Psystar launches new Mac clone PC

Comments

• I like it. I like to know that Apple's OS isn't entirely hardware dependant or restricted to. I believe they should have their own little monopoly becuase it's not just about the computer or just the operating system but the TOTALPACKAGE and I sincerly doubt that someone else is going to hand out the total package as well as Apple does. Sure thir stuff isn't the latest and great and it is somewhat limiting but when it comes to that TOTALPOACKAGE, Apple Stnads out front.
  Posted by TinkerToyTech, USA
• It shows that Mac's are just PC clones now, the only "TOTAL PACKAGE" is the extra price you pay for software that cannot run over 90% of available software packages and even less games. Posted by Ming, UK
• What Psystar is doing is probably illegal, but when is Apple going to wake up tp the fact that there is a large group of users, both PC and Mac, who really have a need for a reasonably priced mini or midi tower. Otherwise Mac clones will become such a fact of life that in time your average neighborhood store will be selliing them.
  
  WILL SOMEBODY AT APPLE PLEASE WAKE UP TO THIS FACT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Posted by Scott, USA
• The prices on the Psystar Web site (http://psystar.com/) are extremely low compared to Apple, and if they win the legal case with Apple I'd be very tempted to buy one. The reviews of these computers have been very good. They're not as well designed as Apple's, but that's very easy to overlook (especially if your computer is sitting under the desk) considering the huge price difference.
  
  For example comparing the new 4-core Mac Pro to the 4-core Psystar Open Pro:
  
  4-core Psystar Open Pro
  • Mac OS X Leopard 10.5 preinstalled
  • One 2.83GHz Core2Quad Q9550 (about equal to the Mac Pro)
  • 8GB of DDR2 800 memory (5 more GB of memory than the Mac Pro)
  • 1TB 7,200RPM SATA2 w/32MB CACHE (larger hard drive than the Mac Pro)
  • NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT with 512MB of video memory
  • Dual Layer 20x DVD+/-RW SATA drive (faster drive than the Mac Pro)
  • Dual Gigabit Ethernet
  • 8 rear USB Ports + 2 on front = 10 USB Ports (twice as many as the Mac Pro)
  • 3 Firewire 400 ports (1 std on the rear, 1 mini on the rear, 1 std on the front)
  • 7 channel Integrated Audio SPDIF and Optical Output
  Price: $1,329.99 US
  
  4-core Mac Pro
  • Mac OS X Leopard 10.5
  • One 2.66GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
  • 3GB of DDR3 memory
  • 640GB 7,200RPM SATA hard drive
  • NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512MB of video memory
  • Dual Layer 18x DVD+/-RW SATA drive (like a SuperDrive)
  • Dual Gigabit Ethernet
  • 3 rear USB Ports + 2 on front = 5 USB Ports
  • 4 Firewire 800 ports (2 on the rear, 2 on the front)
  • Analog stereo and Optical Output
  Price: $2,499.00 US
  
  
  If a small company like Psystar can sell a better spec'd computer than Apple's at almost half the price, then something is very wrong with Apple's business model… especially since they have the financial advantage of having much larger production runs and purchasing clout than Psystar. Yes, it's not a Mac, and yes, it's not built as well; but there is really no excuse for this big of a price difference!
  
  I really hope that Psystar wins the case. If they do, it will put some much needed pressure on Apple to adjust their pricing to a more competitive level.
  Posted by Harvey, Canada
• "If a small company like Psystar can sell a better spec'd computer than Apple's at almost half the price, then something is very wrong with Apple's business model… "
  
  That is, of course, absurd. Apple's business model is working quite well. Their goal is not to sell computers to everyone. They sell computers at a high enough price to cover the R&D expense and make a profit.
  
  But arguing that Psystar is selling a better spec'd computer at half the price is especially absurd. That's like saying a Kia is equally spec'd to a BMW because they both have 4 wheels, 4 cylinders, and a steering wheel. Apple's computers are better built than anything else out there - at least according to virtually every survey done by any of the PC magazines.
  
