Hmm, running all these apps at the same time (Photoshop, iMovie, Parallels/Fusion) shouldn't be a problem; of course if you do some processor tasks (like converting a video) performance would be a little decreased.
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Is ANYBODY planning to buy a base 21.5 iMac ???
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Hmm, running all these apps at the same time (Photoshop, iMovie, Parallels/Fusion) shouldn't be a problem; of course if you do some processor tasks (like converting a video) performance would be a little decreased.
Hi Vanil,
Again, that is good to hear - as I assumed that it will be the GPU that is trying to cope with all the media intensive tasks (rendering things smoothly, fluidly, etc and just wasn't sure if it had the bandwidth and capability to cope with it all. So the 9400M G isn;t so bad afterall. ...though it is the poorest option availbable in the range... hmm...
How strange, I spent 1.5hrs in Apple's flagship London store yesterday evening.
They did not have one single low end 21.5" iMac. All of them (and there were about 11 in total) were the second lowest spec - even the staff were surprised, we ended up going around and checking every single one!
I wonder if the lowest spec is not on display for a reason....
They did not have one single low end 21.5" iMac. All of them (and there were about 11 in total) were the second lowest spec - even the staff were surprised, we ended up going around and checking every single one!
I wonder if the lowest spec is not on display for a reason....
Life is too short to be your own IT expert, of all my friends who went Mac from windows, none have ever gone back, and most do not even bootcamp.
How strange, I spent 1.5hrs in Apple's flagship London store yesterday evening.
They did not have one single low end 21.5" iMac. All of them (and there were about 11 in total) were the second lowest spec - even the staff were surprised, we ended up going around and checking every single one!
I wonder if the lowest spec is not on display for a reason....
Wow bro. Your still undecided. Lol.
If you're that worried about just get the next model up. If you don't do alot of gaming, just a soccer game the base model is more than enough for you. The 9400M G ability to playback video is as good as its other siblings the higher end imacs. No difference in look or performance. It's just playing back video and the 9400M G is optimized for that task since it has a dedicated video processor. Is it as good as games, no, as powerfull no. For video playback, yes. It is just as good.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenCL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CUDA
I played last night, madden, paused, used photoshop, opened Picasa and sent 20GB of photos while typing a word document for work with all programs open at the same time and then resumed my game all with no slow down what so ever. Zero.
Even though the base imac is not as powerfull as it's elder siblings, it is still a powerfull high end all-in-one machine. Regardless. Compare it to the lenovo A600, the HP touch-smart, and a few others to get my meaning.
You have the Geforce 9400 M G specs and performance numbers against other cards. Look up the other cards reviews that have similar numbers and that should give you your answer.
Just got mine yesterday, playing with it all night and day & so far I absolutely love it. The graphics card works fine as long as your not a gamer in my opinion. I use ProTools & Garage Band, and a little bit of Photoshop and everything has been running super smooth so far. I had a Macbook Pro I dropped $2,000 on about 2 years back and for this being just $1200 you can't beat it, it looks and works terrific and unless your a gamer, or using intense programs that require a higher end graphics card I think this it's a fantastic computer.
The only thing I can really complain about is the the new wireless mouse, it's different. I just don't know if that different is good so far. It feels a little odd in my hand and the multi-touch is cool but not what I was hoping for, I was hoping you would be able to pinch, or spread your fingers apart to zoom in and zoom out like on the trackpads or iphone. It's not bad, it's just not as amazing as they make it I to be I think.
The only thing I can really complain about is the the new wireless mouse, it's different. I just don't know if that different is good so far. It feels a little odd in my hand and the multi-touch is cool but not what I was hoping for, I was hoping you would be able to pinch, or spread your fingers apart to zoom in and zoom out like on the trackpads or iphone. It's not bad, it's just not as amazing as they make it I to be I think.
haha dudeman, I was wondering if you'd see my latest response
I think I've pretty much decided on the next model up. I am hoping that the future safeness (!) it offers will help offset the immediate cost I will have to take the hit on right now. Can't wait.
The baseline 21.5 inch model will definitely be well worth the money.
However, for just $300 more, you get a graphics card that's a little more future-proof. If you can spare it, I'd get the 21.5 model with the ATI Radeon HD 4670 discreet graphics card.
However, for just $300 more, you get a graphics card that's a little more future-proof. If you can spare it, I'd get the 21.5 model with the ATI Radeon HD 4670 discreet graphics card.
Go for It!!
Bro, Go get your Mac!
I am in the same boat as you...coming from a PC and looking to get the base model because it does everything I need it to do for all that I am willing to pay. (but I am not a "computer dum dum" lol) The base line model is a great buy if you are not using huge mega apps like Final Cut Studio or Logic Studio or any other professional tool that you plan to make money with. An iMac period is not the move for that type of work(though it can be done), the Mac Pro would be a more suitable choice. You would also stay away from heavy duty gaming with the base model as a better video card would quickly turn into a must have.
