[Flagheimer]

Hello hello -

First let me say, i'm not a "Mac Virgin", i've had a PowerBook G4 for about two years now and i'm loving it. Although, I do have a Windows PC and i've had that for a few (long) years. It's a Windows ME ( ) It's not a bad computer... for me. Anyways, enough about that, i've got a few questions that I need some help with:

I'm a college student, so I can use my College Discount at the Apple Store and i'm considering getting an iMac. Which would you prefer:

A 17 inch 1.83GHz intel core duo imac with 2GB memory and 500GB hard drive? Or

A 20 inch 2GHz intel core duo imac with 1GB memory and a 250GB hard drive?

In addition, would you prefer more memory over hard drive space or more hard drive space over memory? I'm just trying to get this computer under $2000, (of course that's without tax right now).

Next question:

Earlier I spoke about my Windows PC, the thing is I don't want to throw it away or box it up, I still want to use this as it has lots of stuff on it so I was wondering is it possible to use a KVM switch or something that will allow me to share the iMac's monitor? My Windows PC keyboard and mouse are hidden in the desk, so I can leave that hidden while using my iMac that i'll get, but is it possible to use the same screen? I mean, I just bought this desk and I have this CRT Monitor hooked up to my Windows PC and the monitor is taking up the whole work area, I have to do my school work on the left/right side of the table where there is open space. I literally have no room in the middle.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated, thanks.

[mduell]

20" 2Ghz iMac from Amazon: $1699 - $150 MIR = $1549
2x2GB DDR2-667 from Crucial: $338
Total: $1887
You can sell the 512MB that comes with the iMac for ~$50-60, which would allow you to buy 3 years of Applecare or an external 250-300GB drive and stay under $2k.

You can't use the iMac as a monitor for your PC directly (via VGA or DVI), but you could use VNC (over ethernet) to remotely control the PC from your Mac.

[harrisjamieh]

Personally I would prefer the 17", as its so sweet, and I'd much prefer the larger internal HD. In regards to what iis more important, RAM or HD, I think HD, as you cannot easily change the internal HD, and I dont like external ones. RAM can be added at any time

[macintologist]

I have the 17" and I'm a college student. I love it and fits on my desk perfectly. Get the 17".

[quiklee]

I have the 20 inch and honestly . . . don't really need that much . . . the 17in would be perfect for a college student!

[badnewsblair]

Reading your questions I was originally going to say get the 20 inch. It is what I have and honestly, the screen is just eye dropping! It would be nice to snuggle up with that special someone in the dorm room and watch a DVD.

However, I read quiklee's comment and it jogged my memory of how small those dorm rooms are. Save the desk space! Go 17 inch. But who cares about 500 GB vs 250 GB? I'd never use either up.

[Tuishimi]

Originally Posted by badnewsblair

Reading your questions I was originally going to say get the 20 inch. It is what I have and honestly, the screen is just eye dropping! It would be nice to snuggle up with that special someone in the dorm room and watch a DVD.

However, I read quiklee's comment and it jogged my memory of how small those dorm rooms are. Save the desk space! Go 17 inch. But who cares about 500 GB vs 250 GB? I'd never use either up.

Heh. You'd be surpised then. I have a friend who has his entire music collection, since he was a kid (including ripped vinyls) on his PC. He said he calculated it out that if here were to listen to his entire collection non-stop it would take something like a year.

Altho', ironically, after spending many months ripping everything, he said that he ends up only listening to the tiniest percentage of the music, something like 40 of his favorite songs.

On the other hand, he is a good source for obscure music from the 70's on up.

[Flagheimer]

Originally Posted by badnewsblair

Reading your questions I was originally going to say get the 20 inch. It is what I have and honestly, the screen is just eye dropping! It would be nice to snuggle up with that special someone in the dorm room and watch a DVD.

However, I read quiklee's comment and it jogged my memory of how small those dorm rooms are. Save the desk space! Go 17 inch. But who cares about 500 GB vs 250 GB? I'd never use either up.

I'm renting a house with two ther people, so I do have my own room to myself, so space isn't a problem... although it is a fairly small room (come to think of it).

Ah... I'm torn... Guess i'll go back to the Apple store and look at both again...

Also, regarding where to put my PC - I just hooked it up (VGA) to my LCD television. Basically, i'm going to have my iMac (whichever it is) on top of the desk, along with its keyboard and mouse and have my Windows PC pushed to the side, with its keyboard and mouse in the rolling drawer. Either way, i'll still have more desk room (just got to push the mac keyboard and mouse out of the way).

Thanks for the suggestions everyone


EDIT

The reason for wanting a larger hard drive is because I want to import all my pictures from this PowerBook and the PC to a better computer... and I have a lot of pictures (Friends, (Ex) Girlfriends, parties, family, the occasional celebrity )

[badnewsblair]

Originally Posted by Flagheimer

I'm renting a house with two ther people, so I do have my own room to myself, so space isn't a problem... although it is a fairly small room (come to think of it).

Ah... I'm torn... Guess i'll go back to the Apple store and look at both again...

