imac 24" vs macpro?

my company gives me $4000 a year to either go to lectures or to get a computer. this year i'm gonna get a new computer and wonder if it is better to buy an imac 24" or a macpro with a 23" monitor? i don't do much extra "stuff" on
the computer at home: just surf the web mostly. but it seems to me that the computer will become an integral part of the household in the next several years
for everyone and with the macpro it seems that there is more of an option to upgrade with time. on the other hand if i get the imac 24"(which is one sleek machine) i can get used to the mac os and if i like it then maybe i can get the latest high-end model in a year or two? any recommendations???

I would go for the 24" iMac based on what you have said. The Mac Pro would be overkill. You will get the bigger screen (24" vs. 23" - they run at the same resolution, so everything will be just that little bit bigger and nicer on the iMac), the built in iSight and of course just the sleek design and simple wow! factor of the iMac.

But here is the kicker. Add up the numbers. A 2.66 GHz Mac Pro, plus a 23" Cinema display, decked out with at least 2GB of RAM and at least 500 MB of hard disk is going to end up costing significantly more than a similarly equipped 24" iMac with its integrated screen. True, the Pro will have a faster processor (and twice as many cores too), but you don't really seem to need the power.

So, like so many things, it is a cost/performance tradeoff. Based on what you have said, it sounds to me like the iMac is the better choice, but that is just my personal opinion.

I agree with mac57, (with reps, too ) and would say you will enjoy the gorgeous iMac screen. Also, it's a great workstation for the kind of thing I think you'll be doing, and also serves nicely to enjoy all your digital media and DVDs as well. I'd kill myself for the iMac any day. (I have never seen one for real, can't imagin a screen 4" more than the monster in front of me already.)

probably will go with the imac24". i just crave the extra power of the mac pro even though i don't really need it. i must have become americanized after all.

This is what i came up with:

MAC PRO: Specifications- $3964

Two 2.0GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon
2GB (4 x 512MB)
500GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
ATI Radeon X1900 XT 512MB (2 x dual-link DVI)
Apple Cinema HD Display (23" flat panel)
One 16x SuperDrive
Apple Keyboard and Mighty Mouse - U.S. English
Mac OS X - U.S. English

IMAC: Specifications- $3991

2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
3GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 1x2GB, 1x1GB
750GB Serial ATA Drive
NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT 256MB SDRAM
SuperDrive 8X (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Aperture 1.5 preinstalled
Apple Keyboard & Mighty Mouse + Mac OS X (US English)
AppleCare Protection Plan for iMac - Auto-enroll
24-inch widescreen LCD
AirPort Extreme
Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR

Go for the imac. You dont seem to need alot of power. Plus lets not forget the 24inch iMac is very powerful, even without 2gb of ram. The imac is sleek, beautiful and powerful. I say get yourself an imac with some apple care and some nice apps. Better for you than Mac Pro.

If some one handed me $4000 bucks to spend on an apple desktop, I would get this:

Final Cut Studio 5.1
Part Number: MA285Z/A





Estimated Ship: Within 24 hours
iMac, 24-inch, Intel Core 2 Duo
Part Number: Z0DD
Apple Wireless Keyboard & wireless Mighty Mouse + Mac OS X (US English)
NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT 256MB SDRAM
Accessory kit
500GB Serial ATA Drive
2GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
SuperDrive 8X (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
$2,558.00 $2,558.00

Estimated Ship: 2-4 business days
AppleCare Protection Plan for iMac - Auto-enroll
Part Number: S2511Z/A


Estimated Ship: Within 24 hours
Cart Subtotal: $4,026.00

I need a job that Gives me 4000 a year for a new computer.

Mac Pros are great but they are for pros really. The iMac 24 is a great machine and for you the best choice. I am thinking of buying one as my main TV in the near future and lossing my current HDTV for it. I think it is the nicest mac alround ever made (desktop anyway).