Hi everyone, I’m not a Mac user yet but I’m curious about why the iMac is still a thing. This technology is really cool, but it feels somewhat useless or even redundant. If I want a Mac for production work, I’d probably opt for a Mac Mini or Studio with a separate display. Sure, it might cost more, but I feel I’d get more value from that purchase, and it would likely last me longer. When would an iMac be a better choice compared to other Mac products, aside from how it looks?
I think it makes a great family computer. It looks cool and can sit in a corner without much fuss. You don’t have to deal with a lot of other details.
Clove said:
I think it makes a great family computer. It looks cool and can sit in a corner without much fuss. You don’t have to deal with a lot of other details.
That’s kinda surprising for a $1,300 computer, but it’s a fair point. If it was more affordable, it might be more popular in workplaces.
@Zaire
I’m a custom PC person, but I’ve thought about getting an all-in-one too. From my research, it looks like most Windows AIOs aren’t great, so having a good monitor and solid internals doesn’t seem too expensive compared to the iMac.
What really gets pricey is when you ask for more RAM and storage. That’s when they really hit you hard.
Some people really value the looks. My wife uses hers in the kitchen. She doesn’t want a messy setup, but she does want to check emails, look up recipes, and play music. That iMac 24 is getting more use than her office setup because she prefers being in the kitchen.
She used to use an iPad there, but it just wasn’t as comfortable, so it made sense to upgrade.
@Harlan
That makes sense as a convenience computer. I hadn’t considered that. The iMac might not be easy to move like a Mac Mini, but it’s much simpler to set up.
Zaire said:
@Harlan
That makes sense as a convenience computer. I hadn’t considered that. The iMac might not be easy to move like a Mac Mini, but it’s much simpler to set up.
You just plug it into a socket for power, turn it on, and you’re good to go. It only uses one cable, and the peripherals charge from the same charger as her phone, so that’s super easy too.
If it weren’t for the 24-inch screen, I’d probably have one. My 27-inch 5K iMac from late 2013 has served me well for 11 years.
Foster said:
If it weren’t for the 24-inch screen, I’d probably have one. My 27-inch 5K iMac from late 2013 has served me well for 11 years.
It’s sad they won’t make another 27-inch iMac because they wouldn’t want to compete with their own display market. I love my 27-inch. I even have a 24-inch 2009 model still running as a kitchen computer for browsing and using its disk drive.
Not everyone who doesn’t need a laptop wants an ugly, light-polluting setup in their living space.
Your thinking process seems pointless if it leads to this conclusion.
Zenith said:
Your thinking process seems pointless if it leads to this conclusion.
If that’s the case, what’s the right way to think about it?
Zenith said:
Your thinking process seems pointless if it leads to this conclusion.
If that’s the case, what’s the right way to think about it?
Different people have different wants and needs.
There are markets out there that you may not know about or understand.
@Zenith
And that’s exactly why I made this post—to ask about those purposes.
I wouldn’t buy one for myself, but I see why offices choose them. They’re decent machines that look good and likely last longer than the company does before becoming outdated.
That said, it’s not a flagship product, just a small part of the Apple market.
We have 150 iMacs. All-in-ones work great in education labs.
I think it’s perfect for a receptionist’s desk or in stores.
Frey said:
I think it’s perfect for a receptionist’s desk or in stores.
Receptionist desks could work, but it seems like overkill. For stores, I really can’t see it being practical.
Back in the Intel days, you could easily upgrade the RAM in most iMacs from an access panel. That changed with the M Series Silicon iMacs.
In 2020, you could upgrade to 128GB of RAM in a 5K iMac. The video card was an AMD Radeon R9 M380 with 2GB VRAM, and you could even get up to 3TB of flash storage if you paid for it. Those systems were priced high, but at least you could upgrade the RAM easily.
Another great point is the display; it’s stunning. A good 27-inch 5K monitor costs about $450, but 5K iMacs (which can also work as an external monitor for a PC) were selling for around $300.
It’s a pretty good deal if you don’t have the accessories or a display already, and you like how it looks. I generally prefer laptops, but if I were going for a desktop setup, I’d seriously consider the iMac.