My Dream DIY PC Build Vs Mac Pro Pricing

[Sylar Powers]

For my own kicks, I was comparing my dream PC Tower DIY Build Pricing to the Mac Pro Tower Pricing (which is like the dream Mac to own). I would pay more for a Mac anyway, due to what I believe to be a superior OS (OS 10 Leopard). However, I still wanted to know the price difference. I was amazed at how close it was-it really made me think. Here is estimated prices of what I ended up with:

Mostly from NewEgg PC DIY Build:

* 300 - Lian Li PC-V2010 Silver PC Case (IMHO, this is the closest to Mac Pro Tower quality)
* 375 - Asus P5E3 Premium Mobo with Wi-Fi N (Note: maxes out at 8GBs of RAM)
* 350 - Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 45nm 12MBL2 2.66GHz CPU OEM
* 175 - MSI NX8800GT_512M_OC 512MB VRAM GPU
* 175 - Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB HD/DVD Burner
* 500 - Corsair Dominator 2x1GB DDR3 RAM
* 150 - PC P&C Red Silencer 750 Quad Power Suppliy
* 125 - Thermal Paste & Remover/Zalman CPU & GPU HSFs
* 300 - Vista Ultimate OS Retail

Total: $2,450.00 US Almost Delivered (some parts add shipping, some don't/there is no tax for most states). Now while there are some parts that are nicer than need be, it's not going overboard, and this is what I would spend my hard earned dollar on if I had to order a rig like this. And if your building your own, it's time to go DDR3 IMHO.

For the Mac Pro Tower from 1800-My-Apple (with student, military, or corporate discount-it's not hard to get, and they don't really check):

*2300 - Mac Pro Single 2.8GHz Quad Xeon (downgrade to single quad CPU)

Price Includes:

*2GB RAM (Note: maxes out at 32GBs DDR2 Error Corrected RAM)
*320GB HD
*Nivida 8800GT 512MB VRAM GPU Upgrade
*Wi-Fi N Upgrade
*Best & Latest Version of OS X Leopard Included

Total: $2,300.00 US Almost Delivered (add sales tax from your area/shipping is free)

Things I noticed:

You get a better-bigger hard drive and DDR3 memory in the PC build, and you get to hand pick the best parts. But with the Mac you get a seemless wiring and build job, decent quality control, a faster CPU, a slightly better case in design and quality (this one is subjective of course), and the ability to use allot more of cheaper DDR2 RAM. The Mac Pro goes all the way to 32GBs of RAM vs 8GBs of RAM for the PC Build. 16GBs of Trans International Mac Pro RAM runs $775.00 US. The PC Build Mobo is Anandtechs current pick for DIY PC Mobo to buy if your read their recent articles. Note that while I could find a nice PC DIY DDR2 Mobo, also note that I would buy a DDR3 Mac Pro if I could, and what I am comparing here is what I would buy today, not what is 100% fair. Mac includes the best version of their software, Vista is buggy and separate (and pricey). Vista has games, but I have a PS3, and I can add Vista bootcamp if I get really jealous latter on. The graphics and Wi-Fi N on both are a wash. Both have great built in sound I believe. The Mac Pro comes with a Keyboard and Mouse as a bonus. Your still getting better parts in the PC Build, but that Mac Pro ain't too shabby in the areas of Design, Build, Power, and Quality. Oh, and you don't have to assemble the Mac, or worry about everything, as the Mac comes from the factory with a warranty. Mac has better System and RAM resell value.

For me, OS X Leopard is my swing vote, and the Mac Pro is the machine I want. It's not a 100% fair comparison, but it is what I would buy today, so it is somewhat fair to me.

 

[blazerazor]

Nice post, you sound alot like me. I have finally recently got a iphone & my parents had a twin pair of HP lappys running vista brought from BB. Step dad returned his and ordered a MacBookPro, And I am SO jealous. I am becoming what I never thought I would, ... someone who just wants to turn it on... and it work. I REALLY despise the whole build, mod, repair gigs i used to do, love, eat and sleep. I just fried my HD, and maybe my mb, chipset cause my dumb ass did a hot swap with somedrives with it set to Cable Select... smoke rose. Kinda cool, but now I havent done WoW in 3 months and I'm fiend'n for it. (sharing 2 accounts, still active, and my friend has been maxing out all the alts without me) So I'm pressured to buy a imac and bootcamp JUST for my WoW fix and get to try OSX, BUT I really want to wait till SEPT when Steve does his little Hype show. (my2cents,,:Future:I see a touch screen coming) ... cause if its only going to be that new 'P-sumthin' chip that only gives you 1hr more battery time, ... who cares.

