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Level 1

5 points

Buying a new iMac

Hi All

I am considering buying a new iMac, my old iMac is now 6 years old and getting a bit slow and clunky. It had 2GB RAM as standard and last year I upgraded to 4GB RAM, the Max it will take. This helped initially but the machine is now getting very slow and clunky again.

I am considering a new 21.5-inch: 2.7GHz model with 8 GB of Ram as standard (2 x 4GB RAM) but I am considering ordering it with the optional 16GB RAM but can anyone tell me if the RAM in these new models can be upgraded in the future to more than 16GB and what the Max RAM would be on this new current model?

I also see that there is a forthcoming upgrade to the OS system - 'Maverick' - so, would it be worth waiting to buy a machine with Maverick already installed, or would the upgrade be easy later on if I bought a new model now?

Many thanks.

Dave

Posted on Sep 9, 2013 1:47 AM

79 replies

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Nov 18, 2013 8:26 AM in response to Eggtuary

Glad to help 🙂

happy computing!

Come back in this thread when necessary.

Eggtuary

Level 1

0 points

Nov 23, 2013 4:45 AM in response to Lexiepex

So now I'm feeling like my new computer is overkill. Basically, I'm having buyer's remorse for tying up $2699 in a computer.

I have until January to return this computer and replace it with something else, since I bought during the Christmas shopping season. What should I replace it with?

I definitely want a 27" iMac. But do I need the i7 processor and the top-of-the-line graphics card? I do some video editing in iMovie, and photo stuff in Aperture. Those are probably the two most processor-intensive things I do.

If I get the entry-level 27" iMac and upgrade to a 3TB Fusion Drive, it would save me $550. For what I do, would I notice any performance drop-off? Would I be better off with 256GB SSD, and some sort of external HDD?

Another option is a refurb unit from 2012. If the i7 processor is important, I can get last year's version for $1999, but it would be a 1TB Fusion Drive, n instead of ac wifi, and some other 2012 vs 2013 differences.

seventy one

Level 7

27,430 points

Nov 23, 2013 4:48 AM in response to Eggtuary

This is a very old thread. Many people will have opted out of it by now. Suggest you write a new question under the iMac banner.

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Nov 23, 2013 5:07 AM in response to Eggtuary

Hmmm, we did a job too good ??

1. you have the best now, probably overkill for what you do now, indeed.

2. whatever you do, for the near future you do not need ac WiFi: to use it you must also renew your WiFi net to ac units, and if you use a combi-modem (Modem and Wifi-router in one) also that modem.

The ac is really new, and equipment will become cheaper fast now, and compatibility issues will be ironed out in the near future.

3. personally I am not really in favour of the fusion drives at all.

4. You need an external disk anyway for backups and/or TM, say a 2TB small disk USB3, they are cheap, (do NOT install any included software). I use 3 because sometimes they die suddenly: one for a bootable clone (CarbonCopyCloner), one for TM, one for backups.

5. Have 8GB at least.

6. The 256GB is too small probably to have your photo and/or music library on it, (at the moment you have about 300GB in use on the internal), but it is not particular difficult to move those on the external disk, you will never notice the speed difference.

Well now, make your choice, but the pain of the purchase amount, will disappear fast...

Lex

Buying a new iMac