iMac

[ionicle]

hello all

im considering getting an imac to replace my main pc as the main computer i use...

does anyone on here own one, and do they have any sugestions or information about them?

id be looking at the 27" and the standard core i3 model

anyone got any information

thanks in advance.

 

[Xochielt]

Heyho...

I have an imac ( 20-inch 1680x1050, 2.4GHz C2D, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD ).

Not my first and not my latest mac... I am quite a mac-fanboy, but I know why

So I recommend the OS and the interaction with the hardware.

I can't say a lot about the special 27-inch i3-version you want to buy. I am quite

a noob with things belonging i3 and i5-series CPUs.

But I recommend macs in general and I can't imagine, that the i3-imac is inferior

to mine

 

[MeltedDuron]

Tom's just pointed me in the direction of this thread, being a hardcore Hackintosh user and mac owner I'd say I'm in the right place.

First of all you've got to ask yourself what you want the computer for. The reason I switched back over (macs have been in an out of my computing life since my humble beginnings (when got given a Mac Classic II as my first machine) is because of the software compatibility. I'm a musician, and Logic Pro is the only DAW I feel comfortable in, I've tried all the others but Logic is what I learned on at college and the best application for me.

I'm sure your aware of Apple's price premium over a similarly specced PC. This is what lead me to my current setup running Snow Leopard on a PC. For price/performance it's unbeatable, but a Hackintosh requires careful component choices and a considerable ammount of upkeep compared to Windows or a real Mac. I'd gladly help you out if you choose to go that route but be warned there are no guarantees and it's not for the faint hearted.

My mum owns a 2009 20" C2D iMac and for what it is, it's a great computer. She got it with a uni grant though and would probably never even consider spending her hard earned on a new Apple machine. OSX is a great OS once you get used to it, and is a lot less hassle than windows if a 'normal' person is using the machine due to a lack of virus' and exploits.

At the end of the day it's down to you to decide what you want, but do bear in mind that the iMac is a closed machine with no overclocking options and very limited expansion, much like a laptop (RAM and HDD upgrades are about the limit).

 

[ionicle]

i have a macbook pro, thats what inspired me

i love the OS, now ive used it properly, it does have some bits i dont like, like you can tell what windows you have open as easiely as windows with the bar at the bottom, i prefer the CMD instead of ctrl shortcut thing though

but anyway...

its 1399, 27" 2560x1600

core i3

4gb DDR3-1333

1tb HDD

ati 5xxx series graphics

compared to my pc:

22" 1680x1050

amd athlon 64 4200+

4Gb DDR

500 gig

80 gig

ATi 3650

so it'd be a bit of an upgrade...hmm

but my question is more along the lines of ...build quality? any good?

i mean, my macbook is

and the 27" monitor ....is it too big? or should i go for the 21.5" moniter ....with 1920x1080?

but i think the 27" is better value for money at 399 more...

 

[Xochielt]

The build quality of all the macs I ever had ( 8? 10? sth. like that ) was good to

perfect each time... never had issues related to it...

If the 27" is too big for you is something you have to decide on your own, but

remember, that 2560x1600 is quite a lot... HD-films have 1920x1080.

So - if you don't work with 4K-films, HighRes-photos and/or other graphics

1920x1080 should be still fine. I work as programmer and designer and work

with really high-res images and animations, and sometimes I prefer my 1680x1050

to my 1920x1200 screen.

One point where you really 'need' this resolution is when working with a lot of

windows the same time, but I think with exposé this problem is quite microsoft-

only

 

[MeltedDuron]

.....

but my question is more along the lines of ...build quality? any good?

i mean, my macbook is

and the 27" monitor ....is it too big? or should i go for the 21.5" moniter ....with 1920x1080?

but i think the 27" is better value for money at 399 more...

I've not had much time up close with one of the new ones but did see a 27" in PC World a while ago and it looked great. My mums iMac seems solid enough, nothing noticably flimsy about it and of course it's that lovely thick satin Alu. If there's an apple dealer near you you'll have to go and see one up close for yourself. I'm of the opinion that there's no such thing as too big when it comes to screen size. If it'll fit on your desk and you can afford it then bigger is better.

If you can see yourself still using the imac a few years down the line then I'd say it's a good investment but then again it's all down to personal choice.