Although Warhammer and Conan,... I dont see running on a IMAC, so... DECISIONS, DECISIONS, ... hummm.
I personally am wanting a imac and spend the extra 'bell&whistle' cash on African Mahogany Schecter, some effects and m-audio protools to play with. I feel your pain brother.

 

[bearxor]

The only problem I really have with these price comparisons is the processor choices. I would go back to your build and spec out Xeon parts and then see how much of a price difference it is. As I've said, you can argue and scream and jump up and down over Apple's choice to use only Xeon processors in Mac Pro's, and I very much agree they should have a C2Q tower, but you can't compare a Xeon workstation to a C2Q workstation on price. Switching to a Xeon changes everything in your base components.

Now I know you said it's not a fair comparison and I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but if you go back and redo your rig with a Xeon proc, mobo and ram, I'd be interested in knowing what the current rates are.

One thing that sticks out in your comparison is Vista Ultimate. This is commonly overlooked and most people try to compare OS X with Vista Home Premium. My response to people's choice of Vista is usually two questions:

1) Can Vista Home Premium join a domain?
2) Does Vista Business have a 10' interface for easy viewing of your pictures, media, music, etc?

Since OS X can do both, the only fair comparison is to Vista Ultimate, IMHO.

 

[MiataPaul]

For me, it would be no choice here. Get the official Apple. I am in process of a Hackentosh build but am spending less than a grand. But if I started to approach the cost of a Pro I would go for it.

 

[Sylar Powers]

Thanks for seeing the added cost of Vista, and that OS X is like a bonus. As you guys noticed, I didn't just pick the most expensive version of Vista just because. In addition to the reasons you guys noted, it's also the only version that runs both 32-Bit and 64-Bit versions without mailing away for the other discs. Plus with Vista Ultimate, you get the ability to run allot more RAM, which makes this choice like a nice future proof/convenience deal. And it seems only fair to compare the best version of OS X to the best version of Vista.

As far as with the CPU choices, I hear you. Honestly, I am not sure what the exact differences is. Is the Xeon better than my PC DIY Build's CPU choice? They are both high end quad core chips from Intel with large L2 Cache, and you have no other options on the Mac. That's all I really know. I am under the impression from Mac Pro reviews that the Xeons are comparable if not better than the other CPU I picked out. Is the Mac Pro motherboard better? My research did not go in that direction, so I don't know for sure, or even if the Asus MoBO I picked can run the Xeon CPU Chips. Can anyone compare the pros and cons of the Mac Pro Mobo vs this Asus P5E3 Premium Mobo? Or the CPU differences?

However, based on AnandTechs enthusiastic review of the Asus P5E3 Premium Mobo, its the current one I would build from. And it meets my needs. Of course the Mac Pro does not give you any choices. It's a flawed comparison, and I would be interested in a better one, but I have no plans to research this, as nothing else I can see now would be the choices I would make, given the circumstances. For me, it's all part of the pros and cons of building your own (and cherry picking the best parts/prices) vs getting whatever Apple picks for you. Which is fair from the perspective of my wallet and the appealing choices that present themselves to me-that I have researched and read about. I'm sure there are options I have not seen or read about yet.

On laptops, there's no question for me: Get the MacBook Pro. It's not like allot of people are building a PC Laptop anyway.

I am just amazed that my dream PC DIY Build would not tally up to be cheaper than the Mac Pro, regardless of my uneven choices.

 

[umrigar]

no WoW for months? you mean you've had to get a life? j/k

EDIT: you can get an 8-core Mac Pro in the refurb section for $2500.
only 1 GB stock RAM and a smaller hard drive, but it's got 8 x 3.0 GHz cores.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-M...3NjY&nclm=CertifiedMac

Refurbished Mac Pro 8-core 3.0GHz Intel Xeon
Two 3.0GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors
1GB (2 x 512MB) memory (667MHz DDR2 fully-buffered DIMM ECC)
250GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 7200-rpm hard drive
16x SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT graphics with 256MB memory

 

[Sylar Powers]

I can't bring myself to spend this much money on used computer parts umrigar, even if it's a better machine. Call it an affliction of mine. Nice thought though.

