any reason to get an iMac?

[roland.g]

I can get an iMac
24"
2.33 GHz
2GB RAM
500GB HDD
BT MM & Keyboard
& Applecare

or a Mac Pro
2.66 GHz
only 1GB RAM
250GB HDD
2nd Superdrive
BT & Airport
BT MM & Keyboard
& Applecare

the Mac Pro is $6 more. No screen so I have to use my 19" CRT awhile and wait to get a 23"ACD (hopefully with iSight & hoping Mac Pro would get front row & photobooth with new ACD and Leopard when they come out). Have to wait to get 2nd gig of RAM when price comes down. Only disadvantage I see of the Mac Pro is the thing is huge. Whereas the iMac is a nice space saver even at 24". Though when I get a 23" ACD, that is nicer looking. The Mac Pro is overkill for my needs but should never feel sluggish. Though the ports are less accessible in my cabinet style desk. Are there any reasons to get the iMac over the Pro with that price difference. Why would I really want the iMac or not want the Pro. Just a home user and the most I would be doing is iMovie/iDVD and eventually Final Cut Express.

 

[FFTT]

You're coming up from a G4 Tower

Spoil yourself and get the MacPro 2.66, but
I'd get the 4 X 512MB RAM upgrade.

Buy the 23" with your tax return.

That would be my plan

 

[GFLPraxis]

Advantages of the iMac:
Comes with the screen
Saves space
Can use the remote and Front Row


Advantages of Mac Pro:
More powerful
upgradeable

 

[sushi]

I can get an iMac
<snip>
or a Mac Pro
<snip>

Pros and cons with both solutions.

If space is an issue and you don't need internal expandability, the iMac looks very tempting. If space is not an issue, and you want internal expandability, then the MacPro looks very tempting.

Personally, I think that the best bang for the buck is around the iMac 17 inch. You could always get one of those and use it for a year or so then go hog wild with your purchase: 24 inch iMac or Mac Pro. Just a thought.

 

[roland.g]

You're coming up from a G4 Tower

Spoil yourself and get the MacPro 2.66, but
I'd get the 4 X 512MB RAM upgrade.

Buy the 23" with your tax return.

That would be my plan

I really wanted a mid-tower. That Mac Pro is just so big, and though I know it has front ports, it is such a pain accessing the back ones in my desk cabinet. I won't have the ports of an ACD for some time.

But I know it is probably the move I should make. Not really in love with the iMac. Played around on one at the store the other day, 24" with 2.16 and 1GB RAM and it was a little slow in Aperture and if I drop over $2,500 on a new Mac finally I will be upset if it lags and hangs.

You think the 4 x 512 is better than getting 2 more 512 3rd party in a couple months or so? That's an extra $300, more than I want to spend.

 

[roland.g]

Personally, I think that the best bang for the buck is around the iMac 17 inch. You could always get one of those and use it for a year or so then go hog wild with your purchase: 24 inch iMac or Mac Pro. Just a thought.

I thought about that today actually. But I'd have to go for the $1,199 dedicated graphics. If I wanted the GMA 950 I'd have bought a Mini this week retired it next year to a media server, but my wife frowned at that and with the new iTV, don't need that solution. But a 2GB RAM 17" isn't bad. Only thing that sucks is I've been on a 19" LaCie CRT for 6 1/2 years.

 

[FFTT]

You'll be O.K. starting with 1 GB if it helps you get into the better machine, but
you get the full perfomance of the bus architecture when you run with 4 matched DIMMS.

If you can qualify through the education store, Apple is charging $270.00
for the 4 X 512 MB upgrade.

Anywhere you look for the "correct" heat spreader Mac Pro DIMMS, they're
running $250.00 per GB IF.... you can find the 512MB sticks.

You'll pay a bit more later but Apple is already listing a stand alone price for the
X1900XT GPU @ $359.00 edu $399.00 retail.

I know all of this stuff gets overwhelming.

If you are running PPC Pro Apps, you'll want the 2GB RAM. ASAP.

This high end server RAM is a new ballgame for most of us and
most of the info I'm reading says it's best to have matched sets.

 

[sushi]

Only thing that sucks is I've been on a 19" LaCie CRT for 6 1/2 years.

Personally I prefer an LCD over a CRT for computer related tasks. Others differ.

Not sure what your 19" LaCie CRT resolution is, but I bet the 17" on the iMac will be higher. Granted the display area is smaller but I bet the resolution will be higher. And even though things will be a bit smaller they will appear more clear to you. I can't imagine going back to a CRT.

Edit: To clarify, I believe that a CRT is better for games and photoshop (depending on the monitor). Plus if you do any action type video, watch TV -- especially sports, or any other high frame rate activity you will probably see some ghosting with an LCD. In my case, it doesn't bother me. The advantage of a small form factor with clearer display is worth it to me.

 

[FFTT]

I had this Dell running next to my old Sony 17" CRT and I could't believe how much clearer and glare free a good LCD can be.
The Sony was in perfect conditon but still looked fuzzy by comparison.

 

[coal]

Get the MacPro.

Though the ports are less accessible in my cabinet style desk.

But please don't put it inside a cabinet!

 

[roland.g]

Personally I prefer an LCD over a CRT for computer related tasks. Others differ.

Not sure what your 19" LaCie CRT resolution is, but I bet the 17" on the iMac will be higher. Granted the display area is smaller but I bet the resolution will be higher. And even though things will be a bit smaller they will appear more clear to you. I can't imagine going back to a CRT.

Edit: To clarify, I believe that a CRT is better for games and photoshop (depending on the monitor). Plus if you do any action type video, watch TV -- especially sports, or any other high frame rate activity you will probably see some ghosting with an LCD. In my case, it doesn't bother me. The advantage of a small form factor with clearer display is worth it to me.

I know my 19" CRT does 1600 x 1200 and I think 19xx x 16xx, not sure the exact numbers. It is a diamondtron flat aperture grille. A really nice CRT as far as CRTs go.

 

[roland.g]

Personally, I think that the best bang for the buck is around the iMac 17 inch. You could always get one of those and use it for a year or so then go hog wild with your purchase: 24 inch iMac or Mac Pro. Just a thought.

If I got the 17" iMac as a hold-over, is it worth it to get Applecare. Does that help the resale. If I sell it in less than a year, they can always get it themselves.

What about 2GB RAM vs 1?