First step into Mac

[fatboyhouston]

Hi all. I'm in the exciting position of preparing to buy my first ever Mac. Now I know this is a noob question that gets asked all the time, but which Mac should I buy?

Here's what I want to use it for:

1. Moderate video editing, using iMovie and (if necessary) adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro. By moderate I mean probably not HD, or not super HD anyway. I make videos lasting up to 30 mins, using transitions and text, and some simple effects (a la Movie Maker). I'd like to try some green screen. My videos mostly get uploaded to YouTube or Facebook, or maybe burned onto a DVD. I'm not looking to edit a feature length movie, or get into serious professional animation/effects. My cam is a little handheld JVC which creates weird files that probably won't play nice with anything except Sony Vegas. But I'm not about to let that dictate my choice of hardware. I'll throw the damn thing in a river if necessary.

2. Music production, using GarageBand or Logic. No crazy synths or anything, I'll use VSS. I have a lovely Scarlett 2i4 which should work nicely with this. I'm told this doesn't require too much processing power.

3. IOS app development. Ditto on the power requirements.

4. Playing fairly undemanding RTS games (nothing power hungry like COD).

5. Running Windows. Just cause, y'know.

6. Usual stuff. This will be my main desktop.

So based on the above, if you were me, what would you get? At the moment I'm torn between getting a used Mac Mini 2012, or splurging £1500-£2000 on an iMac. I'll do that if I have to, but I'd hate to waste money unnecessarily. I'm slightly worried the 21.5 iMac will be too cramped screen-wise. Although I will defo get an extra monitor. And maybe two 27" screens will be too much. I'm also concerned that a Mini would be an underpowered short term solution I will regret.

I'd love to hear from you regarding what machine, what spec and configuration I should aim for (SSD/HDD, internal/external drives, etc)

Cheers

 

[Steveatesh]

This really is a matter for your heart - reframe the "waste of money" to "I have a budget for a new computer and will get the best computer I can within that budget".

Go for the new iMac, you will always regret it every time you walk into an Apple store, or read this forum, if you don't!

I've just had my first iMac delivered - I went retina rather than the smaller model, a fact that caused massive grief with my mrs when she saw it. I have no regrets.

 

[joema2]

Hi all. I'm in the exciting position of preparing to buy my first ever Mac...Moderate video editing...Music production, using GarageBand or Logic...I'm torn between getting a used Mac Mini 2012, or splurging £1500-£2000 on an iMac....I'm slightly worried the 21.5 iMac will be too cramped screen-wise. Although I will defo get an extra monitor. And maybe two 27" screens will be too much. I'm also concerned that a Mini would be an underpowered short term solution I will regret....

Get a factory refurbished 2013 iMac 27 with either Fusion Drive or SSD and the 780m GPU. You will be very happy with that for several years. Just don't get the plain non-Fusion HDD. The iMac 27 allows you to upgrade the memory yourself, so don't worry about the initial RAM config.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/imac/27

 

[flyinmac]

This really is a matter for your heart - reframe the "waste of money" to "I have a budget for a new computer and will get the best computer I can within that budget".

Go for the new iMac, you will always regret it every time you walk into an Apple store, or read this forum, if you don't!

I've just had my first iMac delivered - I went retina rather than the smaller model, a fact that caused massive grief with my mrs when she saw it. I have no regrets.

Famous last words

Don't forget to "sell" it to one of your buddies before the divorce, or it'll be hers...

 

[boast]

I agree with above. Go with a refurbished iMac with 780M.

Apple refurb UK doesn't seem to have anything though. How long could you wait?

 

[sharon22]

I'm totally serious here .... (and I know I'm gonna get yelled at LOL):

My BESTEST EVER PURCHASE in my whole life was my $400.00 iMac off of Craigslist!

If you find one of the mid-2007 Intel Core Duos (mine's a 2.4ghz), they seem to be in the $350 - $500 range.

If you buy a used iMac, you will LOVE it, and you won't be freaking out all the time about messing it up or scratching it, or kicking it, or whatever.

On my $400 iMac, I can surf the net, run apps, watch Amazon movies, Youtube stuff, everything at the HIGHEST resolution with NO LAG.... and NO glitches!

And, I didn't spend $4GRAND on this EYEBALL MAC everybody is talking about!

If I bought a brand new onethousand, twoothousand, threethousand dollar iMac, I'd be SCARED to plug it in, scared I'd wreck it, AND, scared I'd get one with bleeding color, over-fan-heating BS, etc., so, if I were your MOTHER, I would say "Hon, go getchya a cheap $400 iMac on Craigslist," and then you can play and learn and EXPERIENCE what it is like to have a Mac.

IMPORTANT LIFE LESSON HERE: (this is something that will go over the heads of today's younger generation), there is GREAT FUN in DREAMING about having the best fastest $4thousand dollar Retina iMac. MORE fun to have a $400 iMac and dream about all the fun an expensive iMac will be.

Got it?