New Monitor or Retina iMac?

[chscag]

OK, thanks. I agree it can be useful for some things as long as you don't use it to "push" your monitor to resolutions that it normally can't handle.

 

[RavingMac]

Still waffling . . .

Now I am thinking of going for 21.5in Retina iMac (B&H has i7, 16GB, 1 TB Fusion drive for $2K). I can add a 42in 4K TV as a 2nd Monitor and still be under $3K.

 

[pigoo3]

Still waffling . . .

Now I am thinking of going for 21.5in Retina iMac (B&H has i7, 16GB, 1 TB Fusion drive for $2K). I can add a 42in 4K TV as a 2nd Monitor and still be under $3K.

Here's a refurbished 27" retina iMac:

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/G...z-quad-core-intel-core-i7-with-retina-display

- 4.0ghz quad-core i7 CPU
- 1 TB Fusion drive
- 8gig ram

...for $2079.

This has got to be way better (27" retina display) than the 21.5" retina iMac!

Just add 8gig of ram now or later to get 16gig. Still way under $3k.

- Nick

p.s. Heck. Get the refurbished 27" retina iMac AND the 42" 4k TV…and maybe still be under $3k!!!

 

[RavingMac]

Here's a refurbished 27" retina iMac:

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/G...z-quad-core-intel-core-i7-with-retina-display

- 4.0ghz quad-core i7 CPU
- 1 TB Fusion drive
- 8gig ram

...for $2079.

This has got to be way better (27" retina display) than the 21.5" retina iMac!

Just add 8gig of ram now or later to get 16gig. Still way under $3k.

- Nick

p.s. Heck. Get the refurbished 27" retina iMac AND the 42" 4k TV…and maybe still be under $3k!!!

Thanks, Nick . . . I'm going cross eyed looking at alternatives. ;P

 

[pigoo3]

Thanks, Nick . . . I'm going cross eyed looking at alternatives. ;P

I know…I know.

But if it helps. If a 21.5" retina iMac and a 27" retina iMac can be gotten for basically the same price (around $2k)…seems like the 27" retina iMac would be the easy choice.

I'm probably forgetting some of the specific details & issues regarding this purchase (the thread is 8 months old now)! But if you seemed to be heading for the 21.5" retina iMac + 42" 4k TV combo. Then going for the 27" retina iMac + 42" 4k TV combo for basically the same price would seem to be an easy way to go.

I'm probably missing a detail or two.

- Nick

 

[Exodist]

I have the BenQ BL3200 something.. 32 inch 2.5k WQHD LED display, 100% sRGB accurate.. I think its really good value for the money, however Apple tends to only make really good iMac and MBPs these days. So your left with wondering what to plug the darn thing into since the Mini line is shafted.. That said, I got mine as a real display for the MBP I have yet bought..

 

[RavingMac]

I think I have finally sorted it out. Thanks for all of the input . . . It helps.

First I made a spreadsheet of all the alternatives, sorted them by price and then began competing them against each other at each price point.
After I got the list down to a dozen entries I stepped back and thought, decided that I didn't want a spinning drive so I dropped all the non-SSD models and that left me 9 to choose from spanning $900 difference from cheapest to most expensive.
Final choice was a 27 in Retina from Adorama 3.2 GHz i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD for $2389. Will probably call B&H and see if they will price match.

 

[Exodist]

I think I have finally sorted it out. Thanks for all of the input . . . It helps.

.

Sounds like a winner. I am going to go with a MBP with maxed out i7 CPU and 16GB RAM and 512SSD, Need the extra umph for 4K video editing eventually. Plus want something portable..

 

[pigoo3]

I think I have finally sorted it out. Thanks for all of the input . . . It helps.

First I made a spreadsheet of all the alternatives, sorted them by price and then began competing them against each other at each price point.
After I got the list down to a dozen entries I stepped back and thought, decided that I didn't want a spinning drive so I dropped all the non-SSD models and that left me 9 to choose from spanning $900 difference from cheapest to most expensive.
Final choice was a 27 in Retina from Adorama 3.2 GHz i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD for $2389. Will probably call B&H and see if they will price match.