 

[ionicle]

is there an apple store neer me? HA! daft question, i live in the middle of nowhere when it comes to retail ...anything

well, im at university, and i love my macbook pro, reason i bought it, was because the 13.3" would be perfect because of the 10 hour battery life to make notes in lectures

but for general typing on when it comes to essays, i could really use a bigger screen, i dont fit much of a document on 13.3" ...its fine for at uni, but when im home, i use my pc, and thats just ....hmm not great

i was also wondering if any of the upgrades were worth the money?

like for 400 quid a SSD could replace the 1tb hard drive, although the SSD is only 256gb ...

and for more, 600, you could have a SSD AND a hard drive, but this isnt an upgrade option later because unless you pre-configure it, you cannot upgrade later - found that out from a review...

i dont really pc game...

i do watch a lot of HD films, but there is no blu-ray player...which is disapointing....

but to summerise

most uses would be:

watching films, doing uni work, brousing internet, msn, i dont go graphic editing, or film editing or anything....

i have had my current pc about 5 years, and things are starting to die on it, it needed a new psu

and soon, other bits will die on it, i can just tell

so i intend it to be a perminant replacement, looking long term ....

also, i noticed when i download mac software it all tends to be 32 bit, but the software thats built in is 64 bit, and i cant seem to find a 64 bit version of msn, or of open office, or of firefox...any sugestions on that front too?

i managed to find a program called paintbrush to replace the basic functions i miss from paint...

itunes, has always been a pet hate of mine...

but im coming round to it now

i use my ipod with it

and i intend to get an iphone when my contract is up for renewal, and i do like the idea of macs all working together seamlessly ...

lol, final note is any info on networking mac's to macs? ....not somthing ive ever done either

 

[Aurus_OC]

I own a MacBook (unibody) myself and I am real happy with it. It's the perfect laptop for my needs. My farther owns a 21" iMac and he really likes his aswell.

However in your case it comes down to your needs: If you want to overclock a Mac is not going to be the right configuration for you at all. Also, you won't be able to change your video card and any other components, except ram and hdd, in your system. If you are looking for the best bang for the buck a Mac is not going to be your best choice either.

But I have to say the OS is great, the build quality superb and if you can live with the things listed above by any means go with a Mac. It's a pretty darn good product and you won't be disappointed since you already know your way around. A friend of mine owns a 27" iMac and he is really using it to its fullest potential (Logic). However it is quite big. So you will have to deicide for yourself whether you think you will need any more than a 1920x1080 resolution.

Quick edit: I wouldn't buy the "upgrades" at the Apple Store, since they are overpriced, get an SSD yourself and either install it yourself or have a Certified Reseller do it for you. It will save you a lot of money.

 

[ionicle]

but as i said, it has to be upgraded at the apple store to be able to have two SATA connections...but yes, i can live with all of that, i dont really overclock ...

i dont tend to upgrade unless things break

i just use them until they die...if they die lol

so im thinking this is good.

 

[T.A.K]

I really dislike the iMac line. I got one for my 17th birthday and a year and a half later I have had to replace the HDD, 1 SODIMM, and now my graphics card has to be replaced. It is the nVidia 8800 and will cost 400 dollars (254.44 pounds) because it has to be custom fit.

I also run it in a room that is ALWAYS below 18 degrees C. The whole problem is that it is a 24" LCD right up next to a fairly large GPU, a 3.06 Ghz Dual core and only one 80mm can cooling it all.

Either don't use it much or it will die. THe thing was meant for old women to check their emails on. Don't do rendering, graphic design, or video editing on it.

Wan't to use OSX? build a hackintosh or buy a $3000 (£1908.30) Mac pro that you cant OC, also good luck running games with no use of DirectX 11.

easy way to hackintosh is to buy a boot loader and install a legal copy of OSX. You can also go into the bios and OC it.

Edit:

http://www.hackintosh.com/

 

[ionicle]

why did you have to replace all those parts?

and i wont be doing anything really intensive on it

as stated above, net, msn, uni work, etc etc, itll only be on about 4 hours a day, i dont game, i dont overclock ...so ...perfect?

 

[Dewinte]

If you wanted Windows as well you could bootcamp and dualboot

.

Just to let you know, if things go awry with your iMac then diagnosing and fixing some issues can be done. The process of hard drive replacement can be seen here and there are instructions from apple on replacing the RAM. Depending on how you feel about doing things yourself and warranties etc replacing the HDD yourself if it failed would be advisable or at least going to a trusted and authorised service centre, but not the apple stores themselves... Had awful service out of warranty from them, and had friends in warranty with the same lengths of repair times for parts that are easily sourced.

From your usage a the iMac will be fine and you'll enjoy it, and the 27" will seem large but after a while you don't realise it... I'd suggest just getting a tape measurer and holding it out on your desk see how it feels. The resolution should be fine but that is of course subjective and only you'd know if you're good with higher resolutions.

