21 iMac vs 27 iMac

bobsuncle · Jan 24, 2011

Trying to decide between the 21" and 27" screen, with a price difference of only $200 between them. Obviously that $200 is something I could spend on software or Apple Care etc....

Just wanted to know if anyone had any problems with 27" that it was too big, overcrowded desk etc. Can you fullscreen stuff like safari, itunes etc on it or does the writing become too small?

Do I really need that extra 6 inch (though it looks amazing!)

osxx · Jan 24, 2011

Best advice I could give would be go to the Apple Store and play around with both this is
purely a personal choice.

Old King Coal · Jan 24, 2011

osxx said:
Best advice I could give would be go to the Apple Store and play around with both this is
purely a personal choice.

Great advice ... After viewing the size difference, and if you have the desktop space, the $200 would be well spent on being able to enjoy the benefits of the 27" over the next few years.

OKC

bazanders · Jan 24, 2011

I am so glad i got the 27" its more than worth the extra, best part of the system IMO.

Re your text size it will be about the same size on either size screen, so no disadvantage there, at the end of the day its about personal choice as others have said have a look in store.

Ramimac1 · Jan 24, 2011

Also the 27" can be used as a input from a second Mac or with the right adapter from another video source.

cptkrf · Jan 25, 2011

If you are a programmer (me) or a stock trader or other who needs a maximum amount of desktop, then the more the better. But after a year of using my 27 incher, I have long decided that it is far too large for the average user who only does one thing at a time.

Surfing on the large screen almost always requires you to resize the browser to narrower so as not to twist your neck off when a page posts 27 inch sentences.

So when it was time to move my wife off of XP to a Mac, I got the smaller unit.

Just my opinion. The large screen is almost mandatory for something like XCode that opens up a dozen windows, but I can just as happily read or surf on my 13 inch MacBook.

TomServo · Jan 25, 2011

I sprung for the 27" iMAC now I justnbeed to figure out how to utilize this great display to watch Blu-Ray discs, connect my PS3 and watch TV.

Still surprised that in 2011 these aren't built-in capabilities on a $2K computer.

Can anyone tell me how to do the things I want to with my new iMAC?

Tom

skywalkrncsu · Jan 25, 2011

I got a 27" and absolutely love it. I used to have a dual monitor pc so I really like having a lot of screen real estate and planned on using both those monitors along with the 27" but it is really quite unnecessary.

macguy57366 · Jan 26, 2011

I recently got the privilege of working on a 27" iMac. I really liked it, and I don't think I would be able to do all the video editing I got done without the larger screen size.

It mostly comes down to a personal preference, so definitely check it out at an Apple Store, or Best Buy if you have one in your area. I know most of the Best Buy stores I've been to have some sitting out that you can try out.

chas_m · Jan 27, 2011

TomServo said:
I sprung for the 27" iMAC now I justnbeed

Say what?

to figure out how to utilize this great display to watch Blu-Ray discs, connect my PS3 and watch TV.

Hint: spend money.

Still surprised that in 2011 these aren't built-in capabilities on a $2K computer.

Really? Why? Was it written on the box that it could do these things (actually it can do two of those three things, you just don't know how yet)? Did Apple promise those abilities?

You know what else a Mac can't do? Drive a car. For that kind of money, I'm rather shocked. For two grand I could teach almost anyone to drive a car, but a Mac is useless in the driver's seat. Amazing oversight.

Not only that, but you spend two grand on a computer, you'd THINK it would come with Solitaire!!! BUT NOOOOOO! Whassa matter, Steve Jobs hates card games or something??

RobFERN · Jan 27, 2011

go 27" you will regret it. rather have more screen as you get very comfy and friendly with your Mac.

TomServo · Jan 27, 2011

chas_m said:
Say what?

Hint: spend money.

Really? Why? Was it written on the box that it could do these things (actually it can do two of those three things, you just don't know how yet)? Did Apple promise those abilities?

You know what else a Mac can't do? Drive a car. For that kind of money, I'm rather shocked. For two grand I could teach almost anyone to drive a car, but a Mac is useless in the driver's seat. Amazing oversight.

Not only that, but you spend two grand on a computer, you'd THINK it would come with Solitaire!!! BUT NOOOOOO! Whassa matter, Steve Jobs hates card games or something??

Appreciate the insight and help. That's what make's this forum so warm and inviting.

Tom
USAF Retired

skywalkrncsu · Jan 27, 2011

chas_m said:
Say what?

Hint: spend money.

Really? Why? Was it written on the box that it could do these things (actually it can do two of those three things, you just don't know how yet)? Did Apple promise those abilities?

You know what else a Mac can't do? Drive a car. For that kind of money, I'm rather shocked. For two grand I could teach almost anyone to drive a car, but a Mac is useless in the driver's seat. Amazing oversight.

Not only that, but you spend two grand on a computer, you'd THINK it would come with Solitaire!!! BUT NOOOOOO! Whassa matter, Steve Jobs hates card games or something??

That is a pretty stupid comparison considering it is not one bit unusual for a PC to have a built in blue ray player. It isn't like it is something that would be difficult or wouldn't be in demand.

This attitude is what kept me from getting a mac for so long, didn't want to be grouped in with the apple fan boy dbags.

bazanders · Jan 27, 2011

TomServo said:
I sprung for the 27" iMAC now I justnbeed to figure out how to utilize this great display to watch Blu-Ray discs, connect my PS3 and watch TV.

Still surprised that in 2011 these aren't built-in capabilities on a $2K computer.

Can anyone tell me how to do the things I want to with my new iMAC?

Tom

For the record i agree about the bluray, its pittiful, reckon its purely down to a conflict of interest on jobs part i.e. itunes store.

