Keep 20" iMac, or get something else?

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Hello all... I have a 20" iMac 2.0 Intel Core Duo (not C2D). I picked it up for a good price - I can most likely sell it for the same amount (maybe more). It has 1.5 GB RAM, 500GB internal HD, otherwise stock.

I also use a 12" iBook G4 1.33 with 1GB for web surfing, email, light photo work.

And have Mini 1.66 Duo with 2GB of RAM that I use for my iTunes server hooked up to my TV.

My question is, is there a better alternative to the iMac for around the same price range ($800). Less would be even better as money is an issue right now. Maybe the Mini could work for what I want and I could get something less for the living room.

Any thoughts on optimizing performance, yet saving some money? I'd rather get out of the iMac now while I can walk away with no harm. I have a 20" Alum. ACD as well, so maybe a new Mini with 3GB capability would be a good solution, although I have always loved the G4 Cube - any upgrade possibilities for that, or is that a step waaay back? How about a G5 Powermac - maybe 2.0 dual or something similar?

I don't use photoshop - primarily Lightzone, Bibble, Photomatix, iPhoto '08.

Thanks in advance.
 
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I think you maybe should keep the iMac, sell the rest and buy a MacBook?

I would not buy a PC though, a new mini might also be a good idea.
 
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sell imac and mini, and get a pimped out new Mini :D
 
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Wow, you picked up the Core Duo iMac for $800? I just sold mine for $1000. I'd get rid of the iMac.
Personally, I would stay away from the cube. It's old and really a nice collectors item.
-Peace
 
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Selling both really isn't an option. I would either sell the iMac and get something else for the photo work station or sell the iMac and move the Mini to the workstation and get something else (less expensive) for the stereo setup.

Thanks for the replies.
 
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Wow, you picked up the Core Duo iMac for $800? I just sold mine for $1000. I'd get rid of the iMac.
Personally, I would stay away from the cube. It's old and really a nice collectors item.
-Peace

What do you recommend if I sold the iMac? I want to either make a lateral move performance wise and save some money or make a lateral move money wise and gain some performance.
 
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What do you recommend if I sold the iMac? I want to either make a lateral move performance wise and save some money or make a lateral move money wise and gain some performance.
If you are even considering a lateral move of any kind, then it just makes more sense to simply keep the iMac you have now.
 
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What do you recommend if I sold the iMac? I want to either make a lateral move performance wise and save some money or make a lateral move money wise and gain some performance.

I say take the money and run. If you already have a portable (G4 iBook), a mini as a storage/ media device, and a A&G iMac, what else do you need? A G5 PowerMac would be cool but a $900 G5 PowerMac will not get you much (it would be a downgrade in performance compared to the Core Duo iMac.) The technology is older. The only other performance gain you might see with $800 is if you bought the new C2D 2GHz mini and stuffed it with RAM. Even then the performance upgrade would be extremely minimal.
Tell me, what would you do with another computer if you got it? If you got a second mini, what would you use it for? If you got a G5 PowerMac, what would you use it for? Would you use it for something one of your other Macs can't handle?
Buy an iPod or iPhone or something. Or a second monitor for the A&G iMac. Or just save it.
If you really want a new machine to play with, I have a few for sale. (See sig.)
-Peace
 
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Thanks for the detailed reply. I think there was some miscommunication though. Right now I have three macs and a 20" Cinema Display.

The Mini is my entertainment device.
The iBook is for portability.
The iMac is for photo processing.

If I sold the iMac, I need something to use for photo processing and could potentially use the 20" Cinema Display with whatever that was - Powermac G5 or c2d Mini.

I just know that having core duo iMac is a little limited - especially with RAM (2GB) - something that is important with photo editing. If it made sense to jump out now while the value was still there, I'd go for it.

Thanks.


I say take the money and run. If you already have a portable (G4 iBook), a mini as a storage/ media device, and a A&G iMac, what else do you need? A G5 PowerMac would be cool but a $900 G5 PowerMac will not get you much (it would be a downgrade in performance compared to the Core Duo iMac.) The technology is older. The only other performance gain you might see with $800 is if you bought the new C2D 2GHz mini and stuffed it with RAM. Even then the performance upgrade would be extremely minimal.
Tell me, what would you do with another computer if you got it? If you got a second mini, what would you use it for? If you got a G5 PowerMac, what would you use it for? Would you use it for something one of your other Macs can't handle?
Buy an iPod or iPhone or something. Or a second monitor for the A&G iMac. Or just save it.
If you really want a new machine to play with, I have a few for sale. (See sig.)
-Peace
 
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20" Apple display, I guess I got that confused with the new 20" aluminum iMacs. All these short hands for stuff gets confusing.

Anyways, the Core Duo iMac will more than handle CS3 or any photo editing. I tested CS with 3- 400MB files open and was only using 1GB of the 2GB of RAM that were installed.
(btw, more RAM doesn't make a computer run faster, it only allows more files and apps to be open at the same time)
I'd say stick with the Core Duo iMac with the ACD as a second monitor for the tool bars and other goodies. The 64 bit C2D mini sounds cool but it has integrated graphics so photo editing might not be as good compared to doing it on the iMac with its own dedicated and larger vid card.
-Peace
 
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Thanks bryphotoguy. I understand what you are saying, but then of course I saw a G5 Powermac Dual 2.0 with 250 gig HD, 2.5 gigs of RAM and a 20" display for a $1,000 on craigslist. If I combine that with my 20" display, I'd have a pretty sweet set-up. I can probably get about $900 out of iMac, so that's not a bad scenario.

I dont use photoshop or CS2 or 3 for that matter...actually dont plan on it, so I am not too concerned about it's performance. I just need to stop seeing these good deals and be happy with what I have.
 
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That's a good deal but it will be slower than th iMac. I had a dual 2.7 at one point it ran the same benchmark score as my 2ghz core duo.
 

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