Cheapest source for 27" iMacs?

[Pandamonium]

I'm already a mostly Apple household. Right now I run a 15" MBP slotted into a hengedock 99% of the time, powering a ~23" 1080p panel. It's alright, but I think I'd be better off with just an iMac, mobility be damned. My general use is very light, but I like large screen real estate, so any of the 27" iMacs from any generation would fit the bill quite nicely. Part of me is hesitant to drop the MBP cold turkey- so I want a period of time where I'd own both machines. Otherwise I could probably sell off my MBP, put the proceeds towards a refurb 27" iMac, and be very close to breaking even.

So if all I'm looking for is a relatively functional 27" iMac and I don't care about production year (ie: pre-thunderbolt is acceptable), scratches, dents, or even 100% functional ports (as long as ethernet and one or two USB ports are working I'm okay), what's the cheapest I can expect to find one? And where am I most likely to find such a deal?

 

[slashbinslashbash]

Craigslist
Apple store refurbs (only current and most recent older gen models)

This place has pretty good resellerreviews and a 27" for $900: http://www.macofalltrades.com/Apple-iMac-27-inch-3-06GHz-Intel-Core-2-Duo-2009-p/im-27-306-l09a.htm

I would probably pay the extra $100 for a quad-core i5 though: http://www.macofalltrades.com/Apple...-Quad-core-Intel-i5-2009-p/im-27-266-l09a.htm

 

[Subyman]

Depends on the year. The Sandy Bridge versions are plenty powerful. Look for the Mid-2011 models. Anything earlier uses Nehalem based processors at best.

As for price, it depends on what you are comfortable with. Apple refurb is highest followed by popular resellers, then ebay, and then local. I'd definitely look locally first since you can have hands on time. I purchased a Mac Pro recently off eBay from a well rated reseller and had a pleasant experience. When buying Macs ALWAYS be skeptical and be prepared to walk away. Macs are probably the most scammed or misrepresented items on the internet.

Luckily, iMacs are usually treated well. MacBook Pros are harder to find in pristine condition due to the fact they are portable. Most people haven't moved their iMac since they pulled it out of the box.

 

[KeithP]

I am guessing you have already ruled this out but I will say it because if I don't, someone else will...

What about a Mac Mini and a 27" (or 30") Monoprice monitor?

-KeithP

 

[mmntech]

I am guessing you have already ruled this out but I will say it because if I don't, someone else will...

What about a Mac Mini and a 27" (or 30") Monoprice monitor?

-KeithP

Was thinking the same thing. There are VESA mounts for them that allow you to stick it on the back of your monitor.

 

[Pandamonium]

Thought about a display with mac mini- I don't want to deal with yet another set of wires for speakers, so I'd be looking at the 27" 2010ish displays. They're still pricey, but the main thing is that I'd have to shop for two items.

If I started looking at more recent mac minis, their GPUs are outclassed by similarly aged iMacs.

Although as I type this out, it seems like it would make sense to separate the display from the machine so that I could spend less on a mini now. If I really liked it, maybe I could recycle the mini into a HTPC (or resell) and then upgrade minis for performance boosts whenever I wanted... I suppose a lot of this hinges on my ability to source a display for cheap enough.