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iMac 24'' worth it for me?

What should I buy? (Read topic)

  • Buy the 24''

    Votes: 63 85.1%

  • Buy the 20''

    Votes: 11 14.9%
  • Total voters
    74
M

ManuelGnR

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 4, 2008
164
0
Netherlands
Is the 24'' iMac worth it for me?

I heard that the display quality is better, plus ofcourse a bigger screen.

I watch movies on it pretty much, plus might be doing some more design (probably not much or high!), probably more gaming (okay, defo more, like GTA and stuff, more if possible to play nicely) and do some poker (more tables on screren is nice.

I am definately gonna buy an iMac in January. However, I will have money for the 20'' (it's probably gonna be the 2.66 then) by then but not for the 24'', so I will loan that 300 euro from my parents, not a big problem..

I also have the problem that I want an iPod Classic instead of by Zen for better cooporation with my Mac by then, but is less important.

Would love advice/comments from you pro's:D
 
I'm going to get a 24" iMac this Friday. You'll regret it if you don't buy the 24" I would think. My logic is if your going to buy an expensive computer then you might as well buy the best one you can possibly afford so then you can keep it for longer and it won't be outdated so quickly.
 
I've never had an iMac so I don't really know. In the Apple Store I can't notice any difference though. On the web everyone says there is a massive quality difference though, which would be quite a big issue I think if you are going to watch a lot of movies on it. Just go with whatever you can afford.
 
I just got a 20" iMac about a month ago, I feel like the screen is huge, I guess it's because I went from my 15" MacBook Pro up to 20" iMac.
Since you like to watch movies and games and stuff like that, it would probably be best to get the 24".
 
dannyboxer said:
I'm going to get a 24" iMac this Friday. You'll regret it if you don't buy the 24" I would think. My logic is if your going to buy an expensive computer then you might as well buy the best one you can possibly afford so then you can keep it for longer and it won't be outdated so quickly.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I considered the 24" just to save some money, but knew I would regret it if I didn't go for the 24".
 
The 20" screen would be fine for me... But I'm getting one Friday with the 24" screen at my husband's request. Pay the money and go with the 24" if you're going to be watching movies. Look at it this way...either way if you go with the 24" you won't regret it.
 
I've got a 24" and love it!

For movies it is really good and I actually prefer it to watching my main TV. I think you would like the 20" but will love the 24" - it has so much more of a "Wow" factor! Also I agree with the above poster who suggested getting the nVidia 8800GS rather than the Ati 2600. I have the 2600 and it is fine for games but the 8800 is much faster and will extend the machines usefulness for another year or so.

Enjoy your new iMac when you get it!
Cheers,
Craig.
 
I went with the 20". I guess if I planned on watching alot of movies I might have opted for the 24", but I have a 58" plasma for movies.

I personally don't like having to move my head back and forth to take in the whole screen while surfing the internet like is necessary with the 24".

The only thing that was pulling me towards the 24" was the apparently better display, but at a price of 30% more than my 20" it was not worth it to me.

The 24" is a beaut, but for my needs was overkill.
 
Go for the 24", it's awesome I first thought the 20" would be just fine but, when I was in the store looking at both, my eyes kept going back to the 24".
I did this for two or three trips and finally settle on the 24", am I glad I did.
 
You will never be satisfied if you go with the 20in. I say this because if your contemplating which one to get now and you end up getting the 20in.. You will always wonder what it would be like with a 24in iMac.

Then you will begin browsing apple.com and go into the apple store and look at the 24in. with eyes of envy and say to yourself "dammit I should have gone with the bigger one"

I know this because I bought a 15" MBP and once I saw a 17" with the high resolution screen, I knew I made the wrong decision.

So all i have to say is "Go big or go home"
 
Go with the 24 incher

The 24" iMac is the one to get. For me the better display panel alone seals the deal, but you can also expect the 24" iMac to be quieter. Simply more room for cooling. I think Apple put a TN panel into the 20" model on purpose to push users towards the more expensive model. This may not be nice of them, but it makes the 24" a better all in one package.
 
