First off, I’ve never owned a Mac Before this, the most time I’ve spent using one was in Apple stores for about 5 minutes, and the last time I used one regularly was back in elementary school at age 7 with some really old Macs I can’t even name
Fast forward 25 years and I’m keen to dive into the Apple ecosystem I first considered a Mac Mini, but since I love bright colors, the iMacs caught my eye when the M1 lineup came out so I aimed for one of them
I shared my thoughts with a friend who has owned several Macs They advised against it, saying that once they stop getting support, they become like dead weight and are hard to sell They even said they have a bunch in their parents’ basement because no one wants to buy them for cash They also mentioned that iMacs lack the flexibility that MacBooks have
I know some people still use computers from 2009, but this made me a bit anxious since iMacs are pricey I’d love to hear your thoughts
I mainly want to use it for regular office tasks and occasional programming nothing too advanced
Well, I suggest you take one or more of those from your friend’s parents’ basement for free and learn how to upgrade them Worst case, you create e-waste later instead of them creating it now
Holland said:
Well, I suggest you take one or more of those from your friend’s parents’ basement for free and learn how to upgrade them Worst case, you create e-waste later instead of them creating it now
Not sure if you’re weighing a desktop against a laptop The choice really depends on what you intend to use it for
If you’re choosing between a Mac and a Windows machine, I’d always go for a Mac I’ve been using Apple products since the IIe The user experience is fantastic and it doesn’t feel like work Using Windows feels like dealing with constant document formatting
The resale value shouldn’t be a significant factor in deciding on a computer It always goes down That said, people love their Macs I know people who still pay for Apple IIs So your friend is mistaken It’s a great computer and hard to beat
@Vanya
Compare the resale value of a 10-year-old iMac and a 10-year-old all-in-one Windows PC It’s a huge difference Apple computers are well-made You can sell older iMacs with ease
Sky said: @Vanya
Compare the resale value of a 10-year-old iMac and a 10-year-old all-in-one Windows PC It’s a huge difference Apple computers are well-made You can sell older iMacs with ease
But that’s because collectors seek out specific iMac models It’s an exception, not a rule Not all Macs retain their resale value well eBay and similar sites are full of unsold old iMacs
You can use your current monitor, mouse, and keyboard, so you don’t need to buy those again And when you’re ready to upgrade one of them, it’s easy without having to change the entire setup Plus the Mini has more ports than the base iMac, which makes connectivity simpler Sure, it’s not bright pink, but it still looks good and is pretty much the same machine
If you want to wait for the M4 Minis that should come out, I’d recommend that, but overall you’ll enter the ecosystem for a lower upfront cost and more hardware flexibility with the Mini
@Fern
The iMac screen is stunning, as are the Studio Displays, but they’re priced as such I bought a Mac Mini and two 27-inch 4K monitors for under $500 and they are excellent Not unbelievable, but perfectly adequate for my needs and I saved a lot of money
@Riley
It makes sense in my opinion It’s a lot wider than itself tall, I’d say it’s comparable to three 24-inch screens next to each other, maybe a little less
The iMac is almost identical to a Mac Mini combined with a Studio Display The main difference is that you can upgrade the Mini without needing to switch out the screen With this in mind, it’s a matter of preference, though the iMacs are easier on the eyes than the combo of Mini and Display