iMac Ergonomics?

Hello once again! I still haven't switched yet, but I'm planning on doing so when Snow Leopard comes out. I was thinking of getting a Mac Mini, but it wouldn't be much more powerful than my current IBM Thinkpad, and would still have a slow HDD. Now I'm looking at iMacs, which are beautiful machines. ^.^

I'm concerned about the ergonomics of using one, however. The way my workstation is currently set up, it has almost perfect ergonomics; my arms are at nearly a right angle to the keyboard, and the top of the screen is just an inch or so away from eye level. With a 20-inch iMac, on the other hand, I'd have to look up to see part of the screen. I'm worried that I might develop a neckache from trying to use it.

Is this as much of a problem as I'm making it out to be? What have your experiences been?

My son has an 20" iMac, but I prefer the viewing angle of my macbook. In my case, the reason is because I wear progressive bifocals and have to look up to properly see the monitor. I have a Samsung LCD monitor on a windows desktop that I was able to disconnect from its stand, to imitate the viewing angle of a laptop. One day I may have to give in and buy a specific pair of glasses to use with the computer...

EdH said:

My son has an 20" iMac, but I prefer the viewing angle of my macbook. In my case, the reason is because I wear progressive bifocals and have to look up to properly see the monitor. I have a Samsung LCD monitor on a windows desktop that I was able to disconnect from its stand, to imitate the viewing angle of a laptop. One day I may have to give in and buy a specific pair of glasses to use with the computer...

Click to expand...

That is what I decided to do - I have one pair of reading glasses that I use just for the computer. It makes it a lot easier.

You can't let these things stop you. Unless you're expecting to use your Thinkpad for ever more, it could potentially be a problem for you with any desktop computer.

I assume you can move your chair up and down? Also remember your eyes move before your neck - unless you have tunnel vision, you won't be moving your neck around.

Ergonomics of iMac is industry's poorest, for viewing at desk

First off this reply only applies to us old folks that must wear bifocals, trifocals or no line progressive PAL lenses, and who are about 50+ years old. I am sitting at my 20" iMac and if I measure the distance from the desk to the bottom of the screen, it measures 7 1/8". Next to the iMac is my 13" black Macbook measures about 1". Macbook so much less eyestrain.

At the local Apple store there are no "normal" desks to sit and view an iMac, all are placed much lower than a customary desk height and the chairs are very elevated like a stool. In this environment, one does not notice or appreciate the poor ergonomics until at home trying to figure out why they are getting a neck ache or why they can't see with those new glasses. If you looks at about any other stand alone monitor they are very few that have this 7" gap between the table top and the monitor. Every once in a while HP makes a monitor that can be lowered down to about 3-4 inches off the desk, but they come and go and are hard to find.

Bottom line: If you are finding difficulty with your new 20"-24" iMac, its not you, it's Apple and a pair of computer specific glasses will help you to obtain comfort and efficiency. IMHO

"As a result, the top of the screen should be below the horizontal eye level of the operator and tilted back slightly (10o-20o) away from the operator."

The Effects of Video Display Terminal Use on Eye Health and Vision