My little brother is asking for a mac for his birthday. He'll be turning 11 on March 3rd. He's not into computer games (just his xbox360 and wii). He's starting to write papers at school. He's going on the internet more often. He has an ipod. Do you think the 17" iMac + extra RAM would be good for what he needs for the next couple of years? My parents are willing to spend $1500.
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Best 1st Mac?
- Thread starter candyapple8
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A 17" 2GHz iMac would do perfectly - in fact, if he's anything like most 11-year-olds, you might consider a Mini + a cheap LCD because they're cheaper to replace. 
ye i would suggest i uprgaed mac mini + screen, my brother is 13 and he still doesnt really care how good or how nice his computer looks, he just plays the various online java game and goes on internet.
A 17" 2GHz iMac would do perfectly - in fact, if he's anything like most 11-year-olds, you might consider a Mini + a cheap LCD because they're cheaper to replace.
I may tell my parents to consider the mac mini option. Any recommendations on LCDs?
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Don't be a retail sucker. Refurbished is same as new with new warranty.
From the educational Refurbished Page:
Refurbished iMac 20-inch 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SuperDrive
1GB (2x512MB) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
250GB Serial ATA hard drive
Slot-load 8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Radeon X1600 with 128MB GDDR3 memory
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Built-in iSight Camera and Apple Remote
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Price: $1,299.00
Estimated Ship:
3-5 business days
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OR I recommend you give him the
Refurbished iMac 24-inch 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SuperDrive
1GB (2x512MB) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
250GB Serial ATA hard drive
Slot-load 8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT with 128MB GDDR3 memory
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Built-in iSight Camera and Apple Remote
Learn More
Price: $1,699.00
Estimated Ship:
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Mini would be outgrown much faster. What about mobility? A MaacBook might be a good alternative as well. He could even hook it up to a second screen when at home.
Refurbished MacBook 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo - White
13.3-inch glossy widescreen display
1280 x 800 resolution
1GB memory (2x512MB SODIMMs)
80GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive
SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Built-in iSight camera
Learn More
Price: $1,099.00
Estimated Ship:
5-7 business days
Free Shipping
These are all current models available at a discount from the SAVE page.
Don't be a retail sucker. Refurbished is same as new with new warranty.
From the educational Refurbished Page:
Refurbished iMac 20-inch 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SuperDrive
1GB (2x512MB) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
250GB Serial ATA hard drive
Slot-load 8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Radeon X1600 with 128MB GDDR3 memory
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Built-in iSight Camera and Apple Remote
Learn More
Price: $1,299.00
Estimated Ship:
3-5 business days
Free Shipping
OR I recommend you give him the
Refurbished iMac 24-inch 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SuperDrive
1GB (2x512MB) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
250GB Serial ATA hard drive
Slot-load 8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT with 128MB GDDR3 memory
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Built-in iSight Camera and Apple Remote
Learn More
Price: $1,699.00
Estimated Ship:
3-5 business days
Free Shipping
Add
AppleCare Protection Plan for iMac/eMac
extends the complimentary coverage on your iMac or eMac to three years of world-class support and service.
Learn More
Price: $119.00
Estimated Ship:
Within 24 hours
Mini would be outgrown much faster. What about mobility? A MaacBook might be a good alternative as well. He could even hook it up to a second screen when at home.
Refurbished MacBook 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo - White
13.3-inch glossy widescreen display
1280 x 800 resolution
1GB memory (2x512MB SODIMMs)
80GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive
SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Built-in iSight camera
Learn More
Price: $1,099.00
Estimated Ship:
5-7 business days
Free Shipping
These are all current models available at a discount from the SAVE page.
As a parent....who's bought computers for 8 yr olds and up...I would advise a refurb first - great way to save a few bucks and get the same quality.
