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iMac 21.5" owners - Is your screen big enough?

mrsir2009

mrsir2009

macrumors 604
Original poster
Sep 17, 2009
7,505
156
Melbourne, Australia
Would the 21.5" iMac feel like a big desktop alongside a 13" MBP? Because I'm thinking of getting a 21 iMac for more intensive/things where you need a big screen, alongside my 13" MBP.

And if anyone here owns both a 13" Pro and a 21 iMac, how substantial is the difference?
 
zomg I can see how someone say is the 27" big enough but for a 21.5" you got to be joking.
 
David085 said:
zomg I can see how someone say is the 27" big enough but for a 21.5" you got to be joking.
Click to expand...

What are you talking about? Everyone asks if the 27" "is TOO BIG", not "is it big enough". The only Apple product bigger is the 30" ACD, so there is pretty much no other option if for some crazy reason you think the 27" is too small.
 
I think the 27" is too big :p Honestly unless you are a serious multitasker or you do a job that requires minute details I don't think you 'need' a 27" screen... Mind you that's not to say you wouldn't 'want' one ;)

I bought a 21.5" because anything larger would look ridiculous in my tiny bedroom lol, it's bigger than my current bedroom tv which is 19" :p But each to their own. Next to my old 19" monitor I found the 21.5 to be just awesome, especially since the display is so clear and crisp, so I can imagine coming from a 13" it will be an enormous improvement.
 
LiloThePleo said:
I think the 27" is too big :p Honestly unless you are a serious multitasker or you do a job that requires minute details I don't think you 'need' a 27" screen... Mind you that's not to say you wouldn't 'want' one ;)

I bought a 21.5" because anything larger would look ridiculous in my tiny bedroom lol, it's bigger than my current bedroom tv which is 19" :p But each to their own. Next to my old 19" monitor I found the 21.5 to be just awesome, especially since the display is so clear and crisp, so I can imagine coming from a 13" it will be an enormous improvement.
Click to expand...

Cool, thanks! Its also possible to use the iMac as an external monitor with the 13" if needed, yes?
 
LiloThePleo said:
I think the 27" is too big :p Honestly unless you are a serious multitasker or you do a job that requires minute details I don't think you 'need' a 27" screen... Mind you that's not to say you wouldn't 'want' one ;)

I bought a 21.5" because anything larger would look ridiculous in my tiny bedroom lol, it's bigger than my current bedroom tv which is 19" :p But each to their own. Next to my old 19" monitor I found the 21.5 to be just awesome, especially since the display is so clear and crisp, so I can imagine coming from a 13" it will be an enormous improvement.
Click to expand...

You'd probably think my room looks pretty ridiculous - I have a 27" iMac and a 40" TV in a 10'x11' room. Personally I think these sizes are fine, but as you said, to each their own :D

The 21.5" is a great machine though, and it will seem huge coming from a 13" MBP.
 
meb91 said:
You'd probably think my room looks pretty ridiculous - I have a 27" iMac and a 40" TV in a 10'x11' room. Personally I think these sizes are fine, but as you said, to each their own :D

The 21.5" is a great machine though, and it will seem huge coming from a 13" MBP.
Click to expand...

Sweet. Its going to be used as a family computer for my mum and my sister, and as a second computer for me when I need a bigger screen or when I feel like using a bigger and more powerful computer :D
 
In my opinion the 21 is to small the 24 is just right + one more monitor and the 27 is Big. I'm more of a fan of 2 screen than 1 big one. But the 27" is nice if you are a graphic designer(every pixel is precious:p) And I would pair it with an external.
 
Perfect. I also have a Mac Pro with the 27" Cinema Display. While my wife likes the huge screen for GIS work, I wish the Pro had a 21.5" screen like the smaller iMac.
 
solowmodel said:
Sold my 24" last week and now I'm wondering the same question, 21" vs. 27".
Click to expand...

That was the question I asked myself for months as I was changing from a PC to an iMac. Thought I had made the decision when I went to make my purchase, yet when I got to the store, I still spent another couple of hours looking and comparing the 21" to the 27".

Both have great pictures.

I was moving from a 24" but with the backlight the 21" didn't look that much smaller compared to what I had.

I bought my iMac in Nov/Dec 2010. So around 45-60 days later I started wishing I had bought the 27". Room and money were not an issue when I made my purchase. After reading a lot of the forum, based on what I do on my computer, I thought the 21" iMac was all I needed.

I've tried two screen, adding my old monitor but I got up this morning and went back to just the one iMac 21" screen and like it better.

I still wish I would have bought the 27"

If you think it might be two big, you will adjust to it.

I must admit though, the posts about 27" monitor problems played in my decision also.
 
iubhounds said:
That was the question I asked myself for months as I was changing from a PC to an iMac. Thought I had made the decision when I went to make my purchase, yet when I got to the store, I still spent another couple of hours looking and comparing the 21" to the 27".

Both have great pictures.

I was moving from a 24" but with the backlight the 21" didn't look that much smaller compared to what I had.

I bought my iMac in Nov/Dec 2010. So around 45-60 days later I started wishing I had bought the 27". Room and money were not an issue when I made my purchase. After reading a lot of the forum, based on what I do on my computer, I thought the 21" iMac was all I needed.

I've tried two screen, adding my old monitor but I got up this morning and went back to just the one iMac 21" screen and like it better.

I still wish I would have bought the 27"

If you think it might be two big, you will adjust to it.

I must admit though, the posts about 27" monitor problems played in my decision also.
Click to expand...

What are your main reasons for wishing you had gone for the 27"? Any uses in particular?
 
yes more than happy with the screen size, yes a 27 would have been great but like many people its too big physically for the desk and room its in.

what is not great is the fact i have now noticed a blotchy pattern of dark spots appearing (purchased Mar 2010) on the LCD. Seems looking on the Net that I am not alone too.
 
I used to have a 24" white iMac - And comparing side by side the 21.5" seems about the same size as the 24" because of the wider screen :) I don't think the 27" is worth the extra 1K.
 
solowmodel said:
What are your main reasons for wishing you had gone for the 27"? Any uses in particular?
Click to expand...

I have websites where I am loading inventory. I upload those from a csv file, so I am cutting and pasting information from my supplier's furnished inventories that are on excel files to the csv format.....so it basically just came down to more monitor real estate to have multiple screens open at one time.

I've never been one that works with 3 or 4 files open at one time with smaller screens on one monitor.

My plan today is to work on the 21.5" with 3-4 files open and see how that feels compared to having two monitors.

As far as graphic design or photo work....I do neither of those tasks.
 
I have the 13' as well as the 21.5' iMac. I love the size of the iMac and it is a perfect combination with my 13'
 
I'm still annoyed at not going for the 27", when the next refresh comes out I'll be selling my 21.5 and getting the 27" i7
 
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