Psystar debuts new Mac clone

Jake Widman
Thursday, 19 March 2009 05:23

Your IT - Home IT

Despite ongoing wrangles in court with Apple computer, upstart OS X-based computer manufacturer Psystar has introduced a new desktop model.
Psystar's the company that, back in April 2008, started selling its own computers with Mac OS X preinstalled. Apple sued in July 2008, arguing that the OS X end-user license forbids its installation by third parties. Psystar has argued that the company acquired its copies of OS X legally and that the license agreement is unenforceable.

The legal battle continues, but that hasn't stopped Psystar from continuing to sell computers. The latest model, the Open(3), is a small (roughly 14 x 14 x 4 inches) desktop machine based on an Intel Core2Duo or Core2Quad chip -- it can also run Windows XP or Vista as well as various flavors of Linux. Listing at US$599, it features four USB ports, two PCI slots, two PCI-Express slots (one used by the standard NVIDIA GeForce 8400GS video card), and Gigabit Ethernet.

Compared to Apple's new US$599 Mac mini, the base Open(3) offers a faster chip (2.8 GHz vs. 2.0 GHz), more memory (2 vs. 1 GB), and a significantly larger hard drive (500 vs. 120 GB), while the mini comes with one more USB port, a Firewire port, and Bluetooth and 802.11n wireless connectivity -- and is, of course, one-eighth the size of the Open(3). The extra features on the mini are all available as build-to-order options on the Psystar, and the buyer would still have a PCI slot left over. Monitor, keyboard, and mouse are extra either way.