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Apple iMac MC309B/A
by p_j123
Overview
Many of my relatives and friends who actually own an iMac, always tell me about the beauty of it, and how amazing it is. However, this is not the case, yes I agree with the fact that the iMac runs smoothly however the operating system is no where as good windows. This may be because I have always used windows and never used ... the MacOS, but what ever the case is, I actually regret buying this product as any PC with window is my favourite choice. Nevertheless, I can never say that I don't try new things:P Even if it cost me £1000, yes the iMac cost around £900-£1000.
All apple products have amazing manufacturer support. I am aware of this is many of my relatives have had problems with either their iPhone's or iPad's and they replaced it for them! Also apple has won the Customer service award from Which with a customer score of 94%, which is good considering companies like dell received 70%. (http://www.which.co.uk/technology/computing/reviews-ns/desktop-pcs/best-buys/)
Design
The iMac may not be my choice, but if a windows machine could be designed like an iMac it would be amazing! The iMac has an astonishing design as it is very slim (the screen is about 2cm thin) and sleek, considering it is an all-in-one desktop.
There are no ports at the front of the screen and all the ports are at the back, these include the USB 2.0 and ethernet cables. The dvd writer does look modern as it is just a rectangle space where you just insert the disk and in it goes, to eject the disk all you need to do is press a button on the keyboard. I don't mean to state the obvious here but the iMac is white!
The keyboard itself astounds me, this is because it is so light and thin. It is a full size keyboard and yet looks small and compact. Typing on the keyboard is much better than typing on another keyboard. This is because the keys are easily pressed and require little effort.
With any iMac you will be given a magic mouse. It is basically an ordinary mouse but with no gaps and lines. The left and right click are just the left and right sides. There is no gap separating the two, this is not an issue as it works great.
Specifications
The main specifications you may want to know are:
* Intel Core i5 2.5 GHz-Processor
* 4GB RAM and be upgraded to 8GB at additional costs- Memory
* Radeon HD 6770M- A good video card which makes watching videos on-line faster.
* 21.5" Screen
* 4 USB ports
* All in one casing
* 500GB internal Hard drive
* 1 year warrenty
* Built in Bluetooth
* Built in Network adapter- Able to connect to the internet wirelessly!
Usage
The iMac is very impressive when looking at the specifications. A 2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 is more than enough for any standard user and could even cope with professional software's like Adobe Photoshop. The new generation of Intel's processors are much better as they run a lot quicker and are more efficient.
The 4Gb of RAM seems to be plenty for the iMac, I don't know why it runs many programs so quick and effectively with only 4Gb but it does! WIth my iMac I seem to have an issue whenever switching users, as the iMac eventually crashes I do not know why, but it just happens all the time.
Using the iMac is not enjoyable and most of the time frustrating. This is because I believe it is not as easy to use as an ordinary windows machine, and figuring out what you need to do is painstakingly long. The simple software's that are available for windows do not run on an iMac and therefore you need to turn the system off and re-run boot-camp (software that run's window) which is just a tedious job, as you buy the mac to use the mac and not windows. Turning the iMac on is very quick as it takes around 5 seconds.
Conclusion
An iMac is a product that you need to consider a lot before purchase. If you already own an apple computer/laptop then go ahead you will love this product. However, if you are an avid windows user and understand how to use it easily, then this product may not be for you. I strongly recommend that you check the software's that you use often and check if it is compatible with the MacOS. For me I was not happy with the end result, which is why I brought another Desktop PC which is much better than the iMac and has better specification in comparison, considering I only paid £650 for this one!
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Apple iMac MC309B/A
by MsTricia
As a lover of apple products, having already owned a macbook and my iphone (temperamental but I still love it all the same) I decided for the new year to invest in a desktop computer for my house. I have not had one before, and I thought it would be a good option as I am often glued to my macbook and my partner likes to do his work ... sometimes or browse the internet, so we went halves on this iMac. A much cheaper version as the screen is smaller than others on the market we have to say we absolutely LOVE IT!
It has a great streamline design, lightweight in comparison to other desktop screens I have been in contact with, it has a clear screen, which we let our daughter watch peppa pig on and it was immensely easy to set up. No messing around with loads of wires, and attempts at connecting it to wifi it did everything almost immediately after putting it on the computer desk from the box. It's fast, I've been able to transfer all my music, videos etc via wifi using homeshare from my itunes on my mac to this iMac which helps make life easier. The built in webcam is perfect for taking pictures, and as an avid skype user its perfect for my conversations to friends and family abroad (or sometimes not even abroad!)
only downside I would say is that there is sometimes a glare off the screen so we have positioned ours in a corner of the room where it is unlikely to be affected. As we have only had it a short period of time I am unable to comment on the longevity of the iMac but I am assured by friends who have had theirs for 3 years + so this model I would assume is just as reliable!
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HP Touchsmart 300-1125uk
by JJ2010JAYJAY
I absolutely love this computer and use it all of the time. Of course, when I bought it, it was extremely expensive, at over £1000. However, it is just simply astonishing. It is very quick at loading up and the touch screen is very responsive and easy to use. It has a very large screen, over 21 inches, and therefore is very good for ... watching videos and television, which you can on this PC. Simply plug in an aerial, and you're ready to go. The sound quality is amazing and the picture quality is great. It is very thin and nice to look at.
It has 5 USB Ports, An Aerial Input Port, A Wired Connection Port (As Well As Built in Wi-Fi) but no HDMI output or input. This isn't a big problem because it isn't necessary to hook it up to a television with its huge screen.
It has a very convenient light at the bottom which lights up the keyboard when it is dark. It comes with a wireless keyboard and wireless mouse. However, if you want a wired keyboard, it has to be a USB keyboard, not the standard ones because there is no port to connect one up.
It is very easy to set up and use. It has an on screen keyboard so you can type using the touch screen. It has very good, strong Wi-Fi and some great features. The webcam is very good and you can upload videos to YouTube with just a couple of clicks using the HP Media Centre. It has lots of space on it for documents, music, pictures, and videos and also a big hard drive to download programmes and games.
Once you overlook the price, it is the best computer I've ever had, and I'm guessing one of the best PCs out there! It is very reliable and I have never experienced any issues.
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