Please help me with my dilemma!!!

[Blinkensnout]

Hi Guys,

So i currently have a 13" aluminium macbook running snow leopard that i purchased about a year ago. i have this as a desktop setup on a griffin elevator stands with keyboard & mouse.

The problem is the screen is a little small and realistically i am finding that i can only use one application per window comfortably without using expose every other second!!

The new imacs are out and i have never had an imac, i had a mac mini and moved onto the macbook. i really really fancy a 27" base model imac, the trouble is i am having trouble justifying the £1378 that i would have to pay via finance. i know it will be worth the money but im just not sure.

The other option is to get a 20 something inch (probably 24") decent quality external monitor display and continue using the macbook, this would cost approximatley £250 for the monitor + i would probably max out the ram in my macbook from 2 to 4gb so about £70 for that plus i would get a magic mouse......just because!!! so all in all i am looking at about £376 for that option.

The question i ask is which one should i go for, buy going for the external display option will i just regret not getting the imac? if you think i should go for a monitor can you recommed me a decent one not the ACD as that kind of defeats the object!!!

The other thing is that i only have a small corner desk so the 27" imac would fill that........but im not bothered!!!

The main uses of my current macbook are:

• • Surfing the web
  • itunes
  • iphoto
  • imovie
  • parallels for AutoCAD
  • ichat
  • mail
  • home photo & video editing ( i like to dabble!!)

thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Chris

 

[ADent]

Get an external monitor.

What happened to the monitor the mini was hooked up to?

 

[MacHamster68]

max out the macbooks ram , and buy a nice monitor like HP 2509m 25"

never ever think about getting a loan ,no matter for what it is , either you can afford it or not ,simple is that, trust me been there , got made redundant after a back injury years ago and nearly lost everything i had because of loans for such things like computers , its not worth it ,nothing can justify going into dept for..and dont trust payment protection plans , they find a way not to pay

use the money you save over the years ,instead of spending it every month on the loan ,use it to go on nice holidays, or save it up for a iMac or whatever you may want in the future

 

[dh2005]

I concur with the above, re finance.

I took a look at the Apple UK website. The APR on those finance agreements is 24.6%. Do you really want to pay an additional quarter on top of an already expensive asking price, and still be paying for that computer in 36 months' time when it's 'old hat' technology...?

... the answer, I'm sure you'll agree, is "no".

 

[Blinkensnout]

@ADent - The mac mini was just connected to the TV. i am thinking the external display maybe the best option also.

@MacHamster68 - Thanks for the input & the sound advice. What you have said really is exactly what i have been pondering over.

i have a HP w1907v monitor (only has VGA) that i have had for ages (back in the windows days!!) i tried that and frankly its cr@p...i will take a look at the 25" hp one though.

i was looking on PC worlds website and there's a few on there that seem pretty good, definaltey want a HD one......think i may order the extra 2gb of RAM from crucial later.......

Thanks again for the re-assuring advice.

 

[Blinkensnout]

Hi guys,

Just a quick one to say thanks for the advice and update on the situation,

i nipped to m,y local PC world earlier and got a great deal on a Samsung SyncMaster P2270HD.

i will post a piccy when its all installed later!

Thanks again for the great advice!!!