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Torn! New 20" iMac or the 24" iMac?

Grokgod

Grokgod

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 26, 2002
906
0
Deep within the heart of madness!
20" vs 24"?
I am torn tween the the 2 options.

I want the smaller size actually because less heat etc, but the screen quality kinda bugs me, even though it's not really that bad, just from a side angle, it gets kinda yellow, weird.

It bugs though that for the amount of cash, shouldn't APple put a better screen in it?

I hate it when I get that unethical feeling from Apple.

But when I think about going 24" I get squishy also.

The faster chip means more heat more noise, i think its a 10 watt difference.

I guess I want to see and hear the difference tween the two in a quiet environment. but that is unlikely.

Sometimes I think that the 24" is too big but perhaps that makes room and creates less heat for the 2.6 35 watt chip?

I guess it comes down to what bugs me less,
Yellow screen from the sides or heat and noise from a hotter chip.

ANyone there care to comment of the 20" screen issues or if there is heat or noise differences in the 24"

Isnt the new chip cooler than the previous iMacs too?

Doesnt a larger screen mean more heat also?

I wasnt even considering the 2.8 or the 3 with Nvidia, so it's tween these issues for me.

TIA
 
The Al iMacs are amazingly quiet; I think you'd be surprised.

I would imagine the difference between the two models to be negligible. ...I've never compared the 20" vs. 24" Al iMacs, but the 20" Al iMac is virtually silent compared to my 17" iMac G5. Depending on your current computer, either one will most likely me an improvement.
 
I have the 24" iMac and I don't notice the noise level, and that's when I'm playing CoD4 on the highest settings. It does get hot (when I touch my hand to the back), as you would expect when running a game like that, but it's not like I'm sitting it on my lap either. If you're running the computer for standard internet, email, pictures, music, etc. I can't imagine it generating that much heat and causing the fan noise level to go up that high.

Interesting bit though, when you first boot it up, the fans start up and you can hear a faint 'whoosh' sound going through. Then it's not noticeable.

As for 20" vs. 24", my friend said when he was deciding, he picked the 24" because he'd know he would regret it later. I did the same, no regrets.
 
funny about the 24", I though that it might be the best choice to restrain regrets.


But 24" and the added chin and bevel or added circumference, makes it seem like beast to me, maybe TOO big!

Anyone have the 20" and an opinion about the screen?
 
Grokgod said:
funny about the 24", I though that it might be the best choice to restrain regrets.


But 24" and the added chin and bevel or added circumference, makes it seem like beast to me, maybe TOO big!

Anyone have the 20" and an opinion about the screen?
Click to expand...

We have both of the previous Al iMacs, 2x 2.8's 24"ers and one 20" 2.4er


Lemme tell you, you will appreciate the extra screen space. Even though the 20" is nice too, the quality is a bummer (IMO). They both take up the same amount of space on the desk, the 24" will take up more aerial space. Each iMac has a different noise. I work with 4 Al iMacs (3x 24", 1x20"), the 3rd 24 is my friends with a 2.8 processor too, and they each make their own sound, different hard drives and blah. But I can guarantee you, whatever you get, you will be happy. But I say 24", I think its much much much much much much nicer (ok, too much), one thing I got jealous of about the 20" (I was the first guy out of all 4 Al iMacs I use to get one), the 20" iMac being the 3rd, I liked the fact it was small :p.

All in all, The 3.06 looks yummy (well the 8800 part). And the 2.8 seems too good as well, so idk how I can help you with that part except asking about your GPU needs.
 
I have the 20" and am pretty satisfied. Yes, I would have been nice to have the 24" but it wouldn't have fit on my desk and the price was slightly too rich for my blood.

So far on the 20" I have been able to do everything I would have been able to do on the 24". I have been editing Hi-Definition video. While not as fast, it gets the job done.

Screen quality has also not been an issue. As long as I'm looking at the screen head on, it looks great.

Basically, get what you can afford. I would recommend the 24" if you are willing to spend the money. Be aware though, the 20" will do just fine if you can't afford the larger model.
 
There is a cost benefit. However, if you are moving up from a 17" iMac G5 (which I will do in mid-2009), I'm sure you'll be happy with the 20" screen. Maybe some regrets on 24", but you will have $300 more in your pocket. Or you could put the $300 towards a larger hard drive and memory upgrade. That is probably what you would regret more...
 
if i were buying one, i would definitely go with the 24". one of our CSR reps at work just got a new one to replace a two year old iMac, which the screen went bad on.

i think it is really impressive, and really quite. most people seem to forget these Intel processors run a lot cooler, than say G4 or G5. i think i have only noticed her iMacs fan kick on, or rev'd up, maybe once or twice since she received it.

either way, i don't think you could go wrong by choosing either of them.
 
bluedoggiant said:
We have both of the previous Al iMacs, 2x 2.8's 24"ers and one 20" 2.4er


Lemme tell you, you will appreciate the extra screen space. Even though the 20" is nice too, the quality is a bummer (IMO). They both take up the same amount of space on the desk, the 24" will take up more aerial space. Each iMac has a different noise. I work with 4 Al iMacs (3x 24", 1x20"), the 3rd 24 is my friends with a 2.8 processor too, and they each make their own sound, different hard drives and blah. But I can guarantee you, whatever you get, you will be happy. But I say 24", I think its much much much much much much nicer (ok, too much), one thing I got jealous of about the 20" (I was the first guy out of all 4 Al iMacs I use to get one), the 20" iMac being the 3rd, I liked the fact it was small :p.