  And that doesn't even get into lack of OS support if you buy from Psystar or the fact that Psystar is stealing intellectual property in order to sell their machines cheaper. Posted by Joe Anonymous, USA
• It's pretty hard to compare those two computers. One is a consumer machine, the other a server/workstation class machine. Go back and price out a Xeon based machine and take a look at the prices again. Posted by Phil, Canada
• If Kia builds a car that is as reliable and fast as a BMW I'll trade in my 330i for it. I don't care much for the badge. I like the best products out there and that's why I drive a BMW, use a MacBook Pro and use a Nokia phone. iPhone just does not have the technology yet compared to Nokia N96 or N97, and I have never cared for the status quo.
  To get back to the point, I'm rooting for Psystar to win in this case. More competition is always better. Posted by Alex, USA
• The prices are low - no they're not !
  
  If you price their new machine with a mini spec for spec (which you really can't because it uses laptop components) it cost $200 MORE than the mini. That's for a machine that will have major issues with updates, new kernels and drivers.
  
  I have been using OSX on a home built PC for several years now and it works great but it ISN"T EASY. It takes a lot of time to make things work and then a new update comes out and you have to start all over. This OSX 86 thing is not as easy as some may think. How much is your time worth ? Do you love to figure things out or do you want it to "just work".
  
  Come on folks - check what Apple actually sells compare to what others actually sell. Apple is not as over priced as you think. I just priced the "Open 3" with a similarly out fitted imac. The price is the same - if you figure the imacs screen is worth $200. Why on earth would you buy a psystar ? Posted by Tim, USA
• I've had an Open Computer for 10 months will literally no problems. Updates have been easy and my application perform just like they were on a Mac. With the exception of the start-up Boot, it's a Mac experience, because the Mac experience is the OS, and NOT the machine.
  
  The Psystar Quad-Core machines are excellent and will handle just about anything you throw at them. the Apple installed Xeon processors are overkill for almost anything you will do while computing. The current mac OS doesn't really take advantage of the machines that Apple is building. IOW, a 64 bit processor is running 32 bit applications.
  
  It's also interesting for me, that the G5 I bought for $3000 is now a paperweight after 4 years of service due to a bad Logic Board. Let's hope the current 8-Cores that Apple is selling at $3200 and up to $5000 + will last longer than their previous models. Posted by jonathan, USA
• this seems a mac will win case, i dont know why they havent addressed the similarities with the 2003 microsoft media player case which microsoft were fined just for bundling media player along side windows and they still allowed third party involvement in construction and software!, it is a monopoly, the incorporation of third party hardware into their system is their own undoing and if this makes it possible to create a machine with shop built parts its their own failing if they didnt want this to happen they shouldnt have branched out into intel and nvidia. if psystar should fail apple must be seen as monoplosing their technology/market sector and therefore they should be subject to the competition rights that microsoft are at present.
  
  software like itunes, imovie, quicktime shouldnt be able to be bundled with it. though microsoft were forced by the eu and third parties, the eu or another law enforcment should prevent apple before it becomes a problem.
  
  surly they would make more money by licencing the construction of mac systems rather than making them themselves. and growing larger with the acceptability of their platform on to other computer systems. Posted by Huskikov, apeofengland@hotmail.com
• i im proboly not as smart as you guys but i hope mac looses their stuff is way to expensive to buy and what i don't get is apple can put windows on a mac but windows can't put mac on windows Posted by alex, us
• It's interesting to see the Socialist mindset. No one should ever earn a profit from their ideas, their investment or their intellectual property.
  
  "Apple is too expensive," they say. Don't buy their shiite then! It's that simple. It's the free market at work. You want Apple quality, support and innovation at Acer prices because your governments have trained you to belive that you are entitled to these things.
  
  There is a 1986 Mac running OS seven-point-something that we own that STILL works. I have two G-3s that I store iTunes libraries on that my daughter watches DVDs in. She says the picture is better than the TV.
  
  I dropped my Macbook on a tile floor the other day. It works just fine. Imagine dropping an Acer on a tile floor.
  
  Apple has always been about higher quality components, and innovation. It's called capitalism. Make a great product people want and you make a profit.
  
  Until Socialist governments tax, regulate or outright take these things away from innovative companies.
  
  Posted by Allen Stevens, Republic of Texas