Psystar Open Computer

Psystar Open Computer is a controversial concept , that aims at running Leopard OS X Operating system on non-Apple hardware which “might” be against the ToS of Apple.  The company aims at providing a cheap alternative to Apple systems which are overpriced and give users an oppurtunity to try out proprietary Apple OS ie. OS X.

The Psystar Open Computer is priced at $740 is even cheaper than cheapest Mac Mini. Here are its specifications :

• CPU : Intel Core2Duo E4500 2.2 GHz
• Memory : 4GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
• Hard Disk : 250GB, 7200 rpm
• Graphics : 512MB Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS
• Optical Drive : Dual Layer DVD Burner
• OS : Apple Leopard OS X 10.5
• Approx. price : $740

The open computer has great configuration for the price and seems quite high on value for money.  Although the Psystar Open Computer starts from just $399 for the basic configuration with no operating system coming pre-installed with the system. There is also a version which sports Windows Vista Ultimate.

The Psystar Open Computer offers much better value for money for the hardware it ships with when compared to Mac Mini its closest rival. Although some of the drawbacks of the Open Computer include the lack of wireless networking and missing Bluetooth functionality.

Also as the Leopard OS X 10.5 used on it would be a patched one, you should not expect it to run all the features of the OS. Although all the major features like Front Row etc. work fine, there are apps like Apple System Profiler which do not work. Also, as it is a patched version, you are bound to come across bugs and other hiccups which might not give you a good impression of the otherwise ultra-smooth OS.

Psystar has disabled the automatic updates features on the OS to prevent Apple pushing any patch that might brick the system and hence rendering it useless. Although if you are brave enough to test it out, you can manually update your system. This also means that your system gets outdated when Apple releases security/features updated and in future a successor to Leopard.

The performance of the Psystar Open Computer is very good keeping its price in mind and it does beat the Mac Mini in most of the tests. The OS does not come with iLife ‘08 installed , so you will have to purchase it to do some tasks like DVD burning which are otherwise not possible.

Pros :

• Good configuration
• Affordable
• Fast performer
• Upgradeable Leopard based PC

Cons :

• No Wi-Fi
• No Bluetooth
• No OS updates
• Limited OS X

Final Thoughts

Psystar Open Computer is a totally new concept which might impact Apple in some way or the other. As a consumer if you are looking to try out the Leopard OS X operating system but do not want to spend extra bucks on Apple Macs then this is the perfect choice for you. It also gives you the option to erase Leopard out and install the OS of your choice, coz after all it is a PC!

My Rating : 2.5/5