Talk me out of (or into) a 27" iMac!

[marketsons1985]

Thinking of treating myself to an iMac, went into Apple with the intention of looking at the 21.5" and the saleswoman (cute) piqued my interest in the 27". I like the idea of using it an a target display (didn't know the 21.5" doesn't do that!) and the extra size for only $200.

Right now, here's my thoughts of getting the 27" and switching over from my current PC.

Pro:
Excellent machine
Fewer Wires
Removed Speakers
Use as 27" display for work computer
Pay same as cash over 12 months
Use former desktop as HTPC
Sell current monitor
Sell printer that is FAR


Cons:
Loads of money
and....??

Am I forgetting anything in the pros or cons? After getting accessories (AEBS, been wanting one for a while, might as well spread cost over 12 months, Printer, AppleCare etc) it'l end up being about 170 per month for 12 months, so not bad at all.

Help me make a decision!

 

[randomlinh]

isn't the 27"er reporting to have issues? has that been fixed?

Otherwise, the only other real issue is can you live with an AIO? I thought I could, but sadly, a year later, I needed a more powerful machine+HDD space (do not like a lot of drives, and even if I had a drobo, I'd still want at least two internal drives).

Assuming there are no issues w/ it, it's a really good deal given the monitor you get out of it. I wish I could go back to just that single machine, but it wasn't for me.

 

[marketsons1985]

isn't the 27"er reporting to have issues? has that been fixed?

Otherwise, the only other real issue is can you live with an AIO? I thought I could, but sadly, a year later, I needed a more powerful machine+HDD space (do not like a lot of drives, and even if I had a drobo, I'd still want at least two internal drives).

Assuming there are no issues w/ it, it's a really good deal given the monitor you get out of it. I wish I could go back to just that single machine, but it wasn't for me.

Yeah, I'm sure I can live with the AIO as my main machine, and use the HTPC for a tinkering machine.

I thought it was just the i7s that were having issues, and there's no way I'd need one of those...the C2D is excellent for me! Though I could be wrong...

 

[dmw16]

I love the look of it, but I couldn't live with an AIO type computer. But if you have another toy computer the iMac does seem like a nice machine.

 

[sourceninja]

I have a few in the office. They are worth it.

 

[PCTC2]

The flickering has been fixed, but I never experienced it. There was a firmware update a few days ago.

However, there is not an adapter yet that can drive the iMac as a 2560x1440 display yet. There are only single-link DVI to MiniDisplayPort adapters. There are ones coming out, but not yet. So if you get an adapter now, it will only drive the display at 1280x720.

I love my Core i5 8GB 27 iMac. In fact, I have 2. One at home and one at work. I use it for productivity. It is great. The LED IPS is beautiful.

 

[Ka0t1x]

I have an i7, 4GB version and its really amazing, the only problem I have with it is that because of the i7, it gets pretty hot (read: overly warm). For an extra $200 its crazy not to upgrade to the 27".

 

[randomlinh]

Yeah, I'm sure I can live with the AIO as my main machine, and use the HTPC for a tinkering machine.

I thought it was just the i7s that were having issues, and there's no way I'd need one of those...the C2D is excellent for me! Though I could be wrong...

i anything is well worth it over c2d IMO

 

[secretanchitman]

you MUST get the 27" + the i7 upgrade. it is WELL worth it.

and oh yes, the 27" is worth the extra money over the 21.5". 2560x1440 >>>>> 1920x1080. the difference is astounding. that was the first computer ive ever had to literally turn my head to see both sides of the screen. it was mind blowing.

 

[rdp6]

I need a new machine for my wife but am concerned with the reported display issues. Our tech refresh has had a very long interval here (she is still using a P4 Willamette Dell) and I'm not willing to be stuck with an out of the box sub-prime machine for another 6+ years.

 

[marketsons1985]

you MUST get the 27" + the i7 upgrade. it is WELL worth it.

and oh yes, the 27" is worth the extra money over the 21.5". 2560x1440 >>>>> 1920x1080. the difference is astounding. that was the first computer ive ever had to literally turn my head to see both sides of the screen. it was mind blowing.

