Hi, all. I'm in Norway, and buying a new iMac here will cost about $1000+ more than the equivalent U.S. model. (Customs fees would make shipping it from the U.S. prohibitive, too.) So, I'm trying to find the best combination of cost and potential re-saleability -- I'd like to try selling it in two years and getting a new one.
With that in mind, I'm considering a 27" iMac with the specs below.
Note that the most-intensive things I would be using it for include some heavy-duty Photoshop work (not at the level of professional photographers and digital artists, but maybe approaching that), and maybe watching movies or streaming video while working on photos or other documents. So, I MAY be considering more computer than I need, but if I'm going to be spending so much on even a base model, I'm wondering if I should spend a little more to try to maximize how much I could sell it for in a couple of years.
I realize it is probably not possible to answer many of those questions, and it likely comes down to preference, but I thought I would give it a shot.
Thanks much for any help.
With that in mind, I'm considering a 27" iMac with the specs below.
Note that the most-intensive things I would be using it for include some heavy-duty Photoshop work (not at the level of professional photographers and digital artists, but maybe approaching that), and maybe watching movies or streaming video while working on photos or other documents. So, I MAY be considering more computer than I need, but if I'm going to be spending so much on even a base model, I'm wondering if I should spend a little more to try to maximize how much I could sell it for in a couple of years.
- 3.4Ghz i7: Costs about $300 more than the 3.1Ghz i5 where I am, and $600+ more than the 2.7Ghz i5. Either of the i5 models is probably fine for my current needs. However, perhaps I could get much of that extra cost of the i7 back if I try to re-sell the compuer in 2 years? Alternatively, if the 3.1 or 2.7Ghz i5s can be expected to hold a decent portion of their value over the next couple of years, then perhaps they would be more cost-effective?
- 1TB hard drive only: The 2TB drive is currently an extra $200+, and the 1TB + SSD is an extra $800+. I don't need 2TB right now, so I'm considering just getting an external ThunderBolt-equipped SSD or normal HD later (assuming they become widely available). Or perhaps the resale bump of a 2TB vs. 1TB drive is worth $200?
- 1GB video card: The 2GB upgrade costs about an extra $130 currently. I don't think I need that much, but again, perhaps I could make up most of the difference in resale?
- 4GB RAM: I'll just buy more from a 3rd party source.
I realize it is probably not possible to answer many of those questions, and it likely comes down to preference, but I thought I would give it a shot.
Thanks much for any help.