All in all, for your uses the iMac is great but is overpriced for sure although if it does everything you want and you like it then who can argue with that! Be sure to have it under extended Apple Care or warranty whatever so you don't have to pay for extra for repairs. I don't mean to be negative with the talk about repairs but it's pertinent with Apple lol and many of the drives used come from Seagate and well I've known many failures from iMacs. Don't let it put you off though, good luck!

 

[T.A.K]

why did you have to replace all those parts?

and i wont be doing anything really intensive on it

as stated above, net, msn, uni work, etc etc, itll only be on about 4 hours a day, i dont game, i dont overclock ...so ...perfect?

Then why not build a M-ATX computer?

Add a bootloader and you got OSX

I replaced them all because they conveniently started failing about 2 months after warranty. I will NEVER buy a Mac. I like the option to open up the hood and tinker with my purchase and maximize it's output.Don't get me wrong, I really do love OSX, it is truly amazing. I just have an issue with Apple hardware and I have been using Macs since I was 3 years old. I LOVED my old G4 until it finally got too old to run most software.

I am just trying to save another person the hassle. The new iMacs are just glorified laptops.

 

[ionicle]

would i be better off then buying a 17" macbook pro, and just letting it take pride of place on my desk and hooking it up to my telly etc etc?

but that would be a more expensive option...

EDIT: i dont want the hastle of a pc, so many times have i had DOA parts, and RMA'ing is just a p1sstake, and ....

i just rather like the look of the imac

the plug and play

no hastle

no stability issues

etc etc

 

[Dewinte]

would i be better off then buying a 17" macbook pro, and just letting it take pride of place on my desk and hooking it up to my telly etc etc?

but that would be a more expensive option...

EDIT: i dont want the hastle of a pc, so many times have i had DOA parts, and RMA'ing is just a p1sstake, and ....

i just rather like the look of the imac

the plug and play

no hastle

no stability issues

etc etc

An iMac can give you equal problems with parts and RMA. They took 3 weeks to replace a hard drive in my friends iMac under warranty...

The look, good point

Plug and play, not sure what you mean but fair enough

No hastle, when something goes wrong it can be a hell of a hassle

Stability is iffy too as Win7 is pretty damn good...

But this isn't about mac vs win7 or making a hackintosh etc, you're sold on the iMac so why not see if you can get one and try it out and if you don't like it send it back within the given period they allow, that way you may take a couple weeks of time but you remove the what ifs. Just try it out

 

[ionicle]

i tried windows 7, couldnt stand the way it groups things together now, so i went back to vista ...

as for the plug and play, plugging things into windows pc and getting 'device not recognised'

takes the piss somtimes

my macbook pro instantly recognised my printer, it was brilliant ....thats what i mean by that

i think i am sold on the topic.

 

[SiN]

i tried windows 7, couldnt stand the way it groups things together now, so i went back to vista ...

as for the plug and play, plugging things into windows pc and getting 'device not recognised'

takes the piss somtimes

my macbook pro instantly recognised my printer, it was brilliant ....thats what i mean by that

i think i am sold on the topic.

Windows 7 recognizes things instantly, I don't even have to install drivers for my wireless card. My Mac Mini G4 was a great device but as soon as Apple drops support for it, you are screwed. So I now have a $1000 paperweight.

I can say though, the 27" screen is BRILLIANT, but the i3 is going to kill you down the line. The 22" may be better suited for you if you can go i5. Once you go 1920x1080+ you never want to go back to anything else, it's a really incredible thing.

So, I would opt for the i5/27" with no SSD, I haven't found an SSD worth it yet. And yes, I have experienced the so-called "speed" from it, and I find it next to worthless.

 

[ionicle]

the most powerful processor i have used to date in one of my pc's, is a core2duo E6600, followed by my AMD Athlon 64 4200+, so im assuming core i3 would be a huge step up from both of these? ...

would core i3 be sufficient to power the imac, for normal day-to-day tasks, from internet, msn, through to basic image editing (paint equivilant) music playing etc etc...?

it comes with 4gb of ram, that is the neerly the same as my current main pc and my macbook, but i did notice it was ddr3-1333 ram, wheras my main pc is DDR-400

ive only ever had DDR2, and that was with my core2duo pc.

(incidently, i got rid of my core2duo pc, because i prefered my athlon 64 pc, and my athlon 64 pc tended to be faster.)

 

[SiN]

I don't see why you need an iMac, you should just get a monitor to hook your MacBook Pro up to.

 

[ionicle]

oh well

either way:

http://forum.overclock3d.net/index.php?/topic/31388-order-placed/