Well worth it for what though...I really don't see myself using all of the i7 power...and that bumps the price up $500 more than the current model I'm looking at.

The flickering has been fixed, but I never experienced it. There was a firmware update a few days ago.

However, there is not an adapter yet that can drive the iMac as a 2560x1440 display yet. There are only single-link DVI to MiniDisplayPort adapters. There are ones coming out, but not yet. So if you get an adapter now, it will only drive the display at 1280x720.

I love my Core i5 8GB 27 iMac. In fact, I have 2. One at home and one at work. I use it for productivity. It is great. The LED IPS is beautiful.

Hmm, well right now I'd just be driving it with my Macbook / work laptop since I've got a 40" in the living room...so 1280x720 is okay I suppose until then...sad though.

 

[marketsons1985]

Hmm, new development....it seems that I won't be able to use the iMac as an external monitor to either my older Macbook or work laptop....only if I have a minidisplay port native to the computer.

Can anyone confirm this?

 

[marketsons1985]

Alright, leaving in a half hour to go get it Nothing talked me out of it!

 

[Pliablemoose]

As an Apple investor, I kiss you...

Just remember to serpentine on the way home, ok?

http://www.siliconvalley.com/personal-technology/ci_14142446?nclick_check=1

 

[KeithP]

Personally, I don't think I would ever buy an all-in-one like an iMac. That being said my boss just took delivery of a maxed out 27" iMac and I set it up for him (Yes, he is that clueless).

I gotta say, that is one sweet machine. If feels faster than the Mac Pro I use at work (2.8GHz, 8 core, 8GB RAM) and the display looks fantastic.

I do rather dislike the small keyboard and mouse. Especially the mouse. It amazes me that Apple, after all these years, still hasn't managed to build a good mouse.

-KeithP

 

[marketsons1985]

Personally, I don't think I would ever buy an all-in-one like an iMac. That being said my boss just took delivery of a maxed out 27" iMac and I set it up for him (Yes, he is that clueless).

I gotta say, that is one sweet machine. If feels faster than the Mac Pro I use at work (2.8GHz, 8 core, 8GB RAM) and the display looks fantastic.

I do rather dislike the small keyboard and mouse. Especially the mouse. It amazes me that Apple, after all these years, still hasn't managed to build a good mouse.

-KeithP

I thought this would be the case when I got the magic mouse, but surprisingly, I really like it. The whole multi-touch on a mouse thing is pretty sweet, I can do just about anything I want whenever I want, without using shortcuts or clicking incessantly.

Enjoying it so far

 

[Pliablemoose]

I have a magic mouse on my PC and love it, just for scrolling, I imagine it's pretty slick with multi toch support

 

[TheStu]

Personally, I don't think I would ever buy an all-in-one like an iMac. That being said my boss just took delivery of a maxed out 27" iMac and I set it up for him (Yes, he is that clueless).

I gotta say, that is one sweet machine. If feels faster than the Mac Pro I use at work (2.8GHz, 8 core, 8GB RAM) and the display looks fantastic.

I do rather dislike the small keyboard and mouse. Especially the mouse. It amazes me that Apple, after all these years, still hasn't managed to build a good mouse.

-KeithP

If I had the cash for the fully tricked out 27" I would get it in a heartbeat. OS X is my preferred OS and using it at that res would be sick.

OP, please tell me you aren't putting Windows XP on that thing.

 

[secretanchitman]

If I had the cash for the fully tricked out 27" I would get it in a heartbeat. OS X is my preferred OS and using it at that res would be sick.

OP, please tell me you aren't putting Windows XP on that thing.

first thing i would do is ditch that small wireless keyboard and use the wired/numeric keypad one. i cant stand the small wireless keyboard. the magic mouse is alright, but its missing a few gestures that i want (apparently some software takes care of that - i forget the name), and i honestly prefer my microsoft intellimouse explorer 3.0. i need my backwards/forwards buttons!

