About getting an iMac...

I'm wondering how the new ones compare with one of the "left-overs" pre-March 09, or if that would be a good deal? Are there graphics and other improvements besides the hard drive size, RAM, etc. ? Is the monitor better? I would be using Logic 8 plus various graphics programs. I originally wanted to get a MacPro where I could utilize my UAD card but there are a lot of things about the iMac that will be good for me right now, i.e. cost, larger monitor, etc.
Thanks.

I don't think the LCD display is significantly different.
The graphics hardware situation is a bit different, because the lower end models now use NVIDIA's 9400M integrated graphics, which uses shared system RAM. It's supposed to be a great improvement compared to the old integrate Intel graphics (on some older Macs), but all pre-2009 iMacs (except for the special education model) used discreet graphics hardware from NVIDIA or ATI. I'm sure the 9400M is superior to the discreet ATI graphics on my lower end late 2006 iMac, but I don't know about the 2008 models. There are other web forums, where people are having discussions about that topic.
At the high end, the 2009 iMacs have fast graphics options, so that should not be a concern versus the 2008 models, although price of refurb versus new may be a consideration.
The hard drives stock sizes got a bump up, with an option for up to a 1TB drive, on the 2009 models.
The high end 2009 models come with 4GB of RAM standard, which is double the old stock RAM. And the 2009 iMac can go up to 8GB; the previous official max was 4GB.
The 2009 model has a Mini DisplayPort for a secondary display. This can allow connection of Apple's LED backlit 24-inch Cinema Display (with no adapter), or up to a 30-inch DVI display (using a special dual link adapter). The earlier Intel iMac's had a mini-DVI port, which maxed out at 1920x1200, a typical 23 or 24 inch DVI display. If you like having a second display, you can consider that aspect.
The other difference, which is important for some users, is the 2009 iMacs having only one FireWire 800 port, versus one each FireWire 400 and 800 ports on the earlier iMacs. In exchange, the 2009 iMacs have one extra fully powered USB 2.0 port. You can easily use 800 to 400 adapter, but having only one port may be a hinderance.

Similar Messages

I have an old iMac and am thinking about getting an iMac intel do I need a different kind of usb and firewire cord?

I have an old iMac and am thinking of getting an iMac intel. Do I need a different type of usb and firewire cords to work with the new one?

What type of Firewire cable do you have?
If our not sure then first look up your computer with the serial number here,
http://support.apple.com/specs/
Then take a look at the specs for the new iMac here and see if you have compatible cable,
http://www.apple.com/imac/specs.html

What should I know about getting my imac and powerbook repaired?

Hello again,
Just an update re my 2 computers. My macbook pro that refused to "wake up" or start has returned from apple and diagnosed as a problem with my "logic board" and has been returned repaired in warranty.
My imac who exhibited the ticking sounds and eventual failure to start is getting the hard drive replaced. I am being charged for 2 hours labour which comes to $300 aud.
Finally, while this is good news I am left feeling a bit uneasy. Can you advise me if 2 hours is an accurate time frame? And while I never save my passwords are they in there "somewhere?"
Thanks again for everyone who advised me with the problems I have experienced! And the wireless network is going strong with my notebook and my partner's pc.
Kind regards,
Becky Bell
imac G4 MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Hello Becky,
2 hours is a remarkable time to open up an iMac and replace a drive.
The passwords are stored on the drive. I am sorry to tell you that they have gone with that drive.
See here...
I took my Mac apart
For more on what was done to your Mac.
Regards
Ian

Should I Get An iMac?