 

[Sylar Powers]

oh, blazecow... um... I mean blazerazor (I just picked out your new name-blazecow sounds cooler), I think the newest MacBook Pros will run WOW pretty good, even Bioshock runs at about 22-30 FPS with all effects turned on (possibly more depending on settings). WOW is not demanding, I think wristwatch calculators now run it.

I would like a refined touch-only version of OS X and the MacBook Pro, that browses the internet and watches movies. Like something out of a Sci-Fi show, or a giant iPhone with the power of a MacBook Pro. The perfect on the go and bedside device that replaces books and paper altogether one day. Call it the iNever, and it comes standard with High Definition (all things in the future are HD, even Taco Bell) Telepathic Sound.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: Sylar Powers
I can't bring myself to spend this much money on used computer parts umrigar, even if it's a better machine. Call it an affliction of mine. Nice thought though.

Refurb doesn't always mean used. What it does mean is that it has been through Apple inspection usually twice, and passed both times. Often a refurbed Mac is just an older model that is no longer current.

 

[Sylar Powers]

Originally posted by: TheStu

Originally posted by: Sylar Powers
I can't bring myself to spend this much money on used computer parts umrigar, even if it's a better machine. Call it an affliction of mine. Nice thought though.

Refurb doesn't always mean used. What it does mean is that it has been through Apple inspection usually twice, and passed both times. Often a refurbed Mac is just an older model that is no longer current.

Maybe, but it's still not the same as fresh new untouched stock/technology.

 

[umrigar]

I've bought nothing but refurbs for myself and for friends, and not one hardware problem yet.

In fact, sometimes when you buy a refurb you get a "silent upgrade" like a larger hard drive or more RAM.

I would hardly call it "used," even though it might be a return. I believe the refurbs undergo more rigorous testing than the "new" Macs.

That is some affliction... can't bear to save a few hundred dollars for the thought of a non-"new" computer, one that comes with the exact same warranty.

 

[Sylar Powers]

yep. LOL

It may not be completely logical, but for the money you save, I would rather go new. It's not like it's half off or something. Guess I just like knowing no one else but me touched the new car paint, so to speak.

 

[Megatomic]

Well, to each his/her own. I myself saved $400 on my blackbook by buying a refurb, and put $70 of it back into the computer in the form of a memory upgrade. I'll put the rest back into it by buying Office 2008 I think.

 

[Sylar Powers]

To expand on this, on some items I would consider a used or refurbished unit-if I could save a ton. I'm not that afflicted! But I would like to inspect the item in question, have a no questions asked return guarantee, and save more than a third. Besides the hassle of a higher potential return risk, and I am picky about every scratch, mark, defect-the item is often not discounted enough for me to care about that option. To me, it's like buying a used $53 videogame from Gamestop when the new one is only $7 more (US).

 

[ShawnD1]

Originally posted by: Sylar Powers
* 300 - Lian Li PC-V2010 Silver PC Case (IMHO, this is the closest to Mac Pro Tower quality)
* 375 - Asus P5E3 Premium Mobo with Wi-Fi N (Note: maxes out at 8GBs of RAM)
* 350 - Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 45nm 12MBL2 2.66GHz CPU OEM
* 175 - MSI NX8800GT_512M_OC 512MB VRAM GPU
* 175 - Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB HD/DVD Burner
* 500 - Corsair Dominator 2x1GB DDR3 RAM
* 150 - PC P&C Red Silencer 750 Quad Power Suppliy
* 125 - Thermal Paste & Remover/Zalman CPU & GPU HSFs
* 300 - Vista Ultimate OS Retail

You have picked some very strange things...

-$300 is way too much for a case. My huge "gamer" case has a huge fan on top, 2 fans on the front, 1 on the side, 2 at the back, and is large enough to contain a GeForce 8800 (had to buy this case when I got that card); cost $100.

-$375 is way too much for a motherboard. The socket 775 motherboards on Tiger Direct Canada start at $50. Here is an Asus motherboard that even includes integrated video, cost of $85 Canadian. It's not as good, but who actually uses SLI? And if you need wireless N, just get a $30 USB key from BestBuy.

-DDR3 is still a huge scam, and that's why nobody buys it. $500 for 2gb of ram? Here is 2gb of the cheaper PC8500 DDR2 ram for only $87 CDN. The timings are ok, but I picked the highest mhz ram so the computer is less likely to crash when the FSB is overclocked.