All in all, The 3.06 looks yummy (well the 8800 part). And the 2.8 seems too good as well, so idk how I can help you with that part except asking about your GPU needs.
Click to expand...


AH hah, there is something to be said for the smaller size of the 20", in a good way, isn't there...

I appreciate the size on my desk being contained.
I would use this computer mostly for script writing, but sometimes I need to edit a few video files etc, on it.
But it's mostly for communications, internet, etc and writing.
I go the MacPro for heavy work.

Thanks for your observations.. much appreciated.
BUt I was curious if any of your 3 24" iMac had more fan noise due to heat issue or if the additional space vents easier?

I mean the difference tween a 2.6 and a 2.8 can't be that much heat producing unless it's overclocked as the 3.06 is.

Sometimes I notice that on the 20" that the picture fades when looking at an vertical angle not just the horizontal, that kinda bugs me, cause it was not a steep angle to create a loss of image.

The example is that on a Finder window the alternating colored strips faded when I sat up, now that is a big difference in viewing angle for a small amount of movement.
 
I just bought a 24-in. It is virtually silent and runs cool. Then again, I just moved from a G5 tower, which was somewhat noisy and served as an extra space heater in the winter. So I guess it is all relative.
 
i have the 20" iMac and its perfect for me. Its almost silent, but it in terms of the screen, it depends on what you do with your mac. If you are a photographer or do anything with graphics then 24" is probably better. My dad has the 24" version and it is also quiet and doesnt produce much heat.
 
Never notice the noise on my 24" (2.4GHz) and having moved up from a 20" external widescreen on my previous machine, I appreciate the extra real-estate - so much that I am moving to a 30" when I replace my iMac with a Mac Pro and MacBook Pro.
 
Get the largest you can buy without creating a financial problem for yourself. I have a 24" and think it is well worth it, but then again, I could spend the cash.

Also no problems with heat or noise (very very quiet machine indeed).

Rgds.
 
I've just moved from a pc so my comparison level is different from many here but my 24" iMac is incredibly quite, infct my fingers tapping on the keybourd that comes with it is far louder as is my portable hard drive. The iMac itself as far as I can tell is totlly silent
 
CWallace said:
Never notice the noise on my 24" (2.4GHz) and having moved up from a 20" external widescreen on my previous machine, I appreciate the extra real-estate - so much that I am moving to a 30" when I replace my iMac with a Mac Pro and MacBook Pro.
Click to expand...

I thought you have a 2.8.
 
Thanks for the advise , one and all.

I did notice on one of my trips to the Apple store to stare and fume at the iMacs.

That the 24" did seem to have quite a bit more heat rising from the back of the displace.

anyone else notice this or is it my perceptions or what the mac's were running.
 
I'm going for a 20", as much as I'd like the top-of-the-line, every time I see the 24" iMac, it just seems too big and I think it'd really look out of place on my desk. The price different is also quite a bit.
 
I just bought a refurbed 24" Aluminum iMac. It is big, but it's all a question of scale and where you're going to put it. On a "floating" desk, it'll look like a wall, but in a nook against a wall, it's fine. If have somewhere to put it, then better by far to get the bigger screen.

It's also too quiet. You never really know if it's doing anything.
 
My 24" 3.06 is very quiet. I never hear any fans. The upper left corner does get pretty hot, especially when using Handbrake, but it seems like people are saying that's nothing to be too concerned with, right?
 
mckandy said:
My 24" 3.06 is very quiet. I never hear any fans. The upper left corner does get pretty hot, especially when using Handbrake, but it seems like people are saying that's nothing to be too concerned with, right?
Click to expand...

Nothing to worry about.

Totally unrelated news, aluminum is a flammable metal.
 
AlexisV said:
Why are you bothered about heat?

The 20 and 24" are just as quiet as each other so I don't know why it would be a factor.
Click to expand...

Additional heat means so much.

More EMG is created and heat is a symptom or byproduct of that.

I agree that the 24" cold be like a wall, Heh, great analogy.
maybe I need a partition in that room?

I would go for the 20 inch if it wasnt for the yellow color in side viewing.
since all other specs are the same aside from a modest cpu increase.
I think that is negligible.
 
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