I am thinking about getting an iMac 27". I will be using it for school, web browsing, and editing YouTube videos. I want it to last me for a few years. I this is what I will get on it: iMac 27" 3.4GHz Intel Core i7 34GB of Ram 768GB Flash Storage NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX 2GB GDDR5
Do you think that will be good for me. (Note: I will be editing with iMovie and Final Cut Pro)

Michel,
I've no doubt that's the case, but remember we only see the failures here so there's no way to know whether we see average, below- or above-average reports. Hard drives are not made by Apple nor arethe SuperDrives. They could well be the same ones installed in a Mac Pro. GPUs and CPUs don't come from Apple either. There's no reason why they would fail any more frequently than in laptops. And since these are all OEM components we'd need to know how the failure rates compare to other mfgr.'s of similar computers.
I have had three iMacs running for as long as 7 years without any problems. I also have a 2006 Mac Pro that's also still running, although not presently in use. I've had numerous laptops since 2006 that are also running trouble-free. So, I wouldn't trust what I've seen here as a quality indicator.
Oh, I guess I might add a couple of iPod Touches and iPads presently in use, none of which have fallen into the toilet.

Should I get an iMac with all the problems about?

So, as my birthday is coming up I decided to get an iMac, however on Wednesday I read on Gizmodo about the yellow screen debacle, so after doing some research on the matter I'm not sure what to get any more.
I decided (Before I read this on Giz) to get a 21.5" iMac.
So I have a few questions about it.
1: Does the 21.5" iMac's screen flicker and blackout like the 27", it's very hard to find info about it as it seems it only affects 27", but is that because it doesn't effect 21.5" or because not many people bought the 21.5" iMac
2: Just how bad is this 'yellowing', I've looked at various photos of it and can hardly see any problem, does anyone have a really bad screen with the bottom of the screen being strongly yellow tinted?
3: Should I just skip all these problems and get a Macbook?
Please help me decide!

You have done your research on the new iMacs so you already know the answers to your questions. It's difficult to come to a consensus though because some report problems and some report they have no problems. It's your birthday... in my honest opinion, go for it.
Post back when you have your machine as to your findings on your machine. That's the one that matters.
Sorry if I am sounding a little tired of this but many people have asked the same question and many have provided the same answers. If you are very conservative you might want to wait and see, but if you don't want to postpone your birthday, go ahead; your iMac may be fine and if not, Apple will make it right. Do buy AppleCare.

Hello! I just purchased a new 27" iMac on Nov. 3. It can with Mountain Lion preinstalled, which I upgraded to Mavericks. How do i go about getting my free version of the iWork suite? Thanks!

Hello! I just purchased (Nov. 3, 2013) a new 27' iMac. It came with Mountain Lion preinstalled, which I upgraded to Mavericks. How do I go about getting my free version of the iWork suite? Thank you.

djg007 wrote:
Hello! I just purchased (Nov. 3, 2013) a new 27' iMac. It came with Mountain Lion preinstalled, which I upgraded to Mavericks. How do I go about getting my free version of the iWork suite? Thank you.
You have 90 days of free AppleCare telephone support, click AppleCare Contact Info for the number on your part of the planet and call them, they will give you instructions on how to get your license of the iWorks apps.

Thinking about getting a new iMac to use as the main computer. Has anyone done this? What is your experience and recommendations?

We have a 2009 MBP, 2010 MBP, 2011 MBA, an IPAD 2, and several ipods. Currently, my 2009 MBP is the main computer, holding all the music and pictures. This has used up the majority of the available storage and definitely slows it down some. I do back up the full computer to a backup drive and also remove the large movie files to another external drive. I'm thinking about getting a new iMac to use as the main computer. Has anyone done this? What is your experience and recommendations?
I look forward to all responses.
Thanks,
Brad

Thanks for your response. I look forward to hopefully learning something new here.
A good share of my music was added via my CDs, but now everything is added via itunes and occasionally amazon. Almost all my pictures and video are added through my cameras via iphoto although I have added some with the 'add image to iphoto library' function also.

