# windows desktops as stylish as imacs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 27, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063 "2003-08-27T20:51:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nonsmokingmirror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6a8cbe/32.png) [@nonsmokingmirror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonsmokingmirror)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063/1 "2003-08-27T20:51:52Z")
Are there any really good-looking PCs out there that can compete in styling with the imac? Preferably not insanely expensive 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063/2 "2003-08-27T20:56:32Z")
Try alienware. They certainly have style. Or, preferably build your own and invest in a wicked case with see through cut outs and some glow wires. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063/3 "2003-08-27T21:28:02Z")
I would agree with buying a case. There are liteally hundreds of different styles and they start fro $30 and up. Look at Lian Li, Antec, and Coolermaster to name a few. ---
**Author:** ![Hauky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/0ea827/32.png) [@Hauky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hauky)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063/4 "2003-08-28T00:38:39Z")
Or if you don’t want to build, check out a couple ads from Best Buy-type stores from the Sunday paper. Some of the PCs coming from Sony and similar are pretty snazzy. ---
**Author:** ![Headcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@Headcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headcoat)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063/5 "2003-08-28T00:47:35Z")
check this [beauty](http://www.coolermaster.com/case/cac-t01.htm) out ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063/6 "2003-08-28T01:36:04Z")
I have seen a few, some are flat screen monitors with the ‘computer’ mounted in back of the screen. I have seen a celeron the size of a cd-rom drive. The problem with such styles is that it usually has propriatory parts, which drives up costs and limit options ( so why not just get a Mac), the exact opposite reason to get a PC. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063/7 "2003-08-28T04:12:50Z")
Alienware cases are not “cool” by any stretch of the imagination, though if you’re looking for the ultimate nerd rig, then it’d be right up your alley. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063/8 "2003-08-28T04:43:01Z")
The thing about an iMac, though, is there’s no tower. So if you’re looking for a pretty monitor…well I’ve never seen one. Although all the flat panel ones are bitchin’. Didn’t Compaq/HP/someone-sold-at-best-buy make some cases not too long ago that resembled the G4? Or at least had candy-looking case components? ---
**Author:** ![bcullman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bcullman/32/8207_2.png) [@bcullman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bcullman)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063/9 "2003-08-28T08:04:22Z")
Shuttle make a variety of small form factor PCs. When combined with a flat panel display, they are a pretty good match up for the iMac. ---
**Author:** ![Giggle\_Gaggle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@Giggle\_Gaggle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giggle_Gaggle)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063/10 "2003-08-28T09:59:52Z")
Sony Vaio’s are stylish, and purple, though expensive. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063/11 "2003-08-28T10:18:59Z")
Gee, Alienware and Varios are as good as Windows machines get? I am a long-time Mac user and am not impressed at all. How hard could it be to make a stylish computer? I am not commenting on value-for-money nor on technical issues, just design. I had no idea there were so few (read that as none at all) good-looking Windows machines. Looks like a market niche waiting to be exploited. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063/12 "2003-08-28T10:38:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Giggle Gaggle \* > **Sony Vaio’s are stylish, and purple** Some would consider those qualities to be mutually exclusive. 😃 I like the [Shuttle](http://us.shuttle.com/) PCs which **bcullman** mentioned. I believe they sell barebone kits (just the case and motherboard) too. They aren’t very expandable, but neither is the iMac. ---
**Author:** ![mecaenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@mecaenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mecaenas)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-desktops-as-stylish-as-imacs/198063/13 "2003-08-28T11:52:38Z")
Beware of Alienware, the hardware looks good, but their service is beyond attrocious if you live outside of the USA - I tried to purchase from them but they couldn’t be bothered servicing me even though I was going “all out” on their best machine.