# New computer.....iMac?



## Ady34 (5 Mar 2013)

Hello all,
I'm in desperate need if an updated computer system. With the apple products becoming dominant in my lifestyle....kids iPads, our iPhones ....I'm considering an iMac. They look great and although seem an expensive outlay, they have a longer estimated lifespan and are regularly updated so ideal for a computer dummy like myself who won't want to be replacing and updating a system regularly. 
Can anyone offer any advice as to any negative reasons not to go for it.....I know it's a bit of a lame question, but having no real knowledge about computer systems I don't know if there are strong reasons against, as from what the 'salesman' in PCworld was saying abd what i can understand, they are the way to go.....
Cheers
Ady


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (5 Mar 2013)

Macbook pro mate  
Sexy aluminium casing.


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## Ady34 (5 Mar 2013)

Nathaniel Whiteside said:


> Macbook pro mate
> Sexy aluminium casing.


Ah well, cheers Nath, I should have said I'd really prefer a desktop, I'm not a laptop fan....although I have also considered the mac mini too as a cheaper alternative to the mac :/ I like the idea of a lot of memory too for photos etc 
Im all but decided but being as its such a large expense I thought I'd rely on the Ukaps massive for some non-sales orientated feedback 
Thanks
Ady


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## ian_m (5 Mar 2013)

Ady34 said:


> ...., as from what the 'salesman' in PCworld was saying abd what i can understand, they are the way to go.....


for his commission...


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## LondonDragon (5 Mar 2013)

Go for the iMac, you will not like Windows 8


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## Ady34 (5 Mar 2013)

ian_m said:


> for his commission...


Indeed


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## Iain Sutherland (5 Mar 2013)

my bro just got an imac when i was out there on holiday, if it would have fitted it in my case i would of robbed it
i was very impressed overall and the big old 27-28" (?) screen was awesome... HD videos of peoples tanks came alive, sadly videos made by use mere mortals looked... erm very amateur do it!!!


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## Westyggx (5 Mar 2013)

Ady,

I recently got the Mac Mini at Christmas on Finance i got the higher spec version, im so glad i made the change! I love it!


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## George Farmer (5 Mar 2013)

Had my iMac since 2008. Best decision I ever made. Love it.


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## Ady34 (5 Mar 2013)

Iain Sutherland said:


> my bro just got an imac when i was out there on holiday, if it would have fitted it in my case i would of robbed it
> i was very impressed overall and the big old 27-28" (?) screen was awesome... HD videos of peoples tanks came alive, sadly videos made by use mere mortals looked... erm very amateur do it!!!


hi Iain, 
id only be looking at the 21.5" screen, theres no way i could stretch to the 27" one  Even so it would be a huge improvement on what i have.....ill just sit closer 



Westyggx said:


> Ady,
> 
> I recently got the Mac Mini at Christmas on Finance i got the higher spec version, im so glad i made the change! I love it!


yeah, i really like the sound of the macs.
These mac mini's are a new way of looking at computing for me, i just dont know if i can imagine computing on my tv......i know you can hook it up to a monitor etc, but then you have to buy a monitor and you may aswell just get an imac. Theres something in me that still thinks you need to be sat at a desk using the computer seperately, but i need to think about it and how it would fit with my needs as its quite a saving for pretty much exactly the same product but without a monitor.....


LondonDragon said:


> Go for the iMac, you will not like Windows 8


are you finding it difficult to work with Paulo? My Dad is wanting to upgrade his system to windows 8 to better cope with itunes etc.....is it not all that?

Cheers,
Ady.


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## Ady34 (5 Mar 2013)

mmm....no negative feedback yet .....its looking good. Seems the only decision will be iMac or Mac mini....


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## Stu Worrall (5 Mar 2013)

cant fault them really but as you say they arent cheap.  I moved over to a macbook pro about 2 years ago and I wouldnt go back now.  tried windows 8 the other week.  yuckk!!!


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## Tony Swinney (5 Mar 2013)

Hi Ady. I'm a Mac user, with a couple of their 'toys'.  The Imac is a great machine in either 21.5 or 27" spec, but the only negative I have for it ( in terms of day to day computing ) is that they only come with the high gloss screen, so if you are going to use it in a room with daylight, it does act like a bit of a mirror !  From what you have said, the mac mini will be more than powerful enough for you, and you get the choice of monitor too.  

