Why is Apple only giving a 5600 FX card with a $3000 system?

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I've been reading some articles on the Apple G5 processor and system, but right now I'm still confused. Why would they include a 5200 in the lower two models and a 5600 FX in the hightes $3000 model? With that much money, you can put in a much better video card. Or is it because of the monitor cost + DVD burner + Dual CPU's? I don't think it should be that much and still come with only a 5600...

 

[Schadenfroh]

alot of people that use macs dont game

.... and possilby better profit margins?

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
alot of people that use macs dont game

True, but when you spend $3000, you expect to be able to doa wide variety of things at high speeds. I guess you're right because many games aren't even able to run on Macs so there would be no point.

Also, no flame against MACs is intended through these posts incase someone feels like bashing at me for asking a question....

 

[Pariah]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
alot of people that use macs dont game

I don't think that was the question. Whether are not they game isn't the issue. If I'm paying $3000 for a system, I'd like to get something better than a 5600FX. If they don't game, wouldn't a Parhelia be a much better choice than a 5600?

 

[GnomeCop]

cha-ching!

 

[Oreo]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga
I've been reading some articles on the Apple G5 processor and system, but right now I'm still confused. Why would they include a 5200 in the lower two models and a 5600 FX in the hightes $3000 model? With that much money, you can put in a much better video card. Or is it because of the monitor cost + DVD burner + Dual CPU's? I don't think it should be that much and still come with only a 5600...

It's not even a FX5600 it's a FX5200, about half the speed of a FX5600. They need to cut as many corners as they can to be profitable. Apple has the highest margins in the desktop/PC business on their models.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Because in their new benchmarks they show that a fx5200 is faster than both a fx5900 and a 9800 pro.

 

[Pariah]

The $3000 system comes standard with a Radeon 9600Pro. But for the pocket change amount of $300 you can upgrade that to a 9800Pro.

 

[NFS4]

They've gotten so used to taking it up the butt for years in speed by PC's that they don't even realize it when Apple slips a "choker" of a card into their mail slot.

If Steve Jobs showcased a computer that looked like a "real" apple complete with stem, included a 1.8GHz processor, an FX 5200 graphics card, and a DVD+RW drive for $2900, they would bow down on their knees and kiss his feet (among other things).

But I really can't blame Apple. If their customers are gullable enough to put up with it, why not bend 'em over and pump 'em a few times?

Steve Jobs is really a genious. He's like the Oprah of the computer industry. He's got a cult following, people worship him like he's a God, if he says go buy something -- they go and do it (just like Oprah's Book Club) and he charismatic.

I really hope that these new G5's do well for Mac. They do need a jolt. But sticking a Accord transmission into a Ferrari chassis just ain't gonna cut it IMHO. The top of the line G5's are just to powerful to be coming with mainstream video cards. Give 'em top of the line vid cards STANDARD!!

 

[Corporate Thug]

apple is just cool like that :Q

 

[GL]

Oh come on NFS4 A blanket statement about Apple users like that is not only ridiculous but flamebait. You know, it's almost as ridiculous as the Sega and Nintendo feuds of days gone by. Why do you have to choose between either or? Especially the people on this board who are plenty happy slapping down their cold hard cash on new upgrades every 6 months? Am I the only one that has found a place for all the mainstream desktop operating system: OS X (95% of my computer use), Windows (gaming!) and Linux (server, PVR)? The truly smart user is not the one who figures out one system is better than the other, but who figures out how to use each system where it's best.

Oh, and the next time I'm at my favourite computer store, I'll ignore all those riced-up computer cases that PC users have been buying in droves. And I'll ignore the riced up cases on and in that magazine CPU which your boss might know about

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Because in their new benchmarks they show that a fx5200 is faster than both a fx5900 and a 9800 pro.

<Zealot> And it was on the Apple website, so it has to be true! Apple doesn't make up benchmarks! </Zealot>

- M4H

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: GL
Am I the only one that has found a place for all the mainstream desktop operating system: OS X (95% of my computer use), Windows (gaming!) and Linux (server, PVR)? The truly smart user is not the one who figures out one system is better than the other, but who figures out how to use each system where it's best.

