Processor upgrade for imac- Is it worth it?

I am planning on getting an 24 inch imac. It comes with a 2.16 GHz core 2 duo processor. But when I go to apple.com, I see that I can upgrade it to a 2.33 GHz processor. So I have 2 questions.

1. Is upgrading to a 2.33 GHz worth the extra 250 dollars?

2. How much difference is there between the 2.16GHz and the 2.33Ghz?

This really depends on what you are planning to do with it. That is a roughly 10% speed increase. If you are going to use it for casual stuff (email, web browsing, etc.) it is probably not worth it. BUT, if you are planning to use it for heavy duty stuff like photo, video or music editing, 10% could matter.

I would advise this though. It is almost a constant truth of all computers everywhere, not just Macs. If you only have so much money to spend, spend it first on RAM, then on CPU. So, if you were trading off 2.33 GHz vs. another GB of RAM, go for the RAM. If you have a budget that will cover both, then it really comes down to what you are planning to do with the machine.

If i were you, I would not get the higher processor... 250 bucks for a slightly better proc, is just too overpriced. Get more ram if its cheap... if not, buy some accessories or just get it the way it is... youll be happy either way

I would have to agree with 12991 - that 24" iMac is a real pleaser. I am sure, ultimately, that 2.16 or 2.33, you will be happy. It is a NICE machine!

1. Is upgrading to a 2.33 GHz worth the extra 250 dollars?

2. How much difference is there between the 2.16GHz and the 2.33Ghz?

Click to expand...

1.) No
2.) A miniscule amount.

I work on a 2.16 24" doing heavy graphics editing in Photoshop (Rosetta's nonetheless) and the machine runs great! Same with my new 2.16 Macbook Pro.

Upgrading that would be a waste of money. It doesn't matter if it is Mac or PC but after you get to a certain speed small boost aren't as noticeable. And for $250 that small boost is not worth it.

I agree with the suggestions to upgrade your RAM before your CPU. A 2.13ghz Core Duo is fast enough for almost anything you'll throw at it and a 200mhz increase will only be noticed if you already push your CPU to 200% regularly. What do you use the machine for?

I got the 2.33Ghz in my 20in iMac, because I use Illustrator and Photoshop everyday, and they work really well. I got a RAM upgrade as well, so I probably won't be able to tell the difference. It was my money and I got what I wanted, which is the real question you're asking