-$125 for a heatsink? My CPU is a C2D 6600 with a stock retail fan, and I can still overclock it by 20% with rock solid stability. Tiger Direct has a fan for $15, but this $19 fan looks just like my retail fan. Add another $20 for thermal paste: total of $39.

-Nobody buys retail Windows. Vista Ultimate for $190




In the end, you won't really use that performance unless you're doing something like movie editing. Most games are never ported to Mac OS, and even Photoshop will no longer be supported on Mac OS. Link.
If you want the Mac experience, I'm not quite sure what your $2300 Mac can do that a $700 Mac Mini can't do. Upgrade the ram to 2gb when you buy it, plug in a 500gb external drive (they cost like $100 at Staples), and enjoy.


edit:

Plus with Vista Ultimate, you get the ability to run allot more RAM

This is incorrect. The extra ram thing is true for all versions of 64-bit Windows, even 64-bit Vista Home basic. If you want more ram, only the 64-bit operating systems will allow it.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: ShawnD1

Originally posted by: Sylar Powers
* 300 - Lian Li PC-V2010 Silver PC Case (IMHO, this is the closest to Mac Pro Tower quality)
* 375 - Asus P5E3 Premium Mobo with Wi-Fi N (Note: maxes out at 8GBs of RAM)
* 350 - Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 45nm 12MBL2 2.66GHz CPU OEM
* 175 - MSI NX8800GT_512M_OC 512MB VRAM GPU
* 175 - Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB HD/DVD Burner
* 500 - Corsair Dominator 2x1GB DDR3 RAM
* 150 - PC P&C Red Silencer 750 Quad Power Suppliy
* 125 - Thermal Paste & Remover/Zalman CPU & GPU HSFs
* 300 - Vista Ultimate OS Retail

You have picked some very strange things...

-$300 is way too much for a case. My huge "gamer" case has a huge fan on top, 2 fans on the front, 1 on the side, 2 at the back, and is large enough to contain a GeForce 8800 (had to buy this case when I got that card); cost $100.

-$375 is way too much for a motherboard. The socket 775 motherboards on Tiger Direct Canada start at $50. Here is an Asus motherboard that even includes integrated video, cost of $85 Canadian. It's not as good, but who actually uses SLI? And if you need wireless N, just get a $30 USB key from BestBuy.

-DDR3 is still a huge scam, and that's why nobody buys it. $500 for 2gb of ram? Here is 2gb of the cheaper PC8500 DDR2 ram for only $87 CDN. The timings are ok, but I picked the highest mhz ram so the computer is less likely to crash when the FSB is overclocked.

-$125 for a heatsink? My CPU is a C2D 6600 with a stock retail fan, and I can still overclock it by 20% with rock solid stability. Tiger Direct has a fan for $15, but this $19 fan looks just like my retail fan. Add another $20 for thermal paste: total of $39.

-Nobody buys retail Windows. Vista Ultimate for $190




In the end, you won't really use that performance unless you're doing something like movie editing. Most games are never ported to Mac OS, and even Photoshop will no longer be supported on Mac OS. Link.
If you want the Mac experience, I'm not quite sure what your $2300 Mac can do that a $700 Mac Mini can't do. Upgrade the ram to 2gb when you buy it, plug in a 500gb external drive (they cost like $100 at Staples), and enjoy.


edit:

Plus with Vista Ultimate, you get the ability to run allot more RAM

This is incorrect. The extra ram thing is true for all versions of 64-bit Windows, even 64-bit Vista Home basic. If you want more ram, only the 64-bit operating systems will allow it.

You need to read your own link about PhotoShop. In it, it says that there will be multiple versions of CS4, one of them 64bit, and that version will only work in Windows. The 32bit version will still work in OS X.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: ShawnD1

Originally posted by: Sylar Powers
* 300 - Lian Li PC-V2010 Silver PC Case (IMHO, this is the closest to Mac Pro Tower quality)
* 375 - Asus P5E3 Premium Mobo with Wi-Fi N (Note: maxes out at 8GBs of RAM)
* 350 - Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 45nm 12MBL2 2.66GHz CPU OEM
* 175 - MSI NX8800GT_512M_OC 512MB VRAM GPU
* 175 - Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB HD/DVD Burner
* 500 - Corsair Dominator 2x1GB DDR3 RAM
* 150 - PC P&C Red Silencer 750 Quad Power Suppliy
* 125 - Thermal Paste & Remover/Zalman CPU & GPU HSFs
* 300 - Vista Ultimate OS Retail

You have picked some very strange things...

