New to iMac - 2013 vs 2015 please advise

[royinla14]

hi everyone. Need a little advice. I am using iOS devices such as iPhone and iPads but have been using Windows PC all my life. Only using my computer for browsing, emails, Microsoft office (word and excel). My pc is prettt slow and over 5 years old running i3 and 4gb memory so I was thinking of getting me used iMac. Found 2 options basically that I’m debating:
1. 21.5 2013 model bought in 2015 2.7GHz Core i5 256GB SSD 8GB memory sell for $575
2. 21.5 2015 model bought in 2017 1.6 GHz Core i5 1 TB hard drive 8GB memory sell for $650.

I have external drive I can use it chosing option 1. Both in mint condition. Please help with some thoughts.
Thanks

 

[jerwin]

first option is probably the faster machine. SSD instead of spinning rust. four cores instead of two.

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

Avoid No. 2 with a small CPU and if the 1TB is a platter, slow as cold molasses.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

hi everyone. Need a little advice. I am using iOS devices such as iPhone and iPads but have been using Windows PC all my life. Only using my computer for browsing, emails, Microsoft office (word and excel). My pc is prettt slow and over 5 years old running i3 and 4gb memory so I was thinking of getting me used iMac. Found 2 options basically that I’m debating:
1. 21.5 2013 model bought in 2015 2.7GHz Core i5 256GB SSD 8GB memory sell for $575
2. 21.5 2015 model bought in 2017 1.6 GHz Core i5 1 TB hard drive 8GB memory sell for $650.

I have external drive I can use it chosing option 1. Both in mint condition. Please help with some thoughts.
Thanks

Avoid the cheapest version of the 21 inch it has a MacBook airs innards and a very slow hdd.

 

[Guy Clark]

Avoid the cheapest version of the 21 inch it has a MacBook airs innards and a very slow hdd.

Absolutely. Although the Hard Drive is 1TB it is 5400rpm and is painfully slow. I recommend the 2015 model with the 4k Retina display with Fusion Drive. Bear in mind Fusion Drives are not compatible with APFS if you are running macOS High Sierra
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...-inch-aluminum-retina-4k-late-2015-specs.html

 

[Fishrrman]

I usually don't recommend "older iMacs over newer", but of the two you posted above, the 2013 will be the better buy.
The SSD inside will make it run MUCH faster.

The 2015 will be a slower-running computer because of the platter-based internal hard drive.

 

[mj_]

Agreed, avoid 5,400rpm drives at all costs. The 2013 will be much faster and snappier.
Keep in mind though that it is also 5 years old at this point and thus the same age as your aging 5-year old i3 PC.