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24" iMac buyer's remorse...

M

munckee

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Oct 27, 2005
1,219
1
I scored a good deal on a 24" 2.8C2D iMac the other day and scooped it up (had been considering it for a while). It's to be used in addition to a 1st gen MBA and would replace a 1.5CS mini/24" Dell monitor combo.

After getting it home, though, I'm having some second thoughts. I realized that I haven't been doing as much heavy design work at home (used to do a lot of hi-res print design). I still do a solid bit of work in CS3, but lately its been more web design (smaller files) with the occasional poster or something thrown in the mix. Otherwise, its a lot of the usual (web surfing, movie watching, iTunes, etc.)...

I've been thinking that maybe I could get by on a 1.83 C2D Mini with 4GB of ram (I know it will only address just over 3GB). For comparison, I've been doing the same work on the Core Solo mini for the last 8 months. It's been SLOW, but...it works. So the newer mini would be decent step up (compared to the iMac which would be awesome). Need to buy Applecare and RAM for both machines, so that's pretty much a wash.

Anyway...not much of a question here. More just venting. Though a 2nd or 3rd opinion is always appreciated. Thanks for listening :eek:
 
Think about the money that machine will save you in 4 years when its still pulling its weight. Sure it seems mega-powerful now, but advancements in technology will bring it into perspective.
Gotta have a future proof approach to enjoying your new hardware.
 
Well if you return it and get a new Mini, you can save several hundred dollars which you can put into an investment account and save for the next big step.
 
You can get a pretty good price for the Mini CS - since they can be upgraded to Core 2 Duo and up to 2GB of RAM.

The 24" iMac should be quite a bit faster than a current mini, but in January we should see new iMacs and mini's.
 
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iMac. It's a whole different world from a mini.
 
If you have overstretched the budget for the iMac. I guess downgrading is the sound thing to do. If you can afford the iMac, keep it. It will last you a lot longer than the mini would.
 
"you can put into an investment account and save for the next big step."

LOL....where are you investing these days? My investment accounts are WHY I can't take the next big step....hell, I can't even take a small step....I can't even pick up my leg!!!


Kidding...investing is always the wise thing to do.> Maybe classic cars? Guitars? Certainly, not the stock market!

J
 
ditzy said:
If you have overstretched the budget for the iMac. I guess downgrading is the sound thing to do. If you can afford the iMac, keep it. It will last you a lot longer than the mini would.
Click to expand...

Affording the iMac isn't an issue at all (it's sitting in my hallways right now). It's more question of cost vs. needs. I can afford the iMac, but I'm just not sure I need to.

And, again, "lasting longer" isn't a huge issue. I can't see keeping it more than 18 months (probably not more than a year, but I don't know).

Another issue tickling the back of my mind is this: I've been vaguely considering purchasing an xbox. I'm not in a rush to do so and haven't been a gamer in years, but I've just been toying with the idea. I can't make that purchase with an iMac (no display for the xbox), however if I stick with a mini I can use/upgrade and use my monitor for both tasks. Again, not a purchase I'm rushing into making, but something that's playing a minor point of consideration in my decision.
 
Yep, the eyetv Hybrid is the best one to get for doing it. I am buying one in a few days. It took a long time for me to figure out which would be best for playing the 360 through, and it is defiantly the Hybrid.

It has a splitter cable that has an svideo input and a red white and yellow composite input.
 
Yeah you should keep the iMac you may not need that fast a computer now but in 3 years you'll be glad you kept it.

MacbookAlum1536:apple:
 
Thanks for the input everyone. Picked up a 1.83C2D Mini the other day for $350 just to give it a shot. Tossed 4GB in it and have been pretty happy with the performance so far. Yeah, it will never live up to the iMac. But it cost me $400 and I believe will get the job done for me for a while.

I think I'll probably come back to the iMac once they release the Nehalem version in a year or so.
 
Every decision has a down side. Don't worry about it.

After all, none of us are getting out of this alive anyway!
 
munckee said:
I scored a good deal on a 24" 2.8C2D iMac the other day and scooped it up (had been considering it for a while). It's to be used in addition to a 1st gen MBA and would replace a 1.5CS mini/24" Dell monitor combo.

After getting it home, though, I'm having some second thoughts. I realized that I haven't been doing as much heavy design work at home (used to do a lot of hi-res print design). I still do a solid bit of work in CS3, but lately its been more web design (smaller files) with the occasional poster or something thrown in the mix. Otherwise, its a lot of the usual (web surfing, movie watching, iTunes, etc.)...

I've been thinking that maybe I could get by on a 1.83 C2D Mini with 4GB of ram (I know it will only address just over 3GB). For comparison, I've been doing the same work on the Core Solo mini for the last 8 months. It's been SLOW, but...it works. So the newer mini would be decent step up (compared to the iMac which would be awesome). Need to buy Applecare and RAM for both machines, so that's pretty much a wash.

Anyway...not much of a question here. More just venting. Though a 2nd or 3rd opinion is always appreciated. Thanks for listening :eek:
Click to expand...

Being a former Apple warranty tech (as well as for some unmentionable PC companies) and being married to a graphic designer, your core solo, which is an old, old model is slow perhaps, but you can do far more with with just a mere brand new core duo Mini Mac with the now faster bus and faster RAM and improved bigger and faster graphics processor chip. An iMac, based on your posted needs, is a bit higher than you need it for.

However, all Macs, outside of the mini, are expensive and there will always be some remorse, financially, that is.

But in the very long run, you will realize that money spent on a Mac, assuming you use it an not just keep it unbooted for years, is a good purchase.
 
63dot said:
Being a former Apple warranty tech (as well as for some unmentionable PC companies) and being married to a graphic designer, your core solo, which is an old, old model is slow perhaps, but you can do far more with with just a mere brand new core duo Mini Mac with the now faster bus and faster RAM and improved bigger and faster graphics processor chip. An iMac, based on your posted needs, is a bit higher than you need it for.

However, all Macs, outside of the mini, are expensive and there will always be some remorse, financially, that is.

But in the very long run, you will realize that money spent on a Mac, assuming you use it an not just keep it unbooted for years, is a good purchase.
Click to expand...

Uh...thanks, but I'm not sure where you got the idea that this was my first mac. I'm well aware of their value (this is my...6th?). I have no intent of purchasing a PC. :p
 
munckee said:
Uh...thanks, but I'm not sure where you got the idea that this was my first mac. I'm well aware of their value (this is my...6th?). I have no intent of purchasing a PC. :p
Click to expand...

he he

I have had a lot of macs, too, and PCs, but I hope your new Mac serves you well. I am sure you will eventually find something that will utilize its capabilities to the fullest, if even a really cool game. :)
 
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