Newbie needs buying advice...

[FullCollapse]

alright so i'm looking to make that big jump from pc to mac. been using an HP laptop the last few years and i've decided that of the machines apple has to offer me, the imac would suit my needs best.
my only problem is that i can't decide between the 17" and the 20". i'll be using it as my main computer and possibly doing some gaming... harddrive space isn't really an issue.
is it worth it to upgrade the processor on the 17"? what about upping the ram to 2 gigs? if i were to decide possibly upgrading at a later date after my purchase, would i be able to install ram myself or have to take it back to apple? how much of a difference is there really between the screen on each model?
another question about the monitor, i'm at college right now and i get to work on an imac 2-3 times a week. is there any way to tell for sure what size the monitor is just by being in front of the machine? other than bringing a ruler, obviously.
i may come up with more questions but thanks in advance to anyone who answers.

 

[roland.g]

I would definitely up to 2GB RAM, give you the best performance. For gaming I woud get the 20" with the 256MB Video option as well. I would get the standard processor unless you want to spend more and you can get a 20" 2GB RAM and video upgrade for a good price with a student discount. As far as the RAM, Apple no longer offers the standard 1GB in a single stick. So while it is very very easy to upgrade it yourself, you have to buy 2GB of RAM and then pull out the 2 512 sticks. With current RAM prices, the student discount on a 2GB upgrade is cheaper than buying the RAM yourself.

 

[pianoman]

go for the 20" with 2GB RAM and 256MB graphics.

i don't think upgrading the processor from 2.16 to 2.33 will make that much difference, especially with the RAM upgrade.