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Which iMac to go for?
justjax
Posts: 939 Forum Member
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So I'm considering a iMac. I'd rather not spend more money than needed but if I go for the base model at £899 will I regret it?
Specs here http://store.apple.com/uk/buy-mac/imac
When it comes to Windows PC's I've always steered clear of the cheapest/budget models as they usually have older processors and lack RAM etc. So do the same principles apply with a iMac? Or is the base model a good solid machine?
Specs here http://store.apple.com/uk/buy-mac/imac
When it comes to Windows PC's I've always steered clear of the cheapest/budget models as they usually have older processors and lack RAM etc. So do the same principles apply with a iMac? Or is the base model a good solid machine?
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http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/imac
You could get a superior spec Windows PC for half the cost?
Well I've been tempted to get a Mac for a few years. I bought my last PC (Dell laptop) back in 2011 and my first iPad in Spring 2012. If I'd bought the iPad sooner, I think I would have gotten a Mac instead of the Dell. I like the idea of the link between the Apple products. I have an iPhone and iMac and I love that I can write a note on my iPad and pick it up and carry on editing a document on my iPhone. Then seeing some of the new feature of OS X Yosemite during the last Apple event peaked my interest, especially the handover between the devices.
Plus new monitors often give a 3 year warranty as standard
I'll throw this in here but considering your minimal requirements and the spec needed for them, do you actually need a new machine?
My Windows PC and my Mac are both 2011 models. I use them both for work and gaming - 3D modelling, animation, video editing, graphic design, DTP, illustration, photo editing, essentially much heavier duty stuff than what you do - and I'm still not considering upgrading either just yet.
Also, cross platform working isn't limited to Macs and Apple products. Get Dropbox, for example: Start working on a file on your iPad - syncs with Dropbox - continue working on the file on your Android phone - syncs with Dropbox - finish file off once your home on your main computer.
I'd suggest not rushing into anything. Take your time and do your homework, get to an Apple store and try out a Mac. For everything you do you really don't need to spend lots of money, as suggested even a Mac Mini would do.
If your 2011 laptop is getting sluggish then, in the meantime, there are many things you can do to get it back up to scratch...
Laptop is fine, a little bit sluggish but not hugely so. I get that I can use stuff like Dropbox to work across platforms but I love with Apple that it's just integrated into the OS, so native apps like Notes or Pages, Keynote etc just all auto sync or hand over.
In terms of the Mac Mini, well that's exactly where I started. I saw at the Apple Event that they'd refreshed it and I thought this would be a low cost way to get into a Mac but then figured by the time I got a decent monitor, keyboard and mouse I was getting close to iMac territory and therefore why not just get a nice all in one slick option. If I had a standalone monitor already I would almost certainly just do the mini.
Really temped to go the Refurbished route. While they are last years model I can get what is the next model up for the base model price. Any reasons to avoid a refurb?
But...the refreshed Mac Mini has become quite disappointing and is not at all upgradable so I would go for an iMac.
Personally, I would go 27" if you can. It's a shame the new 5K iMacs are so expensive because their screens are supposed to be amazing.
Go for an SSD - I have a Fusion drive and find it quite sluggish in opening apps and things (I have a very good spec including 16GB of RAM and video memory of 4GB).
I'd say go for the base 27-inch iMac. At least you get the value of a large WQHD screen. The 21" 1080p one just doesn't feel worth it for paying the Apple tax.
Also use a cashback site for a further 2-3% off.
with the imac - decide what you need it for - graphics? video editing or general web browsing / playing videos / music?
I would 'future proof' it by getting the highest-spec processor, highest graphics card and highest fusion drive (3tb).
RAM is the only think I wouldnt upgrade on the apple store as this is 'user replaceable'
go to crucial.co.uk to get more ram - you just need a phillips scredriver and to not have the shakes.
21" base would be fine for occasional imovie editing.
You cant replace the processor or harrdrive or graphics card (easily / user replaceable) but you can replace the ram - so i personally would get the highest processor, graphics card and harddrive i could get - this may extend the imacs usefullness by 1-2 years (ie it will keep up with 4k video on websites, 3d stuff, holographic unicorns etc that we will see in the future)!
None at all if buying direct from Apple. My last 2 have been refurbs direct from Apple.
I've had more problems with 3rd party refurbs but places like http://www.thelaptopcentre.co.uk/apple-mac-laptops.html have decent enough customer support and always replaced stuff quickly.
The point about looking after your 2011 kit is that, if you continue with whatever habits you've developed, no matter what you get they'll start getting sluggish or whatever after a short time again. 3 years for your minimal requirements really is nothing, the 2011 kit should still be zipping along and may just need a clean up.
Yes, the Apple cloud sync out of the box is all well and good but it has a fair few problems. At least with 3rd party solutions you have degrees of further control...
The RAM on the 21 inch isn't user upgradable.
Fusion drive is near as good - the speed of ssd with the storage of spinning disc
I have a ssd/HDD combo on my Mac Pro 2010 - 2 years before apple came out with 'fusin drive'
As it was such a big discount I went for a higher spec and am tempted to do the same again this year with a Mac mini.
I like Windows but the latest incarnation just seems over complicated for basic tasks so (while trying Linux too) may well increase our Apple inventory.
theres no guarantee that apple will follow the black friday tradition so if you want one get someone to get an educational discount and the same for applecare as the spec won't change for at least a year anyway so its not like you'll get less for your money
Apple (and others) did it last year. What makes you think that they might not do it again?
ah i remember that apple gave away gift cards to US customers so basically they paid full price and got so much back that they could only spend in apple stores.....crafty buggers
Unless you need the power of a big bad energy guzzling CPU for something professional I really wouldn't worry about it.
The other benefit is they come with much better monitors than the average Windows machine as standard.
The downside to Mac's are they are pretty much all totally non upgradable. On their most recent machines Apple have soldered everything in so you can't upgrade the machine yourself. If you want more memory you have to pay their rip off prices on their online store for them to build you a Mac to that spec.
They also seem to be on a crusade to take as many useful things off their Mac's as possible. You know silly little things you might want like giving you enough USB ports, DVD drives, ethernet ports. Apple would prefer you buy these as overpriced add ons to get those features back.
Sometimes you wonder if they want to turn all their systems into iPads...
Overall I'd say if you are fed up of Windows and have the money give them a blast. In the long run most people love them for the reliability and for that reason alone never want to go back to a Windows machine.