I'd also say that you can easily spec a macbook pro with more than enough storage for a huge photo collection  - a 750gb plus a 512gb drive can be installed together if you really needed too ! Plus if you get a refurb'ed 17" MBPro from the Apple Store you can spec a non-glossy screen.

Either way, you'll be happy with what you get 

Tony


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## Stu Worrall (5 Mar 2013)

Tony's macs coming out of his ears!


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## bogwood (5 Mar 2013)

Can only agree with whats been said.
Been on Windows, for ever.
My lads (Andyh being one) have nagged me to get a mac for years.
Always refused on cost grounds, however gave in at Xmas, and got a mac mini.......wow.
Why didn't i switch earlier, i love it.
Worth it for the pictures alone.


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## Westyggx (5 Mar 2013)

Ady34 said:


> hi Iain,
> id only be looking at the 21.5" screen, theres no way i could stretch to the 27" one  Even so it would be a huge improvement on what i have.....ill just sit closer
> 
> 
> ...



Ah we'll I had existing peripherals mate so didn't need the monitor  mines set up as a iMac without the apple monitor.


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## linkinruss (5 Mar 2013)

If you can afford the iMacs I'd drop down the money right away.
I've got the newer edition which is slime as my HD tv...Unfortunately it doesn't have a CD drive and you can't upgrade.
So if you have the money, spend as much as you can.

As with all Apple products we dont know when a new one will be release so i use this site for better judgement:
Mac Buyer's Guide: Know When to Buy Your Mac, iPod or iPhone

The iMac was just refreshed so you're safe for now to make that purchase.

The best thing about macs are spacebar preview and short cuts!
My god is so difficult with a PC!


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## Gary Nelson (5 Mar 2013)

I have a ZX81 you can have


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## LondonDragon (5 Mar 2013)

Ady34 said:


> are you finding it difficult to work with Paulo? My Dad is wanting to upgrade his system to windows 8 to better cope with itunes etc.....is it not all that?


Nah tell him not to bother or just stick with Windows 7, Microsoft is trying to get one OS to work with all types of devices and its not working in my opinion, they need two types of OS like OSX and iOS to cope, they never learn!

Anyway you will not be disappointed with the iMac or Mac Mini, I got myself a Macbook Air last summer and its the best laptop I have ever owned  the damn thing just works all the time, its even the best hardware for Windows 7, beats any laptop that is designed to run windows! Use mine on a daily basis, got the 11" version for portability and its always in my bag!

But I would not trade my desktop for a Mac  that will never happen!


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## Ady34 (5 Mar 2013)

Tony Swinney said:


> Hi Ady. I'm a Mac user, with a couple of their 'toys'.  The Imac is a great machine in either 21.5 or 27" spec, but the only negative I have for it ( in terms of day to day computing ) is that they only come with the high gloss screen, so if you are going to use it in a room with daylight, it does act like a bit of a mirror !  From what you have said, the mac mini will be more than powerful enough for you, and you get the choice of monitor too.
> 
> I'd also say that you can easily spec a macbook pro with more than enough storage for a huge photo collection  - a 750gb plus a 512gb drive can be installed together if you really needed too ! Plus if you get a refurb'ed 17" MBPro from the Apple Store you can spec a non-glossy screen.
> 
> ...


Hi Tony, thanks for the info.
If I go for the iMac it'll be situated away from any direct sunlight so don't think that the reflection will be an issue.
Do the apple store sell refurbed iMacs too as this would be an even cheaper alternative I imagine.....although the pcworld 12 months interest free option is tantalising 
I'm not a huge fan of laptops, I think it's stemmed from hearing of short lifespans, although I'm sure the apple products are much better. I also like a larger screen plus ive got the iPad for mobile browsing etc.


bogwood said:


> Can only agree with whats been said.
> Been on Windows, for ever.
> My lads (Andyh being one) have nagged me to get a mac for years.
> Always refused on cost grounds, however gave in at Xmas, and got a mac mini.......wow.
> ...





