Interesting break time discussion

Faustus

Faustus

Faustus

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During a tea break at work today a group of us started discussing upgrading computers (there are about five iMac owners including myself).

I asked one of the guys with a 2009 iMac if he was going to replace his with a 21.5" or the 27" version and was surprised by his reply. He said that this time around he may well look at something else, probably a Windows PC. What did make me sit up and take notice was the other iMac owners saying they might do the same.

There reasoning was this - on aesthetics, build quality and usability the iMac takes some beating. However, things have moved on in the last few years with most people now owning a smartphone and possibly a notebook and/or a tablet as well. Whilst everyone still wanted a Desktop, having an expensive all singing all dancing one didn't matter as much anymore. They argued that with cross compatibility there wasn't much a Windows PC couldn't do that a Mac couldn't and vice-versa. They accepted a Windows PC might not look as good but that you can now buy some very good IPS monitors for not a lot of money and even a cheap Window box will now last you quite some time, at least until upgrade time comes around again.

I think everyone is only too aware of the decline in sales of Windows PC's but if this type of thinking starts to become common with Apple owners then sales of iMacs are also going to decline.

I have to say that the logic of what my colleagues were saying does have merit. I myself spend less time with my iMac since buying a tablet.

What do others think?
 
I own a windows based PC to do a specific task, play games.

I own a macbook to do another specific task: everything else.

I honestly find the macbook far more usable and productive, which is why I spend so much more time on it. Everything works spot on, I don't worry about having the latest drivers or any of that rubbish, I just turn it on and get on with it. Part of the reason is the OS without a doubt, and I have not been a fan of Metro or Windows 8 in general.

Theres little things as well, like no xbox controller metro integration in windows 8. Sure, you can mess around to get it to work if you really want, but if Microsoft really want to make the PC a living room machine this kind of thing should be part of the OS.

I have no desire to own an iMac, because they lack the portability of my macbook air, and that would be key to its usability. I think Apple could increase sales of the desktop range if they weren't so greedy with price, such as the ridiculous ram costs, but I honestly don't think they are that fussed about it.
 
If I were the only one in my household I'd probably own a gaming machine for a desktop, and simply use my MacBook Air for everything else. However the reasoning behind that is completely different to what they mentioned (the purpose of a desktop machine in the first place).
 
Thats kind of what I was hinting at in my last paragraph. Apple have outdone the iMac which now sits a little uncomfortably in the lineup. Why buy an iMac and have reduced usability over a Macbook Air/Pro? Why buy a desktop when an iPad integrates in to peoples life styles so much easier? I would be interested to see the sales figures of iMac over the last few years.

If anything I would rather buy a mac mini, which you could plug in to any screen/tv etc, and still retain all of the functionality.
 
An iPad isn't an iMac replacement. It's a shiny consumer trinket for internet communication and consuming media.

We stopped buying iMacs for work, now get the Mac mini where a Mac is essential, otherwise they get a Windows PC.

Unfortunately Apple seem more interested in sealed, disposable consumer trinkets nowadays. I wouldn't buy one of the current laptops for the lack of basic upgradability of RAM and storage. They don't deserve the Pro moniker.
 
I'm not saying its necessarily a replacement, but for the great majority of people an iPad will do everything they need.

Admittedly the sealed nature of their products is frustrating, I would love to be able to upgrade the 4GB in my i7 macbook air.
 
I find that the only thing I don't do on my MBA is play non-casual games - using the PC/Xbone for my 'proper' games. Hugely portable with a great battery life, and the device isn't just an extremely well built thing but I have found (so far) that everything just works on it, except specific things like games that just don't on a Mac.

Maybe the decline of interest in the iMac is because of the rest of the line up, as they seem to cater for the average persons needs better, and the more demanding user will be waiting on the next Pro?
 
rare said:
I'm not saying its necessarily a replacement, but for the great majority of people an iPad will do everything they need.

Admittedly the sealed nature of their products is frustrating, I would love to be able to upgrade the 4GB in my i7 macbook air.
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For the MBA, I understand the lack of upgradability is to keep the size / weight down by integrating the stuff using non-standard parts.

The MBP should be far more versatile / upgradeable than it is though
 
It doesn't seem that long ago that I had a backup PC just to ensure I had access to the internet, email and banking because at the time, it was the only practical way I could access proper internet. Now that's not the case.

The thing is, It's fine someone saying a desktop can do video editing etc but most home desktops would have been used primarily for basic tasks like email and shopping so it's easy to see how a desktop would seem less important to them, even if they still use one.
 
i think i may go with a full spec iPad next as for me, the macbook air i bought 4 years ago now although not missing a beat in the time i have had her has not performed a task that i would not be able to have done on an iPad with the bluetooth keyboard. i have access to computers at work with a little horsepower if i need to do any editing and i have a ps3(soon to be 4) for my gaming/htpc needs. the days of having 1 box to do everything, for me at least, is over.
 
If they don't need their desktops as much, why are they upgrading at all?
I think desktops have been fine for the last 5 years or so, really no need to upgrade unless you play games.
 
I've increasingly noticed that in coffee shops macbooks are in decline. Once upon a time they were everywhere but now I'm more likely to see tablets and cheap Windows laptops.
 
Hades said:
I've increasingly noticed that in coffee shops macbooks are in decline. Once upon a time they were everywhere but now I'm more likely to see tablets and cheap Windows laptops.
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Depends if you go to Starbucks or costa... I still see plenty in the former :p (although whilst writing this [on my MBP] I'm enjoying a coffee in costa)
 
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the general population are finding more use and a better format for everyday use from iPads and tablets. and as normal home computers are getting more powerful there is less need for a dedicated machine costing thousands.

computers are less and less about all the power in the world and more about many tools for different jobs. next time round i'll be taking a top flight iPad and a small server/NAS drive as i don't do a lot of creative work, i will however get the bluetooth keyboard to go with it, just so when i need to word process something i can.

and it's also becoming trendy to not buy apple. just because they are everywhere now.
 
I agree with the above; tablets are now more convenient. My girlfriend never uses a laptop and uses the tablet. For most people, all they need is e-mail and web access. Current tablets deal with these perfectly.
 
My wife ditched her laptop for an iPad, which was fine due to her usage. She does occasionally use the iMac when she wants to manage her music and photo collection, but the majority of the time the iPad is more than adequate.

If we look at what the masses use desktop/laptops for they can easily do it on a tablet. The most obvious things tablets fall short on are office programs and editing suites. But even those are becoming more powerful on tablets.
 
R4z0r said:
If they don't need their desktops as much, why are they upgrading at all?
I think desktops have been fine for the last 5 years or so, really no need to upgrade unless you play games.
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I think if you re-read I said next time around, not that all of them were upgrading now. I think many of you have taken a somewhat different tack to what myself and my work colleagues were discussing i.e. replacing a Desktop with a Desktop. None of us wants to replace the Desktop with something like a Notebook, that isn't an option that any of us would contemplate. We were discussing replacing the iMac with Windows machine or perhaps a Mini.
 
LiE said:
My wife ditched her laptop for an iPad, which was fine due to her usage. She does occasionally use the iMac when she wants to manage her music and photo collection, but the majority of the time the iPad is more than adequate.

If we look at what the masses use desktop/laptops for they can easily do it on a tablet. The most obvious things tablets fall short on are office programs and editing suites. But even those are becoming more powerful on tablets.
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Maybe but in truth I wouldn't like to contemplate doing all my office work on a tablet, even with a keyboard.
 
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