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Need help with choosing a system
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
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First off, I didn't know where to post this topic, so I put it here...
Well, my dad has a six year old Dell running Windows ME.  And as you can guess, it might be time for an upgrade! I've been helping him to appreciate what a Mac can do and how it's 100x better than any PC that he could buy. So, I am trying to get some ideas on what he could buy.
My dad is not into video editing, or any intensive game playing, things like that. All he wants is a good up-to-date computer that is powerful and will last him for as long as it can. Surprisingly, when I told him the price of the Mac Pro, and it's expandability, he was not opposed to thinking about it in the future! But, I'm not sure how much money he'll have to spend once he gets a good sized bonus sometime next year. So, now I'm a bit stuck with where to point him to.
Should he get a 20" iMac, or perhaps a Mac Pro? Keep in mind that he's probably not going to get a computer until the summer of next year. By that time, the iMac will be a year old, and hopefully the Mac Pro will be available on the refurb page on apple.com and that might be the way to go.
He's lasted this long with a Dell running ME, so my guess is if anyone can use a computer and make it last longer than the expected 5 years, he could do it. Not because he's a power user or anything...  But because he's not pushing the limits of the computer and wanting it to go faster...
Also, he's mentioned that conventional CRT monitors hurt his eyes, and he uses an LCD screen at work which he just loves. And since the Mac Pro does not include a monitor, maybe we should get the iMac since it already has an LCD screen and we wouldn't have to buy one separately.
So do you think the iMac would be a better option? I used to own one. I was so incredibly fast, even with just a 1GIG stick I had in there. Ah yes - I probably should mention that he also will need Windows installed with Boot Camp, which I am guessing will be available on the Mac Pro, especially with Leopard is released. The only downside with the iMac is that really only the RAM is upgradeable, and only to 2GB. Compare that with the Mac Pro, and how you can upgrade a lot of things - the HD's, RAM, video cards, Intel chips, etc.
So what would you recommend he do? I would welcome any kinds of advice. Thank you very much!
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Truckee, CA
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Originally Posted by Loyalty4Life
...Should he get a 20" iMac, or perhaps a Mac Pro? Keep in mind that he's probably not going to get a computer until the summer of next year.
Easy answer. Wait to see what is available next year.
In general any box limited to max 2 GB of RAM is lamed, but wait and ask the same question next June (or whenever he is ready to spend) when Leopard will be out as well as much evolved hardware.
-Allen Wicks
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2002
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lol.. wow this is a perfect case of someone who might be interested in a mid-level tower mac.
if he's not doing intensive stuff on it, get him a mini, and a really nice monitor. maybe a 23 inch one.
or a really nice monitor and a macbook. then he's mobile if he wants to be.
then he's got a monitor for the next 10 years (in case he wants to go back to PCs) and he's got an adequate machine for not much money.
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Originally Posted by SierraDragon
Easy answer. Wait to see what is available next year.
In general any box limited to max 2 GB of RAM is lamed, but wait and ask the same question next June (or whenever he is ready to spend) when Leopard will be out as well as much evolved hardware.
-Allen Wicks
How long would 2 GB be enough for a computer? Also, about waiting next year: How and when does Apple release a new computer? I have not been keeping track of the time intervals between newly released systems.
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Originally Posted by freakboy2
lol.. wow this is a perfect case of someone who might be interested in a mid-level tower mac.
if he's not doing intensive stuff on it, get him a mini, and a really nice monitor. maybe a 23 inch one.
or a really nice monitor and a macbook. then he's mobile if he wants to be.
then he's got a monitor for the next 10 years (in case he wants to go back to PCs) and he's got an adequate machine for not much money.
A mini would hardly last more than a few years. As for the monitor, sure it would last a while, but they are dearly expensive, unless you are going for a non-Apple monitor.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: If I tellz ya, then I gotsta killz ya !
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Since dad is not doing anything intensive right now, I'd say go for a mini, max da ram & HD, and get a nice LCD........that will definitely hold him or anyone over for a year or so. Plus it will give dad time to get used to the mac way of doing things, so when he is REALLY ready for a more powerful machine, it will be just a matter of deciding on which one to get......
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Personally I find it hilarious that you have the hots for my gramma. Especially seeins how she is 3x your age, and makes your Brittney-Spears-wannabe 30-something wife look like a rag doll who went thru WWIII with a burning stick of dynamite up her a** :)
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
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No games, no video editing, no other really heavy work... sounds like a good fit for an iMac or even a MacBook if he wants a portability.
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Okay, but how long do you expect the iMac to last? It's hardly upgradable. And one thing that my dad likes so much about the Mac Pro is that it's expandable to 16 GB of RAM and 2 TB of data storage. The price though is a bit much... But that should change early next year, with it being available as a refurb.
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2002
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jesus.. what is he gonna be doing with it that he needs 16 gigs of ram? Seriously, there's no single consumer application that can use more than 2 gigs right now.
If he's going to be making full feature films or he's a professional photographer, then sure..
but then he should get a pro machine anyway.
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
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Originally Posted by Loyalty4Life
Okay, but how long do you expect the iMac to last? It's hardly upgradable. And one thing that my dad likes so much about the Mac Pro is that it's expandable to 16 GB of RAM and 2 TB of data storage. The price though is a bit much... But that should change early next year, with it being available as a refurb.
For your dads usage, I'd say it would last about 4 years. What on earth is your dad going to use 16G RAM for?
You can upgrade the CPU, memory, and hard drive in the iMac. Currently up to 2.33Ghz Core 2 Duo, 2GB, and 750GB. I'd guess Intel will release a few more Core 2 Duo chips for S478 and the iMac can accept any hard drive I forsee in the next 5 years.
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Originally Posted by freakboy2
jesus.. what is he gonna be doing with it that he needs 16 gigs of ram? Seriously, there's no single consumer application that can use more than 2 gigs right now.
If he's going to be making full feature films or he's a professional photographer, then sure..
but then he should get a pro machine anyway.
I never said that he would actually use the full 16 GB...  I just thought that this option would help the computer to last for a whole lot longer than with the other computer options right now. Am I wrong with this idea?
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