Westyggx said:


> Ah we'll I had existing peripherals mate so didn't need the monitor  mines set up as a iMac without the apple monitor.


you guys both seem really pleased with your minis....which ones did you go for? I have no real grasp of memory and hard drive but I thought I'd want the 1tb option for either the iMac or mini to future proof. The 1tb mini is £680 which is still a lump cheaper than the iMac, but I'm thinking in all honesty id like a stand alone system that doesn't rely upon my tv for a screen as this may fit in with family life better. I know I could get a monitor for use with the mini, but then to get something decent I'd be adding to the costs and then getting towards iMac price anyway so I'm leaning towards the iMac. Sorry to ramble on, but It's good to get all this feedback, it kind of makes me think about the pros and cons which helps in my decision making 

Thanks again to everyone for their input, seems my fears of them being too good to be true are unfounded 
Cheerio,
Ady


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## Ady34 (5 Mar 2013)

Gary Nelson said:


> I have a ZX81 you can have


Lol, had to google search it though.....it may still be better than my current computer


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## Ady34 (5 Mar 2013)

LondonDragon said:


> Nah tell him not to bother or just stick with Windows 7, Microsoft is trying to get one OS to work with all types of devices and its not working in my opinion, they need two types of OS like OSX and iOS to cope, they never learn!
> 
> Anyway you will not be disappointed with the iMac or Mac Mini, I got myself a Macbook Air last summer and its the best laptop I have ever owned  the damn thing just works all the time, its even the best hardware for Windows 7, beats any laptop that is designed to run windows! Use mine on a daily basis, got the 11" version for portability and its always in my bag!
> 
> But I would not trade my desktop for a Mac  that will never happen!


Why wouldn't you trade your current desktop for a mac? Just curious if there's a particular reason, or if there other comparable alternatives....


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## LondonDragon (5 Mar 2013)

Ady34 said:


> Why wouldn't you trade your current desktop for a mac? Just curious if there's a particular reason, or if there other comparable alternatives....


The amount of software I use I would find it difficult to mimic on a Mac that's all, I use various software programs for stuff that I do that I would not be able to find similar on OSX that's all, but I have been tempted to get a Mac desktop and just stick windows on it LOL main main OS still needs to be windows for now


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## Ady34 (5 Mar 2013)

LondonDragon said:


> The amount of software I use I would find it difficult to mimic on a Mac that's all, I use various software programs for stuff that I do that I would not be able to find similar on OSX that's all, but I have been tempted to get a Mac desktop and just stick windows on it LOL main main OS still needs to be windows for now


Ah cool, most of what you just said went over my head, but I'm guessing your more than just a photo uploading or downloading (whichever it is) and browsing kind of guy!.....maybe like running this site for example 
I think I'm gonna get a mac.....then cry for a year about trying to afford it! Lol


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## Palm Tree (5 Mar 2013)

LondonDragon said:


> Go for the iMac, you will not like Windows 8


I absolutely 100% argee with you, I want to slap the inventor of windows 8 with a cod.
They are trying to reinvent the wheel IMO, what is with having the home screen with massive buttons, there was absolutely no problem with the layout of the previous windows. Now it is harder to acess control pannel ect.



> Microsoft is trying to get one OS to work with all types of devices and its not working in my opinion, they need two types of OS like OSX and iOS to cope, they never learn!


Yet again I agree, one OS for PCs and one for tablets. Simple.


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## Ady34 (5 Mar 2013)

What are OS and OSX?, I've heard of iOS....but still don't know what they are.....I need one of them 'for dummies' books!


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## LondonDragon (5 Mar 2013)

Ady34 said:


> What are OS and OSX?, I've heard of iOS....but still don't know what they are.....I need one of them 'for dummies' books!


OS just stands for operation system, OSX is the operating system running on Mac desktops and iOS is the operating system on iPhones and iPads


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## LancsRick (5 Mar 2013)

Don't do it Ady!!!



Ady34 said:


> Hello all,
> They look great and although seem an expensive outlay, they have a longer estimated lifespan and are regularly updated so ideal for a computer dummy like myself who won't want to be replacing and updating a system regularly.
> Can anyone offer any advice as to any negative reasons not to go for it.


 
I'll post more in a bit when I don't have the cat helping me... I really wouldn't go the Mac route though.


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## Ady34 (5 Mar 2013)

LancsRick said:


> Don't do it Ady!!!
> 
> 
> 
> I'll post more in a bit when I don't have the cat helping me... I really wouldn't go the Mac route though.


Oohhh......controversial.....ill await more info
Bet you just don't want the cat there as he/she thinks iMacs are purrrfect!...i know


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## LancsRick (5 Mar 2013)

Ok, to elaborate a bit on my first post...

