Advice on buying iMac

Hi there,
Almost a year ago I purchased my first Apple computer, a 1.83ghz MacBook 13". At the time it was purely a personal purchase because although I needed to use Windows for work, I didnt see why I should have to put up with it any longer on my home computer.
Needless to say, I am still constantly impressed with everything about the MacBook, so much so that I have now made the complete switch to Mac. The two things keeping me on a PC for work were 3DS Max, and AutoCAD. I have now learned (well, learning) Cinema 4D, and VectorWorks, and purchased all the other apps I use (After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, Flash) for Mac.
At the moment, I am using my personal MacBook as my work comptuter as a stand-in and I now want to purchase a Mac desktop. As you can imagine, I dont have much fun working in Cinema 4D on a 13" screen.
I want some advice on which desktop to go for.
My first choice was immediately the Mac Pro, but having looked into the overall cost, and what you get for the money, I am now not sure whether to go for the 24" iMac.
The specs I am comparing, (any better spec you could recommend would be great, for a budget of around £2000) are:
Mac Pro: 2x 2.0 Ghz, 1GB RAM, 256MB Graphics, 160GB Hard drive, 23" Cinema Display + Bluetooth + Airport = £2,268
or
iMac 24": 2.33 Ghz, 2GB RAM, 256MB Graphics, 250GB Hard drive = £1719
I am just not sure which would be the better option. The iMac comes with all the things Im having to pay a lot extra for with the Mac Pro, and I would have to downgrade to 1GB RAM due to cost.
Would 2x2.0 Processors, with 1GB RAM, be [that much] faster than 1x2.33 processor and 2GB RAM. I know the processor and RAM is different in the Mac Pro.
The key thing Im looking for is fast rendering in C4D, and good ability to run multiple pro apps, which the MacBook already handles well.
I know there is almost endless config and upgrade potential with the Mac Pro, but I want to know if I should really spend all that extra money.
In terms of future upgrades, I could almost buy an iMac now, and another one in 3 years time for a similar price to having the ideal spec Mac Pro to last me 4-5 years.
I know this thread has probably been posted elsewhere, and I have read a bunch of the 24" iMac vs Mac Pro reviews, but they still leave me somewhat undecided as it seems to be a pretty fair split on who thinks which is better (Im guessing iMac users say iMac, Mac Pro users say Mac Pro).
So in your opinion, which would be the better option?
Sorry this is such a long post, I could have probably just said '24" iMac vs Mac Pro base spec' and that would have been enough, but I thought Id tailor the question to my personal guidelines.
Any help / advice is appreciated.
Thanks
Macbook 13" Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Hi
i think you' definitely need to upgrade the ram in the mac pro to 2-4gbs for good performance.
I've just bought a 20" imac with 2gb ram and it flies with logic and even with photoshop cs which isn't universal binary yet. yes, the imac comes with a screen and the mac pro doesn't....
also will you be wanting to expand at all (extra ram and diskspace for example)? in that case the mac pro is a good idea.
If you have the cash then a macbook pro and an extra screen would be a great idea - having a portable does change the way you can approach computing work - and i still love my 4 yr old powerbook for that reason!
I don't know where the nearest apple store is to warwickshire (Birmingham...excuse my geography)I'd recommend going there and trying them both out - there might be an apple retailer nearer than a store and then you can give both the imac and mac pro test run.
Needless to say the macpro will be better for 3d rendering as long as you feed it enough ram (upto 4gb should do).
Do bear in mind also that there might be a revision of some of the mac line ups in april or so, and definitely by june when the santa rosa chip comes out and should allow the imac and macbookpro's to address more than 3gb of ram. There is also talk of an 8-core mac pro. Of course anyone that does know when these things are gonna be released can't say and the big question is would you need this extra technology?
Still, waiting for a little while (unless you need the computer now - in which case buy it now) will get you a free copy of leopard!
Hope some of this helps.
p.s. i was torn between waiting and buying now and eventually gave in to buying an imac now and a macbookpro later in the year. So far I'm very happy with the decision.

