
except you literally can save 500 dollars
-actually, never mind-
[QUOTE=elixwhitetail;45264638]You would do much better to buy yourself an Intel machine with an i7-4970K and a $400 graphics card. You'd get better performance for less money. Depending on how long you wait, there's an entirely new family of Intel chips coming to replace the current batch by sometime this winter, and they'll be that extra bit better than what's always available.
Apple hardware is more expensive for the same performance because there's a particular markup on the Apple brand. Macs have their uses, but gaming is not their specialty.
If you are looking for gaming hardware, Macs should not be your first choice unless you, like garry, are too rich to care and just buy a Mac Pro because it's some of the most powerful consumer hardware around.
[URL="http://www.pcper.com/leaderboard"]The "high-end system" build setup on this page[/URL], for example, would be at least equal to your iMac choice for several hundred dollars less.[/QUOTE]
However, in addition to the components listed on this page, he would still have to buy a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
[editline]1st July 2014[/editline]
And speakers.
[QUOTE=Trekintosh;45265668]However, in addition to the components listed on this page, he would still have to buy a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
[editline]1st July 2014[/editline]
And speakers.[/QUOTE]
new computer implies he already has a computer
It could be a laptop or another all-in-one. If he's looking at an iMac, it's probably a MacBook Air or something like that.
[QUOTE=Trekintosh;45265714]It could be a laptop or another all-in-one. If he's looking at an iMac, it's probably a MacBook Air or something like that.[/QUOTE]
That's a pretty big extrapolation to make just to defend yourself.
Every platform has a purpose. But the fact is, Apple's hardware has a markup that you don't see elsewhere. It's there for a reason, but if your primary focus is gaming, it's the more expensive option by a significant degree.
It's not that big of an extrapolation, really. Op is obviously a young person. Young people generally get their computers from their parents, or use a family computer. Most likely, if he got a computer from his parents, it'll be a laptop, because parents like laptops because they don't have to buy anything else to make them work and they usually don't know anything about CPUs or GPUs or RAM or anything like that. They walk into Best Buy and say "My darling little jimmy needs a new computer, what do you recommend?" I'm guessing it's a Mac because no young person who likes computers would dare stray from a brand they already own if at all possible. Now it is possible that he uses a family desktop or that his parents bought him a desktop, but IMO it's quite unlikely.
Don't set yourself too high, you might wanna reconsider.
If I were you, I'd use half of that budget or take $800 away and use it for a decent PC that you could probably whip up. You'd have enough for spending money on hardware or new peripherals.
Just FYI the display in the 21.5" iMac will cost at least $400 to get in an equivalent monitor and it still won't be as good so that needs to be factored into any price comparison between an iMac and a PC. For getting a computer specifically targeted at gaming you seriously shouldn't get an iMac though.
[QUOTE=Trekintosh;45265864]I'm guessing it's a Mac because no young person who likes computers would dare stray from a brand they already own if at all possible.[/QUOTE]
Where do we find out that Mpizou owns Apple products? Mpizou is browsing FP on a Windows 7 machine running Firefox.
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/OJ7C0aY.png[/IMG]
Your fanboy is showing. Goodness, how embarrassing.
[QUOTE=Kaabii;45265957]Just FYI the display in the 21.5" iMac will cost at least $400 to get in an equivalent monitor and it still won't be as good so that needs to be factored into any price comparison between an iMac and a PC. For getting a computer specifically targeted at gaming you seriously shouldn't get an iMac though.[/QUOTE]
except he doesn't necessarily need the super duper display made with steve jobs' ashes
so no it doesn't need to be factored in
[QUOTE=LordCrypto;45266019]except he doesn't necessarily need the super duper display made with steve jobs' ashes
so no it doesn't need to be factored in[/QUOTE]
Except yes it does because it's a part of what is being bought. You don't exclude features of different computers from comparisons because the person doesn't necessarily need them. Should we also stop caring about non-gaming computers having discrete GPUs because the user may not ever use it so it should just be ignored? That's pretty stupid, the user is getting a worse value proposition by not having it even if they won't use it. It won't resell as well, and it won't be as useful to another person who may use/inherit the computer that may want such a feature.
Also your Steve Jobs comment is funny. Is it that hard to keep your anti-apple attitude under control? If you actually had read my post you would understand that I was never suggesting it had to be factored in in this particular case because he shouldn't buy an iMac for a multitude of reasons so it wasn't even relevant. In a case where someone is considering an iMac for the reasons it is designed for it is very much necessary to account for things like the display and the peripherals.
Part of the point we're making is that OP is looking to spend luxury-tier cash on a gaming PC, and we're saying that OP can get much better results with Good Enough-tier commodity PC parts instead of walking the Apple golden path.
Sure, the monitor won't be [I]exactly[/I] as good, but it'll be more than good enough to get by. Yes, it's not exactly equivalent, but that's the point of not paying the Apple tax and having an experience that rides on luxury over utility.
I mean, come on. [I]Minecraft[/I] does not require an iMac display.
Edit: Oh, clarification that you were not implying that the comparison applies here. Okay then. We're arguing different things, not against each other.
There are a number of reasons to get a Mac but, despite the growth of games on Mac, gaming should not be one of them. And this is an Apple fan you're talking to. Here's a benchmark of the GPU that's in that model.
