Tashari ([info]tashari) wrote,
@ 2008-06-10 23:19:00
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Looking for Computer Advice
I am buying a new computer. I'll be getting a MiniMac (2Gh Intel Core, 2GB RAM). I would like some opinions.

I'm trying to decide whether or not to get the Apple Protection Plan. It's my manager's opinion that I could go either way. He has it because he has a laptop that he bikes with. But it's likely to be less necessary for me. Should I bother dropping the extra $150?
I'm pretty much going to be using my computer to browse the web, listen to audio books, do some graphical work, print artwork, burn CDs, and play a few windows games via Boot Camp. No crazy overclocking or anything.

Would it really be "more better" to not bother upgrading the 80gb HD to 120gb for $50 and get an external HD instead? (another manager's suggestion) I like having my data on hand when I want it rather than needing to mount something else. What's the likely-hood of the Mac's internal HD dying and causing me to lose stuff I could have had on an external? Plus, I still intend to keep my Linux box around and networked with its current storage for a while.

I'm also looking for a good monitor. I understand LCDs are just as good for graphics these days, and even better on the eyes possibly? I'm looking for a 20"ish monitor in the $200-$250 range. But I feel like I don't know what I should be looking for in a monitor. I think I don't want a widescreen though...

Any thoughts on benefits of buying my computer at the local Mac store, or just getting it online? Likewise, any thoughts on ordering a monitor online, or buying local?

I have a hard time spending large amounts of money, even on things I want/need.
I still need to get around to getting a dressform too, although my problem there is that of all the reviews I've read, the one that I think would be best for me had a bad review of the post going through the neck. I half think that if it were a solvable problem I'd just repair/reinforce it somehow. But I'll be putting heavy things on it....

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[info]andrmgic
2008-06-11 04:33 am UTC (link)
Hope you don't mind my commenting, I was browsing around Lurial's friends page and saw this post. Thought I'd chime in since I've owned a mini and have been a mac owner for a while now.


The mini is a nice little machine, I had one before I sold it and bought my macbook pro, but honestly if you're going to be buying a monitor anyway, I would seriously consider getting the low-end imac instead, especially if you are interested in gaming at all.

With the imac, you'd get a nice 20" monitor built in, a dvd burner, a dedicated graphics card, a keyboard and a mouse, a faster processor and and easily upgradeable ram and a bigger hard drive.

As far as apple care is concerned, you can purchase it anytime within the first year, so if you find yourself having problems with your mac you can buy it later to protect your investment. (You can also find it cheaper than what apple sells it for at other retailers or on ebay)

I'd definitely go to the apple store and look at the iMac screen and check out a local store that sells monitors to see which one looks best to you. Local purchasing for monitors is nice if you can find a decent price because it is easier to return them if you have a problem like dead pixels and you don't have to pay shipping.

Just some things to think about!

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[info]curiositykt
2008-06-11 07:20 pm UTC (link)
Microcenter is great for comparing in person.

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[info]tashari
2008-06-12 11:03 am UTC (link)
Thanks for more comments!

Thing about the iMac is, I've been tossing back and forth on which to get, and with it being all one piece, I couldn't ever get a new monitor for my old computer, or new computer and still use the old monitor. Or if something internal needs replacing, I can't imagine opening up the iMac to be easy, but the MiniMac ought to be. Side's, the gaming I'm going to do isn't crazy-graphics end.

You can buy it later? That's so odd! And from people other than Mac? That's also odd... Thanks for that info, too. I'd not have thought of that.

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[info]andrmgic
2008-06-12 02:51 pm UTC (link)
Actually, the mini can be pretty difficult to open. It is not considered "user serviceable" and if you were to damage anything in opening it, your warranty would be voided.

The iMac is meant to have user replaceable ram, so it is really easy to upgrade.

If you have an apple authorized reseller around you, you could probably get them to upgrade the ram on your mini if you're not a technical person.