Re the ps3 you can get an adapter here Belkin AV360 HDMI-to-Mini DisplayPort Converter - Apple Store (U.S.)
hellish expensive i know

Re the tv side of things if you google "elgato tv tuner", youll get a few to chose from

Macata · Jan 30, 2011

HDMI cables

There are lots of add ons out there, some are more expensive than others. The place I shop gives you free shipping or $1 shipping on almost everything in the store. Whenever I need adapters or cables I get them at PCMicrostore - it isn't just for PCs. I got the HDMI cables there and a V2V box that switches a monitor to receive Dish Network for when we're stuck in the office.

They have a 10 pack of screen protectors for the iphone and a cleaning cloth for under $6 as an example.

bobmarker · Jan 31, 2011

skywalkrncsu said:
That is a pretty stupid comparison considering it is not one bit unusual for a PC to have a built in blue ray player. It isn't like it is something that would be difficult or wouldn't be in demand.

This attitude is what kept me from getting a mac for so long, didn't want to be grouped in with the apple fan boy dbags.

Totally, TOTALLY agree. I hate Apple's attitude that the world doesn't need Flash or Bluray. Let the free market determine that.

I have a video editing company and we have jumped ship to PC because Steve doesn't feel that Bluray is important although most ALL of our customers do. It has been a VERY VERY great move. We have 27" iMacs that are TOTALLY AWESOME. They run OSX in the background and serve as some of our BEST monitors for our PCs... Command-F2 and I'm back and forth between a Mac and a PC with a smoking monitor.

First, get the 27"! Then Get a cheap PC. You can get one with a Bluray player and an AMD chip for under $400 and you can have the best of both worlds...

Oh, and if you do video editing, $400 in a PC gets you what $2000 does on a Mac... not to mention Adobe CS5 is not 2 years behind like Final Cut.

My 2 cents.

Scottishpaul · Feb 1, 2011

I had the same thoughts when going for mine but ended up opting for the 21.5" due to space restrictions. To be perfectly honest I'm not regretting it one bit as I find the screen to be more than large enough for any photo editing etc that I do. The processing power in comparison to my old pc is fantastic though and the hd quality screen is beautiful. With these machines I think whichever option you go for you're going to be more than happy!

ClockworkWorld · Feb 1, 2011

Like has already been said, it's purely a personal choice! If you have the room, it's definitely worth it to spring for the 27. The text won't be too small. It's actually smaller on the smalelr screens. Looking at text on my 17 inch MBP and then going to my 27 iMac, feels like someone made the text cartoonishly large. The display is beautiful!

As for the Blu-Ray/Flash nonsense... They make the computers, it's certainly their choice to put whatever they want in them, leave whatever they want out. But, the fact of the matter is, they don't seem to be hurting in ANY area for sales, so I'd say the free market is working perfectly fine for them. Not that their attitude couldn't sometimes use improvement, but they are hardly selling handicapped machines, or going "against the public" with what they build. The numbers say the people are far more than happy with the choices made at Apple

bobmarker · Feb 1, 2011

ClockworkWorld;1178973 As for the Blu-Ray/Flash nonsense... They make the computers said:
It actually is working against them. I used to be a Final Cut guy forever. I own a video production company and have 6 guys working for me. We were coming up to that point where we needed to upgrade computers.

The majority of my clients expect Bluray. I can't get that with a Mac without jumping through hoops.

But that aside, my biggest concern is that Stevey is abadoning his core guys that made the iPhone and iStuff even possible--the pro guys.

I got soooo sick of waiting for BR and for Final Cut to catch up to Avid and CS5 that I decided to make the switch to PC and Windows 7. I haven't regreted it at all! Now I just use my iMac for a 3rd or 4th monitor for my PC... it just so happens my awesome monitor runs a great opperating system (OSX) when I don't want it to be a PC... which is almost only for Logic or Garage Band any more.

I have Adobe CS5 on 8 work stations and couldn't be happier!

I know of a bunch of other guys that have done the same thing. And for Mac to decide that it is too important to show up to the NAB put me over the ede.

I know this doesn't make a significant dent in Apple's bottom line, but I just spent $30,000 on new computers and software to make the transition to Windows 7. And I'm not the only one! There are many pro guys who feel like me. Oh, and it would have been more like $60,000 if they were Macs.

As long as the iPad/pods keep selling, I think Steve couldn't care less about the longtimer pro guys.

ClockworkWorld · Feb 1, 2011

I understand all that. But like you said, about the free market... The people buy Apple's stuff like a sugar junkie after candy. They aren't being hurt at all, or else they'd change something I'm sure... I wish they had BR too, they do have CS5, I never bothered with Final Cut. And you're right. I mean, they aren't LOSING anything at all, right now. But if they'd add BR and update Final Cut, they would not only be not losing anything, but they would pick up a few more. But at any rate, I was just trying to say, they are making more money than ever as is. So they are doing what the majority wants, and like any business, they probably won't cater to those individuals or minorities of us who want something else. I guess adding this or that, spends more money, and they don't feel like that extra spending would bring enough profit to warrant it

It's like any other business. I wish GM would bring Pontiac back and make the only decent car again that they ever made. But they aren't gonna as long as the crap is flying off the lots and their wallets are happy.

21 iMac vs 27 iMac

bobsuncle

osxx

Old King Coal

bazanders

Ramimac1

cptkrf

TomServo

skywalkrncsu

macguy57366

chas_m

Guest

RobFERN

TomServo

skywalkrncsu

bazanders

Macata

bobmarker

Scottishpaul

ClockworkWorld

bobmarker

ClockworkWorld

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