Customizing 24" iMac or just go with the Fully fitted 24" ?

[NStocks]

I have being reading through a few threads, regarding which 24" iMac to get. I have just worked it out and buy upgrading the Graphics card and processor in the base 24" I can save £30. I. I would probably be picking the iMac up from a store, can they customize it to meet my needs, or is this a disadvantage of customizing? Also what if I got a ' Bad Screen', I know there are a few people having problems with theirs due to gradient etc. , if this was the case could i expect to get a brand new unit with the same specs I paid for?

Generally what are the pro's and con's of customizing, and would i be better off upgrading, or just buying the 3.06GHz right from the box.

Any help is greatlly appreciated...I am completely new to Mac's and this would be my first purchase.

NStocks

 

[uicandrew]

first off, welcome to the mac "side"

you'll find it a very fun and rewarding experience.

in my opinion, a narrow spectrum people need the 3.06ghz processor. otherwise, save your money and stick with the 2.8ghz processor.

if you want real numbers and statistics, a great website is www.barefeats.com

they have comparisons of the 2 processors, and pretty much any mac configuration using industry benchmarks and real world tasks.

at least in the States, customizing requires ordering from apple and waiting for them to build it. there are some stores that have customized models for sale, but that is rare.

i would stick with the graphics card upgrade and avoid the processor. save the money on it, and spend it on ice cream, mac software, or petrol

good luck!

 

[NStocks]

first off, welcome to the mac "side"

you'll find it a very fun and rewarding experience.

in my opinion, a narrow spectrum people need the 3.06ghz processor. otherwise, save your money and stick with the 2.8ghz processor.

if you want real numbers and statistics, a great website is www.barefeats.com

they have comparisons of the 2 processors, and pretty much any mac configuration using industry benchmarks and real world tasks.

at least in the States, customizing requires ordering from apple and waiting for them to build it. there are some stores that have customized models for sale, but that is rare.

i would stick with the graphics card upgrade and avoid the processor. save the money on it, and spend it on ice cream, mac software, or petrol

good luck!

Yeah, I have posted on here before and got very helpful answers. I think it will bear down to how much i get for my Pc, it was custom built and i fear i will lose about £500 ( I paid £950 Excluding Monitor, and will get around £400 if that ). So if I get more then what i expect then I will definetely get tehe 3.06GHz, and if I kept kept on at work too! - only temporary staff. If I got the model below and upgraded the Graphics, thats still a better spec then the Pc, and the money I save could go towards new Photography gear or something. I don't need the 500GB HD, and for an extra £150, I don't think I will make use of it unless CS3/ CS4 will use more demanding tools, but then again Snow Leopard could make use of the extra speed could'nt it. After Education Discount, it will cost £110 to get the top end iMac compared to upgrading graphics on the model below, since I will get 13* in-store Education discount...So I was told !...and Applecare for £50, is this a worthwhile purchase?

I am also condsidering getting a External Hard Drive, are there any spectacular ones that come to mind, or is a Hard Drive just a Hard Drive?

Thanks

NStocks

 

[Muncher]

Yeah, I have posted on here before and got very helpful answers. I think it will bear down to how much i get for my Pc, it was custom built and i fear i will lose about £500 ( I paid £950 Excluding Monitor, and will get around £400 if that ). So if I get more then what i expect then I will definetely get tehe 3.06GHz, and if I kept kept on at work too! - only temporary staff. If I got the model below and upgraded the Graphics, thats still a better spec then the Pc, and the money I save could go towards new Photography gear or something. I don't need the 500GB HD, and for an extra £150, I don't think I will make use of it unless CS3/ CS4 will use more demanding tools, but then again Snow Leopard could make use of the extra speed could'nt it. After Education Discount, it will cost £110 to get the top end iMac compared to upgrading graphics on the model below, since I will get 13* in-store Education discount...So I was told !...and Applecare for £50, is this a worthwhile purchase?

I am also condsidering getting a External Hard Drive, are there any spectacular ones that come to mind, or is a Hard Drive just a Hard Drive?

Thanks

NStocks

I think the 24" iMac has Firewire 800. If you can, get a hard drive that supports it, it's worth it.

 

[NStocks]

I think the 24" iMac has Firewire 800. If you can, get a hard drive that supports it, it's worth it.

Yeah, I have being looking all day for one. I like the portable ones. they take up less space. The desktop one's are more likely to have the Firewire, but the majority of them need another power supply, which I was trying to avoid.

Can anyone recommend a External Hard Drive that has Firewire... or not as there's so many I don't know which one to choose !

NStocks

 

[uicandrew]

the small hard drives with firewire 800 is EXPENSIVE.

i just bought a small enclosure off of ebay for $30 or so that had usb 2.0 and firewire 400 a couple years ago, and then i put my own laptop hard drive inside it

 

[Muncher]

One more thing; IIRC, firewire 400 is said to be faster than USB 2.0.