A friend of mine asked what she should get in the way of a new iMac, so here’s what I told her:
The low-end models are the best deal. The only thing you should have to decide is if you want a 20-inch or 24-inch display. I tend to side with the larger display—it lets you be more productive—but in the case of iMacs, the display will always outlast the computer. This means in 5 years you’ll want something better and will be unable to take advantage of that gorgeous built-in screen with your new system… But they’re both pretty solid deals, the low-end 20″ iMac costing $1,199 at retail, and the 24″ iMac coming in at $1,499.
Buy 20″ iMac for $1,186.97 from Amazon or
Buy 20″ iMac for $1,149 from B&H
Buy 24″ iMac for $1,478.98 from Amazon or
Buy 24″ iMac for $1,1439 from B&H
Get 4GB of RAM. This is only if you go with the 20″ model, since the 24″ models all come with 4GB standard. NewEgg has the best deals on this stuff at around $60 shipped; choose from one of the following (they’re both great, but the prices/free shipping offers are always changing):
Buy 4GB (2×2GB) Mushkin Memory or
Buy 2GB Crucial Memory (you’ll need two)
Anything else? Not really. The new iMacs are a real chore to crack into, so I would advise you against installing a larger hard drive inside yourself. Instead, pick up a hard drive and external enclosure for a lot less than you could buying one off the shelf—and don’t go cheap and get just a USB 2.0 enclosure, take advantage of the iMac’s FireWire 800 port and spring for the extra speed.
Buy Hitatchi 1TB Hard Drive for $79.99 shipped
Rosewill Silver Aluminum USB 2.0/FireWire 400/800 Enclosure for $59.99 or
Rosewill Black Aluminum USB 2.0/FireWire 400/800 Enclosure for $69.99
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