Similar Messages

Need advice about buying iMac

Hello,
I am buying a used iMac G5 from private party.
Do not have much money. Going to look at it. He does not
have restoration discs, but is including Leopard
disc. Seems like a good computer for 400.00
just wondering if I need restoration discs...what to look for.
Am a college student and need one for school.
Any help would be great. I am familiar with
Apple. Thank you

I wouldn't put your money into a PowerPC at this point. You can buy a refurbished Intel-based iMac, with standard 1 year Apple warranty, for $929 in the Apple store: http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC508LL/A or if you want a lower priced mac, a mac mini starts at $579 with the education discount. If you're limit is $400, at least buy an Intel-based mac, as that will serve you better for the next few years.
Unfortunately, PowerPC's have been left behind. Some programs like Flash no longer support PowerPCs, and some web sites require a current level of Flash to work (some ESPN programming comes to mind). I've also found that some online content requires Intel processors.
If you decide to buy the iMac G5 without the original distribution disks, you may want to call Apple to see if you can buy a set (they were about $60, however, Apple may no longer have them in stock) or plan to, at some point, buy TechTool Pro, which can do similar hardware testing as the Apple Hardware Test which is on the original distribution disks. You might be able to find a set on ebay, but make sure they are the gray-faced OS X disks for your model iMac G5. Those disks only work on the systems they are delivered with.
Personally, I wouldn't buy a used mac unless it came with a clean hardware report via the Apple Hardware extended test or via one of the TechTool products (Deluxe or Pro).

How to buy imac 27 inch and ship it to iraq ?

hi im ali jalal from iraq
and i want to buy imac 27 inch from apple online store and ship it to iraq is there any way to do that ? cuz i cant see my country in the list
thanks

I cannot imagine any official site but that is only part of the problem ... reliable as a Mac generally is, you still need service facilities; how do you take advantage of any guarantee and the Apple Care facility will not be open to you.

Should I buy Imac 27'' 3.1 or the new imac 27'' 2.9, which is better?

Should I buy Imac 27'' 3.1 or the new imac 27'' 2.9, which is better? The use to which it is going to give is photographs, video, text processing. If opt for the new'll have to buy an external drive for recording of videos and photographs.

Photos, text & most other things should be fine on either, Video may be a bit better with the faster one, but Video card options may be a far bigger deal.

Buying IMAC and about VAT ( tax )

Hello guys, im planning travel to shanghai for some reason. And im planning to buy new Imac @shanghai.
My question is I found this on apple website for imac price
RMB 9,688VAT: approximately RMB 1,408. *
So can i get tax refund for buying imac approx RMB 1.408?
Notice i buy ipad on Singapore and i can get GST refund.. Is this the same procedure in Shanghai?
The second question is anyone know the exact dimmension of it box? Because im planning to bring it with me on airplane not as luggage.
Thx for your help.

Yo Klaus, thanks for your reply..
But my concern is can I ask for Tax refund in Shanghai airport ? Is the procedure like tax refund like ussually or need other method.. Please if u ever buy apple in shanghai, can u share me your story.
Im asking this because i see this on Apple online store in shanghai.
RMB 9,688VAT: approximately RMB 1,408. *
For notes : im planning buy this not by online.. Im planning come to apple pudong store and buy it directly, and is the staff in shanghai can speak english? because i cant speak chinesse.

Advice about buying a new hard drive

I have a TOSHIBA Satellite L25-S1216. I have not been able to boot into Windows XP for 3 years using the factory Recovery and Applications/Drivers DVD and the Fully Recover procedure on the back of the DVD packae. I have been using Linux for the past 3 years. Ubuntu SMART test disk utility tells me I have 20 bad hard drive sectors. I have concluded I should buy a new hard drive, since mine has 20 bad sectors. My current hard drive is ATA-6, so I know I need a PATA compatible hard drive. I'd like to increase to maybe 60 GB from the current 40 GB. I'd also like to go with a solid state drive, but there don't appear to be many PATA compatible solid state drives.
And I don't want to get too complicated or expensive; I want to stay with my current Windows XP. Not sure if a SATA PATA interface adapter would work to allow me to use a SATA solid state hard drive or not. I know (from reading knowledge base posts) there is also the potential problem of the older BIOSs not recognizing the newer Advanced Drive Format drives.
QUESTION: Does anybody have any advice about buying a hard drive that would work for me? How can I be reasonably sure a hard drive I buy is compatible with my computer?
Thank you,
Bob
Solved!
Go to Solution.

either get a pata drive (you can get larger than the stock 40gb) or use your $ towards a more current new/used laptop. pata ssd would be a waste and I doubt adapter would work. also, ms is dropping support for xp so it would be a good time to upgrade to something with a more current os as well.
L305-S5955, T9300 Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, 60GB SSD, Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit

Buying iMac from virgin ?

