[mc751n]

Hey, I just got home from my college orientation today, and Im going to the apple store tomorrow to get an iMac! I was wondering if you guys could answer some questions for me. Can you totally customize then iMac at the store like you do online, or do they only come in packages at the store? I'd like to get the 20" iMac with 2GB ram, and 500GB hard drive. Would you suggest any other upgrades? Also, I know you can get the educational discounts online, but can you also do that in the stores, because the last time I went they wouldnt let me get the final cut express with the discount, but that might just be for software. Sorry for writing so much but Id love if you could get back to me. Thanks!!

[mduell]

Don't buy the RAM from Apple.

Buy from Crucial or some other third party.

[Franz]

They only come in packages at the store. With the iMac, i believe you have a choice of 17" 1.83ghz or 20" 2.0ghz. Any other ugprades will have to be done online. But like mudell said don't buy the RAM from Apple - get it from Newegg.com instead. It's seriously like half the price.

They do not offer educational discounts for software in the stores I believe, only for hardware.

[mc751n]

Thats so annoying that a store can't customize it for you. When I bought my powerbook they upgraded my ram for me.. guess thats easier for them to do.

For newegg or crucial, how would I know which memory to buy from them, and is it easy to install?

[iRussel]

I just installed another gig of ram in my new iMac. There is a little door in the bottom of the computer between the two speakers. It took a total of about five minutes to install.