Other than those I think the base model is perfect and that is what I plan to purchase. My main purpose is using Xcode and after that I will be using Garage Band and iMovie. One day I may move up to Logic Express but that's it. I create music for a hobby and not to make money therefor these light apps will work well for me and they are made to work with all Macs. (ok maybe not those older than 4 years but who knows..not me)
Hey, if guys did this stuff on the 2006 and 2007 iMacs we can do it on this 2009 base model! The 27 inch would be nice but I already have a 22 inch Samsung that will serve as a second screen quite nicely. Even without the Samsung the 21.5 inch is sufficient for me as I am not willing to pay the difference.
I have never owned a MAC. I anticipate that my future experience will confirm that the only reason we use PCs is because Apple has not figured out how to break into the business market yet. Believe me, even my IT Director has one at home and he is always investigating how to get them into our shop.
He He One thing I left out...I do plan to upgrade the processor to 3.33 at the time of purchase (E8600 best Core 2 Duo chip http://financemanila.net/2008/11/intel-core-i7-leaps-over-core-2-duo-and-quad-core/). Memory upgrades can come as needed in the future.
Understandably , most of the excitement is centered around the 27" with quad core ...I'm not a techie . In fact , I'm one of the " basic user " crowd , who up until now has used Windows exclusively .
I'm ready to pull the trigger on a base iMac , but would like to hear more opinions on it .
I have not ruled out a PC , but like countless other PC users am tired of messing with Windows - if it is to my advantage to do so .
I would love to hear from any and all re: the basic iMac computer - + and - .
I am a computer dum dum , so cut me some slack and be gracious .
Best regards from an American in Japan .
Bro, Go get your Mac!
I am in the same boat as you...coming from a PC and looking to get the base model because it does everything I need it to do for all that I am willing to pay. (but I am not a "computer dum dum" lol) The base line model is a great buy if you are not using huge mega apps like Final Cut Studio or Logic Studio or any other professional tool that you plan to make money with. An iMac period is not the move for that type of work(though it can be done), the Mac Pro would be a more suitable choice. You would also stay away from heavy duty gaming with the base model as a better video card would quickly turn into a must have.
Other than those I think the base model is perfect and that is what I plan to purchase. My main purpose is using Xcode and after that I will be using Garage Band and iMovie. One day I may move up to Logic Express but that's it. I create music for a hobby and not to make money therefor these light apps will work well for me and they are made to work with all Macs. (ok maybe not those older than 4 years but who knows..not me)
Hey, if guys did this stuff on the 2006 and 2007 iMacs we can do it on this 2009 base model! The 27 inch would be nice but I already have a 22 inch Samsung that will serve as a second screen quite nicely. Even without the Samsung the 21.5 inch is sufficient for me as I am not willing to pay the difference.
I have never owned a MAC. I anticipate that my future experience will confirm that the only reason we use PCs is because Apple has not figured out how to break into the business market yet. Believe me, even my IT Director has one at home and he is always investigating how to get them into our shop.
He He
One thing I left out...I do plan to upgrade the processor to 3.33 at the time of purchase (E8600 best Core 2 Duo chip http://financemanila.net/2008/11/intel-core-i7-leaps-over-core-2-duo-and-quad-core/). Memory upgrades can come as needed in the future.Thanks for foto!
2 Everybody, please, place fotos of your 21,5 iMacs.
It would be very helpfully to compare dimensions with other things in room!
Just got mine yesterday, playing with it all night and day & so far I absolutely love it. The graphics card works fine as long as your not a gamer in my opinion. I use ProTools & Garage Band, and a little bit of Photoshop and everything has been running super smooth so far. I had a Macbook Pro I dropped $2,000 on about 2 years back and for this being just $1200 you can't beat it, it looks and works terrific and unless your a gamer, or using intense programs that require a higher end graphics card I think this it's a fantastic computer.
The only thing I can really complain about is the the new wireless mouse, it's different. I just don't know if that different is good so far. It feels a little odd in my hand and the multi-touch is cool but not what I was hoping for, I was hoping you would be able to pinch, or spread your fingers apart to zoom in and zoom out like on the trackpads or iphone. It's not bad, it's just not as amazing as they make it I to be I think.
may i ask where you got your desk? i love it.
Apple's upgrades are expensive and restrictive. I tried to configure the base 21.5 inch iMac with the ATI 4670 graphics card plus 3.33GHZ processor but stick with the base model 500GB hard drive. Apple insisted it wasn't possible. I could only get the ATI 4670 card with a 1TB hard drive which I didn't want. Don't see why this isn't possible. But the nice lady from Apple said I had to choose from the specified configurations. Ah well...
This also works the other way. I didn't need the dedicated graphics, but I wanted the TB hard drive. Doesn't work, so I settled on the base.
The lineup is definitely made to get you to rationalize up to the 27". Restraint is needed.
Yeah, its not that it CANT be done, its that they WONT do it. Like the other poster said, they are stepping you up in your mind, so you just go, "Oh, hell, just give me the 27"!"
Also, I am a first time Mac user. I bought the baseline 21.5 0n friday. Added iWork and the Apple remote, which I feel should be free. But, anyway, so far I dont see what the big deal is. Everyone was telling me how hard the switch would be and that I needed to run it side-by-side with my PC for a week or so until I figured it out. So far I have had NO problems with the switch. And now I am really happy that I have made the switch.
