For years, the so-called Mac elitists have paid what could be definable as a premium price for the privilege of buying and using Apple computers. While six hundred bucks might buy a fairly fast and modern Windows PC package at any given Best Buy, it will only get you the lower tiered Mac Mini in the Apple Store. If a company named Psystar is able to get past the Apple lawyers, that might not be the case for much longer.

MacRumors.com has reported that Psystar is advertising what they call an “OpenMac,” which in theory will be sold for about $399. It claims to be Leopard ready and built with run of the mill PC innards, running at the following specs:

- 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
- 2GB of DDR2 667 memory
- Integrated Intel GMA 950 Graphics
- 20x DVD+/-R Drive
- 4 USB Ports
- 250GB 7200RPM Drive

Though of course, this runs into some obvious problems. Not only does the 10.5 End User License Agreement (EULA) specifically tell you that running Leopard on any non-Apple hardware is a big no-no, it’s been traditional that Apple itself is the only company that sells Apple hardware. Time will tell if this one will slip through any legal loopholes and end up in the hands of consumers. But even if that’s not the case, this could be a big call to Apple to start offering some more budget friendly choices.

Think Apple still has a way to go before getting more market share, or do you think they’ll continue to serve their niche market? Hit up this thread in the Science and Technology board and let us know.

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