 

[marketsons1985]

If I had the cash for the fully tricked out 27" I would get it in a heartbeat. OS X is my preferred OS and using it at that res would be sick.

OP, please tell me you aren't putting Windows XP on that thing.

Nope. Still hesitant about possibly putting Windows 7. I'm thinking I'll just use OSX and get my Windows 7 fix on my HTPC.

I kind of like the keyboard...I don't use the number pad except when doing work stuff (entering grades) so I like having the small keyboard. And it's the same feel as my macbook so perfect match.

Loving it so far. A little creeped out by the faces aspect in iPhoto...

 

[marketsons1985]

first thing i would do is ditch that small wireless keyboard and use the wired/numeric keypad one. i cant stand the small wireless keyboard. the magic mouse is alright, but its missing a few gestures that i want (apparently some software takes care of that - i forget the name), and i honestly prefer my microsoft intellimouse explorer 3.0. i need my backwards/forwards buttons!

I've gotten really good at back and forward, since I already have two fingers on the mouse. I just move one finger to the side (below the other) and it works perfectly, and quickly.

Which gestures would you want? I've got the BTT (better touch tool or something) software for it but can't think of what ones I might want...

 

[randomlinh]

I've gotten really good at back and forward, since I already have two fingers on the mouse. I just move one finger to the side (below the other) and it works perfectly, and quickly.

Which gestures would you want? I've got the BTT (better touch tool or something) software for it but can't think of what ones I might want...

I couldn't get the hang of side to side swipe. and I doubt I would, at least on that particular mouse. it's just too low profile for my taste.

 

[secretanchitman]

I've gotten really good at back and forward, since I already have two fingers on the mouse. I just move one finger to the side (below the other) and it works perfectly, and quickly.

Which gestures would you want? I've got the BTT (better touch tool or something) software for it but can't think of what ones I might want...

im so used to the glass trackpad gestures on my macbook pro, like 2 finger twist, 3 finger forwards/backwards (i dont like the 2 finger one, it seems really unnatural to me), and 2 finger zooming in/out. and yes, better touch tool is think what i was talking about.

other then that, the mouse is solid. its easily my favorite mouse next to my intellimouse explorer 3.0.

 

[PCTC2]

Just an FYI for the future, if you're thinking about some other purchases.

1) If you get a unibody Macbook Pro or something with a miniDisplayPort, get the $20-30 Belkin MiniDisplayPort to MiniDisplayPort cable. I hook up my work 13" MBP to my iMac to be more productive with the extra real estate.

2) Keep an eye on Atlona. Right now, their DVI-to-MiniDisplayPort adapter is only single-link but they're working on a dual-link adapter.

3) Did you get AppleCare?

4) It's got 4 RAM slots, and it comes standard with 2x2GB, so buy another 2x2GB and run 8GB of RAM in it. Then buy VMware Fusion and install Windows 7 on Bootcamp and use VMware to boot the bootcamp partition. Makes Windows easily accessible, but if you want to get full performance, you can reboot to the bootcamp partition.

 

[marketsons1985]

Just an FYI for the future, if you're thinking about some other purchases.

1) If you get a unibody Macbook Pro or something with a miniDisplayPort, get the $20-30 Belkin MiniDisplayPort to MiniDisplayPort cable. I hook up my work 13" MBP to my iMac to be more productive with the extra real estate.

Yeah, I'll probably get a new one sometime next year.

3) Did you get AppleCare?

Yep. It's been worth it to me on my MB, just got a logic board replaced two weeks ago (holy crap, $500)

4) It's got 4 RAM slots, and it comes standard with 2x2GB, so buy another 2x2GB and run 8GB of RAM in it. Then buy VMware Fusion and install Windows 7 on Bootcamp and use VMware to boot the bootcamp partition. Makes Windows easily accessible, but if you want to get full performance, you can reboot to the bootcamp partition.

Yeah I will be keeping an eye out for the extra RAM, and I have VMWare already, just have to find a way to get my Windows 7 install that I got as a student from my now non-functional PC into an ISO. Should have it done this week.