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Trading in Mac... what to get instead?

T

tshort

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 20, 2007
160
11
I've decided to trade in my PowerMac G5 to Powermax.com. The quote they gave me was for $850. The shipping was $60. So the net should be $790.

The PowerMac was connected with an 23" Apple Cinema HD Display which I may be able to sell to someone locally for say... $300 (or does anyone have a better price suggestion for 3.5 year old display?).


That gives me ~$1100 to buy a new Mac that includes a display or ~$800 for standalone. I'd have to buy from Powermax to use my credit, they charge shipping but not tax (so it's a wash for me as far as the Apple store is concerned). I am able to put additional cash into the transaction if needed.

Options:

* Mac Mini 2.0 GHz. I already have USB keyboard/mouse.
* iMac 20" 2.0 GHz. I think the jump to 2.4 is too much.
* MacBook 2.0 or 2.2 GHz.

This is mostly for my kids.

Opinions?
 
Unless you really need the portability, go iMac :) I love it - the kids will love the large screen for games, watching movies, etc., and the dedicated graphics/faster hard drive make all the difference.
 
mac mini + your display is a reasonable choice unless you want iSight then it's a no brainer---->iMac. Personally, I would go iMac.
 
Shackler said:
:apple:IMAC:D

you have some lucky kids.
if only i was exposed to apple at a young age:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

My first Mac (a Performa II?) I returned back in the early 90s. The first Mac I bought to keep was an eMac. I recently donated it to my kids school (they use Macs). I bought the iMac (listed below) as a replacement. It took a few months, but when I bought it, I moved my PC and the PowerMac G5 (bought for video editing) to the kids "computer room". I rarely use PC anymore, the only Windows app I really use is Quicken, via VMWare. But now the PowerMac G5 has outlived itself... hence my trade in. Soon my Dell laptop will be replaced... possibly by a MacBook or Pro...

Thanks for your opinions!
 
vote for iMac

Why does the average user need to upgrade a house computer except simply for the sake of the geeky urge to upgrade anything? I know that many enjoy the very process of updating and upgrading - a tower would fit the bill here.

For home use, the computer works, runs programs - enjoy using it. You would not think of getting inside your TV or microwave oven to "upgrade it", would you?

iMac or Mac Mini are also kind of appliances. I vote for the iMac for kids - the 'Book will be broken in pieces in no time. Mac Mini involves an additional cable for your monitor and that adds both to the messiness of a setup and increases the chances of the whole construction to end up on the floor one day.
 
Batt said:
iMac. They'll spend hours entertaining themselves with PhotoBooth.
Click to expand...

Absolutely! My younger sister can't get enough of that app. She sits there and takes tons and tons of funny pictures of herself. Laughing nonstop the whole time too.
 
mrtune said:
Absolutely! My younger sister can't get enough of that app. She sits there and takes tons and tons of funny pictures of herself. Laughing nonstop the whole time too.
Click to expand...
Google "MoreiChatEffects". It's a free collection of backgrounds (36 I think) that'll keep her amused.
 
If this is for the kids, I agree with iMac.

I assume your kids are between 5 and 17? The iMac will make a good all-around computer for the next few years. I think they're just made for family stuff.

If one of your children is going to be headed off to college soon, they'll want a notebook. If you still have other kids though, the iMac still makes the most sense (and students get a better deal through uni anyways). :)
 
A lot of people are not interested in upgrading.....

Eraserhead said:
Not for upgrading.
Click to expand...

For a child or an adult the iMac is a great computer. Never owned one until now and I am more than happy with it. It does everything I need it to do. It comes with a huge HD...run out of HD space buy an external. At 2.8Ghz it is more than speedy enough. Even the slightly slower imac would be fine for his children too.

My kids had a Quadra 800, and the wife emac from School, both worked well for both of the kids.
 
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