Need your help on computer upgrades.

[riley]

Hi guys,
Need your help as to the new 24" imac i'm thinking of getting. My daughter has requested that i get a 24" imac with the following upgrades.
1. 2.33 ghz intel core 2 duo
2. 3GB of memory
3. 750 GB hard drive
4. nvidia 7600GT 256 MB graphics
5. Apple protection plan
6. Canon MP 830 printer
I put my daughter through college so i think she may know more than me as to what is best. On the other hand the little brat has always asked for things which are top of the line, only to never use them. Like the time she asked for $150.00 dollar sneakers because she wanted to be on the track team. She said she would be up every morning at 6:00AM to run. After the first day she told me i was out of my mind when i woke her at 6:00AM. Those sneakers never had a mark on them. She is my only daughter and has always had me wrapped around her finger.
Anyway, i'd like to know if i'm being taken for a ride? These upgrades come with a hefty price tag and can only be had through Apple. I don't mind paying the price if she is right. She does do graphics and has told me i can't upgrade this computer later. Her opinion is upgrade now so you won't be left in the dust in a few years. She laughs when i tell her i think she wants me to get all these upgrades in case i should depart this world, so she
will be left with a good computer.
Your opinion is valued. Is this overkill,or is it possible she knows what she's talking about? Oh yeah! She did say she would buy me the OSX Missing Manual Tiger edition when she saw me reading the review on this website. I called her on it and asked her for the money now so i could order it. Wouldn't you know she said i forgot my wallet.Thanks for your help guys (gals). Let me know what you think. Gotta go feed my two dogs. There so much better than having children.

 

[BIG D 04]

Well to spot the first mistake, you can't really be ahead of technology and anything you buy isn't got to stay on top for long.

She's half right about these being not upgradeable, they are but at a cost and to save your Warranty it has to be done by a Apple Store/Specialist.

Really it all comes down to what Applications she'd be running. But Graphics work is very heavy work on a computer but it may help to know whether it's 2D or 3D Graphics design she's into. I would take stab in the dark and predict she's bargaining for more than she needs but that where haggling gets ya, there is no point starting low and going high it's much easier the other way round (from her point of view anyway) ...lol

Edit: Just checked how much you are forking out, you might be better off looking at the MacPro and a Dell Monitor instead, seems as if you would be getting more for investment. Plus the MacPro is upgradable.

However there are more intelligent and better experienced people on here

 

[riley]

Thanks for your input Damien. The Macpro is probably a good idea but i was mesmerized when i stood in front of the 24" imac. I kinda like the idea of having everything in one unit. (no tower) Then again i will weigh all options.

 

[BIG D 04]

Yea I fell under the same spell except my Wallet isn't as big as yours and I had to settle for the 20" iMac

 

[MaDDoG]

Big D is right...Mac Pro is awesome......IMac is really nice, but Mac Pro is the way to go. I'm a poet and didn't know it.

 

[riley]

The good thing is your young and i can tell pretty smart. One day you'll be making the big bucks. Who knows! You might be running Apple. If i'm still around, hope you give me a discount.

 

[bobtomay]

Am myself a hardware enthusiast on the windows side of PC's and have been building my own systems for many years now. Am also of the personal opinion of getting the best you can afford "within reason". The better systems do provide a better life span for those that actually use software that can make use of the power in the machine. If she likes and spends time on computers, don't think you'll have to worry about whether she'll use this or not.

I probably would compare the cost of the 24" with those upgrades to the Mac Pro. As to the upgrades you are looking at; the video card is worth the money, the hard drive is only a little overpriced and probably worth it just to have a single system drive rather than the 250 GB and buying a separate external drive. The 750 GB will be overkill however unless she is doing a lot of video graphics. I cannot recommend the 3GB upgrade in memory however at a price tag of $750 from Apple. Stick with the 1GB it comes with and then upgrade.

Memory is upgradeable in the iMac's.
Here are the directions for installing memory.
And here is a link for a 2GB module from Crucial at over $400 savings. Have seen many posts just in the short time I have been reading Mac forums and Crucial seems to be pretty universally accepted and well respected.

 

[leecho7]

I would have to agree with many here as well. The Mac Pro is an awesome machine that is upgradeable when the time comes. As much as I love the design of the iMac, for a pimped out 24" you might as well dish out the money to get a Mac Pro with a Dell monitor as Big D already mentioned.
If you're daughter does graphics work professionally, then I would definitely recommend the Mac Pro.
Either way, good luck.

 

[riley]

Thanks for your input guys. I will be looking at the 24" imac and the Mac Pro. And thanks Bobtomay for those great websites. To bad i can't take my daughter on a shopping trip to the Apple store. That's because it's located in the Wellington Mall here in Florida. They have all these girlie clothing stores and my computer trip will turn into a fiasco.

 

[narf1899]

i actually would not let ur daughter see the upgrade options for the mac pro....if she likes to be on top, she'll want 16gb of ram and four 750gb drives...

 

[bobtomay]

i actually would not let ur daughter see the upgrade options for the mac pro....if she likes to be on top, she'll want 16gb of ram and four 750gb drives...

ditto that, she'll want the one I want all decked out at about $8k

 

[MacHeadCase]

But in a sense the Mac Pro is a good investment. It's one of the most upgradable computers Apple has made in a long, long, long time.

When it came out, I had read somewhere that it would be possible to swap the Intel CPU when the speeds go higher but unfortunately I can't find any more info on this so I can't confirm this.

It could have been wrong info or that the author thought there might be a possibility of doing this since Intel CPUs are easy to find...

 

[GulfVetSAF]

Riley,

RAM prices are very reasonable if you look in the right place. I just purchased 2 GB ram for my macbook at a cost of < $100 and if you buy it through Apple it costs $350.00. I found that deal (after several members in here recommended it) at NewEgg.com

 

[bryphotoguy]

Maybe it's me... This posting sounds completely bogus.
Bryan