We bought my 12 yr old a lap top and he took surprisingly good care of it. It your brother takes very good care of his "stuff" - then the kids LOVE a laptop. Able to go anywhere in the house with it (we did not let it leave the house), do homework on the counter, check their email etc. Hooked it up to a monitor with a keyboard and mouse in his bedroom and networked it to the main printer. All tunes in our house live on a network drive - so he could access them anywhere in the house.
My nephew (who just turned 11) and broke his ipod day two and would lose a laptop with 48 hours - he just got a 20" refurb core duo iMac. After about two weeks with it - he's doing great and his friends all want one now. The 17" was a tad small and kids with their homework papers and the like can use the screen real estate.
The 17" doesn't have the same "growing" room spec wise and all the new systems are coming with the larger monitors - so might be worth it to go up to the 20".
WOuld only do the laptop if he was very responsible....but if so that would also be an excellent choice.
The mini today is not a really good value, is limited in growth and by the time you add keyboard/mouse/monitor etc - you can just about pay for the 17/20 or laptop.
In all cases add Applecare.
Good Luck!
Therese
We bought my 12 yr old a lap top and he took surprisingly good care of it. It your brother takes very good care of his "stuff" - then the kids LOVE a laptop. Able to go anywhere in the house with it (we did not let it leave the house), do homework on the counter, check their email etc. Hooked it up to a monitor with a keyboard and mouse in his bedroom and networked it to the main printer. All tunes in our house live on a network drive - so he could access them anywhere in the house.
My nephew (who just turned 11) and broke his ipod day two and would lose a laptop with 48 hours - he just got a 20" refurb core duo iMac. After about two weeks with it - he's doing great and his friends all want one now. The 17" was a tad small and kids with their homework papers and the like can use the screen real estate.
The 17" doesn't have the same "growing" room spec wise and all the new systems are coming with the larger monitors - so might be worth it to go up to the 20".
WOuld only do the laptop if he was very responsible....but if so that would also be an excellent choice.
The mini today is not a really good value, is limited in growth and by the time you add keyboard/mouse/monitor etc - you can just about pay for the 17/20 or laptop.
In all cases add Applecare.
Good Luck!
Therese
lucky ass'd 11yr old, I'm 18 on a G5 imac with a 17'' screen doind stuff like FInal cut, soundtrack, LiveType, Freehand, photoshop, and Multipage viewing. I'd kill for 20''
sorry just jealous
sorry just jealous
I agree. It's a little much. I think we should think about what is best for the 11 year old, rather than what we would rather see him using. (And you know you would like to see him on a twin 30" Mac Pro, but cmon, be realistic)
lucky ass'd 11yr old, I'm 18 on a G5 imac with a 17'' screen doind stuff like FInal cut, soundtrack, LiveType, Freehand, photoshop, and Multipage viewing. I'd kill for 20''
sorry just jealous
Same here. I'm still here sitting with my Indigo 500 MHz. iMac G3. Of course I'll be a poor med student next year so I'll probably be buying a nice new/refurbished iMac with student loans.
Anyway, why get such a great computer for an 11 year old? Honestly I don't see much reason for anything above a G4. Don't spend the money unless you have loads laying around.
he is 11. I'd get him the cheapest one. If you already have a monitor and stuff, I'd go for a mini. If not then a base model 17" iMac.
if you can get a refurb. Then do it.
The Stig
if you can get a refurb. Then do it.
The Stig
My 8yr old daughter loved her iMac G5 20", but a 17" should be just fine. Get him the iMac over the mac mini because kids love the Photo Booth and you cannot beat the built in camera and mic on the iMac. My daughter racked up about 400 pics using that Photo Booth and that was in one night...LOL!
I would go with the 20" iMac Multimedia pointed out. It is an excellent machine and a 11 year old wont reap the benefits frm core 2 duo. It will seem like new, and hell LOVE it.
I agree with many here that for an 11 year old, a refurb 17" Core Duo iMac would be more computer than he would ever need for the next 2-3 years. It's not like any 11 year old child is ever going to be running pro apps on it that would require a larger screen or more horsepower than what that model offers.