-$300 is way too much for a case. My huge "gamer" case has a huge fan on top, 2 fans on the front, 1 on the side, 2 at the back, and is large enough to contain a GeForce 8800 (had to buy this case when I got that card); cost $100.

-$375 is way too much for a motherboard. The socket 775 motherboards on Tiger Direct Canada start at $50. Here is an Asus motherboard that even includes integrated video, cost of $85 Canadian. It's not as good, but who actually uses SLI? And if you need wireless N, just get a $30 USB key from BestBuy.

-DDR3 is still a huge scam, and that's why nobody buys it. $500 for 2gb of ram? Here is 2gb of the cheaper PC8500 DDR2 ram for only $87 CDN. The timings are ok, but I picked the highest mhz ram so the computer is less likely to crash when the FSB is overclocked.

-$125 for a heatsink? My CPU is a C2D 6600 with a stock retail fan, and I can still overclock it by 20% with rock solid stability. Tiger Direct has a fan for $15, but this $19 fan looks just like my retail fan. Add another $20 for thermal paste: total of $39.

-Nobody buys retail Windows. Vista Ultimate for $190




In the end, you won't really use that performance unless you're doing something like movie editing. Most games are never ported to Mac OS, and even Photoshop will no longer be supported on Mac OS. Link.
If you want the Mac experience, I'm not quite sure what your $2300 Mac can do that a $700 Mac Mini can't do. Upgrade the ram to 2gb when you buy it, plug in a 500gb external drive (they cost like $100 at Staples), and enjoy.


edit:

Plus with Vista Ultimate, you get the ability to run allot more RAM

This is incorrect. The extra ram thing is true for all versions of 64-bit Windows, even 64-bit Vista Home basic. If you want more ram, only the 64-bit operating systems will allow it.

Amen, Plus when there is a minor update to Vista it's free, when the next OS X comes out, you'll have to buy it.
I'll admit, I'm not a Mac person. I've been a Windows guy a long time, and am now venturing into Linux. I want to give OS X a try on my laptop and see what it's about. I have users at one of my sites that use Macs for their creative design team and I see no difference between the performance capabilities of either platform. It seems that Mac has a prettier interface than Windows, and while it's nice to look at, a computer is a tool, not a fashion statement.
But if you want an OS that looks nice and has cool effects, you need to finish your step into the *nix world and run Linux with Compiz and you'll hate your Mac for being so boring.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: TheStu


You need to read your own link about PhotoShop. In it, it says that there will be multiple versions of CS4, one of them 64bit, and that version will only work in Windows. The 32bit version will still work in OS X.

But the OS X version of CS4 can't utilize all the extra RAM you are so happy to have over the PC.

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: ShawnD1
In the end, you won't really use that performance unless you're doing something like movie editing. Most games are never ported to Mac OS, and even Photoshop will no longer be supported on Mac OS. Link.
If you want the Mac experience, I'm not quite sure what your $2300 Mac can do that a $700 Mac Mini can't do. Upgrade the ram to 2gb when you buy it, plug in a 500gb external drive (they cost like $100 at Staples), and enjoy.

Photoshop is not being dropped on the Mac platform. Adobe never ported it over to Cocoa, and it's basically a rewrite of the codebase. This is partly Apple's fault too for not working w/ Adobe more IMO. But I digress, it doesn't mean photoshop will no longer be supported.

And I would argue part of the mac experience is that you can use OS X if you like it, and easily virtualize your other OS's as well. I would agree, however, that the Mac Pro is overly ridiculous for that purpose. Hence the reason for a hackintosh.

 

[bearxor]

Originally posted by: ShawnD1
-Nobody buys retail Windows. Vista Ultimate for $190

Actually, just in response to this, a lot of people buy retail versions of Windows. Remember that the retail version is the only one you can legally move from computer to computer. The OEM version is tied to the machine you first activate it with. Also, the retail version comes with both x86 and x64 DVD's.

Yes, I bought the retail version.

 

[Kmax82]

Originally posted by: TheStu

You need to read your own link about PhotoShop. In it, it says that there will be multiple versions of CS4, one of them 64bit, and that version will only work in Windows. The 32bit version will still work in OS X.

Yea.. I'm a little miffed about this. Adobe is growing too fast for it's own good, and it shows in their software. Unless there is some huge advancement in CS4, I'll be sticking with CS3, and hopefully they get their act together.

