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dwd3885 · Feb 4, 2008, 10:47 AM

So I decided laptops aren't for me. I'm going to buy an iMac. Now 1399 is pretty much the MOST I can spend. Would like to spend a little less, but I think the 2.4 ghz C2D is a perfect option.

BUT there are closeout sales on the previous gen iMac. so for the same price I could get a 24'' imac, but a little less powerful. I'd like to keep this computer for at least 2-3 years. I do some video editing, photoshop work, music editing/playing, and the usual web surfing, mail, blah, blah, etc. None of this is for professional use though.

Which one should I get?

white iMac----
24'' widescreen LCD
1920x1200 resolution
2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
4MB shared L2 cache
1GB DDR2 SDRAM
250GB Serial ATA hard drive
8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL, DVD±RW, CD-RW)
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT with 128MB GDDR3 memory
Apple Remote
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard

$1399

Al iMac----
20'' glossy widescreen display
1680x1050 resolution
2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4MB shared L2 cache
1GB DDR2 SDRAM
320GB SATA 7200rpm hard drive
8x slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-ROM)
ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro with 256MB GDDR3 memory
5 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Firewire 400 port and 1 Firewire 800 port
Includes infrared remote with Front Row
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard

$1399

bearcatrp · Feb 4, 2008, 12:56 PM

Go with the second one. Its memory is expandable to 4gb. The first one (I have it) can expand to 4gb but will only recognize 3gb. I love my 24 inch but wish it would handle 4gb. Good luck.
Randy

Mac User #001 · Feb 4, 2008, 01:08 PM

I second the second.

MacinTommy · Feb 4, 2008, 01:20 PM

I just got the 20" Aluminum and coming from a 13 inch MacBook the screen size is perfect.. I love it!

Koralatov · Feb 4, 2008, 03:10 PM

Personally, I'd go for the 24" over the 20". Granted, the specs are lower than the 20", but a bigger screen is always welcome, in my opinion. Also, I really don't like the way the new ones look (and I'm not sold on a glossy screen).

Full-Auto · Feb 4, 2008, 04:24 PM

That's a tough decision. I would probably go with the second option... reluctantly. Both would serve you well. I'm partial to larger screens, but then I've been using them for over 3 years now. Going back to a 20" wouldn't cut it for me.

ginoledesma · 07:48 PM

For what you do, the second option looks to be a better long-term computer (larger HD, larger max RAM), but I will have to admit the 24" screen is definitely quite something else. While none of the apps you use will overly tax the video card as much as the processor, the second option will definitely help out better in the long run.

You might also want to check on refurb Macs. Sometimes they give you GREAT value. As of now, for $200 more than your second choice, you get a 24" screen. That's what you'd have spent initially on AppleCare, if you were in the market for it.

Mac User #001 · Feb 4, 2008, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by ginoledesma

You might also want to check on refurb Macs. Sometimes they give you GREAT value. As of now, for $200 more than your second choice, you get a 24" screen.

You want this one then. Unless you absolutely can not afford the $200.

dwd3885 · Feb 4, 2008, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by Mac User #001

You want this one then. Unless you absolutely can not afford the $200.

idk. $200 more might be out of my budget. but i know the 24-inch is sweet. so is 1920x1080 $200 better than 1680x1050?

ginoledesma · Feb 5, 2008, 01:07 AM

Well, the bigger the screen and higher the resolution you use, the more you won't want to go back to smaller workspaces. It's especially helpful for graphics work (or in my case, lots of windows open for coding).

The good news is that the bigger monitors are becoming much, much cheaper. The 24" monitors right now are already in the upper-$300 range, so it's only a matter of time where they hit mid-$300s, which used to be the price range of the 22" monitors.

I'm quite happy with my 22" monitors (1680x1050), but I'll be trading them for a 24" when the price is right.

zero1207 · Feb 5, 2008, 01:32 AM

My dad just got a 20" imac for christmas, so I played around with it a lot helping him set it up. I've been using a 15" powerbook for the last few years, and compared to what I'm used to the imac looked gigantic. I would say go for the new imac because of the hd, ram, and processor if you're going to keep it for a few years. If you are coming from laptops, the screen size shouldn't be a big deal for you. And if you have a local apple store you can always drop in and see what 20" gigantic and 24" doubleplus gigantic look like to us laptop users.

dwd3885 · Feb 5, 2008, 01:50 AM

Originally Posted by zero1207

My dad just got a 20" imac for christmas, so I played around with it a lot helping him set it up. I've been using a 15" powerbook for the last few years, and compared to what I'm used to the imac looked gigantic. I would say go for the new imac because of the hd, ram, and processor if you're going to keep it for a few years. If you are coming from laptops, the screen size shouldn't be a big deal for you. And if you have a local apple store you can always drop in and see what 20" gigantic and 24" doubleplus gigantic look like to us laptop users.

I've been solely on macbooks and mbps for the past 2 years. so the 20inch is going to seem gigantic to me i think. So I'll probably just stick with that. The 24 looks awesome, but it just might be too big. Anything is going to be better than my macbook