Selecting a computer is now a “required choice” that a modern photographer makes. This “selection” is an ongoing process and needs to be refreshed every few years – just like the camera.
I hope this article benefit someone else. In this article, i have documented my own selection process, from my most recent upgrade. Use this as your homework only. I am by no means an expert in these things – Definitely not in processors and memory stuff.
For starters, here is a small spreadsheet i did, comparing a “Hackintosh” (Openpro is a computer sold by a company called psystar. It comes with OSX) to an Apple. 
I am by no means advocating or suggesting that one use a hackintosh. My notes are based on research, and i have no practical benchmark results or experience in this. Just a few years ago, making a decision on either a PC or Mac was quite simple actually. These days – with multiple confusing choices and options – making a decision is quite difficult. From Intel ARM, ATOM, to Celeron to Core i7 Extreme – there are several dozen choices to make on the processor alone. Then there is the memory (DDR2, DDR3 etc), Graphics cards (ATI, NVIDIA each with about half a dozen options), Firewire 400, 800, USB 2.0, Wireless, Ethernet, Hard disk configurations etc. etc. The spreadsheet i have created was to help me with my personal decision matrix. Hopefully, this will help you as well.
In addition – here are a list of Monitors recommended on the Luminous-landscape forums members/experts for Photographic use (In order of increasing price): NECP221, Dell 2408WFP, HP LP2475W, Eizo CG241W, NEC 2490 or 2690WUXi2 or 3090WUZi2. This is not an exhaustive list – just a starting point for further research.
Some thoughts that come to mind before “jumping the gun”:
- While a hackintosh is cost effective, this is surely not meant for an average user. It is made for a tech savvy person, one with knowledge of tinkering and fixing their own machine when it fails. There is very little tech support if at all – no genius bar, no retail outlets and there is no guarentee that the system works if and when Apple comes up with a new update/software. In fact, the Snow Leopard may not work on this at all.
- I am not an expert when it comes to processor models and such – but MacPro uses a Xeon chip – which is an industrial strength version of the consumer chip (Core2). As such – it has a few other features that the consumer chip doesnt. Organizations typically use this for their servers and such. The Apple iMac on the other hand uses the consumer chip. From my personal experience, an iMac is more than sufficient for Photographers. Video editing on the other hand needs more guts.
- I have very little expertise when it comes to graphics card differences, but my research has led to believe that the GT120 and 9500GT are equivalent & comparable cards. The 9400m is a lower end card.
- Based on my limited research and knowledge, the differences between a DDR2 and DDR3 is negligible to notice (with respect to photography needs). For gaming maybe.
- The iMac has built-in monitor and stereo speakers. The desktop versions have neither. There are additional costs to this.
- The Macpro compared above is an equivalent model for comparison purposes. Apple suggests that one buy the 8-core machine instead. The 8-core machine uses Dual Xeon Quad-core processors. The consumer version of the chip (Core 2) does not have dual on-board configurations available. So, there are no Dual Core-2 Quad systems available.
Updated 07Jul2009:
I have decided to go with an iMac – due to the legal situation of Psystar (and its future).
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