For an example, here's a guide on how to take apart the mini... you have to use a putty knife to jam down between the case and the center part to release the clips that hold it -

http://www.applefritter.com/Mac_Mini_Take_Apart_Guide

As for applecare, it comes in a box, like a piece of software and your register the code contained inside to your mac's serial number at apple's website. It isn't like the extended warranty at a place like best buy. Some people manage to get ahold of it cheaper than what apple sells it for, and they sell it cheaper than apple on ebay and other places.

Definitely understand wanting to carry your monitor with you to your next computer if it is a good one.

Hope this is helpful :)

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[info]tashari
2008-06-12 11:58 pm UTC (link)
It wasn't so much that I was intending to take it apart, and or update the RAM (I was intending to buy the one with updated RAM), but that in the past I'm used to one or another part of my computer dying over the years and needing to replace or update something, and expected needing to do so after the warranty was already outdated. Like some day when I wanted a new videocard or something. But I guess this is more of a PC thing to do.. or at the very least a tower.

My current monitor has outlasted my current frankenstein computer, but if I were doing more graphic heavy work, I'd have needed to replace my monitor much sooner due to it's darkness.

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[info]phoenix1701
2008-06-11 05:10 am UTC (link)
The above advice is quite sound. I'll also add that an external hard drive is probably a better bet than an internal one for most purposes. The major advantages are that, if something goes horribly pear-shaped, you can easily hook it to a different machine to retrieve data off of it (it can transfer while you're online buying the AppleCare plan) ;) ; that you can upgrade it to a larger size in the future without having to reinstall everything (since your core system files will be on the fixed, internal drive); and lastly (and probably most important), that having two drives rather than just one allows you to use Time Machine, which is honestly worth the additional cost of an external drive all by itself. (You can also partition the external drive and only use part of it for Time Machine, so you don't lose the drive to a flood of backups.) I bought a 500 GB external drive out here for $100, so $50 for an extra 40 GB that's not further upgradable without reinstalling everything is not a particularly good deal.

By the way, I miss you! *hugs* Hope things are well out there. :)

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[info]tashari
2008-06-12 11:04 am UTC (link)
I've never heard of Time Machine. I'll have to look that up...

That's a crazy big HD, I can't imagine ever filling that up!

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[info]locke61dv
2008-06-11 10:19 am UTC (link)
I'm personally for AppleCare right off, because it seems good to have that insurance. (It helped with my Powerbook at times, which is a laptop rather than a desktop but still. Apples are awesome but I don't want to try fixing the hardware on one.) I've become rather cautious with hardware stuff generally; adding in the Time Machine stuff sounds quite sensible.

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[info]chainkill
2008-06-11 02:31 pm UTC (link)
Insurance is good. How long does that $150 cover?

Remember, my laptop's hard drive failed exactly thirty days after my insurance expired. Get the insurance.

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[info]lucky_otter
2008-06-11 03:56 pm UTC (link)
I definitely have to agree that you should also look at the iMac line.

And as far as monitors for graphic design goes, LCDs still suck for color matching - especially since they usually have somewhat different colors at different angles, and the angle difference is small enough that different parts of the screen will be at different angles - but tons of artists happily use them. If you were doing lots of print design and wanted to be able to match on-screen colors to samples, it might be worth getting a CRT, or a high-end LCD which has better viewing angles - but I don't think you are.

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[info]tashari
2008-06-12 11:07 am UTC (link)
iMac being all one piece doesn't bode well for ever wanting to use a new computer with the old monitor or vice versa.

Also, I thought that thing about LCDs not being good for graphical work wasn't the case anymore. Clearly I should do some more research, but I know I read one article saying that many graphical designers have switched to LCD, and my manager does his graphical editing on LCD. I'm annoyed with my CRT having gotten slowly darker over the years.

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[info]damarie
2008-06-11 05:46 pm UTC (link)
On the hard drive thing, I like my external hard drive because I plan on using my new computer until it dies on me (not just until it's obsolete) and so I want to have a back up that *doesn't* rely on getting the OS booted up. However, I've never used Macs alot so I don't know what their random failure rate is.

Also, I want to be able to bring my media to other people's computers. If I can't bring my laptop, my hard drive & USB cable will fit into my purse.

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