hi guys
I wanna buy iMac i7
but I don't have apple store in my country
so I heard that the best reseller is "Virgin"
my question is , does virgin got all kinds of iMac ?
and does it has the same price or it's a bit higher ?
how much higher ?
(BTW I'm in Bahrain)

Great question, why don't you contact them and ask? I see there are other resellers in your country, for shopping you will need to do this yourself. Here in the US where we have the luxury of Apple Stores and resellers so we have a lot of choices. However it's up to each individual who they want to purchase from which means they have to do their own research on pricing, delivery, return policies, additional value added services, etc..
Good luck!
Roger

Advice on buying an ibook

i would like a little bit of advice on buying a new ibook. Firsly i know nothing about macs apart from that i watch regular webcasts which are amazing! i am an experienced linux and windows user and i am involved in a lot of sound production? is the ibook for me, i shall need to do sound production on the move and create quality audio? any pointers?
Dave

Hi Davebradford,
Welcome to Apple Discussions
There have been many posts about whether or not to get an iBook or not. The main thing is what you need/are planning to do with it. Here is a similar post on if the iBook is the right choice or not. In my post there is also a link to one of my previous posts on this subject (more in depth). I don't know how in depth you are in sound production, but the Powerbook might suit your needs better. I suggest looking into GarageBand. Also, Apple has a site devoted to Pro/Music + Audio.
I hope that helps,
Jon
PS Please respond back if you need any clarifications or other questions.

If i buy imac(intel) in canada apple store and then after i want 2 gift my brother in india so u can ship it in india

if i buy imac(intel) in canada apple store and then after i want 2 gift my brother in india so u can ship it in india

You will need to ask the authorities in India and Canada, this is a technical help forum. I suspect you are simply trying to save your brother money however I suspect it would be easier and less expensive in the long term if he buys the system he wants in India.
Roger

Can I buy IMAC using my GEmoney Cards?

Can I buy IMAC using my GEmoney Cards?

Apple's accepted payment methods > http://store.apple.com/us/help/payments

Where to buy imac compatible dual layer discs?

I am trying to find out where I can buy imac (intel core 2 duo) compatible dual layer DVD discs! Amazing, I can't find anything anywhere, either on the Apple store online or in the actual retail stores, or any other retail stores for that matter! Where can I get something that is reliable good quality and imac compatible??
Miklos.

There's no "compatible" disks. Any DL +R media will do, though not all brands are as good as others.
Around here (New England) you can find dual-layer DVD+R in supermarkets, music stores, electronics stores (Circuit City, Best Buy, ...), computer stores (CompUSA, MicroCenter, mom and pop, ...), and business supply stores (OfficeDepot, Staples, OfficeMax, etc.). Lots of bookstores round these parts carry it too (though plain DVD+R is more common).
As far as bands, Verbatim and Taiyo Yuden are always pretty reliable quality. i usually tell people to avoid Sony. That said, 1/2 of my media are cheap CompUSA branded (don't know who makes it), and most of the rest are Memorex -- but only because I got them at a huge discount (CompUSA round here closed and I got the already cheap media in a 50 disc spindle for next to nothing).

Advice on buying first imac?

Hello all,
I would like a little help with the following?
I am looking at trading up from my old 10" netbook running windows xp, 143GB of hard drive of which I have only used 26GB, 1.60Ghz, 2GB of RAM, I upgraded that myself from one to two. I also have a 500GB back up external hard drive.
I want some advise on when to buy (is the not so far away upgrade going to affect me?)and what model I should be looking at.
Money is not to much of an issue neither is desk size.
I dont want a model that is more powerfull than I need, I do the following on my current pc:
Lots of web surfing
Lots eBay and Amazon buying
Lots of emailing
Little bit on excel and word
Adding and sorting family photos
itunes, twitter and facebook etc
I do not need it for work, this is for home use only.
Also is there an easy way to get all my emails off my old pc to the imac.
I know how to get all my files and music of the pc to the mac with my back up drive.
I also want to transfer all my contact from microsoft outlook 2007?
I have an iphone 3gs with the same contacts on if that is of any help?
Any other advice would be more than welcome, I understand it is going to be a bit of a learning curve going from pc to imac..... bring it on hey
Thanks in advance guys
Ade.