They do indeed look great, one thing that Apple do "par excellence" is styling - they've built an entire brand on it with the icon they created in the form of the first iPod, and they've kept that going ever since. I'm not sure where you have got the idea about a longer estimated lifespan though, or the fact that the updates are a perk. Their lifespan is no greater than a normal PC (you can actually argue it's less since you can't upgrade parts of the system itself), and Windows receives continuous updates, so there's no differential there.

The other item you picked up on was how good the screen looks. This is something that I'll agree with you on - Apple have always recognised the merits of having a very high fidelity screen, hence their recent push on their branded "retina" displays. If you want displays like this though, you can still get them for PC's.

The other point to be aware of is that Windows software won't necessarily run on a Mac. For example, if you own Microsoft Office, you're going to have to go and buy that again, because it's a different product for Mac. If your family plays games, same again.

Since ultimately it's your decision and nobody else's, if you're willing to then I'd suggest you post up on here what your budget is, what your requirements are (base unit, monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers etc), and what you want to be able to do with the system. We can then spec you up an equivalent PC and you can make your own decision .


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## LancsRick (5 Mar 2013)

Ady34 said:


> Bet you just don't want the cat there as he/she thinks iMacs are purrrfect!...i know


 
@LondonDragon - Requesting a 24 hour name change for Ady to "Forum Comedian" please...


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## LondonDragon (5 Mar 2013)

LancsRick said:


> @LondonDragon - Requesting a 24 hour name change for Ady to "Forum Comedian" please...


Haha if your post gets 10 likes I will do it! 

Rick fully support your points on Apple, also one thing you need to consider with Apple if every time they upgrade to a new version of OSX they kind of says its the best thing since sliced bread and then you find out none of your software now works and you need to purchase new versions, they are not on top of the world in the money league just for looks 

I have nothing against apple, I have an apple laptop and an ipad, cause they are just the best of both worlds, if I was a basic user on the desktop front, i.e. Web, office, photoshop and little more, then an apple would be fine, you have less to worry about when it comes to viruses and malware (it exists on OSX but very little in comparison) I have an iBook G4 that I got 10 years ago and it still works, its slow but still works and I never had to re-install the OS lol I also have an old Toshiba that is about 15 years old running Windows 3.11 that also still works


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## LancsRick (5 Mar 2013)

Exactly Paulo, I'm just concerned that Ady is being taken in by the looks rather than what is beneath! Not that any bloke has ever been led astray by physical attraction or anything .


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## LondonDragon (5 Mar 2013)

LancsRick said:


> Exactly Paulo, I'm just concerned that Ady is being taken in by the looks rather than what is beneath! Not that any bloke has ever been led astray by physical attraction or anything .


Ady by asking what is iOS just proved he is better off with an Apple  (no offence Ady lol)


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## LancsRick (5 Mar 2013)

We're going to derail the thread if we keep this up . I'd argue that he's unlikely to be held back by moving to Apple, but it still leaves the hardware cost and potential software re-purchasing cost points in situ!

I understand PC's, it's tanks I struggle with... Like the algae tank I have next to my bed. There's not even a way to overclock it .


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## LondonDragon (5 Mar 2013)

LancsRick said:


> There's not even a way to overclock it .


You have with the light, hence all the algae


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## Ady34 (5 Mar 2013)

LancsRick said:


> I'm not sure where you have got the idea about a longer estimated lifespan though


...from Richard, the salesman of course 


LancsRick said:


> The other point to be aware of is that Windows software won't necessarily run on a Mac. For example, if you own Microsoft Office, you're going to have to go and buy that again, because it's a different product for Mac. If your family plays games, same again.


well i dont use any of those things......i cant, my current system is sooo sloooow......and i have a Wii  I might use word occasionally, do Macs have an equivalent? or can you add this in an app or purchase?



LancsRick said:


> Since ultimately it's your decision and nobody else's, if you're willing to then I'd suggest you post up on here what your budget is


i dont have really have a budget, just the need for a new computer. In all honesty i went to the shop to look at standard desktops and was shocked at the prices for those, the sales guy said have you thought about a mac, i said i cant afford one, i looked anyway and i was....


