iMac 17 vs iMac 20

[nightelf]

I want to buy a new iMac but cannot decide between the iMac 17" 2.0 (EDU $1100) or the iMac 20" 2.16 ($1400).

Are worth the $300 for the extra 3", .16Mhz, and 90GB of hard drive? If I pick the 17" I would buy an external hard drive.

I cannot BTO de hard drive because im going to travel and I would receive the Mac after leaving.

Thanks.

 

[wordmunger]

I want to buy a new iMac but cannot decide between the iMac 17" 2.0 (EDU $1100) or the iMac 20" 2.16 ($1400).

Are worth the $300 for the extra 3", .16Mhz, and 90GB of hard drive? If I pick the 17" I would buy an external hard drive.

I cannot BTO de hard drive because im going to travel and I would receive the Mac after leaving.

Thanks.

Depends on what you're doing with it. I've got a 17-incher and it works fine for my needs (I'm a writer, and I do a little work with photoshop / garageband). Plus the external HD will be excellent for backups.

 

[nightelf]

Depends on what you're doing with it. I've got a 17-incher and it works fine for my needs (I'm a writer, and I do a little work with photoshop / garageband). Plus the external HD will be excellent for backups.

I would play WoW, browse, code some PHP, some graphics with Fireworks. My current Mac is a iMac G4, and is working well, only that i have to play on a DELL because it runs too slow on the iMac.

 

[jive]

17. The External HD will work wonders when you get Leopard with Time Machine...

 

[minnesotamacman]

I would have to think there is enough reason to spend $300 more for the 20" over the 17". And it would be $300 well spent.

 

[wordmunger]

I would play WoW, browse, code some PHP, some graphics with Fireworks. My current Mac is a iMac G4, and is working well, only that i have to play on a DELL because it runs too slow on the iMac.

I don't play, but I'd guess WoW would run better on the 17-incher because of the smaller display size. You've got the same graphics card, so all things being equal, fewer pixels=faster play.

 

[Gosh]

I have a 20" iMac and it's just really fine! However if I was brutally honest with myself I could probably have been happy with a 17". I can always talk myself into buying more spec!

I think 17" is the most popular size in computer screens generally - although that probably includes business too.

Maybe a 17" with a full-load of RAM? However is you tend to use the desktop with several windows open at once, so maybe Eye TV running whilst surfing the net or typing a letter then 20" does give you room to spread out a bit!

 

[devilot]

I thought about this for a bit over a year ago when I got my iMac. I thought, hey, I've gotten used to a 12" PB, surely I could do w/ a 17" iMac and I honestly thought the 20" screen was obscenely big (when I saw it in stores)...

But I opted for the 20" and within two days, I couldn't imagine using a smaller display as a primary computer.

I know if you got the 20" you couldn't get the external HD just yet, but that can be bought later-- you can't decide after the fact that you're willing to shell out another $300 and get a bigger display.

 

[nightelf]

I was also thinking about a MacBook, but they will get outdated very soon with the new C2D version coming out.

I would buy one if they come out today!!!

 

[extraextra]

I'd probably go with the 17" since you're buying an external HD!

 

[nightelf]

I got the iMac 20"

 

[amin]

I don't think anyone can tell you whether those features are worth $300 to you. To me the $300 was worth more, so I went for the 17" model.

 

[AlexH]

yeah... to each his own. personally, i would rather have more ram than a 20" screen. i have a 18" LCD screen, and ive worked with a 20" iMac before, but I thought the 20" was just a little too big for me. i like the slightly smaller size on my desk.

i hope to get a core 2 duo 17" imac pretty soon. i love my macbook, but ive missed having a bigger screen and the desktop feel for my primary computer since i sold my pc. plus, the best setup for me is a laptop and desktop.

 

[meepm00pmeep]

i'd shoot for the 20", if it's going to be your primary computer, having a larger screen size does wonders because you could always buy an external HD but you won't be able to up the screen size

 

[xfiftyfour]

i'd go for the 20". 17" seems too small to me nowadays.

actually, i'd go for the 24" personally.. but that's just me. heh

 

[wchong]

well apart from the apparent screen size difference, does anyone know how the 17" 2.16 2gb 128mb x1600 compare to a 20" 2.16 2gb 256mb x1600 in terms of game performace.

could you post some game fps stats?

 

[meepm00pmeep]

well apart from the apparent screen size difference, does anyone know how the 17" 2.16 2gb 128mb x1600 compare to a 20" 2.16 2gb 256mb x1600 in terms of game performace.

could you post some game fps stats?

the extra 128MB GPU memory does wonders more for gaming

 

[TheMasin9]

actually...

the extra 128MB GPU memory does wonders more for gaming

i think barefeats noted only a 10-15% boost in performance. If that is "wonders" then id be surprised

 

[Zwhaler]

I want to buy a new iMac but cannot decide between the iMac 17" 2.0 (EDU $1100) or the iMac 20" 2.16 ($1400).

Are worth the $300 for the extra 3", .16Mhz, and 90GB of hard drive? If I pick the 17" I would buy an external hard drive.

I cannot BTO de hard drive because im going to travel and I would receive the Mac after leaving.

Thanks.

Go for the 20. First of all, its .16 Ghz, or 160 Mhz.

Think about it. In 2 years from now you would be much happier on a 20" with all the goodies than a 17". Trust me. In 2 years from now you won't care if you spent 300 extra dollars. Just do it.