Switching this year, which model to choose

Hi guys,

I am turning 40 later this year and am finally going to get my first Mac, but which one. So I have been to the stores and looked at all the latest models. I have spoken to people who own macs and can wait until I make my purchase ( somewhere around April).
I originally was going to go for a macbookair. Then it was a macbookpro. Now its an iMac.
So anyone have any suggestions or help would be great.

Also, another question. I have an Iomega home network HD. Will my new mac (which ever one) work with this alright??

Thanks, Conor

thewal,

Which model you get entirely depends on your wants, needs, and budget. Do you want something that's portable? Do you need something with a lot of power? How much money are you planning to spend? These are all factors you'll need to determine before taking the plunge.

Give us a sense of what you would like to do with your futu Mac, and we should be better able to provide you with some guidance.

Two questions, for starters... What's your budget. And do you need portability?

ETA: Beaten by seconds

My budget is €1400

I know this is probably a poor response, but I am not sure if I need the new device to be portable or not. I like the idea of a laptop, but I also like the idea of the iMac.

thewal said:

I know this is probably a poor response, but I am not sure if I need the new device to be portable or not. I like the idea of a laptop, but I also like the idea of the iMac.

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Gonna have to make up your mind...portability vs. non-portability is an important first step in deciding what model to purchase.

If you don't know your needs better than us..."someone's" in trouble!

- Nick

When push comes to shove, I am probably leaning towards the iMac

thewal said:

When push comes to shove, I am probably leaning towards the iMac

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You usually get more "bang for your buck" with a desktop. If an iMac is what you want...then what size display...21.5" or 27"?

- Nick

I think that the 27" is too big, so 21.5

thewal said:

I think that the 27" is too big, so 21.5

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Well we are getting somewhere. So far we're talking 21.5" iMac.

If you go to the Apple.com webpage (for your country)...you'll see that Apple has two stock configurations of the 21.5" iMac. The more expensive one has a slightly faster cpu, better graphics hardware, and a bigger hard drive.

So you really just have to decide between these two models...and BAMM...you've found the Macintosh computer for you!

- Nick

Also bear in mind come April if the range hasn't already been refreshed it almost certainly will be imminent. So I most certainly wouldn't be purchasing this current generation.

Is it worth paying an extra €300????

Well, if you like the "idea" of portability, it means you're probably more likely to be sitting on the couch surfing the internet than doing any kind of mobile computing for work and etc. Based on that, I would think a mid-range iMac and first generation iPad would probably fit the bill.

thewal said:

Is it worth paying an extra €300????

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The old computer buying rule always applies...buy as much computer as you can afford.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

The old computer buying rule always applies...buy as much computer as you can afford.

- Nick

Click to expand...

This is probably off topic, but I actually disagree with this. I believe technology moves too quickly too warrant a significant upfront single investment, rather than two or three smaller investments. After all, a $2000 mid-range Mac notebook three years from now is likely to be far superior to a contemporary $5000 top-of-the-line Macbook Pro. So why not spend $2000 today, and $2000 in a few years? You'll get more power per dollar that way. At least I have...

bazanders said:

Also bear in mind come April if the range hasn't already been refreshed it almost certainly will be imminent. So I most certainly wouldn't be purchasing this current generation.

Click to expand...

My birthday is in April, and I am going on holidays in May. So it will probably be the end of May or the start of June before I buy.

But reading various posts people say that you can't be sure when Apple will be bringing out the new models. Also, when Apple bring out the newer models, do they sell off the last models cheaper?

Thewal these are my favorite threads. I was in the same boat and no one better to ask than a bunch of Apple headz. The most for your money will be an IMac. I was torn over a mini or desktop and there is no comparison. I bought the stock version IMac and have been thrilled with it. A lot of people tend to push laptops but in my opinion laptops are the worst value. if you need portability then that is your only choice but When comparing cost hardware and specs the IMac wins hands down.

Ghost Rider said:

Thewal these are my favorite threads. I was in the same boat and no one better to ask than a bunch of Apple headz. The most for your money will be an IMac. I was torn over a mini or desktop and there is no comparison. I bought the stock version IMac and have been thrilled with it. A lot of people tend to push laptops but in my opinion laptops are the worst value. if you need portability then that is your only choice but When comparing cost hardware and specs the IMac wins hands down.

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I suppose when I started this thread, in the back of my head I wanted the iMac. As you say I needed some inspiration from some of you guys who had switched.
I see that you have the 21.5". Which version did you go for?? The reason I am asking is the same as my post last night. Is it worth paying €300 extra for the higher spec, or would I be better off getting the lower spec and adding 8 g ram for an extra €200???

Suddenly April, May, June seems so far away!!!

I have the entry level version. I got it for $1139 at Bestbuy.

For my needs the entry level is perfect. Mostly web surfing, very light gaming, spreadsheets and YouTube video editing and a little music here and there. I will be adding my own ram because it is a lot cheaper than buying from Apple. I learned that here as well

it depends on your needs but I would take the 300 and get a time capsule.

good luck!

Shikarnov said:

This is probably off topic, but I actually disagree with this. I believe technology moves too quickly too warrant a significant upfront single investment, rather than two or three smaller investments. After all, a $2000 mid-range Mac notebook three years from now is likely to be far superior to a contemporary $5000 top-of-the-line Macbook Pro. So why not spend $2000 today, and $2000 in a few years? You'll get more power per dollar that way. At least I have...

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Some things that may not have been considered:

- Not everyone buys a new computer every 1, 2, or 3 years.
- Many folks want the computer they buy today to last (or be useful) as long as possible. This could be 3, 5, 7 years or more.
- Increased productivity. If someone needs to "squeeze" every last bit of performance out of a computer...then paying extra for the faster cpu or better graphics is well worth the value of the increased productivity.

I do agree...that if someone gets a newer computer rather frequently (every 1-2 years)...and does not need to squeeze every bit of performance out of a computer...then there is no need to pay for a top end computer.

But again..."Buying as much computer as you can afford" (as a general rule)...does work for most people. Buying as much computer as you can afford may only mean spending a couple hundred extra $$$ to get the faster gpu or cpu (or both)...and that extra $200-$300 spent may get someone an extra 1-2 years of "useful life" out of a computer.

For someone that may keep a computer as long as 5-7 years or more...this can be a big deal.

- Nick

thewal said:

.

But reading various posts people say that you can't be sure when Apple will be bringing out the new models. Also, when Apple bring out the newer models, do they sell off the last models cheaper?

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Not really...you just have to keep your eyes on the "refurbished" section of Apple's website. Supply of recently discontinued models generally seem to be more plentiful after the release of new models.

- Nick