Having used both the 20" and 24" iMacs, and using a 20" monitor hooked up to my Mac Pro, the 24" is definitely worth it. It's larger, faster, and just all-around more impressive. My next purchase will be a 24" screen, personally. :)
 
24 inch wins.

But I'm waiting till january if anything, sounds like there will be an upgrade.
 
MysticMage said:
They are brighter and don't burn out as fast.
Click to expand...

Not to mention much better contrast.

@OP: It sounds like you want to hear people say to get the 24", but you don't want to spend the money. The 20" really is fine for watching movies; come January there might even be a blu-ray option.
 
I do want to spend the money I think, it's just that I'll have to wait longer for my iPod Classic... Got to deal with it or loan more, but my parents loan me more for an iPod I guess.
 
I do wish we could get more "technical" responses here. Not just "ooh the 24 incher is cool". The specs do show a slightly high resolution for the bigger screen, but that's also because its a bigger screen. Is it actually a better "quality" screen?

Fact is, other than for watching flicks, a 20 inch screen is just absolutely fine.
The 24 inch is pretty freaking BIG. 24 is also SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive.
When many people will upgrade every few years anyhow, why blow the extra cash? We're talking imac here. If you are a power user and have the big bucks you'll buy a tower anyhow.

What pizzes me off is that I can't get the smaller screen and upgrade to fastest processor and better graphics card. Apple really sucks in this respect.
 
Another vote for the 24". I converted this weekend from my PC with a 20" screen and was blown away by my iMac. I hadn't actually seen one in the flesh until it was delivered and couldn't stop smiling for an hour.
 
BlackCoffee said:
1. I do wish we could get more "technical" responses here. Not just "ooh the 24 incher is cool". The specs do show a slightly high resolution for the bigger screen, but that's also because its a bigger screen. Is it actually a better "quality" screen?

...
2. What pizzes me off is that I can't get the smaller screen and upgrade to fastest processor and better graphics card. Apple really sucks in this respect.
Click to expand...


1. Someone more experienced will have to confirm but I suspect the 24" may be an 8-bit screen and the 20" 6-bit? Apologies if that's a load of bull, only one way to be sure (steps back to give expert posters room)

2. I agree. Apple is viciously evil in terms of its marketing. Very very clever at teasing out these upgrade options for all their products in such a way that has you always looking just over the brow of the next hill for that little bit more. Unless you buy the absolute top of the line in any product, you always have that compromise over the next upgrade option, Apple are experts at this imo. The 20" v 24" config options being a great case-in-point.
 
BlackCoffee said:
I do wish we could get more "technical" responses here. Not just "ooh the 24 incher is cool". The specs do show a slightly high resolution for the bigger screen, but that's also because its a bigger screen. Is it actually a better "quality" screen?
Click to expand...

Yes the 24" is superior. The 20" iMac uses a TN panel, very common in cheap LCDs you see everywhere for $200 or less, while the 24" uses a LG H-IPS panel, a far more expensive and quality panel. TN panels typically have poor off axis view angles and colors shifting starts horizontally and vertically when viewed just a few degrees off here or there. In my experience, TN panels suffer from bad uniformity and light bleeding.

The H-IPS panel used in the 24" is a higher quality panel, espeically for color critical work. Viewing angles are better as as are color uniformity and light bleed. Some people have issues with the "graininess" or sparkly look of IPS panles, but the H-IPS (versus S-IPS) tend to be a bet better. The NEC LCD2490WUXi uses a 24" H-IPS panel (probably the same panel) and is sold around $1100. You could probably find a cheap 20" TN monitor for around $150, a cheap 23" TN widescreen for $300.
 
The 24" is a great machine - you get so used to the large size that going back to a 20" seems unbearable.

Also, the higher grade panel is a pleasure to work with. I spend 10-12 hours a day on mine (work from home) and haven't regretted the purchase once. It really is a nice screen to look at for extended periods, noticeably better than the 20".
 
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