Not sure about getting iMac 5k

I would really like to get an iMac 5k but I hear it has some pretty upsetting lag/fps drops when using it.
Does anyone have experience with these? If they lag a lot or even if it's bothersome lag and doesn't lag too much
I still don't want to buy one. I don't want to spend that much and have mediocre performance.
Any help is appreciated.
I've also thought abou thte 2.5k iMac but would really like the 5k.
Thanks

I have not encountered any "stuttering" at all. With your post I even did the old hold Shift Key down and click minimize dot. Slow and smooth.
I'm pretty tough on computers and a tough critic.
Quick story - every year since 1994 I buy the latest and "fastest" new Mac. When done though, the family all gets upgrade - the wife got my old one, oldest kid her old one, youngest got older sibling one. Went on for years. Also how I justified buying new every year LOL
And with every new computer I got, faster CPU, more ram etc… you get it home set it up and - you didn't really notice a difference. Not a dig at anyone - just reality.
After all these years - riding in car with my kid, youngest so you know he's not young anymore - he said he saw Retina in name of my new iMac (I run a server he logs into) "any good?" First time I tell him in all these years a computer I actually am blown away with speed I notice. OS speed, internet speed faster, Don't blink I say - whatever I did is done. Freaked me out. Lightroom opens sp fast. Internal file transfers blazing from one computer to the next.
And I bought the "entry" iMac 5k.
Best computer I have ever owned. And that is saying a lot over these years and many 10's of thousands of dollars in Apple computers.
Yes I'm gushing - it's that good. LOL

I can't get my iMac (mid 2011) to connect to my tv using a mini dvi to hdmi

How do I get my iMac to connect to a toshiba tv using a minidvi to hdmi cable?

You may need to try a higher quality cable, here is a an Apple article about them and I've had good luck buying Apple's cables and I have had good luck with Mono Price. Try About Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adpaters.

How can I get my iMac to be the primary screen again?

Hi everyone!!
A couple days ago I was watching a movie on my tv, which is my ''external monitor" for my iMac. I used VLC and it was full screen on my tv, I never had any problems with it. After the movie ended, I couldn't get my iMac screen to work. I restarted, and it flashes a white screen and it does make the apple startup sound. Also everything seems to be working just fine. When I hook it up to my TV, I can use my tv as the ''main monitor" but my iMacs screen remains black. (I have it in mirroring mode now) When I restart by pressing the on and off switch, I do get a flash of my current screen, but it fades to black quite soon after. Even if I wake my iMac up, it shows me the log in screen for about half a secodn and also fades to black. So it's not the screen itself that has any issues.
I think I accidentally clicked something in the display settings, but I have no idea how I can get my iMacs screen to work again. Does anybody know how to get my iMac back to functioning as a primary monitor? When I unplug the thunderbolt cable, it doesn't switch back either.
I already tried dragging the apple top bar from one screen to another, but it doesn't work. When I reset the PRAM, it does restart, but right after I hear the second chime the screen still remains black and it boots like it did before, still no functioning iMac screen.
Thanks in advance!

The screen is all black, so it's not the backlight. It's weird because when I get the computer off of sleep mode, it shows the log in screen really quickly. So my LCD isn't broken either. It just switches back to the wrong resolution I guess. Which makes the screen black again.

Should I Get an iMac, Macbook Pro, or iPad (3rd Generation))

I'm getting a new "computer" this summer, and I was wondering: Which Apple Device is right for me: iPad 3, iMac, or Macbook Pro? I realize WWDC is this summer (a day after I was planning on getting a Macbook Pro, June 10, which is my birthday) and Apple will be releasing/ unveiling their new products there. I realized that the iMac is more bang for your buck, but people are starting to lean towards portable devices, such as laptops over desktops, and tablets over laptops (mostly). I had planned to get a Macbook Pro (when the 2012 models come out) as of Sunday, April 22. But, as I realized that the prices for each are so different, considering their value, I realized this:
iMac:
"Land" - Locked
More Power for money (student discount)
Will last me longer (at least 2.5 years)
Macbook Pro:
Portable
Costs less (as of student discount)
iPad 3:
Even More Portable
Costs even Less.
Considering these, which do think I should get by the following:
Me:
Go upstate every once a month or so.
Going on vacation in the summer w/ family.
Do light gaming (Sims 3, Civ 5, Spore; not much)
Plan on bragging about being the only one in family w/ Mac (bring to relatives' houses to prove a point to my cousin that he's not the one w/ the coolest computer)
Lots of Word Processing (can use pages on iPad)
w/ iPad, I'll have more money to use on accessories (Step dad giving me $500 towards computer, I'll have $350 by June 10)
Mostly do web browsing.
Want to use in school (high school)
If I get an iPad, I can afford to upgrade it every year, but not the Macs
Will be reading lots of books next year (will be taking AP English)
Lots of notes next year (Doing Government in Social Studies next year)
Will use iTunes U if needed
Need something to fit in backpack if using in school.
Not sure if teacher will allow laptops/ tablets.
Mostly do my computing at home
So what do you think? Should I get an iMac, Macbook Pro, or an iPad 3? Thanks! Best answer gets 5 ***** for the long reading!