To those of you potential first timers out there, just do it! This computer is absolutely gorgeous sitting on my desk, and there is plenty under the hood if you are an average computer user. I play a few games now and then, I surf the web, and use itunes extensively. This is worth the money. Im now on a crusade to convert all my friends to Mac!
I too think the remote should be included.
Are you utilising the built in speakers at the moment? How are you finding it? Coming from 4.1 surround sound (PC) I'm slightly cautious as to how life will be surroundsoundless
They arent so bad. Coming from 4.1 you will see a noticeable difference thought. They arent overly loud, I guess I would call the sound output adequate. Ive certainly had PC's that were a lot worse than this. I do think that I will grab some speakers eventually though.
I bought the base 21.5 machine and loaded everything on it this weekend. Absolutely love it, upgraded from a imac g5 1.9. The screen is gorgeous, photos look absolutely amazing on it. Very speedy for using iphoto, imovie and garageband. I haven't played a game on any of my macs since playing COD on my old g4 tower.
If you aren't planning on major gaming, this is a great rig. Just my .02
If you aren't planning on major gaming, this is a great rig. Just my .02
I'm thinking of picking one of the base 21.5 inch iMacs as well. I went to the Apple Store today and I was impressed with the new line. The 27 inch is excessively big for me and since I have a PS3 for gaming, I think the 9400M would suffice.
The one thing that bothered me was that out of all the 21.5 inch iMacs on display at the store (probably >20), not one of them was the base model with the 9400M. I know that the integrated chip isn't terrible especially for day-to-day use, but coming from a MacBook with the worst integrated graphics ever (Intel X3100), I know how frustrating and annoying it is to use my computer and see lag when stacks expand and even when magnifying the dock.
Can someone who has this base model let me know how smooth the interface is?
Thanks much
The one thing that bothered me was that out of all the 21.5 inch iMacs on display at the store (probably >20), not one of them was the base model with the 9400M. I know that the integrated chip isn't terrible especially for day-to-day use, but coming from a MacBook with the worst integrated graphics ever (Intel X3100), I know how frustrating and annoying it is to use my computer and see lag when stacks expand and even when magnifying the dock.
Can someone who has this base model let me know how smooth the interface is?
Thanks much
Thanks for that. I too will have to look into options. But there are not many choices (at all) for surround sound speaker set ups that have a digital/optical in interface.... booo
Post #79?
And for the answer, flip page a page or two, I asked the same questions re: gfx card / capabilities.
Well my X3100 Intel piece of **** card can handle CS:S at native, but OSX's interface still lags. So I would like someone to actually see how the interface reacts. Nothing bothers me more than interface lag.
I'm sure the 9400M is capable enough and that the interface problems are the Intel driver issues, but I would like to know for sure before I drop $1400 CAD on one of these. I'm just a little miffed that Apple doesn't have all the models to try out.
Play with a mac mini at the store. If that is satisfactory to you, the low-end iMac will be just fine.
Had a chance to try out the iMac 21.5 model with the ATI 4670 graphics card at the Regent's Street Apple Store this afternoon. What a beautiful machine! It was stood next to a 27 inch iMac and I actually preferred the smaller machine. The 27 inch machine was just too big and unwieldy for my liking. The 21.5 inch was just perfect. The screen was surprisingly large and better proportioned I thought than the bigger model.
Played some HD content from the BBC iPlayer and an HD trailer for 'Avatar' and the image quality from all angles was exceptional. Website pages were sharp and text was clear. Colours were crisp and bright. The machine was only just warm to the touch on the top left behind the screen - so no problems heatwise. Any concerns about the glossy screen I had proved non-existent. I just wasn't bothered by any reflections in what is a very brightly-lit store.
I liked the Magic Mouse. Was a little disappointed it wasn't a full touchpad device - you still have to move the mouse to move the cursor. Something I've grown out of the habit of from using a Logitech trackball mouse. But still a nice piece of kit and definitely the best mouse Apple have ever made. A full-sized wireless keyboard would have been a bonus.
Overall, I was very impressed with these new iMacs. Am pretty close to finally upgrading from an ageing desktop tower. These are the first iMacs to come close to tempting me...
Played some HD content from the BBC iPlayer and an HD trailer for 'Avatar' and the image quality from all angles was exceptional. Website pages were sharp and text was clear. Colours were crisp and bright. The machine was only just warm to the touch on the top left behind the screen - so no problems heatwise. Any concerns about the glossy screen I had proved non-existent. I just wasn't bothered by any reflections in what is a very brightly-lit store.
I liked the Magic Mouse. Was a little disappointed it wasn't a full touchpad device - you still have to move the mouse to move the cursor. Something I've grown out of the habit of from using a Logitech trackball mouse. But still a nice piece of kit and definitely the best mouse Apple have ever made. A full-sized wireless keyboard would have been a bonus.
Overall, I was very impressed with these new iMacs. Am pretty close to finally upgrading from an ageing desktop tower. These are the first iMacs to come close to tempting me...