A few questions regarding my purchase of iMac and followup

[Yebubbleman]

By better graphics do you mean higher pixel density? Can you get an external screen that has as good a pixel density as the Air?

I'm sure you can, but the even better question is what do you need it for?

 

[piatti]

For visuals. It's a pleasure looking at the screen.

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The MacBook Air is a terrible family machine. It's also much more expensive and much less powerful than the SSD-equipped Mac mini, plus the SSD equipped Mac mini has better graphics than the MacBook Air.

How is it a terrible family machine? What could it not be able to do that Mac mini could do? Is better graphics for editing movies?

 

[Yebubbleman]

For visuals. It's a pleasure looking at the screen.

Pixel density doesn't make visuals look better. It enables you to view higher-resolution things on your screen. Trust me, on a screen that small, it doesn't matter unless you're doing some serious photoshop work, which you won't be with this thing.

How is it a terrible family machine? What could it not be able to do that Mac mini could do? Is better graphics for editing movies?

The Mac mini has better graphics, yes. But also, a laptop makes a terrible family machine because it's easy for your son or daughter to command possession of it or hide it, whereas a desktop is stationary. Plus the Mac mini is better bang for the buck. Plus you can attach whatever screen you want to it. But seriously, do what you want to do at this point, you should have enough information to not need this thread anymore.

 

[karmamule]

What causes me the most concern for your dilemma Piatti, is that you haven't even decided on whether or not you want/need a desktop or laptop. Normally that is one of the first decisions you have to make when choosing to purchase a new computing device.

I'm also not clear on why you went from asking how to set up your new iMac to wondering about all the other options: what about the iMac has you worried or is leaving you feeling dissatisfied? Can you be specific about your concerns? iMacs are great machines if they fit your needs.

I'd recommend you forget tech specs and prices for the moment, and just clarify in your own mind whether you feel you need a laptop or a desktop. Go through various usage scenarios that you want this new device to fulfill. Then take another look at your iMac, how close is it to fulfilling those needs?

In other words, first clarify what you want to DO with this before diving into all the minutiae of particular models, manufacturers, prices, specs etc etc etc. Make a firm decision on laptop or desktop. If you decide laptop you know you can return your iMac immediately. If a desktop, then next decide if the iMac will be something you can be happy with. If so, then YAY, enjoy it! If not, then be clear on the exact characteristics you want your ideal machine to have, and shop from there.

 

[piatti]

What got be dissatisifed was this: To replace the HDD with SSD seems hard unless you buy straight from Apple which I don't want because buying from Best Buy was 18 month financing with no interest. I don't think Apple has that kind of option. And iMac without SSD is slower than MacBook Air. Which means it would have been better to buy the MB A to get portability if I wanted to. In addition, I would get the extremely high quality razor sharp screen that comes from its fantastic pixel density. Reading on that is almost like reading on paper.

Actually today is the last day to decide (to return the iMac) and since there seems to better cheaper options I think I should return first maybe. But then if iMac is an ok choice it seems cumbersome to return it and make another choice.

I think it would be ok choice to stay with the iMac if I upgrade the RAM to at least 12GB if not 16GB but. But even then I would be pained to think that it would be slower than MacBook Air which would have been cheaper and have amazing visuals, even reading is a pleasure on the MB Air.

I made an outline of all the choices I have and made it publically editable so that you can help me in my choice: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10k9se5MSiXjAzOJKwqIn6brfsiPnV-Itjsh7rAU83fc/edit

 

[forty2j]

The "no interest" is really "deferred interest" - if you have not 100% paid off the item by the selected date, all of the interest you haven't been paying gets added to your balance. So it's really only a good option if you know with certainty you'll be paying it off in time. Best Buy's interest rate tends to be rather punitive.

Apple is offering 12 months no interest via Barclay's. Same deal - deferred interest, bad rate, you better pay it off on time.

 

[karmamule]

Piatti, I noticed in your document you have a "What I'm looking for in a desktop" section AND a "What I'm looking for in a laptop" section. Are you planning to buy both a desktop and laptop, or just one or the other?

If just one, I still think first and foremost you need to weigh the importance of portability vs screen size etc and narrow down to just one of the two. Once you have that major decision made I think it'll be much easier to come to a final conclusion.

So, how important is having a device that's usable "on the go" to you? Is it critical? I'm guessing that since you got an iMac initially it's NOT critical, but then you seem to be talking about laptops quite a bit, and quite positively. Right now if you could close your eyes, and have some device magically appear in front of you, and you then opened your eyes, which would make you get more excited: seeing a really nice laptop or a really nice desktop?

 

[Stan Mikulenka]

Hi,
here is my Core2Duo Mini running 20 apps...
With 4GB mem - and check how much memory is being used for all that (in the Menu bar-39%):
And on 30" screen...

 

[piatti]

which 30'' screen did you get?

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iMac or Mac Mini with the SSD would be faster than MacBook Air. But can you insert SSD on Mac mini yourself or otherwise use external SSD for speed and external HD for storage on both the Mac mini or iMac?


by the way I have less than 2 hours to return my iMac. And I don't know how to erase all information in it. What if I returned it after making a new user where password is not required and then put a password for all other users that I've been using?
If so, if you bought a cheap SSD for $100, would that be as fast as the internal SSD you can pay $500 for the iMac?

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Piatti, I noticed in your document you have a "What I'm looking for in a desktop" section AND a "What I'm looking for in a laptop" section. Are you planning to buy both a desktop and laptop, or just one or the other?

If just one, I still think first and foremost you need to weigh the importance of portability vs screen size etc and narrow down to just one of the two. Once you have that major decision made I think it'll be much easier to come to a final conclusion.

So, how important is having a device that's usable "on the go" to you? Is it critical? I'm guessing that since you got an iMac initially it's NOT critical, but then you seem to be talking about laptops quite a bit, and quite positively. Right now if you could close your eyes, and have some device magically appear in front of you, and you then opened your eyes, which would make you get more excited: seeing a really nice laptop or a really nice desktop?

I just needed an extra computer. I guess it would be nice if it could function both as laptop and desktop.

 

[piatti]

I'm reading about how powerful the MB Air is

http://brandonbohling.com/2011/10/30/FCPX-MBA-Follow-Up/ (Final Cut Pro X possible on the Air with no spinning beach balls)

http://apple.stackexchange.com/ques...can-i-run-simultaneously-on-a-new-macbook-air (able to run multiple apps with user switch without lagging) This is not possible on the iMac I purchased.

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You get a faster computer for the same price and then the super dense screen.

this is the 300 dollar display http://www.amazon.com/LG-IPS231P-BN...4AQY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329440482&sr=8-1

 

[karmamule]

By the time you read this I assume your return window will have lapsed. So, Piatti, did you return it or not?

 

[piatti]

I returned it.