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iMac or MacBook?

HazRutter

HazRutter

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 2, 2009
212
0
England
Right, I know they should be releasing some new iMacs and minis so dont bother mentioning that, lol.

I am in year 11 (10th grade ? to you americans :), see I like to cater for everybody lol) and im in need of a new computer.

Up until earlier today I was set on buying a alu MacBook but in the apple store I sat down and played with the iMac and now im not too sure.

I mostly use my (very slow) current laptop for internet browsing, writing essays, using Excel spreadsheets ( I run my dads online music shop - www.b12records.com - if you are intrested ;)) and listening to music. Thats not to say I would not like applications to do photo and video editing, its just my laptop would not be able to cope.

Money is an issue here, I am only 15 so cant really earn that much. I have about £700 and my dad would be willing to lend me the rest. Another main issue I have is that do I even want a Mac? £1000 (or so) is a lot of money for a computer.

So what do you think, iMac, MacBook or neither?

Any Help would be great, also Hi! Im new here :D

EDIT: Sorry if I posted in the wrong area...

EDIT #2: My parents are split up, so I could either get an iMac and leave it at my mums (where I am the most) and take my current laptop to my dads or just use the MacBook.

EDIT #3: *Sorry now* How do you "qualify" for an avatar?
 
The iMac will be a lot faster. The internal hard drive is a full sized one - and that makes a big difference (and gives you more space). The screen is much much bigger, and graphics are better. Overall the machine is better value.

If you don't have a real need for portability I'd seriously consider the iMac.
 
If I were you, I would want my computer to be with me whenever I had to spend the night somewhere, thus I would get the MacBook. Although the iMac does provide more power, do you really need the power for what you are doing? I think in your case the portability is worth it seeing as you spend time at both parents' houses and portability is an issue.
 
Hi,
I have an iMac and I also have a couple of little 12" iBooks which my wife and kids use for internet browsing and email and homework etc. I can therefore appreciate the better value of the iMac and the convenience of the iBooks (or Macbook in your case).

Can I assume you are looking at a 20" iMac rather than a 24" model? If you are considering the 24" model then I can say that it is night and day in terms of screen area compared with a 12 or 13" laptop. Even the 20" would be much nicer to use for long periods.

I think it comes down to one simple question which only you can answer:

Is the larger screen and better overall performance of the iMac more important than portability? (Bear in mind you can still transport an iMac - the box it comes in even has a handle!! :) )

I'd say that, assuming it is practical to transport an iMac between your parents' houses (ie. door to door car journey) then get an iMac. If you are walking, cycling or taking public transport then get a Macbook and a good laptop bag (which doesn't look like a laptop bag...).

In either case, get a Mac - you will kick yourself if you get a PC.

Good luck!
Craig.
 
Ohh, about the avatar.

Also, portability does not bother me too much because I have a laptop that I can take to my dads if I need to write a essay or something ..

I also want the computer to last if you know what I mean?

craig1410 said:
Hi,
I have an iMac and I also have a couple of little 12" iBooks which my wife and kids use for internet browsing and email and homework etc. I can therefore appreciate the better value of the iMac and the convenience of the iBooks (or Macbook in your case).

Can I assume you are looking at a 20" iMac rather than a 24" model? If you are considering the 24" model then I can say that it is night and day in terms of screen area compared with a 12 or 13" laptop. Even the 20" would be much nicer to use for long periods.

I think it comes down to one simple question which only you can answer:

Is the larger screen and better overall performance of the iMac more important than portability? (Bear in mind you can still transport an iMac - the box it comes in even has a handle!! :) )

I'd say that, assuming it is practical to transport an iMac between your parents' houses (ie. door to door car journey) then get an iMac. If you are walking, cycling or taking public transport then get a Macbook and a good laptop bag (which doesn't look like a laptop bag...).

In either case, get a Mac - you will kick yourself if you get a PC.

Good luck!
Craig.
Click to expand...