Wow, using computers in school. I remember when I went, teachers flipped out if you had as much as a cell phone
A couple things I would like to point out:
1.) WWDC /=/ product releases. While it is likely, no one knows for a fact what will happen at WWDC other than usual events. I would expect it, but don't jump the gun and say "a new Mac will be launched at WWDC", because they have been released before WWDC.
2.) The iPad is in a different tier than Mac, IMO. I believe iPads should be supplements to PC's, since if troubleshooting need occur, you must still have a PC to restore. (Mac is PC). So say if you suddenly go into Recovery mode, you will be stuck until you find a PC to restore to. One downfall of iOS devices, so for that reason, I will not recommend the iPad alone.
If you plan to do most of your computing at home, I would get the iMac. I am a college student, and plan on replacing my Macbook Pro (selling it) with an iMac if I can afford it. I agree with you on the "bang for your buck", but even then, iMac is still pricey. With $850, you're still shy $300 of the $1149 price w/education discount. If you want to upgrade your processor (which I would), that's even more $. Plus, software if you need it.
What exactly are you going to do with a Mac that you cannot do with a Windows PC (outside of just using the Mac OS)? The playing field is leveling out quite a bit. But, if you plan on developing of any sort, get a Mac.

I want to get an iMac to learn Logic Pro primarily and gaming secondly

I am new to all this (computers, Logic Pro and video games) but I want to learn. Is an iMac a good computer to run Logic Pro (I am also considering Mac mini)? I am also wondering about the nvidia geforce gtx 780m with 4 gb dedicated ram. How many years down the road will this graphics card be good for. From what I hear pc gamers have to periodically be upgrading things like graphics cards on their computers to be able to play newer games in the future, but I don't have that option with say this graphics card on the 27 inch imac, so I guess my question is, for how long will this nvidia geforce gtx 780m with 4 gb dedicated ram be good for before it becomes obsolete, 3 years, 5 years ,maybe more or less I do not know. I was thinking about getting a Mac mini for the Logic Pro and getting a play station 4 for gaming or just getting thr iMac and use it for both Logic Pro and gaming and forget about the play station 4. I need some real help over here, so if anyone could please help me out I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you. P.S. I have also heard that the Mac mini is a good option for Logic Pro being that it has the integrated graphics card and Logic Pro is not a really graphic intensive app, so maybe I would be straight going the Mac mini and play station 4 route.

You are better off getting a dedicated gaming box for gaming than using a Mac for heavy gaming.
Unless you go with a top of the line iMac with just about all of the optional components, Macs do not make great heavy gaming machines. Plus, a gaming box is sooo much cheaper than a Mac for gaming.
For using Logic, I would just go for the 21 inch screen iMac and get it with the optional full 16 GBs of RAM and optional i7 CPU and, if you can afford all of the options, get this iMac with the optional Fusion drive, too!
The combination SSD and hard drive in the fusion drive will help make up for the slower 5400 RPM drives that they are putting into only the 21 inch screen models.
With this configuration, this iMac would last you, at least, 5 years.

Is getting an iMac AND Macbook Air reasonable?