+...But I would seriously think about buying an imac again...+
(Re-printed from a previous post)
Of the 21 or so Apple products I have bought since 1999, only one failed. My 17" iMac G4/700 (2002) was the only casualty with a bad motherboard and graphics card. My wife still uses her G3/600 iBook from 2002. Our original iMac G3/333 from 1999 still works although we do not use it much. My original 10GB scroll wheel iPod (2002) I use daily. I only have replaced the battery twice. I have three other iPods and two iPhones. We have two 17" MacBook Pros which are very good. My first generation iPhone was sold with no issues during ownership. None of the Apple products required warranty issues. None have had software update problems. I ordered my new i7 iMac built for the next eight years. My recent additions are an iPad and MacBook Air. I hope this gives you some encouragement in your choice.
zoz

Advice on buying New iMac vs older Technology

Hi, just want some advice.
I am in the market for a 27 inch iMac. I have 2 requirements really:
I must be able to use the iMac as a display for a docked laptop (non apple). This is my work laptop.
I want the newest tech.
I understand with Thunderbolt that only 2009/2010 models will couple up well using displayport (and i have tested this with a mates 2010 iMac).
But i also love the new iMac thats due out soon.
Is there any way I can purchase a new iMac with thunderbolt and use this with laptop. What i dont want to do is get a 2010 model and then find out that there is some convertor/adaptor/lead thats ideal for my solution meaning i could have bought the new iMac.
It might sound odd that i want a older model but using the iMac as a display for my work is a big want from me as i am using this a lot.
If there is definatley NOT a solution to the new iMacs, then i can stop drooling and look for a bargain on the 2010 models.
Thanks in advance
Barry

Any reason why 2011 or older?
2011 models are thunderbolt which wont accept a displayport input video from my non-apple PC. Only 2009/2010 models do this (as they were pre-thunderbolt).
They were rumoured to be delayed but then i have seen confirmations that they are not going to be late so theres some confusion there. But my main query is 'is there anyway i can use newer iMacs - with thunderbolt on my non-apple PC (as in using the imac as a monitor).
I have read a few posts saying its not compatible but was wanting advice/confirmation i guess that theres no convertor or box that would be a solution as i would prefer the new kit.
Thanks

Advice on buying a new Mid-2010 iMac

I'm going to buy a new iMac and I'm trying to decide between two configurations:
1. 21.5-inch/3.6GHz i5 (Dual Core)/8Gb RAM, or
2. 27-inch/2.8GHz i5 (Quad Core)/4Gb RAM
Both model cost almost the same (number 2 configuration is slightly pricier).
Number 2 configuration is very appealing for it bigger screen and better graphics card, but I'm not sure if a 27-inch screen will fit in my working space.
Any thoughts are welcome.

Well, I'd suggest going to Apple's site, getting the physical dimensions for both systems. Then find some old cardboard boxes or something so you can make them out to be roughly the size of each system. That way, you can get an idea of how they will look where you're thinking of putting whichever one you get. If the 27" fits, I'd definitely give that one the nod. RAM will only get cheaper third party, especially since we're in the immediate aftermath of the latest price fixing bust of RAM makers. It'll probably be 2-3 years before they start jacking prices up again. You can add more RAM to the 27" later for a lot less than Apple will charge you. You could replace them a couple times over for what Apple will charge you. But, if a 27" is going to be too big, none of that really matters.

Advice for buying a new 2013 iMac

I work with Adobe Premiere, Photoshop and Illustrator.
1.) Will I benefit from upgrading to the card with the extra GB of video memory? OR is this really only going to be benefiical for video games?
2.) Will I see any noticable speed increase by upgrading from:
3.4GHz Quadcore Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz
vs.
3.5GHz Quadcore Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz
Thanks in advance.

I also spend most of my day in Adobe apps (InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop), and I've just moved from an i7 machine (a Hackintosh) to an iMac with the 3.4GHz i5. The i7 was overclocked to 4.3GHz.
Generall speaking, once the app is open, performance on the i5 seems similar to the i7. The i7 used SSDs, and opening Photoshop, for example, would take 2 to 3 seconds. On the i5 with the standard 1T hard drive, it takes more like 20 seconds. Unless you are doing some heavy duty 3D rendering in PS, I would think that the i5 would be adequate for you.
I'll be adding an external SSD to the iMac in a few days in order to speed up file access.
On the graphics card side, the i7 used a 1G Radeon, and the new iMac has the 2G nVidia. I don't think there's a significant performance increase for Photoshop and Illustrator, at least from a 'how it feels running' perspective.
Perry
KidPub Press

Advice on buying iMac

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for