indecisive! too many options

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Hi, I still haven't bought a mac yet!! :(
I'm dithering..!

What i can't decide is whether to go for the 20" imac or a mac mini (upgraded) and a 20"+ lcd screen.

I'll be editing home video, viewing photos, internet etc in that order.

Should i just stop being tight and buy the imac or do you reckon the mini will be ok. And now just to confuse matters they've bought out a new imac!! :Angry-Tongue:
 
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I'd say go for the iMac. It's got a nice display, big and fast hard drive, a graphics card, and it all works seamlessly. Also, to control your frontrow interface with the remote, you will have to point the remote to the mac mini which would be difficult if you want to hide it behind. On the iMac it is just point the screen...
 
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Definitely the iMac!!!! The all-in-one is so very nice to use, and can't be appreciated until you actually have it in your home, and have only the power cord to plug in (using a Wireless Keyboard/Mouse set-up).
 
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Yea go for the imac, I have the 20" & love the fact it's all in one.

Im a recent switcher and I honestly don't miss my pc at all, you wont be disapointed.
 
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I say go for the imac. Why?

Well both options you said there will work just fine for what you want to do now. But say in the future you want to do something else with your computer. Sure the mac mini should have enough juice to do it. But having the imac with it's dedicated graphics card is really nice. Cause to me my mac is really something that will last for a while. And I tend to think will it have the specs to forfill my needs in a few years. Cause it's a big investment.

For that reason alone I'd say go for the imac. But if you choose a white one or a new aluminum and glass one is your choice.
 
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Thanks guys. You're right I just needed to hear it from people who know their stuff.

Just need to decide which one now. Aluminium or white???
Do you think I should wait for leopard to come out. I worry about upgrading software on a PC let alone buying a mac now with tiger and updating that.

Does anyone have there imac in their livingrooms???

Sorry to ask so many questions but i am thinking of plonking mine up the corner in the livingroom so my children and wife can all enjoy video, photos music etc. At the moment my PC sits at a workstation in a spare room hiding from people.

Craig
 
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:Oops: Ooops Just read the posting rules.....shouldn't have mentioned Leopard!
Please ignore that question.
 
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:Oops: Ooops Just read the posting rules.....shouldn't have mentioned Leopard!
Please ignore that question.

You can ask questions about Leopard. :D

As you have dithered this long, you may as well dither until October 26th (or thereabouts) as that's when Leopard is expected to launch.
 
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For me these are the pros and cons of the white and Aluminum imacs. Cause in many respects they are similar

White (Pros):
+ Mouse and Keyboard and computer all match. They are all white. And they look really stunning. The keyboard is just a white version of most desktop keyboards.
+ No glare with their matt screen. And it looks superb when running.
+ A little cheaper cause they are not the newest product anymore. But still they do exist in some places and occasionally appear on the apple refurbished site.
+ Comes in 17, 20 and 24 inch models

White (Cons):
- Doesn't have as good specs as the new imacs. Internally the new imacs are probably better in every way. The one exception is the NVIDIA graphics card on the white 24 inch model. Some people think it's better then the current imacs graphics cards, other people say the reverse. But in my opinion all on the imacs in this range with a discrete graphics card (ATI or NVIDIA) are still very capable of running all the moderm apps and should handle 10.5 just fine. The new imacs aren't that much better.
- Comes standard with 2 x 512 MB of memory. A little hassle when upgrading the memory cause you'll have to replace both sticks. But it's still quite easy to do so. Just means it'll cost a touch more if you want 2 GB memory.
- Can only address a maximum of 3 GB memory. Where the new imac can address more. But 2 GB will be way more then what most people need anyway.
- Keyboard is slightly hard to clean under the keys. But this is only a very slight negative.
-Will probably only come with tiger and ilife 06

Aluminuim imac (pros):

+ Price: Roughly the same prices as the white imacs were when they were new. Still more expensive than what you can get the white imacs for now. But I think the prices are resonable
+ Specs: Internally superior spec wise to the white imacs.
+ Can address a maximum of 4 GB of memory. 1GB more then the white imacs. But 2 GB will be way more then what most people need anyways.
+ Comes standard with 1 x 1GB of memory. So upgrading to 2 GB is slightly easier/cheaper then the white imacs. But memory (not from apple) is rather cheap these days.
+ Comes in 20 and 24 inch models only. This is a plus cause the 20 inch models are resonable priced. Not all that much more then the better of the 2 17 inch white imacs.
+ if you wait 2 weeks it will come with leopard and ilife 08.

Aluminuim imac (cons):
- Nothing matches. The computer has the new aluminum and glass look but the keyboard and mouse (still a white mighty mouse) look a little out of place. This is really only a minor negative. Cause the 3 pieces themselves look really nice. So there's no worry of having to hid them when visitors come around. They are not ugly. Just 3 lovely pieces but not of a matching set like the white imac has.
- Glossy screen. I'll call this a negative cause of the mixed feedback it has. But I really suggest you should look into going to a store and seeing this screen for yourself. Some people think it creates way too much glare and others are ok with it. But it's really a personal decision.
- The new keyboard. Again you'll have to look into this one. Some people love it. Others including myself don't. But a trip to a store with a new imac keyboard to try out would be a good idea. Then you'll know if you like it.

****************************

My final advice. Both imacs will look simply great in your family room. Even switched off. No need to hide them away like the old grey computer boxes of old.

And which one would I choose? I'd look at the keyboard and screen of the new imacs. And if you can live with those then I'd say get that one. (and bring a little light or torch with you so you can put it behind you when you use the computer in the store so you can simulate the conditions in your family room to see in the glare is an issue). Only if you have major issues with the glare of the screen or the new keyboard screen would I suggest getting a white imac.

And if you choose a new aluminum and glass imac I'd tend to agree with the above poster and say wait till leopard is released.
 
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the8thark - Thanks for your lengthy reply. You have helped me a great deal. I appreciate your time and advice.
I will be visiting the store on Saturday and check out this screen issue and as Zoolook rightly pointed out I have dithered for ages and another 2 weeks of dithering won't hurt 'til Leopard arrives.

Just a few last questions;
Apple don't have x-mas offers etc do they?? (I'd hate to buy one and at x-mas it gets reduced). (I suppose that's something no-one knows other than Apple).
Will this Aluminium imac be the norm now, they won't go back to the white plastic imac will they?

Thanks again guys your advice draws me nearer to my purchase.
Thanks
Craig
 
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Maybe in the distant future, but aluminum is the 'in' thing with Apple. I don't see a white plastic iMac for some time to come.

As for christmas discounts and such, you can never tell. Might be a free nano with it or something, but I don't think so.
 

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