Latest 21" Vs. Previous Gen 24" iMac

[Inside_line]

About to get an iMac for my wife, she doesn't want the 27" b/c it's "too big"

So, I was about to get the 21" ATI (3.06GHZ, 256MG 4670) for $1375.
But, just found last gen 24" NVIDIA (3.06GHZ, 512MG GT130) for $1450.

Seems a no brainer, bigger screen and more video memory for $75. Any reason not to go old school vs. the new hotness? I know lots of small stuff gets refined in revisions, but these machines are only 7 months apart, and the 24" was a $2200 machine originally. Thanks for all insight!

 

[js81]

About to get an iMac for my wife, she doesn't want the 27" b/c it's "too big"

So, I was about to get the 21" ATI (3.06GHZ, 256MG 4670) for $1375.
But, just found last gen 24" NVIDIA (3.06GHZ, 512MG GT130) for $1450.

Seems a no brainer, bigger screen and more video memory for $75. Any reason not to go old school vs. the new hotness? I know lots of small stuff gets refined in revisions, but these machines are only 7 months apart, and the 24" was a $2200 machine originally. Thanks for all insight!

It seems like the 24" is the better machine... however, if it were me, I'd get the new 21" just to have the new model. But I'm like that... can't you tell by my sig?

 

[Inside_line]

I should add she is going to do photography work on it. I know both models have IPS displays, the 24" is philips 8-bit with H-IPS, really top of the line. I think the only thing I dislike is the Nvidia graphics, I would prefer the ATI after all the bad press I've read about Nvidia. Then again, the 24" has been out longer than the 21", and without any widespread complaints.

 

[Inside_line]

Alright... it is becoming rediculously clear I did not need to start this thread. Just found out the 24" has 6MG shared L2 cache where the 21" has 3MG. 21" does have a SD card slot built in. Hope this is useful for anyone else considering these machines.

 

[macrumorsMaster]

Alright... it is becoming rediculously clear I did not need to start this thread. Just found out the 24" has 6MG shared L2 cache where the 21" has 3MG. 21" does have a SD card slot built in. Hope this is useful for anyone else considering these machines.

You forgot to mention though that the 24" is limited in ram expansion a lot more than the 21"(which can go all the way to 16GB!)

However, if all she is doing is photography the 24" is just fine.

 

[J&JPolangin]

...I'd go with the 24" iMac if I was going to get a C2D machine... I don't need it with the mac's I have in my sig so I'd wait until rev B of the 27" i7's come out if I was interested in a new computer (but that probably won't be for at least 2 more years with any luck)...

 

[js81]

You forgot to mention though that the 24" is limited in ram expansion a lot more than the 21"(which can go all the way to 16GB!)

Definite point to consider. That means you can go to 8GB easy and cheap instead of paying out your rear. I know 6 vs. 3MB cache is a big deal, but I think I'd still go new 21" for the RAM expandability alone.

 

[Inside_line]

Good points all, thanks for the advice. Another thread here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/814556/

Mods I think this one is safe to close.

 

[Badger^2]

I have a 24" iMac and I would get a new 21".

The 24" you are looking at is no slouch, but I would really want/need the easy 8 gig ram upgrade. I find 4 gigs limiting. Boosting that 24" to 6 gigs costs 2X as much as boosting the 21" to 8 gigs.

In daily use, I highly doubt the cache is going to matter at all.

And I highly doubt 3 weeks from now she would find the 27" "too big".

FWIW, that same 24" 3.06 w/GT130 is only $1350 from Apple:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/FB420LL/A?mco=MTEyMDAwMzk