What Mac to go for?

[laz5758]

Right guys, I am going to buy a Mac later today but I am still unsure what to go for. I'm starting my MA in Musicology in September and need a better machine to do it on. Bearing in mind I shall be spending countless hours infront of it, researching, reading, writing etc. I don't want to spend more than a grand, I just can't decide between MB,MBP,or the iMac. Any help, user reviews would be great

Laz

 

[Omid]

I wouldn't bother with the MB

It is up to you to decide whether you want a laptop or not.

If so get the MBP, if not get the 27 inch iMac

What is your budget?

 

[laz5758]

Well I don't want to spend more than a grand. If I was to go for an iMac it would only be the 21.5" pikey spec ftl

 

[Moz168]

Isnt this like the 18th posted youve made about buying one?

Just f**king buy it dude, longer you wait, the next best thing will be coming out then you will want to wait for that. Decide if you want a laptop or desktop and then get the best you can afford.

 

[Spiezels]

Try refurbed ones, my mate got the 22 inch or whatever it is for £800 with vat back but it had a Terabyte of memory and other bits and bobs as it was a refurb.

 

[laz5758]

I know lol! Im always in decisive! Takes me f**king ages to decide what to eat let alone buying shizzle! I don't know if I want a desktop or a laptop. I want the best spec for my money really!

 

[Spiezels]

Aye, you'll probably get a more powerful imac than MB, i've got the older version of the imac too with upgraded memory etc, they're so good for editing etc... main reason i have one.

Thing aswell is, they are pretty portable, its just the screen and your mouse/keyboard, no real setting up etc, so if you do need to lug it somewhere its not like moving your PC.

 

[laz5758]

It's just as I would only be using it for word processing, I don't want to spend more than I have to? Im not the sort of person to spend it to say I have megashlong....


I do have a megashlong, but just don't want to spend shizzlle loads of dollar.....

 

[Spiezels]

If its just for word processing stuff maybe dont worry so much about an imac.

 

[wozzaa]

£1000 on an Apple will not get you a great machine. As you said going to be a base model iMac or a low end MBP. Which means smallish screens, not fun for sitting at for many hours.

Honestly if you are going to be spending a lot of time reading etc.

Might I suggest another route.

Mac mini and 2 x 24" or 26" monitors. You can have research on one and your work on the other. Makes it so much faster and nicer to work on.

You really don't need a fast system for what you are going to be doing, if it is just mainly word processing and research as you say. I think spending the extra on physical screen space will help you though.

Could pick up the 2.53ghz, 4gb ram mini. With education discount for around £570. 2 monitors could be picked up for £400 - 500. Few quid extra for mouse, keyboard and display adaptor, for 2nd monitor.

Overall more productive system for what you need, still half decent spec wise and you still get your Mac.

 

[laz5758]

Right guys, just finished setting up. I went for the iMac 21.5, with iWork, AppleCare and MobileMe, all for less than what the iMac should have cost. I love being a student!!!!! I am now officially an Apple fanboy