iMac for parents?!

[unknown mr T]

My parents have an early 2009, 24 inch iMac which is really having some troubles lately. It seems the graphics card is about to break down because doing anything which involves some sort of workload graphically makes the computer freeze up. With graphically intensive I mean watching a youtube video in 1080p XD. They mainly use it to watch these youtube video's, listen to music and use Excel or Word. I advised my parent to wait for the new iMacs because I hoped SSDs would be standard. Unfortunately we all know this didn't happen :/.

Now here is my dilemma, should I advise them to buy the "cheapest" iMac model with a upgraded fusion drive or is there a better solution by looking into a setup with a macbook/macbook air with a external display? I am curious if any of you have experience with this kind of an alternative. My parents are afraid of losing the simplicity of the all in one computer they have now while I feel like the current iMac offering is a bit overpriced...

Hope you guys have some solid advice!

 

[Wahlstrm]

Unless they need the portability i would stick with the imac. The iMac is some how the only computer that my mom seems to be able to move and install her self. 1 power cord and that´s basically it..
Any more cables and she just waits for me to come around and plug it in..

 

[Textureboy]

I bought my mom a refurbished 13" Retina Macbook Pro. Not only did I save a lot of money it was more than enough for her to use and do her daily thing.

If your parents aren't doing anything highly intensive opt for anything that's refurbished. You'll save lots of money and be happy in the end.

iMac would be a great option if they don't need a portable device.

 

[ixxx69]

My parents have an early 2009, 24 inch iMac which is really having some troubles lately. It seems the graphics card is about to break down because doing anything which involves some sort of workload graphically makes the computer freeze up. With graphically intensive I mean watching a youtube video in 1080p XD. They mainly use it to watch these youtube video's, listen to music and use Excel or Word. I advised my parent to wait for the new iMacs because I hoped SSDs would be standard. Unfortunately we all know this didn't happen :/.

Now here is my dilemma, should I advise them to buy the "cheapest" iMac model with a upgraded fusion drive or is there a better solution by looking into a setup with a macbook/macbook air with a external display? I am curious if any of you have experience with this kind of an alternative. My parents are afraid of losing the simplicity of the all in one computer they have now while I feel like the current iMac offering is a bit overpriced...

Hope you guys have some solid advice!

I setup my folks both with Mac laptops and external displays, and while neither is particularly adept at using computers in general, they don't have too much problem with that setup. My dad is especially inept, but even he knows now how to plug and unplug the various cables when he wants to take the laptop on the go. The one thing he hasn't quite been able to handle is having two screens - he gets confused. So now we just keep the laptop in clamshell mode when it's "docked".

However, there little getting around the extra cables, just depends on how neatly you can get things set up in their primary workspace. I would recommend investing in an all-in-one thunderbolt-type hub.

In my parents case, they both actually wanted the flexibility of the laptop, even to just take to the kitchen table or outside on the porch. If your parents really have no interest in that, then an iMac is still a great way to go, especially the 4K/5K ones.

 

[unknown mr T]

I bought my mom a refurbished 13" Retina Macbook Pro. Not only did I save a lot of money it was more than enough for her to use and do her daily thing.

If your parents aren't doing anything highly intensive opt for anything that's refurbished. You'll save lots of money and be happy in the end.

iMac would be a great option if they don't need a portable device.

Unfortunately I am from the Netherlands and Apple doesn't offer refurbished computers here :/. While I could see my parents use their computer in different places they simply argue they do not want to... Maybe a thunderbolt setup as ixxx69 describes could work but I think the 2015 21,5 inch iMac with fusion drive might be the best solution after all