A Smart Alternative To Apple: Is It Really!?

There is no doubt that Macs can be a bit pricey but you definitely get what you pay for, that is stability,great usability and a promise that they ‘just work’. I came across a website that offers an alternative to Macs and in the process they claim to have reinvented the wheel.

It is called the ‘Open Computer’ and I can honestly say that it has tweaked my interest, only because I have not seen anything like it before. A ready to go computer for less than the cheapest priced Mac.

From the Publisher:

Why spend $1999 to get the least expensive Apple computer with a decent video card when you can pay less than a fourth of that for an equivalent sleek and small form-factor desktop with the same hardware. Sometimes reinventing the wheel is a good thing. The Open Computer can work for new Mac users and Mac geniuses, alike.

You don’t need to spend an arm and a leg to get the full OS X Leopard experience. Apple’s Mac Mini is completely stripped and still expensive. Why would you want a stripped-down computer, anyway? You asked for a good and inexpensive computer that can run OS X and we answered with the Open Computer which is

less expensive than even the cheapest Apple computer out now
faster than most Apple computers out now
running arguably the best operating system available
ready to run out of the box when you purchase it with Leopard included. If you buy Leopard with your Open Computer we’ll install it for free.

The Open Computer/OpenPro is fully compatible with the OSx86 Project and is 100% operational out of the box. With no assembly required the Open Computer is a great value. You won’t have to try to return parts because they’re incompatible or don’t work exactly as you’d like them to. Psystar has tested the Open Computer thoroughly and even run XBench to confirm the performance that is advertised. With this level of compatibility it’s easy to install OS X Leopard on your own.

Advantages

Vanilla The Open Computer runs the Vanilla kernel with minimal kext patching
Acceleration The Open Computer can include nVidia GeForce GPUs which are normally only available in Mac Book Pros or Mac Pros which are over 4x the price of the base Open Computer
Power The Open Computer is faster than the entry-level Mac Mini and costs less
Drive The Open Computer comes with a super-drive equivalent and 250GB 7200RPM SATA hard drive while the Mac Mini defaults to a simple combo cd/dvd rom and an 80G laptop drive

It says on their website that their Open Computer sells for $399.99 which is their base model.

Base Configuration

2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 Processor
2GB of DDR2 667 memory
250GB 7200 RPM SATA HDD
Integrated Intel GMA 950 Graphics
20x DVD+/-R SATA drive that is Lightscribe-capable
4 rear USB Ports

Also, they also offer the Open Pro (higher end model) for $999.99

Base Configuration

2.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
2GB of DDR2 667 memory (exp. to 8GB)
150GB 10000 RPM SATA HDD (exp. to 1TB 7200 RPM)
GeForce 8600GT 512MB
No OS installed

I wanted to get everyone’s opinion on this, have any of you heard or read about this before and has anyone actually taken the plunge and bought one of these units. Do you think it could be a possibility that this company could maybe get into some trouble for even trying to compete with Apple or even running their operating systems on other computers. Leave a comment because I really want to know what people think about this.

Thanks

Maxthemac.com