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Best iMac for basic user? (Internet, email, etc.)

DracoDWS

DracoDWS

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 1, 2013
30
3
My Aunt will be going from a G4 eMac (yes, that's right, I said eMac) and an iPad (4 I think - whichever full size iPad before the Air & Mini 2) to a new iMac.

She said she wanted a desktop. I was thinking the $1299 one, but was hoping Apple would update them today as well as the MacBook lines but they didn't.

Obviously she doesn't need much, but I was wondering what upgrades are worth it? f it were me, I would go for the $1299, but would add the 256 SSD. But that's $200 more than the base model already, plus they should probably get the AppleCare too, so that's +$169, so $1668. She's need a printer too - that will support AirPrint.

For her - is the jump from 1.4 duel to 2.7 quad i5 really that big of an upgrade? could she just go SSD on the base model and save $150? For some reason - the 256 SSD is $250 on the entry level iMac. So, it's $1518 plus a printer, so basically $1600-1650

I'd consider telling her to go Mini too, but even going Fusion on the entry Mini, AppleCare, Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, no FaceTime camera, were back looking at $1200+

Anyway, any advice?
 
Honest, she doesn't need a quad core. Internet, Email, Skype, all of those will barley push the dual core i5.

You probably don't need AppleCare. I've had this iMac for four year now, no problems. Your going to know if something is wrong with it in the first year you own it.

SSD's are honestly a huge difference. If she could swing an SSD, I would go for it. It's going to make the computer feel much more snappy

Just going from an eMac to a modern day Mac would probably make her happy enough even if you don't get the SSD.
 
If you live in a country with bad consumer laws I would definitely get Applecare registered on that machine. Components can absolutely fail after one year.

Else I agree with Nyy8 :)
 
DracoDWS said:
My Aunt will be going from a G4 eMac (yes, that's right, I said eMac) and an iPad (4 I think - whichever full size iPad before the Air & Mini 2) to a new iMac.

She said she wanted a desktop. I was thinking the $1299 one, but was hoping Apple would update them today as well as the MacBook lines but they didn't.

Obviously she doesn't need much, but I was wondering what upgrades are worth it? f it were me, I would go for the $1299, but would add the 256 SSD. But that's $200 more than the base model already, plus they should probably get the AppleCare too, so that's +$169, so $1668. She's need a printer too - that will support AirPrint.

For her - is the jump from 1.4 duel to 2.7 quad i5 really that big of an upgrade? could she just go SSD on the base model and save $150? For some reason - the 256 SSD is $250 on the entry level iMac. So, it's $1518 plus a printer, so basically $1600-1650

I'd consider telling her to go Mini too, but even going Fusion on the entry Mini, AppleCare, Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, no FaceTime camera, were back looking at $1200+

Anyway, any advice?
Click to expand...

She should just get the 1.4GHz iMac with a Fusion Drive.
 
yes it is an enormous upgrade.

Seems like she isnt doing anything super intensive, so you should look into a mac mini.
 
How is your aunt's vision?
Is it growing more difficult for her to read small text?

You might consider the mid-level 2014 Mac Mini with a fusion drive.

Then add a 27" display.
If her vision isn't as good as it used to be, consider a "mid-resolution" (1080p) 27" display that gives you 1920x1080. This is the same resolution as a "standard" 24" display, but "blown up" a bit, with larger pixels.

To you, the overall display may "look too grainy", but to an older person it looks much better!

The mid-level Mini comes with 8gb of RAM, IRIS graphics, a "good-enough" CPU, and again, you would want nothing less than the fusion drive.
 
OK, I think the cheapest one will do, but with the SSD.

How long do you think it will take for Apple to update the iMac line? Before WWDC In June hopefully?
 
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