Please help a confused person.

[allanon]

I am looking to purchase a laptop computer that will do mainly two things. One, I want to have a very decent gaming machine. Two, I want to be able to do good quality multi-track recording. I've heard some good things about Alienware, Mtech, and Voodoo laptops. I've also been told that iMacs are good gaming and sound recording machines. I've been looking at the specs for all of the above machines and can't come to a resolution.

How do the iMacs compare in the gaming area? Can you buy the same titles for Apple that you can for PC like Icewind Dale for example? What do you need to buy to do multi-tracking with a iMac? I don't want to have to spend a gob of money if it can be helped.

Any help, info, or advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[mac_mogul]

Well, for starters, the iMac is not a mobile computer, however the iBook is. And for nearly equal performance levels, the iBook is a good buy. As for games, the iBookG3 is fairly adept at most games, however, as newer games are being released (and the fact that Apple dropped the G3) the iBook G3 may not be for you. But the iBook G4 is on top of it's game with an available 1ghz G4 processor and an ATI MobiltyRadeon 9200, it's a good gaming laptop. It also has room for up to 640 MB of DDR RAM so you know it'll be stable. There are lots of other specs at http://www.apple.com/ibook/specs.html

 

[g5orbust]

I am looking to purchase a laptop computer that will do mainly two things. One, I want to have a very decent gaming machine. Two, I want to be able to do good quality multi-track recording. I've heard some good things about Alienware, Mtech, and Voodoo laptops. I've also been told that iMacs are good gaming and sound recording machines. I've been looking at the specs for all of the above machines and can't come to a resolution.

iMacs are desktop computers. Excellent mobile computers in line with the iMac's speed and specs are the 15 and 17 inch powerbook models. Since you mentioned Voodoo, mTech and Alienware, it sounds like you arent being skimpy on the funds. The 15 and 17 inch powerbooks both feature the Mobility Radeon 9600 pro, top of the line for both macs and PCs (this is also faster than the iMac's Geforce FX 5200). They all match or exceed the iMac in proc speed. Apps like Pro Tools are Altivec Aware- as in they can utilize the Altivec instruction set for an extra boost in performance. Definitely worth it.


How do the iMacs compare in the gaming area? Can you buy the same titles for Apple that you can for PC like Icewind Dale for example? What do you need to buy to do multi-tracking with a iMac? I don't want to have to spend a gob of money if it can be helped.

Macs pretty much have every major gaming title. Here is a list of all major Apple games (AKA: all the ones sold at the Apple store and are OSX compatable). I dont know exactly how to answer your multitracking question but there is a lot of pro level Mac compatable sound equiptment Refer here for a good list.


Any help, info, or advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

No problem. Any time.

 

[allanon]

Ooops, I guess I was a little preoccupied when I was posting. I was thinking of the iBook when I was typing I guess it just came out wrong. I'm kinda new to Apple products. Thanks Mac_mogul and g5orbust for the information. I'm not thinking of getting a Power Book mainly because I want to have a 17" screen but I don't want to spend 2,600 bucks to get it. If I go with a smaller 15" screen maybe I could.

I want to get the most out of my money if I'm going to drop around $1600 bucks. I like the Power Books, I just need to do a little research to try and find one that's has a 17" screen and is still under 2000. At least I know I want the G4 processor. In the end I may have to go with a smaller screen if I want the apple products. As far as the PC notebooks go the Mtech seems to be the best buy. Thanks again and I hope it hasn't been any trouble. I will most likely be asking more questions.

 

[mac_mogul]

Questions are what we're here for, so don't hesitate to ask any more!

 

[g5orbust]

Ooops, I guess I was a little preoccupied when I was posting. I was thinking of the iBook when I was typing I guess it just came out wrong. I'm kinda new to Apple products. Thanks Mac_mogul and g5orbust for the information. I'm not thinking of getting a Power Book mainly because I want to have a 17" screen but I don't want to spend 2,600 bucks to get it. If I go with a smaller 15" screen maybe I could.

I want to get the most out of my money if I'm going to drop around $1600 bucks. I like the Power Books, I just need to do a little research to try and find one that's has a 17" screen and is still under 2000. At least I know I want the G4 processor. In the end I may have to go with a smaller screen if I want the apple products. As far as the PC notebooks go the Mtech seems to be the best buy. Thanks again and I hope it hasn't been any trouble. I will most likely be asking more questions.

Ive found that if you want a 17 inch laptop, the Apple one is the best buy. Im not saying this only because Im Apple biased, but from what the other offerings Ive seen have been (HP's 9 pound monster for example) Apple's just looks even more like a grand thing worth any extra cash it took to get it. The 15 inch runs OSX like a dream and you wont be sorry if you get it. Apple has pretty much ironed out the problems it had in the new model's fab process and the model is ripe for buying. Unfortunately it seems the G5 powerbook is well away from hitting store shelves- I would tell you to hold on till it came if it was imminent.

If you dont want to spend the huge amount of money needed to get a new 17 inch powerbook, you can always buy factory refurbished ones. This beauty, while an older model, is an example of the great buys refurbished products can get you. Apple's Refurbished Hardware Page.

If you want new, the 15 inch seems to be in line with what you want/need.

Mind giving us the PC models youre considering so that we may better tailor our answers to your wants/needs?

 

[mac_mogul]

All things considered, I think the PowerBook G5 is well on it's way. Apple has managed to fit dual 2ghz G5's in the new Xserve, so what's stopping them from putting it in a 17in notebook? But I haven't heard any rumors about the PBG5 coming out anytime soon... So that means if you're gonna get a PowerbookG4, do it now so you don't hate yourself when the PBG5 does come out

 

[allanon]

Ok, the Mtech models I was looking at was the D470W and the D470Wxtra. As for the Voodoo and Alienware I am not sure cuz they are a little expensive. That link to the refurbished powebooks didn't work for me, it said something about time being expired.

The link to the mtech notebook is http://www.mtechlaptops.com/specifications/mtechd4700.htm

 

[g5orbust]

Ok, the Mtech models I was looking at was the D470W and the D470Wxtra. As for the Voodoo and Alienware I am not sure cuz they are a little expensive. That link to the refurbished powebooks didn't work for me, it said something about time being expired.

The link to the mtech notebook is http://www.mtechlaptops.com/specifications/mtechd4700.htm

That mTech looks mighty fine. If I were you Id consider that or the powerbook.

 

[allanon]

Yeah, it does look like a fine computer. The thing that makes me favor getting a Windows based system is that I have all this software for them. I already own Cakewalk Pro studio 9, Adobe photoshop 7, Office 2k pro, and some others. Those progs cost at least 400 new.