It is a car journey, and if I my dad moves house it will be like a minute car journey (dont know why that would affect anything but hey!)...

Yeah thats what I thought, about kicking myself, but I cant convince my dad that mac is the way to go, he sees that it is different and appealing but cant justify spending that amount of extra money. I dont know what I can say to him!

Also, yeah the 20" model..
 
HazRutter said:
It is a car journey, and if I my dad moves house it will be like a minute car journey (dont know why that would affect anything but hey!)...

Yeah thats what I thought, about kicking myself, but I cant convince my dad that mac is the way to go, he sees that it is different and appealing but cant justify spending that amount of extra money. I dont know what I can say to him!

Also, yeah the 20" model..
Click to expand...

Okay, here's some ammunition to fire at him... :)

1. An iMac is based on notebook components and therefore consumes very little energy compared to a typical desktop PC. If you do the arithmetic you can save a lot of money in electricity over the course of a year. In my case I went from a PC which consumed 300w+ to an iMac which consumes 93w (I measured these myself with a meter). This equates to over £200 per year in reduced electricity costs!

2. A Mac can run Mac OS X, Windows, Linux or just about whatever you care to throw at it. This will keep your options open, especially when the Mac market share is growing at something like 3.5x the PC industry rate.

3. Mac's are renowned for being more productive and tend to be favoured by those who just want to get things done in the most efficient way possible.

4. Cost of ownership over the lifetime of the machine is not much more, and may even be less, than that of a typical PC. Consider it a 5 year investment for a Mac whereas a PC can rarely be considered to be more than a 3 year investment. This is largely because it is entirely practical to use the latest operating system and applications on a 5 year old Mac whereas it is not much fun running Windows Vista on a 5 year old PC...

5. While I'm on the subject - Vista - 'nuff said!

Hope this helps you to get your Mac.
Cheers,
Craig.

Oh, one last thing...

Are you aware of the Apple refurbished store and are you aware of educational discounts which may be available to you? If not then let me know and I'll point you in the right direction. You can get substantial discounts, especially in the refurb store.

Cheers,
Craig.
 
Haha thanks for all the reasons! Ill be sure to use them

Yes I know about it, here is a question though, what will get me more of a saving, using quidco or the education store. Also, can I use both when ordering?
 
sounds like your mind is already made up, but I'll throw in one last piece of advise, since I was in this same position a few months ago... I have a somewhat crappy laptop and wanted to get a newer mac. I went back and forth between the imac and the macbook. The screen on the imac was awesome, and there was more power. But the portability of the macbook would be awesome, seeing as I'm in college and commute between college and home about twice a month. In the end I have decided on the iMac. Its more powerful, it has a much bigger screen, it is still portable, and it will stay nice for years since you won't be throwing it in a bag all the time.

On a side note, i will be keeping my laptop so that if i need to write a paper, or watch a movie on the go, i can.
 
wawanarchist said:
sounds like your mind is already made up, but I'll throw in one last piece of advise, since I was in this same position a few months ago... I have a somewhat crappy laptop and wanted to get a newer mac. I went back and forth between the imac and the macbook. The screen on the imac was awesome, and there was more power. But the portability of the macbook would be awesome, seeing as I'm in college and commute between college and home about twice a month. In the end I have decided on the iMac. Its more powerful, it has a much bigger screen, it is still portable, and it will stay nice for years since you won't be throwing it in a bag all the time.

On a side note, i will be keeping my laptop so that if i need to write a paper, or watch a movie on the go, i can.
Click to expand...

So are you glad you went with the iMac?
 
HazRutter said:
Haha thanks for all the reasons! Ill be sure to use them

Yes I know about it, here is a question though, what will get me more of a saving, using quidco or the education store. Also, can I use both when ordering?
Click to expand...

I think the edu discount is about 6% which is more than quidco (3%) and you get the discount right now rather than having to wait several months. The refurb store will give much higher discounts typically in the region of 16% and you get the same warranty and service. The only difference is that it comes in a plain box rather than a retail box. You should be able to combine refurb with quidco but I don't think you get edu discounts for refurbs.

