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Need help deciding which iMac to get please!

N

Nilok64

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 6, 2013
31
0
I want to purchase a refurbished iMac and would like opinions on which one to get between these two:

$1149
Originally released May 2011
27-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display
4GB memory
1TB hard drive
8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
AMD Radeon HD 6770M graphics with 512MB memory

Built-in FaceTime HD camera

$1099
Originally released October 2012
21.5-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display
8GB memory
1TB hard drive

NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M with 512MB
Built-in FaceTime HD camera

I don't plan on gaming or anything like that. It is purely for multimedia and internet.
 
faxao said:
27" all the way: the 5400rpm HDD on the 21" makes its performances really poor IMHO.
Click to expand...

That and a few things - he isn't playing games, running photoshop, or editing in a huge workflow. The memory on the 21.5 requires ungluing the screen and removing the logic board to upgrade... and you're stuck with two slots total. 27" gets an easily accessible 4 slots.

Videocard is a non-issue since he isn't gaming.

CPU... sure, but again, web browsing and videos.

Screen is absolutely worth it in my opinion.

But hey, I'm just over here very happy with my old iMac running an intensive VM all day, watching 1080p movies, playing Diablo 3, and GTA5 with my Kanex XD. ;)
 
Last edited:
RedReplicant said:
The memory on the 21.5 requires ungluing the screen and removing the logic board to upgrade...
Click to expand...

No glue on these ones AFAIK, just the magnets (it's the pre-2012 model). I'm guessing the 2011 models have USB2 also, and the 2012 USB3, this may be a factor for the OP.
 
jg321 said:
No glue on these ones AFAIK, just the magnets (it's the pre-2012 model). I'm guessing the 2011 models have USB2 also, and the 2012 USB3, this may be a factor for the OP.
Click to expand...

Ah, you're right. Got confused since it's the Nov 2012 that went slim/glued.
 
Thanks for the advices guys, I'm leaning towards the 27", but I'm afraid of it's performance since it is kind of old for a computer. My budget is approximately the price of this computer give or take $150. I would like to keep the computer for at least 5 years. I started thinking that maybe I should go for the refurbished 13" Macbook pro retina. I am now really confused as to what to get. I don't really need to be mobile and I love the bigger screen of the iMac, but I don't want to buy an already obsolete computer. What do you guys think my best option is?
 
Nilok64 said:
I want to purchase a refurbished iMac and would like opinions on which one to get between these two:

$1149
Originally released May 2011
27-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display
4GB memory
1TB hard drive
8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
AMD Radeon HD 6770M graphics with 512MB memory

Built-in FaceTime HD camera

$1099
Originally released October 2012
21.5-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display
8GB memory
1TB hard drive

NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M with 512MB
Built-in FaceTime HD camera

I don't plan on gaming or anything like that. It is purely for multimedia and internet.
Click to expand...

If you can afford a little more get this.

27"
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD095LL/A/refurbished-imac-29ghz-quad-core-intel-core-i5

Or this 21"
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD093LL/A/refurbished-imac-27ghz-quad-core-intel-core-i5
 
is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M with 512MB a good card? How does it compare to the intel Iris in the new 2013 21" iMac?

thanks,
 
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