I've used CS3 on both Windows and OS X and neither is a wonderful experience. It works, and that's what matters in the end, but it definitely doesn't work as well as it should, that's for sure.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: Kmax82

Originally posted by: TheStu

You need to read your own link about PhotoShop. In it, it says that there will be multiple versions of CS4, one of them 64bit, and that version will only work in Windows. The 32bit version will still work in OS X.

Yea.. I'm a little miffed about this. Adobe is growing too fast for it's own good, and it shows in their software. Unless there is some huge advancement in CS4, I'll be sticking with CS3, and hopefully they get their act together.

I've used CS3 on both Windows and OS X and neither is a wonderful experience. It works, and that's what matters in the end, but it definitely doesn't work as well as it should, that's for sure.

Apparently it won't be until CS5 or CS6 that the OS X version will be 64bit since that is how long they estimate it will take for them to re-code it for 64bit Carbon (or is it Cocoa?).

 

[ShawnD1]

Originally posted by: bearxor

Originally posted by: ShawnD1
-Nobody buys retail Windows. Vista Ultimate for $190

Actually, just in response to this, a lot of people buy retail versions of Windows. Remember that the retail version is the only one you can legally move from computer to computer. The OEM version is tied to the machine you first activate it with. Also, the retail version comes with both x86 and x64 DVD's.

Yes, I bought the retail version.

Key being "legal". One of my friends has the same copy of OEM Vista Home Basic installed on all of his computers, which is about 5. It's the same law breaking everyone on this forum does when they buy Microsoft Office and install it on all of their computers; technically you're supposed to buy 1 copy per computer. Most of us don't feel like spending $3,000 on Office, so nobody really follows that law...

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: ShawnD1

Originally posted by: bearxor

Originally posted by: ShawnD1
-Nobody buys retail Windows. Vista Ultimate for $190

Actually, just in response to this, a lot of people buy retail versions of Windows. Remember that the retail version is the only one you can legally move from computer to computer. The OEM version is tied to the machine you first activate it with. Also, the retail version comes with both x86 and x64 DVD's.

Yes, I bought the retail version.

Key being "legal". One of my friends has the same copy of OEM Vista Home Basic installed on all of his computers, which is about 5. It's the same law breaking everyone on this forum does when they buy Microsoft Office and install it on all of their computers; technically you're supposed to buy 1 copy per computer. Most of us don't feel like spending $3,000 on Office, so nobody really follows that law...

Yes, the key is legality. That is one of the reasons why I bought my MacBook initially. I wanted to run OS X and Windows, on the same system, legally. Some of us do actually care about that sort of thing from time to time. I'm not saying that I haven't pirated, but I will say this, I have been retroactively buying the software that I use, especially if I use it a lot.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski

Originally posted by: TheStu


You need to read your own link about PhotoShop. In it, it says that there will be multiple versions of CS4, one of them 64bit, and that version will only work in Windows. The 32bit version will still work in OS X.

But the OS X version of CS4 can't utilize all the extra RAM you are so happy to have over the PC.

When did I ever say anything about RAM in this thread? And why are you just here trolling?

'Windows updates are free' *dirka dirka dir*

Sure, they are free when they are Service Packs, but 10.n -> 10.n+1 is usually not a Service Pack. The enhancements, be they under the hood, or in the actual applications is generally worth the money, and while they are re-using the kernel, that is nothing new. By your logic, No one should have paid a dime to go from Windows 95 to Windows Me. And then again, not paid a thing to go from NT1 to Vista.

As for not seeing much performance difference, of course you won't, THEY ARE PCs! They all use the same hardware now. However, where OS X shines, particularly when used on Apple hardware, is in its ease of use (not to be confused with being underfeatured) and enhanced workflow. Generally speaking, I can do the same things in both OSes, however, I usually can do it either faster with the same number of steps, or faster with fewer steps in OS X. Basically, I can get more done in the same amount of time.

And I don't need to step in the *nix world, I am already in it. OS X is Unix.

You really should keep your mouth shut about things you don't know. The truth of the matter is that almost 100% of the Mac user base has used Windows at some point, whether it be at work, or on another system, hwat have you. Honestly, I would be surprised if 10% of the existing Windows user base can say the same. Can most of them or you honestly say that they or you have used a current Mac, using an updated version of OS X (Tiger or Leopard)? I don't really think most of them can, and thus we get this drivel.