There's been interest in a mid-range Mac without the screen, with expandability and customization for some time. As Gene "Mac Night Owl" Steinberg [url=http://macnightowl.com/2008/03/the-great-hardware-pitch-the-midrange-tower-revisited/]noted last month[/url], there certainly seems to be a niche for a "headless" (as in display-less), expandable iMac.
And that's what Psystar is promising. Here's how the company promotes its [url=http://www.psystar.com/psystar_open_computer_osx86_reinventing_the_wheel.html]OpenMac system[/url]: "The Open Computer is a PC that works just like a Mac with Apple's latest operating system OS X 10.5 a.k.a. Leopard. With the Open Computer you can run OS X natively as if you had purchased an expensive Apple computer except that, while paying less, you receive more. Apple's entry-level computer, the Mac Mini, is a small and not very powerful machine. When comparing base configurations, the Mac Mini costs 150 percent of the price of the Open Computer while offering poorer performance, smaller storage space, and RAM. Not only that but the Mac Mini doesn't have the option for an nVidia GeForce 8600 video card like the Open Computer does so playing games on it is a lost cause. You can view the comparison and see for yourself. You can even buy one right now.
"Processor: The base processor of the Open Computer is faster than any processor available for the Mac Mini.
"Memory: The Open Computer comes with 2 GB of memory by default--twice as much as the Mac Mini.
° Storage: The Open Computer brings, by default, a 250GB 7200RPM SATA hard drive which means better drive performance and three times as much space as the base Mac Mini and the drive on the Open Computer can be upgraded to a 400GB model for file sharing and media editors.
"Video Card: The Open Computer can be configured with an optional nVidia GeForce 8600 video card for improved performance in image and movie editing and drastically improved performance in gaming. The Mac Mini does not have this capability.
"SuperDrive: The Open Computer comes equipped by default with a Dual Layer DVD+/-R burner that is equal to the Apple SuperDrive without you having to pay extra for it like you would when buying a Mac Mini
"Options You can buy it in black without having to pay more. You can buy it with Firewire. You can buy it with a GeForce 8600, if you like. Psystar gives you options that Apple does not. If you want something different then let us know and we'll work it out for you."
I'm not endorsing Psystar because I haven't test driven an OpenMac (though if Psystar is interested, I'll be happy to do so). And, as I said before, I expect this Psystar offering to disappear quickly once Apple hunkers down. If you want an expandable, "headless" iMac, you might consider grabbing one now. Cause while I'd like to see Apple release such a beast, I'm dubious it's going to happen anytime soon.
Thoughts? Write me at dsellers@macsimumnews.com
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