That was a very good post, my compliments. I too believe everything has a place in the market/life. Its kind of like the AMD/P4 flame wars that went on. AMD's have their place just like P4's.

Linux Has its place, Windows has its place even if its the majority, and Mac has its place. Aristotle was one of the first fe with this thinking in terms of types of governments, he objected those who thought there could be one perfect government for the whole world.

As for me? If I had the money, I would be doing exactly what you said. I'd love to have a nice Apple, Windows PC, and Linux by my side, but I don't want to spend that much money on mine. Once again, my compliments to your thinking...

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Apple isn't about getting the most hardware billihertz for your dollar, Apple is about a high quality computing environment, and they do that well -- you just have to pay a lot of money for it, and people do. If you're too cheap, then go buy a dell, but don't be the billionth person to bitch about apple pricing, because it's been bitched about a billion times, and will be a billion more, and yet it won't change. Sorry.

 

[Lyfer]

Apple's prices are just downright outrageous, $2k for a the low end G5, good god. You really have to give Steve jobs credit.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey
Apple isn't about getting the most hardware billihertz for your dollar, Apple is about a high quality computing environment, and they do that well -- you just have to pay a lot of money for it, and people do. If you're too cheap, then go buy a dell, but don't be the billionth person to bitch about apple pricing, because it's been bitched about a billion times, and will be a billion more, and yet it won't change. Sorry.

I don't mean to be complaining, I was just pointing out why I don't own an apple, I might when I'm out of college and earning my own money if they still are high quality at the time.

I understand its not performance per dollar but when 99.9% of the people buy a computer for $3,000, they consider it a big purchase and after that they may wait 2 or 3 years before upgrading, excluding the enthusiast market which is relatively small. When you upgrade that slowly, you expect the system to perform throughout those years and you can't honestly tell me that a 5600 will be just as good as it is now 3 years from now and be able to run games in a visually pleasing way. If they aren't aiming for performance, like mentioned before, why not Matrox? Matrox is in a way like apple, you don't get the performance per dollar, but you get one heck of a solid, stable, and high quality product. Not saying Nvidia is bad, but compared to Matrox, Matrox wins, especially in 2D quality.

 

[wfbberzerker]

because if they put in a 5900, it would probably cost $3500.

 

[XBoxLPU]

Wth 9800 Pro - $3,299.00

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Lyfer
Apple's prices are just downright outrageous, $2k for a the low end G5, good god. You really have to give Steve jobs credit.

I don't think that's what you need to give him if you want an Apple. :Q

- M4H

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: XBoxLPU
Wth 9800 Pro - $3,299.00

Bah! Their profit margins are so high I think they should include this standard... maybe even a 9800 non pro or 9700 Pro... oh well.

 

[wetcat007]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
alot of people that use macs dont game

.... and possilby better profit margins?

Macs have games??? LMAO!

 

[gsaldivar]

If their customers are gullable enough to put up with it, why not bend 'em over and pump 'em a few times?

 

[onlyCOpunk]

Have you ever stopped to think that Macs and PC's do things differently. If a G5 performed the same way a P4 does then well I don't know it would be the same. I myself have never relaly used an Apple extensively except for editing video and some graphics, but never really for gaming. And while Apples run the games that are made for them, gaming is not a big deal for Apple. Another reason they probably use cards like that is because of the name...probably.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: onlyCOpunk
Have you ever stopped to think that Macs and PC's do things differently. If a G5 performed the same way a P4 does then well I don't know it would be the same. I myself have never relaly used an Apple extensively except for editing video and some graphics, but never really for gaming. And while Apples run the games that are made for them, gaming is not a big deal for Apple. Another reason they probably use cards like that is because of the name...probably.

Then why not use something a little more high quality in terms of 2D quality? Like Matrox cards? Matrox cards are like apple, they won't have the best performance, but they will be the best in terms of quality and usability.

 

[thejackal1]

I need sof2 to get used as it was bought for the mac and not for my pc.