[quangdiggity]

this might be the 100000th thread about the new intels, 10th for me i guess..... but im really insecure about something, seeing that im 15 and a have a negligible budget.

so, i really need a new computer- and a fast one---- hence deciding the 17" iMac
but at the same time i have a hunch for a laptop..... but the macbook is way to pathetic for editing or games- due to the graphics..... and the macbook pro is a no-no, plus some1 mentioned to stay away from computers made for a certain group of ppl- pro's, and im a rookie

so i thought that my old eMac 1.42Ghz 256MB RAM could be useful...... i could sell it for atleast $600
so if the iMac plus Macbook cost $2600, i will end up spending $2000. (note, the prices are just assumptioms of the conversion between SEK's and US$- simplified)

So i would end up adding a GB of ram to the iMac, and use it for gaming, editing and heavy work (which my emac is failing me on more and more often) and the Macbook for mundane tasks, and the portability(the main reason)- and would just leave the 512 MB of ram.....¨

is this a good idea... i dont wanna get the macbook pro.... since i would end up with 1 computer with inferior RAM etc.... to the same price as 2 computers. of which 1 awesum one and onne basic

should the emac be dumped to make room for new technology?

[imitchellg5]

You could upgrade the RAM on the eMac. The eMacs are fairly speedy with 1Gb of RAM. Why do you need both an iMac and MacBook. Both are about the same speed, and the MacBook works well with Final Cut, I've used one myself for editing for a while. And the iMac is semi portable, I take mine with me whenever I am staying somewhere for a couple of weeks.

[bovie]

I'll give you my 2 cents.


My suggestion is that you either buy the iMac or the MacBook Pro. But what ever you decied make sure you pump it full of ram. OS X craves ram and runs significantly faster with more. I have 1.5GB in my iMac and are planning to upgrade to 2GB

[eddiecatflap]

get an imac , you won't be sorry

it's an awesome piece of kit , and as more software goes ub your mac will only get quicker

[eddiecatflap]

i also found out that maxing a g5 imac costs $1500 but to do the same on a dc costs JUST $300 !!!!

due to much cheaper ( but faster ) pc ram

[macintologist]

Just get the intel iMac. It is truly a kickass machine.

[icruise]

If you'll forgive me linking to my blog, I recently wrote a piece that addresses this very issue.

I can have both: The desktop + laptop solution

In short, I think buying both a laptop and a desktop can be a good idea in some cases.

[harrisjamieh]

Originally Posted by eddiecatflap

i also found out that maxing a g5 imac costs $1500 but to do the same on a dc costs JUST $300 !!!!

due to much cheaper ( but faster ) pc ram

This is not because the RAM is cheaper, but in the G5 there was only one RAM slot, so to max out the RAM to the total 2.5 GB, you had to buy a 2 GB stick of RAM - VERY expensive. With the core duo, there are 2 RAM slots, so to max the RAM to the total 2 GB you only have to buy 2 x 1 GB sticks, which are much cheaper

[Tuoder]

Originally Posted by eddiecatflap

i also found out that maxing a g5 imac costs $1500 but to do the same on a dc costs JUST $300 !!!!

due to much cheaper ( but faster ) pc ram

PC RAM and Mac RAM are exactly the same. RAM from one will work in the other.

[icruise]

Well yes, there is no such thing as special "Mac RAM" but it is true that the iMac G5 and iMac Core Duo use different types of RAM. But actually, looking at Ramseeker.com, there doesn't seem to be such a huge difference between buying two 1GB sticks and one 2GB stick.

[dreamBweaver]

My 15 year old brother prefers the portability of the 12" PowerBook G4 we gave him. He likes laying on the bed and moving it around during a project. If you have good wireless you should get a laptop and the new MacBook has got to be much speedier than the 12" Personally, I use the iMac 20" and I think it's met my expectations. We've moved it from college to around the house a few times. It's nice. I'd say overall you have more to risk buying a laptop because they are more likely to break/get hot. Don't flame me though All I'm saying is include AppleCare!

[iREZ]

if you get an imac and yearn for a portable, dont get a macbook if youre strapped for cash. just get a g4 powerbook which will cost waaayyyy less than the macbook now off ebay, and chances are they'll probably be packed with ram. i have an intel imac 17" connected to a 20" lcd at home and carry my old main machine (12" powerbook 1ghz, 1.25gb of ram) for my portable uses. i dont see a reason to have both a macbook and an intel imac seeing how theyre almost the same machine other than the gpu and hard drive options. this combination works really well for me, and is a far cheaper option than the macbook.

of course i ask you to consider the above option if $ is an issue...if it isnt, have fun with your new macbook and intel imac

[mBurns]

I have an eMac and I'm in this same problem with regards to portability. I would love to buy a MacBook Pro but I can't see selling a one year old machine that does everything I need it to just because I decided I want something different because a year down the road who knows what I'll want! It's a never-ending cycle!!