I want to buy a new iMac. Your suggestions?

[stopbush]

I'm moving, so I've handed off my old grape iMac (6 GB HD) to a relative who has never owned a computer. I want to buy a new iMac that will be my kids' computer with occasional adult usage.

I was looking at the 17" screen version with the 160GB drive that goes for around $1500. That's about what I feel like spending. I won't need periferrals, just programs.

A good machine/buy, or should I do something else?

[reprobate]

1. I bought a 20" iMac G5 in february. My first mac. I'm not going back.

The iMac is what computing should have been in the first place. I finally have a really good computer that's also quiet. Built all my PCs for the last ten or fifteen years and always tried to build a QUIET machine but never really succeeded. They all approached 747 sound levels to my ear. I finally have a computer that isn't audably fatigueing.

I love my iMac and can't recomment it enough. It's powerful enough to do most computing jobs (at least what I do) like photos and music editing. It will do most things well, but if you want a cutting edge gaming machine, I'd look elswhere. I believe PCs still have the edge with gaming.

In full honesty I did have a problem with it at 3 months old. The rev A machines had a problem with faulty capacitors in the power supply. When My PSU failed I hauled it down to the Apple Store and it was fixed promptly and at no cost under warrantee. I understand that the machines on the shelf now don't have this bug.


My one gripe is that we can't buy the extended Applecare here in florida. Some disagreement between Apple and the State.

Hope this helps your decision.

[stopbush]

3. Thanks. I've always had a Mac at home.

They're what I started on back in 92 when I got my first job that used computers. Since then, most work situations have been on PC. I prefer Mac by some distance.

I have no interest in PC gaming. My son is set up with every PlayStation imaginable and that seems to be fine.

[benburch]

2. I'd buy an eMac and save the money.

I have an eMac, and it is a great machine.

[stopbush]

4. It's a thought, but I really want a bigger screen.

And the new iMacs take up less space, don't they?

[benburch]

6. Yes they do.

The eMac has a 17" screen, though.

[alfredo]

9. My wife has one. It's pretty good. I like the nice flat screen.

It is heavy. It is 20lbs over my weight limit.

[Poiuyt]

5. You could also buy a Mini and a nice LCD monitor

That's what I did. They're not as nice as the G5 iMacs, but they are also quiet and don't take up much space.

[reprobate]

7. That's true, Poiuyt. I got my wife a mini for her kitchen computer.

With a 15" LCD monitor, and velcroed the mini to the back of the monitor. It makes a nice compact installation, and takes up very little desk space. Of course this would also work with a bigger monitor.

[alfredo]

8. That's fine for just about anything you want to do

It appears that it has 512mb RAM. That should be enough, but if you can afford it, add more.

[emulatorloo]

10. Best Deals on Macs are tracked here:

http://www.lowendmac.com/deals.shtml

also:

http://www.macprices.com