Which iMac Should I Go For?

[Locker]

For my 18th Birthday I'll be purchasing a brand new iMac. Up until yesterday I had my mind set on what I was getting, the 20" 2.4Ghz iMac with an upgraded HDD to 500GB and AppleCare. With my student discount, this would cost me £1063.38.

However, yesterday I walked into a Comet store and saw a 24" iMac on display, I was amazed at the size difference and am now thinking of investing in a 24" model. I guess once you've seen bigger, everything else seems small. I did initially think of going all-out and buying the top-end model (24" 2.8ghz). However, this would set me back £1,483.38, slightly too much.

As a compromise, I'm now thinking that a 24" 2.4Ghz model with an upgraded HDD to 500GB would be a decent solution. That'd cost £1,251.38.

I just have a few questions still in my mind though, as I want to make sure I don't regret my decision:

• Is there much difference between the 2.4Ghz and 2.8Ghz processors?
• I've read somewhere that you can't return your iMac if you've made a customised purchase, is this true?
• Are 20" screens less susceptible to colour in-balance and dead pixels?

Any other general recommendations would be much appreciated

 

[DoFoT9]

For my 18th Birthday I'll be purchasing a brand new iMac. Up until yesterday I had my mind set on what I was getting, the 20" 2.4Ghz iMac with an upgraded HDD to 500GB and AppleCare. With my student discount, this would cost me £1063.38.

However, yesterday I walked into a Comet store and saw a 24" iMac on display, I was amazed at the size difference and am now thinking of investing in a 24" model. I guess once you've seen bigger, everything else seems small. I did initially think of going all-out and buying the top-end model (24" 2.8ghz). However, this would set me back £1,483.38, slightly too much.

As a compromise, I'm now thinking that a 24" 2.4Ghz model with an upgraded HDD to 500GB would be a decent solution. That'd cost £1,251.38.

I just have a few questions still in my mind though, as I want to make sure I don't regret my decision:

• Is there much difference between the 2.4Ghz and 2.8Ghz processors?
• I've read somewhere that you can't return your iMac if you've made a customised purchase, is this true?
• Are 20" screens less susceptible to colour in-balance and dead pixels?

Any other general recommendations would be much appreciated

1. no not much actual difference between the 2.4ghz and 2.8ghz.. only the numbers!!! everything else is the same.
2. yea i think u can return it within 20days if you dislike it.
3. each lcd screen technically will all last the same time/work the same. i wouldnt worry about that, not matter what you are going to love it.

personally, i would go the 24', because its just amazingly big. the extra screen size allows for 2 safari windows, or a word doc and something else you are writing about. it just saves time switching.

either way you are going to be superhappy man.

 

[Locker]

2. yea i think u can return it within 20days if you dislike it.

Say I got the custom one then, with AppleCare, and I had a problem with it. I'm guessing that they would surely still replace it?

 

[DoFoT9]

Say I got the custom one then, with AppleCare, and I had a problem with it. I'm guessing that they would surely still replace it?

yup im about 99% sure that no matter what it is you can still return it under their policy.

 

[gormond]

• Is there much difference between the 2.4Ghz and 2.8Ghz processors?
• I've read somewhere that you can't return your iMac if you've made a customised purchase, is this true?
• Are 20" screens less susceptible to colour in-balance and dead pixels?

1) 17% faster clock speed for 14% more cost
2) Not sure about US law but in the UK we have distance selling regulations that allow us to return anything within 10 days for a full refund.
3) The 20" screen use a inferior TN panel that laptops use, where as the 24" use a high quality H-IPS which gives better color reproduction and a better viewing angle.

 

[DoFoT9]

3) The 20" screen use a inferior TN panel that laptops use, where as the 24" use a high quality H-IPS which gives better color reproduction and a better viewing angle.

...but will by no means indicate a worser screen in terms of longevity and stability. just looks


i think....

 

[gormond]

...but will by no means indicate a worser screen in terms of longevity and stability. just looks


i think....

Good point, in terms of longevity and stability it would be interesting to know if a TN or H-IPS panel is better or are they much the same.

 

[Locker]

1) 17% faster clock speed for 14% more cost

So will this be a noticeable and worthwhile performance increase? I'm probably going to be encoding quite a few videos for my website, into various formats, the same with audio. I’ll also be producing a podcast and am a bit of a multi-tasker (my taskbar in XP is always crowded). I use Photoshop and Dreamweaver which are performance hogs on my current setup - is the 0.4Ghz increase really worth the £150 price tag?

 

[DoFoT9]

So will this be a noticeable and worthwhile performance increase? I'm probably going to be encoding quite a few videos for my website, into various formats, the same with audio. I’ll also be producing a podcast and am a bit of a multi-tasker (my taskbar in XP is always crowded). I use Photoshop and Dreamweaver which are performance hogs on my current setup - is the 0.4Ghz increase really worth the £150 price tag?

in 2-3 years time it will be a noticeable increase. it would hold value longer and run newer versions of programs faster /whatnot.

 

[gormond]

So will this be a noticeable and worthwhile performance increase? I'm probably going to be encoding quite a few videos for my website, into various formats, the same with audio. I’ll also be producing a podcast and am a bit of a multi-tasker (my taskbar in XP is always crowded). I use Photoshop and Dreamweaver which are performance hogs on my current setup - is the 0.4Ghz increase really worth the £150 price tag?

imo yes, its little extra cash in the overall scheme of things, I will be ordering the very same one next month.

On another note I hear Leopard wont run on a 800Mhz G4 and you need a 867Mhz G4, bet there are some people who wish they got the faster chip at the time