First of all, quit being a Windows/PC elitist. Because you can build PCs on a tight budget doesn't make anyone who can't or doesn't want to learn or spend the time to do it any less worthy of playing Baldur's Gate. Some people enjoy PC games without all the other bullshet involved in getting them running. Secondly, why would I want to build a PC when I already have a fully functioning iMac that I don't have to worry about getting viruses or having to update Direct X and other Windows settings every three days (and having it restart automatically)?
Oh, and your prices totally off. I own a first gen iPad of only 16Gb, so I have the entry model of every entry model. You could probably get one for like $150 used right now and never worry about hardware like hard drives faltering, software/hardware incompatibility, and viruses. You also don't have to worry about upgrading it every three months and spending an additional $300 which you obviously didn't factor in. Nor do you have to worry about noisy fans or bulkyness (I don't even own a monitor anymore outside my iMac and large HDTV screen).
First off, Macs do get viruses so you do need to worry about them. Apple doesn't have as many but they also don't have the install base of the pc. You can't compare a first generation ipad with a real computer. It's a toy to play apps and surf the web and stuff.
If your talking cost to play BG then I can go down to a used pc shop and buy a $75 pc that will play it. You would never have to upgrade to play BG. That is what we are talking about right!!!, to play BG or to push your apple elitism.
I built my first pc in the late 80's and I have never had a virus. EVER. Stay on trusted sites, don't pirate software and don't open attachments and that will keep you 90% safe. I never even ran anti-virus software until last year. If I did get a nasty virus I Just reload my disk image and reinstall steam and all my games on a separate ssd. Less than a 1/2 hour and i'm gaming again.
I built a computer for the wife in 2008. It runs just as good today as it did then. I put a $150 video card and $40 of ram and now it can run skyrim. That's hardly upgrading every 3 months. Also no hardware failures , not even the hard drive you seem to be so worried about. You said in another thread your 2009 mac won't even run morrowind. Bootcamp and crashes and stuff.
If I had a Mac I'd need a whole new computer to run skyrim. Oh wait I couldn't run skyrim not without bootcamp or wrappers and drivers ( that you don't want to deal with).
As far as drivers I update my video drivers once or twice a year otherwise I do the rest yearly. Hardly troublesome.
My brother ran a large region for geeksquad (bestbuy). He said he see's more ipods,iphone and ipads in there service center than anything else. That's right ipods, iphones and ipads. They are not unbreakable modern marvels of technology they break just like everything else. He and his wife both own Iphones and ipads as well. So it's not pc bias on his part.
This is a thread about BG coming to ipad. You should just be happy about that. I wouldn't have even posted but I got tired of reading your constant, pc's need to be upgraded all the time, get viruses all the time, break all the time, need constant driver upgrades, etc., etc and nothing bad can every penetrate the veil of protection around a mighty apple product. All of that is Just not true.
I would question what your real intent here is but I guess I should know by your screen name. You know there aren't just pc elitists, there are also apple elitists. You already know that though don't you, AppleIntemidation.
I bought both my kids iphones becuase thats what they wanted. Apple makes some good products. That doesn't mean that pc's aren't just as good. The main difference is that pc 's give you more freedom to mess them up. So, yes you need to know what you are doing and use some common sense to keep them running smoothly, but it's far from hard or tedious.