LancsRick said:


> taken in by the looks rather than what is beneath! Not that any bloke has ever been led astray by physical attraction or anything .


....not me  .....apple brand, id much prefer it to be a nice pear  (im working on material for that 'forum comedian' 24hr name change  ) I must admit it looked the part, but thinking about it more, its a complete package,


LancsRick said:


> what your requirements are (base unit, monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers etc), and what you want to be able to do with the system.


thats just it, its simple, all built into a slimline, space saving integrated unit...... which happens to be made from sexy, smooth, friction stir welded joints used in airplane wings, rocket booster tanks and other such man stuff which intermixes the molecules of the two aluminium surfaces - creating a seamless, precise and super strong join.....ooohhhh  .......
but seriously, ill be adding, editing and storing photos, browsing, managing my life etc.....its purely a personal computer, no gaming no business, to be linked with i pads, 'i' everthing else we have really so from that viewpoint i thought it would be simple, but also 'teched' enough for the future....like you say i can addon later if i need, just will cost.


LondonDragon said:


> Ady by asking what is iOS just proved he is better off with an Apple  (no offence Ady lol)


How very dare you!.....but exactly, im probably highly over purchasing whatever i buy, but i want something to work with my lifestyle and family, and the future, something i might understand a little....and if if not my 4 year old can teach me, he shows me things all the time on the ipad  these are the conclusions ive come to now anyway, for me there seems no negatives to the imac.
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## LondonDragon (5 Mar 2013)

Ady34 said:


> but i want something to work with my lifestyle and family, and the future, something i might understand a little.


Go with the Mac  you can always sell it if you don't like it  I will give you a fiver for it!


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## Ady34 (5 Mar 2013)

LondonDragon said:


> Go with the Mac  you can always sell it if you don't like it  I will give you a fiver for it!


 
i will make myself like it!


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## AndrewH (6 Mar 2013)

Damn, I missed out on this conversation. Coming in a bit too late now I feel!
But here are my two cents...

I am a freelance programmer and Apple developer, as well as writing software for PC and online.
I currently own the fastest Macbook Pro you can get, and the fastest (at least in processor) desktop PC which I spec'ed and built myself.

I've owned Macs and PCs in one form or another for years now.
Here's my thoughts:

FOR PC:
- a well spec'ed PC will usually out-perform a Mac in terms of speed. (Im talking about a custom built PC with hardware components that compliment each other)
- PCs are obviously much cheaper (eg. my Macbook Pro cost about £2000 - my top of the line PC cost £800 and blows the Macbook out of the water)
- with a PC, you have much more scope for customisation. (eg. would you like to run 2 or three screens? This is normal for PC but you are going to need some additional cables and software for Macs)
- [echoing Paulo's point] almost all software is available for PC so you can pretty much be sure of getting what you need
- games. If thats a consideration then PC is the way to go. Maybe your kids want to play some online games, this is going to be a limited choice for Macs.
- cross compatibility. Things like printers, networks, connections to other computers are all fairly straight forward for PCs and again, getting stuff like printer drivers that works is pain free. Macs, in my experience, have been tricky to get talking to other network devices such as printers or servers.
- everyone else uses PCs! (well ok, I know that alot are on Mac) but lets face it, most people are on PC. The point being that if someone gives you a file its in PC format, if you send them something, its in Mac format, so you can potentially start to experience problems opening and using these. (this is becoming less-so with Windows 7)
- stick with Windows 7!

One point I want to add in here is that Im really surprised that alot of the praise of Macs here so far has been with the "visuals".
I believe that to be a completely mute point. Visuals are critical to me (I need to be able to design an interface with crisp HD clarity). Invest in a good monitor and thats what you get. If you use a cheap bit of crap that came with a bundled PC then yes, it probably doesnt look as sharp as Macs, but go and buy a really good hi-res IIYAMA or similar and you wont be dissappointed (and for the vast money you save buying PC over MAC, then you CAN afford that big 24" screen!)

FOR MAC:
- plug and play in its truest form. You switch it on and it does what you need. Simples!
(Id like to add one caveat here though - it does what you want providing you want to do something that Apple have provided for. If you step outside the normal every-day type of computing then I have ran into huge problems getting my Mac set up as I want. eg - I run 4 monitors on my development machine. Macs cannot do this - I spent £300 trying to make it happen only to be beaten!)
- you are much more protected against viruses/malware/etc
- ease of getting OS updates and new apps/software through the App Store
- status. Lets face it, a large part of why some people buy Macs is to say they have bought a Mac! (well done Apple marketeers)
- customer support. It is exemplary. Fact.