By the way, check the refurb store in the morning (later in the morning...) because they mess with the listings overnight and you should get more machines showing up tomorrow.

HTH,
Craig.
 
EDIT: Just re read your post...

Thanks a lot mate! Did you ever consider getting a MacBook?
 
I have a refurb iMac and it has been wonderful. Kudos to the poster that recommended refurbs, they're definitely the way to go. The MacBook I have was purchased with the education discount. Overall, I find myself using the iMac when I am at home instead of the MacBook because the 24" screen is enchanting.
 
I have both an imac and macbook and surprisingly i end up using my macbook alot more. Its much nicer to beable to work on my website wherever i am. I dont really noticed too much of a difference between the 2 until i start using alot of programs like photoshop dreamweaver and illustrator all at once but that might be becasue my macbook is only 2gb of ram while my iMac is 4gb of ram.
 
HazRutter said:
So are you glad you went with the iMac?
Click to expand...

HazRutter said:
EDIT: Just re read your post...

Thanks a lot mate! Did you ever consider getting a MacBook?
Click to expand...

Assuming your referring to me with the latter post, yes I did. I considered selling my laptop and putting the extra money towards the macbook. I must admit, I think the new design is the best laptop design ever made. However, In the end I had/have a laptop that can do simple tasks quite well. Right now I have 8 webpages, itunes, word, and photoshop all running, and i'm still cruising. It does not have the brawn to keep up with me all the time though, but the iMac will (no, don't have it yet, but I've spent enough time on them to know for sure)

It makes sense to have a cheaper laptop you won't feel bad banging around every now and then for simple tasks. And a nice sexy desktop for all your heavy duty work. I'm sure your laptop can do everything you need to do while mobile, so get a desktop that can do everything else
 
I'm about to eat my words... I just got an email from my new photo prof.

"Computer:

Apple Macbook or Macbook Pro

4 gig minimum (ram)"

Looks like I have to convince her to let me get the iMac, or suffer with a 15" screen, which is oh so great for editing photos
 
wawanarchist said:
I'm about to eat my words... I just got an email from my new photo prof.

"Computer:

Apple Macbook or Macbook Pro

4 gig minimum (ram)"

Looks like I have to convince her to let me get the iMac, or suffer with a 15" screen, which is oh so great for editing photos
Click to expand...

I dont understand this post.. Also the post about the iMac doing everything you want and then your old laptop for everything else really helped!
 
craig1410 said:
I think the edu discount is about 6% which is more than quidco (3%) and you get the discount right now rather than having to wait several months. The refurb store will give much higher discounts typically in the region of 16% and you get the same warranty and service. The only difference is that it comes in a plain box rather than a retail box. You should be able to combine refurb with quidco but I don't think you get edu discounts for refurbs.

By the way, check the refurb store in the morning (later in the morning...) because they mess with the listings overnight and you should get more machines showing up tomorrow.

HTH,
Craig.
Click to expand...

I thought the education discount was just for university students. :confused:
Please let me know if this is not the case as I am in 6th Form college and am soon hoping to buy an iMac when they are updated.
 
HazRutter said:
EDIT: Just re read your post...

Thanks a lot mate! Did you ever consider getting a MacBook?
Click to expand...

Yeah sorry, I edited my post to include the stuff about the refurb store stock cycles. Strangely it still seems to be a bit empty this morning. This could be due to the holiday season with possible staff shortages due to holidays. Keep an eye on it though as it changes daily. A friend of mine had been keeping an eye on the iMac's over the last few months and he says the stock comes and goes like the tides of the ocean!