Awesome man…great to hear it!!! I didn't realize there were so many options/choices that a spreadsheet was necessary. But hey…if it helps…it helps! Great idea eliminating "spinning" HD's to help narrow the choices. I'm going to guess that in the 8 months since this thread was started…SSD's have become even more commonplace. And (maybe)…the cost of SSD's/gig has gotten less as well.

Two questions:

1. I see you went with 8gig of ram (but seemed earlier you wanted 16gig). You going to upgrade this unit to 16gig right away…or wait a while?
2. Are you still going to go with the 42" 4k TV?

Congrats again on your choice!!!

- Nick

 

[RavingMac]

Awesome man…great to hear it!!! I didn't realize there were so many options/choices that a spreadsheet was necessary. But hey…if it helps…it helps! Great idea eliminating "spinning" HD's to help narrow the choices. I'm going to guess that in the 8 months since this thread was started…SSD's have become even more commonplace. And (maybe)…the cost of SSD's/gig has gotten less as well.

Two questions:

1. I see you went with 8gig of ram (but seemed earlier you wanted 16gig). You going to upgrade this unit to 16gig right away…or wait a while?
2. Are you still going to go with the 42" 4k TV?

Congrats again on your choice!!!

- Nick

1) I checked OWC and 8GB costs $60, instead of the $200 Apple wants.

2) Thinking 48in Samsung at the moment, but that's a totally different spreadsheet . . . ;D

Actually, the plot has thickened a bit. Still thinking I want to go as planned, but stopped in the Apple Store to look at new Mini iPads and ended up leaving with an iPad Pro.

This thing is sweet!
If you read magazines or comic books on an iPad, don't look at a pro or your wallet won't like you.

 

[chscag]

This thing is sweet!
If you read magazines or comic books on an iPad, don't look at a pro or your wallet won't like you.

LOL, Mike... how many years subscription of your favorite mag could you have bought with what you paid for the Pro? (Just joshing you, it is a fantastic machine!)

 

[RavingMac]

LOL, Mike... how many years subscription of your favorite mag could you have bought with what you paid for the Pro? (Just joshing you, it is a fantastic machine!)

Magazines would definitely have been cheaper, but couldn't resist it after I played with it for a while. My original intention was to use it for photo editing but I'm glad I have now for reading and viewing pics . . .

 

[chas_m]

Because of the inability to upgrade the RAM in a 21.5 inch iMac, I don't even consider them anymore.

 

[pigoo3]

Actually, the plot has thickened a bit. Still thinking I want to go as planned, but stopped in the Apple Store to look at new Mini iPads and ended up leaving with an iPad Pro.

Holy smokes…you gotta stay away from the Apple Store!!! An iPad Pro is pretty cool…but doesn't that put a dent in the new computer budget?

Congrats on the iPad Pro purchase!!!

- Nick

 

[RavingMac]

Because of the inability to upgrade the RAM in a 21.5 inch iMac, I don't even consider them anymore.

On further reflection, I think I agree with you.

 

[RavingMac]

Holy smokes…you gotta stay away from the Apple Store!!! An iPad Pro is pretty cool…but doesn't that put a dent in the new computer budget?

Congrats on the iPad Pro purchase!!!

- Nick

Thanks

I will probably wait until after the holidays to pull the trigger on the new iMac, but still a go.

And, yes, probably best to avoid the Apple Store for my wallet's sake. ;P

 

[RavingMac]

Well, I pulled the trigger, though not what I originally intended. Bought a 40 inch Samsung JU7100 4K HDTV to use as a monitor on my 2012 Mac Mini.

 

[Slydude]

Well, I pulled the trigger, though not what I originally intended. Bought a 40 inch Samsung JU7100 4K HDTV to use as a monitor on my 2012 Mac Mini.

Sweet. Let me know how you like it as both a TV and when used with the computer. I would like to upgrade our TV soon and that would be about the right size for our viewing area. Won't be relying on their connectivity with Macs shout. Tried that with one of their DVD players before I got the Apple TV. It was shall we say less than satisfying.

 

[pigoo3]

Congrats Mike! What made you decide to go with a big monitor rather than a 27" iMac…which would have been a computer upgrade as well?

I would guess lower price tag for one thing.

- Nick

 

[RavingMac]

Thanks, Nick and Sly. Will answer both posts when I get more time.

BTW anyone know why this thread is closed?