So, conclusion... what side do I advise for you?
Well, let me say that Im sure you wont be disappointed if you get the iMac or Mac MINI. Great machines.
But...
I would recommend a GOOD pc. Much easier on your wallet (more fish things can now be bought!!! huzzah!), excellent performance, and the ability to be used for anything you would want all contribute to keeping PC on top in my opinion.

(typed from my PC)


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## Tony Swinney (6 Mar 2013)

Ady34 said:


> Hi Tony, thanks for the info.
> If I go for the iMac it'll be situated away from any direct sunlight so don't think that the reflection will be an issue.
> Do the apple store sell refurbed iMacs too as this would be an even cheaper alternative I imagine.....although the pcworld 12 months interest free option is tantalising ,Ady


 
Hi Ady

Yes, their refurb store has a 21.5" Imac in there right now.  Its not the very latest, most slender model but is still a great spec.  Only £100 cheaer than a new one though, and the warranty is shorter.  I've had several of their refurbs and never had an issue :

Refurbished iMac 21.5-inch 2.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5  - Apple Store (UK)

Good luck with which ever you choose and PM me if you need any help with it 

Tony


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## Stu Worrall (6 Mar 2013)

Jigsaw24 also sell old new stock cheaper too


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## Ady34 (6 Mar 2013)

AndrewH said:


> Damn, I missed out on this conversation. Coming in a bit too late now I feel!
> But here are my two cents...
> 
> I am a freelance programmer and Apple developer, as well as writing software for PC and online.
> ...


Hi Andrew, and thanks for the very informative reply 
Taking on board everything you have said, and others, i can see the benefit of a pc. It seems die hard computer lovers will thrive on making their own to suit and will be happy for it. Unfortunately im a dummy and plug and play sounds good to me  also great customer support is a must for me with my lack of knowledge....apple seem to have this nailed which is always reassuring.
Im not a gamer, and the family are still young, consoles will be the way forward in that respect i think so i wont need to worry about that....for a while!
Multi screens is a valid point, although the only time i find it useful is when browsing and searching information simoultaneously, in which case ill have the ipad too. Also forgive my lack of understanding, but i think you can run several browsers at the same time on the imac so i could flick easily between pages...not quite the same but still its  to me. 
I know what you mean about 





AndrewH said:


> it does what you want providing you want to do something that Apple have provided for.


 although for what im using it for i dont think ill want anything that i cant get....does the mac come with some sort of document creating facility like word? id use that but thats about it.
Ive had a joke on here about styling, but when talking with the wife about it i hadnt once mentioned this as a reason to buy. For me speccing my own pc would be impossible as i dont know enough about them, troubleshooting would be a headache as i dont understand them so these are the main reasons for leaning towards the imac, i know if there was an issue it would get sorted and i can just buy and use knowing ill have a decent spec system far more capable than me....but there just incase 
Im sure for you for example who works with computers, you can see the benefits of a pc which can far outweigh the iMac, but for me im sold....nearly 
Thanks again, its interesting also to hear of sticking to windows 7, ive suggested this to my Dad who's also looking to upgrade, and will be going the pc route.
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## Ady34 (6 Mar 2013)

Tony Swinney said:


> Hi Ady
> 
> Yes, their refurb store has a 21.5" Imac in there right now. Its not the very latest, most slender model but is still a great spec. Only £100 cheaer than a new one though, and the warranty is shorter. I've had several of their refurbs and never had an issue :
> 
> ...


 
Thanks for that info and the kind offer of tech help.....i may need it 
Yeah £100 is a lump of money, but maybe not so in the grander scale of things.....id prefer out the box new unless it was several hundreds cheaper.



stuworrall said:


> Jigsaw24 also sell old new stock cheaper too


Cheers Stu


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## AndrewH (6 Mar 2013)

Sounds like a good plan then Ady - think you have thought it through well mate, and your reasoning behind wanting to go Mac is sound.
If you don't mind the higher expense, I believe you will thoroughly enjoy it - it should give you years of trouble free computing!
Good luck, and health to enjoy it and all that


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## LondonDragon (6 Mar 2013)

very comprehensive Andrew  nicely put down, hence why I will not replace my desktop with a mac  but for most users indeed the Apple will do and be much easier to manage than a Windows machine, also people that have Windows tend to mess about with it much more than people with a Mac which a little more tied down, therefore less prone for people to mess with, the more flexible manufacturers are with their OS the more problems people can cause them, so its always down to peoples own needs and budgets.