[url]http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GT-750M.90245.0.html[/url]
Yes, 'can't play games on mac' has been getting dumber over the years. Yes, the new iMacs are well-equipped. But when it comes to gaming, there's no beating Windows. You can put together a pretty bitchin' PC for that kind of money and it will ALWAYS outperform an iMac in gaming.
[QUOTE=elixwhitetail;45266136]Edit: Oh, clarification that you were not implying that the comparison applies here. Okay then. We're arguing different things, not against each other.[/quote]
Yes exactly. He shouldn't even be considering an iMac, it's not targeted at what he wants to do whatsoever. Especially for $1800 friggin dollars which is somewhere between 2 and 3 times what he needs to run those games barring any money needed for a monitor and peripherals.
Op could always just buy the Imac and return it if he doesn't think it is up to performance.
That's what I did for my 13" Rmbp, figured out it was more than enough for my needs and was a solid laptop.
I would recommend for someone who doesn't seem very old, and just wants a computer, to buy a prebuilt system.
I honestly have no idea what brand would be best though.
[QUOTE=elixwhitetail;45265999]Where do we find out that Mpizou owns Apple products? Mpizou is browsing FP on a Windows 7 machine running Firefox.
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/OJ7C0aY.png[/IMG]
Your fanboy is showing. Goodness, how embarrassing.[/QUOTE]
Calm yourself. I never argued in favor of the iMac. In fact, I think it's actually a pretty poor choice for op's needs.
[QUOTE=Bonzai11;45266371]Op could always just buy the Imac and return it if he doesn't think it is up to performance.
That's what I did for my 13" Rmbp, figured out it was more than enough for my needs and was a solid laptop.
I would recommend for someone who doesn't seem very old, and just wants a computer, to buy a prebuilt system.
I honestly have no idea what brand would be best though.[/QUOTE]
Is there a restocking fee?
[QUOTE=Kaabii;45266648]Is there a restocking fee?[/QUOTE]
Not with Apple
Do you recommend any other computer ?I want an IMac because I don't want to play with lagv.
[QUOTE=Mpizou;45270191]Do you recommend any other computer ?I want an IMac because I don't want to play with lagv.[/QUOTE]
You've got to understand that any well made PC will do that as good or most likely better than an iMac. The best the 21.5" iMac can offer is a GT 750M GPU. I have one in my Lenovo Y500 laptop. It'll play brand new games at medium-high at 1920x1080, but for the $1400 you'll pay for your iMac, you could easily get a desktop with a GTX 760 Ti. That will run most games on high/very high at 1920x1080. As much as I love the iMac, I really do, I just don't think it will meet your needs as well as a Windows-based competitor.
[QUOTE=Mpizou;45270191]Do you recommend any other computer ?I want an IMac because I don't want to play with lagv.[/QUOTE]
If you want a massively overpriced completely proprietary machine that you'll never be able to upgrade, you can get the iMac. Just because it's a Mac doesn't mean you will "lag less".
It has a 1080p screen with a weak Intel IGP stock, or an optional lower end Nvidia GT 750M Laptop GPU for a massive $400 price increase. The GT 750M in the "best" iMac 21.5" is equivalent to the entry level GT 740 in the desktop world.
Basically iMac 21.5" = massively overpriced entry gaming computer with a big screen. It's going to have awful performance in games at any respectable resolution.
on a scale of 1 to 10 how badly do you need to use OSX?
[editline]2nd July 2014[/editline]
what OSX exclusive software will you be using?
is your desk so tiny that you need an all-in-one computer?
Even if it is so tiny to need an AIO, you could just make a mini ITX box in one of the many pizza box style cases available and stand the monitor on top of it.
Do what I did and buy parts compatible with a Hackintosh/x86 setup. I have a dual boot of Windows and OSX on my PC, and hardware far beyond what you could buy a retail Mac for at a reasonable price.
I don't even want to think about how expensive a Mac with two 780ti's and a 3570k would cost.
Take a look at these builds: [url]http://www.tonymacx86.com/436-building-customac-buyer-s-guide-june-2014.html[/url]
Here, I even put together a build that would all be compatible. Included a shiny nice looking white case to fit the Mac attitude. Add an SSD if you like.
[url]http://pcpartpicker.com/p/KZFcRB[/url]
[QUOTE=meppers;45274698]on a scale of 1 to 10 how badly do you need to use OSX?
[editline]2nd July 2014[/editline]
what OSX exclusive software will you be using?
is your desk so tiny that you need an all-in-one computer?[/QUOTE]
1 I don't know...i wanted imac because i want to play without lag but now u told me that its a bad option so im searching for a pc
2What do you mean?
3my desk is big enough
[editline]3rd July 2014[/editline]
[QUOTE=TroyIrving;45278469]Do what I did and buy parts compatible with a Hackintosh/x86 setup. I have a dual boot of Windows and OSX on my PC, and hardware far beyond what you could buy a retail Mac for at a reasonable price.
I don't even want to think about how expensive a Mac with two 780ti's and a 3570k would cost.
Take a look at these builds: [url]http://www.tonymacx86.com/436-building-customac-buyer-s-guide-june-2014.html[/url]
Here, I even put together a build that would all be compatible. Included a shiny nice looking white case to fit the Mac attitude. Add an SSD if you like.
[url]http://pcpartpicker.com/p/KZFcRB[/url][/QUOTE]
thanks but i don't have any idea on how to build a computer
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.