Hello
I've been a computery guy for some time. I am going from being a serious gamer that built a custom gaming PC that cost $3,500+ to selling said gaming PC and having no computer at all. I am giving up gaming to return to school and would like to attend med school when I finish undergrad. Anyhow, since I will have no computer at all, I would like to get an iMac 21.5 w/ 256GB flash and 8GB RAM to keep on my desk at home, and then get a Macbook Air 13.3 with the i5, 256GB Flash, and 8GB RAM to use at school and carry about etc.
I will be working full time in addition to going to school full time, and will be traveling on public transit and outdoors quite a lot. My thinking is that since the Macbook will be somewhat more susceptible to damage/theivery, etc. than for people who only carry it between school/home and their car, it will be good to have a desktop to use at home and as a backup. I do watch a fair amount of streaming media at home (although this will be more infrequent going to school + work), and would appreciate the larger screen and the ability to have a "base" at home without having to get out the Macbook and hook up the charger, etc. Also, I would prefer to put fewer cycles through the Macbook's battery which using a desktop at home would help.
I'll be doing pre-med undergrad studies, so I'll be doing average student activies...MS Office, music, streaming, surfing etc. No games.
I'm just wondering if I'm going to be overdoing it getting both. I will probably get between $600-1K for the sale of my gaming PC, and a $200 statement credit on the card I'll use, which will help offest the cost of both, but I've been getting mixed opinions as to whether I should get both. I'm not rich, but I do make a half decent living and will be working during undergrad (about 5 semesters left). Plus 0% APR until August 2015 so I can pay over a few months without penalty + education discount.
Yes, I'm aware that med school is a lot of debt and I have that to look forward to.
Anyway, I'm just asking for additional opinions really to see if I'm being wasteful/crazy. I can see myself using both.
Thanks

My suggestion would be to get a MP Air or MB Pro and then get an external display to use when you are home. This would be less expensive and easier to mainting. You can run the laptop in clamshell mode and have the best of both world while still at home. Of the two, I'd recommend a MBP for it's power and display, however a powerful MBA may be OK too.

How do I get the iMac to display thumbnails and not an icon of jpeg photos?

Hi folks,
I just purchased my first Mac, an Imac. I was browsing through a folder, using Finder, containing photos files from my latest trip.
Under Windows, I used to tell Windows Explorer to show thumbnails of the photos.
How do I get the iMac and Finder to show the thumbnails? It only wants to show a silly jpg icon which doesn't tell me much about what the photo looks like.
Thanks.

That was quick!
I have a folder of JPEG photos on my HD. This folder was created over a year ago when I was using Panther.
When I open it and select "Show View Options" I get a different window with options like "Date Created" and "Date Modified" etc.
There is no preview option or a slider to alter the icon sizes - merely a choice of large or small icons.
Ian.

Getting an iMac fixed in Mexico

This is an interesting tale about Apple.
I live in Mexico, Mazatlan to be exact. I have an iMac that I bought in February 2008 just before I moved here. It is broken and there appears there is no way to get it fixed in Mexico. I have tried for a month to find a way to do this with no luck. I have called Apple multiple times. All the phone numbers on the Apple Mexico web site are US toll free numbers. No one I have talked to has a clue how to answer the simple question "Where can I get my iMac fixed in Mexico?"
I can buy a Mac computer from the Apple Mexico online store. I can even buy "Apple care" but there is no where to use that. I can buy a Mac at a local department store. When I ask them "If this breaks where do you get it fixed for me?" and the answer is "I don't know".
I find it remarkable that Apple will sell a product in a country, one of the US's biggest trading partners and a NAFTA member and refuse to support that product. The only suggestion Apple on line support can muster is send it back to the US to be fixed. Pay import duties both ways, custom brokerage fees both ways, shipping both ways - it would cost more than buying a new one.
I have used Mac computers since 1992.
frustrated in Mexcio

As a PS Apple will not sent me parts so I can fix it myself either.

About getting an iMac...

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for