I purchased a very powerful PC that can play most games on my 1080p TV for £300 5 years ago, all I did was replace the HDD with a solid state drive and its flying still, I don't see me needing to upgrade for another 3 years at least! I can connect up to 3 monitors to it with no need for any extra software or special cables so sorted there too! Only thing I keep adding to it is external storage that I can add to any computer, I have actually purchased a Raspberry Pi now to connect my 15Tb of space to it and use it as a network file storage for all my computers and media streaming devices so I don't need to keep a computer on all the time, that cost £40 

But like you say yourself you not very techie and I reckon your best bet is indeed an Apple 

have a look at this windows 8 video!


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## AndrewH (6 Mar 2013)

LondonDragon said:


> all I did was replace the HDD with a solid state drive and its flying still


 
Argh, I really wanted a SSD for this machine, but just couldnt justify the cost at the moment.... but one day!
Awesome pieces of kit.


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## LondonDragon (6 Mar 2013)

AndrewH said:


> Argh, I really wanted a SSD for this machine, but just couldnt justify the cost at the moment.... but one day! Awesome pieces of kit.


Best £100 you will ever spend  just purchase one for the OS drive so doesn't need to be that big, mine is 120Gb and keep the existing drive for file storage.


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## Tony Swinney (6 Mar 2013)

Ady34 said:


> Multi screens is a valid point, although the only time i find it useful is when browsing and searching information simoultaneously, in which case ill have the ipad too.


 
Should you ever need more screen space the Imac can run a couple of extra monitors too 



Ady34 said:


> does the mac come with some sort of document creating facility like word? id use that but thats about it.Ady.


 
Apples word processing software is called "Pages" and their spreadsheet software is "Numbers" - you can download both from the App Store (which will already be installed in the mac) for £13.99 each.  Microsoft do make their Office suite for Mac, but its £110.

Tony


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## AndrewH (6 Mar 2013)

Tony Swinney said:


> Should you ever need more screen space the Imac can run a couple of extra monitors too


Can you show me how this is possible Tony?
I couldnt get this to work, and when I finally did (by buying the Matrox TripleHead2Go external adaptor at £300 the resolution was rubbish and couldnt support my 3 x 24" monitors that my PC did easily. (maximum possible with Mac was 3 x 19" - yuk)

The only way I know to get three monitors on a Mac is to buy Mac CINEMA displays and use thunderbolt cables to piggy back them onto each other.
But at over £500 _EACH_ - this hardly seems like a viable option for most.
But maybe you know another, better way?



Tony Swinney said:


> Apples word processing software is called "Pages" and their spreadsheet software is "Numbers" - you can download both from the App Store (which will already be installed in the mac) for £13.99 each. Microsoft do make their Office suite for Mac, but its £110.


 
My problem with this is what happens when you want to send a file to someone else. Most likely they will be on a PC and have Office. Now you are stuck.
I know there are convertors available, but they do not support all features within office and can cause foul ups (most recently this happened to me on a "Keynote" presentation which did not function correctly on PC, even when saved "for PC compatibility" flagged.?


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## Stu Worrall (6 Mar 2013)

If you use a computer in work its worth checking if they have a home use policy.  I got a full MAC MS office version for £9.95 direct from microsoft


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## Tony Swinney (6 Mar 2013)

AndrewH said:


> Can you show me how this is possible Tony?  The only way I know to get three monitors on a Mac is to buy Mac CINEMA displays and use thunderbolt cables to piggy back them onto each other.
> But at over £500 EACH - this hardly seems like a viable option for most.
> But maybe you know another, better way?
> 
> ...


 
Re the monitors, you use a MiniDisplayport to Displayport cable ( or MiniDisplayPort to HDMI cable depending on your monitor ) out of the thunderbolt port on the mac, or a connected peripheral.  I believe you can run up to two external monitors in addition to the iMac screen, but I only run one.