Also, regarding where to put my PC - I just hooked it up (VGA) to my LCD television. Basically, i'm going to have my iMac (whichever it is) on top of the desk, along with its keyboard and mouse and have my Windows PC pushed to the side, with its keyboard and mouse in the rolling drawer. Either way, i'll still have more desk room (just got to push the mac keyboard and mouse out of the way).

Thanks for the suggestions everyone


EDIT

The reason for wanting a larger hard drive is because I want to import all my pictures from this PowerBook and the PC to a better computer... and I have a lot of pictures (Friends, (Ex) Girlfriends, parties, family, the occasional celebrity )

Uh oh. Pictures of your exgirlfriends?

Bad news man. Bad news. I guess if you are single it doesn't matter, but as soon as you get a serious girl, get rid of those quick!

[acorder]

I ordered the 20", but if you already have another monitor you can just do screen spanning and get yourself more screen area that way. Though I suppose if you're in a small room it would be a little troublesome to have two monitors, in which case the 20" might be nicer.

Oy.

As for the hard drive, you can upgrade that later. It's a bit of a pain in the iMacs, but if you've got any experience and a grounding strap, it shouldn't be much of a problem.

And you can get a 1GB stick of Kingston RAM (which I've had good experiences with) for $110-$130.

Anyway, my 20" Core Duo iMac will be here tomorrow, so maybe I can let you know how big it is, since I'm also in college and sharing a house with small rooms.

[Flagheimer]

Well, i'm seriously thinking about getting the 20 Inch with 500GB Hard Drive. Although, i'm wondering, should I wait? Because since the MacBook Pro has a better processor, shouldn't the iMac get it as well? I know it's a tiny difference and I know with Apple products get changed a lot... Time will tell I guess - I still have to save up some money, so maybe i'll see the upgrade before I get the all my money saved up.

[mduell]

Originally Posted by Flagheimer

Well, i'm seriously thinking about getting the 20 Inch with 500GB Hard Drive. Although, i'm wondering, should I wait? Because since the MacBook Pro has a better processor, shouldn't the iMac get it as well? I know it's a tiny difference and I know with Apple products get changed a lot... Time will tell I guess - I still have to save up some money, so maybe i'll see the upgrade before I get the all my money saved up.

I doubt the iMac will get the faster chips anytime soon; they're too pricey for a mid grade consumer machine (and its only an 8% clockrate difference).
Apple's price for the 250->500GB drive upgrade is rather steep at $300; the 500GB drives are only $320 retail. Think about getting an enclosure ($30ish) and the 500GB drive as an external; for about $50 you've gained 250GB and an external drive to share files between computers.

[badnewsblair]

There will always be faster computers released. Such is the life of this technology. The only thing you can do is say, 'This is what I need at this point in time and what I also can afford.' Decide on that. Buy the best you can afford so it will last you into the future and enjoy what you get. Don't wallow in the fact that Apple (or any other computer company) just released something faster than what you have. And don't let rumors make you hestitate on buying anything.

[mavherzog]

Originally Posted by Flagheimer

Well, i'm seriously thinking about getting the 20 Inch with 500GB Hard Drive. Although, i'm wondering, should I wait? Because since the MacBook Pro has a better processor, shouldn't the iMac get it as well? I know it's a tiny difference and I know with Apple products get changed a lot... Time will tell I guess - I still have to save up some money, so maybe i'll see the upgrade before I get the all my money saved up.

I have the 20" and it is BEAUTIFUL! I would strongly suggest going with the base 250GB internal drive though. Simply because the price difference between the too is a bit too drastic. You could add an external firewire enclosure and 250GB drive to put in it for less (which would net you the same space + some portability options for that storage as well).

Additionally, ordering the 500GB drive will push your shipping date WAY back.

[eddiecatflap]

me too , it's an amazing piece of kit , reeeeealy moves

silent too

no issues with anything either

i highly recommend the imac DC , it's arguably apple's best mac ever , especially in overall vfm terms

isight , front row , dual cpu's , fast video card , what more do you want ?



certainly makes the powermac look vastly overweight and ridiculously overpriced

[eddiecatflap]

last night fer example , i switched off my tv , a huge sony wega and watched everything on my 20"imac

if i could remote control eyetv with the front row remote i'd throw the tv in the nearest skip tomorrow , apart from having scarts standard tv's got nothing on the brilliant integration of apple's kit

no wonder sony are worried

if i was in their shoes , i would be too

first apple kick the **** out of em with the ipod , next they battle moves to the living room

i think 2006 is gonna be an amazing year for apple and us , their fans !

[mavherzog]

Originally Posted by eddiecatflap

if i could remote control eyetv)

What eyetv adapter do you specifically have, where did you get it, and what (if anything) special did you have to do to get it to work with your Intel iMac???

[eddiecatflap]

it's the original usb powered eyetv , the square white thing , i don't think they sell them anymore , i bought it in late 03 for my old imac but it always struggled , unlike this monster !

i just connected it straight up and it worked , i think version 1.8.4 of the eye tv software is required for our macs

very good quality considering it's only usb 1.1

i think the new models are usb 2.0 and give a very sharp piccie as well as having internal digital tuners

i just connected a digi-box to the rear composites via scart with composite out

[mavherzog]

Aha!

[eddiecatflap]

yes , i'm thinking of getting that or the 410 next

both look really superb bits of kit