As for whether I considered a Macbook, not really to be honest. Don't get me wrong, if I needed a laptop then I probably would go for one (or a MB Pro) but when I bought my iMac 24" back in August 2007 I needed a complete desktop replacement machine. My previous machine was a 6 year old Athlon 1.4GHz machine which I had build myself. I have built my own PC's since the 8086 days, through 80286, 80386, 80486 and into the Pentium era. I then departed from Intel onto NexGen CPU's who's design became the AMD K6. The Athlon was a good CPU but it ran as hot as hell and I ended up with a machine with something like 7 fans to keep it all cool! The noise was deafening and something had to give...

I have found that every time I build a new machine it costs me about £600. This includes, motherboard, memory, CPU, video card and usually a new hard disk but reuses the same case and monitor. I was lucky enough to have an 18.1" TFT LCD but it was made in 1999 and had broken down on me a few times due to a design flaw and I was getting fed up stripping it down and replacing capacitors every few months...

So, I needed to spend £600 on the guts of a machine and probably at the time around £300 on a new monitor. I would then still have an ugly, noisy beige box with no collective warranty and no operating system when for another £250 I could have an iMac! No brainer!! :) Not only was the screen far better than anything I would have bought for my beige box but I got a copy of OS X and a highly regarded warranty and customer service package. Even better, I could still continue to run Windows or Linux (which was what I had been using on my PC for a number of years) if required.

The net result is that I couldn't be happier. My iMac is now 16 months old and still feels as good as new. This is not something I could have said about previous machines where it was almost certain that something would be making strange noises by now (usually the fans). As I mentioned before I also have a couple of iBook G4's which I actually bought to repair/refurb and sell on. I just can't bear to sell them now as they are really nice little machines. They only cost me about £150 each plus the time it took to fix them so they don't owe me much. I also have a Windows laptop from my employer (I'm an IT Consultant by the way) which I use for my day job and can use at home too. It's a crappy £400 Toshiba machine so I very very rarely use it outside office hours.

Anyway, there you have a potted history of my computing machinery over the last couple of decades (not including the stuff I had before PC's were even PC's...) That's another story!

Cheers,
Craig.
 
josh88 said:
I thought the education discount was just for university students. :confused:
Please let me know if this is not the case as I am in 6th Form college and am soon hoping to buy an iMac when they are updated.
Click to expand...

So did I, but I went onto my schools webste and it gave me a link to the edu store?
 
HazRutter said:
So did I, but I went onto my schools webste and it gave me a link to the edu store?
Click to expand...

Firstly, I would recommend the refurb store first as the discounts are much higher and unfortunately the edu discounts don't give you any further benefit for refurb items. However, if you want to buy a retail machine then I'm sure your school will help you to do so. My wife is a teacher so it's not a problem for me to benefit from edu discounts but I'm sure one of your teachers who is not planning on buying a Mac themselves would help you out by effectively buying it for you.

I don't think Apple are too strict when it comes to applying the edu discount. If you were to go into a store with your Dad and just say that you are here to buy a Macbook/iMac for school work then you wouldn't have a problem. You could always take along a letter form the school or old report card to prove that you are a student but I doubt they would ask for it.

I'm sure others will comment if what I am saying is not correct.

Cheers,
Craig.
 
What would you guys go for, the 2.4 GHz version or the 2.66GHz.

Also what are the graphics cards like, the 2.66 GHz version has a ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB, what is the like, will I be able to play like the latst games and stuff, what about the 2.4 GHz graphics card, it is a ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT with 128MB memory.
 
Power vs Portability. I got the Pro because I wanted both.. I don't know about your area but in like 2 days apple will most likely be showing off a new iMac. I say wait for the new iMac.
 
iMac

I am in exactly the same situation except I am in Year 10 (9th Grade to America) but I eventually decided that I wanted the iMac. I needed a new desktop machine for my home studio and I can just buy a cheap second hand MacBook later on. The iMac had a larger and faster HD which is what I needed for video editing and a more powerful processor. You could also upgrade the RAM quickly and easily.

All the latest updates on the iMac, visit http://www.imacupdate.blogspot.com

Hope this helps.

Chris
 
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