Re Pages / Numbers, yes this can indeed be a problem. Though in the context of this thread I suspect that Ady is not looking to work on documents that need to remain editable by a third party that much.  You can output pdfs from Pages / Numbers to share, but obviously they're not editable.  If you need that then Office for OSX is the ( expensive ) answer 

Tony


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## AndrewH (6 Mar 2013)

Yeah, you can only run one additional monitor that way unless you do the piggy back technique I mentioned earlier.
If you dont want to fork out, £500 for each monitor, you can use non-Apple HDMI or DVI monitors, but then you must use something like the Matrox EGA (£300 plus cables) to achieve this, and it can only go up to a certain resolution (and looks blurry even under that res.)


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## Ady34 (6 Mar 2013)

Hi guys, again thanks for all the info, its much appreciated. 
I've just been back to the shop and think I'm gonna go for it 
Tony, your right, I'm not intending to be sending documents to a third party, and like you say it's a £13.99 app for pages, the chap in the shop was pretty helpful and showed me them.

Next question, apple care, worth the £140 extra for 3 years cover? Seems to be worth it to me for the tech help and extra warranty, but am I likely to need it? I'm thinking this may be a good option for me as there's so much potential that I'd never even realise was there unless I asked someone


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## ian_m (6 Mar 2013)

LondonDragon said:


> Best £100 you will ever spend  just purchase one for the OS drive so doesn't need to be that big, mine is 120Gb and keep the existing drive for file storage.


 And if like me you like keep on continuing to "dump" stuff on your rather small solid state disk C: (on PC), 250GB in my case, just use the "MKLINK" with /J to create a directory link to your non SSD drive ie "mklink /j c:\download d:\download" then all the stuff in c:\download is mapped to d:\download, your monster non SSD disk, not taking up space on SSD disk. All software just works fine, as knows nothing about links.


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## LondonDragon (6 Mar 2013)

ian_m said:


> just use the "MKLINK" with /J to create a directory link to your non SSD drive ie "mklink /j c:\download d:\download" then all the stuff in c:\download is mapped to d:\download, your monster non SSD disk, not taking up space on SSD disk.


You don't even need to mess about with this using the command line, there is a little program called SymMover that does this with ease for you, just add a source folder, say where you want it mapped to and it will move it to any disk you want and maintain the C: links, that way you have a visual list of all your mappings too 

Its also freeware: Moba Software


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## Ady34 (7 Mar 2013)

Well.......i did it!  

I have to say im over the moon with my purchase, to me its already awesome and i have only set it up and used it for less than an hour. Everything is just so straight forward.....it does everything for you.

Many thanks to everyone who has offered advice and opinions in this thread, its much appreciated.

im a happy boy 
Cheerio,
Ady


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## LondonDragon (7 Mar 2013)

Congrats Ady, did you get the iMac or the Mac mini in the end?


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## Ady34 (7 Mar 2013)

LondonDragon said:


> Congrats Ady, did you get the iMac or the Mac mini in the end?


went for the iMac


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## LondonDragon (7 Mar 2013)

If you can get this for it: Magic Trackpad  - Apple Store (UK) its pricey but its great, will give you a totally new dimension to the iMac  (and I am no fanboy )


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## Ady34 (7 Mar 2013)

LondonDragon said:


> If you can get this for it: Magic Trackpad - Apple Store (UK) its pricey but its great, will give you a totally new dimension to the iMac  (and I am no fanboy )


yeah, they look great and i enquired about them in store, an apple representative was there and i was chatting with him for a bit....he suggested waiting a few months to familiarise myself with the system first......not quite sure why, but itll save me £57 for now


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## Ian Holdich (7 Mar 2013)

Ady, you have sold your soul...


Wel done, apple are best!


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## Tony Swinney (7 Mar 2013)

Good stuff Ady


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## Iain Sutherland (7 Mar 2013)

Nice!  +1 for the trackpad being ace.


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## greenink (7 Mar 2013)

Mac every time. They're just nicer. And windows 8 was designed by chimpanzees on acid.


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## jack-rythm (8 Mar 2013)

If keep an eye out on ebay you can get a track pad. For around 30 quid. That's what i did anyhow!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


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## andyh (8 Mar 2013)

You will never regret it!

I made the move from PC to mac about 8 yrs ago, best thing ever. On my second IMAC and love it.

Considering getting the latest one, later this yr.


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