Kathy1 Posted March 22, 2022 Share Posted March 22, 2022 Hi Brian, I am reaching out to you regarding a need for my sister. I am a Windows user. She has/had a Mac IOS x. It died yesterday. She does not edit pictures and does not use any Adobe programs. I am trying to help her purchase a new computer for very basic use/needs. She wants to stay with desktop and Mac. What are your suggestions? Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 On 3/22/2022 at 4:30 PM, Kathy1 said: She does not edit pictures and does not use any Adobe programs. I am trying to help her purchase a new computer for very basic use/needs. She wants to stay with desktop and Mac. Pretty much anything is on the table, it all boils down to her budget. The current range of Mac products CAN NOT be upgraded after the fact, so things like adding RAM in a year and maybe upgrading the HD etc., those things are off the table. You are stuck with choosing Apple's over-priced upgrades at the time of purchase. Speaking of overpriced, it's 2022. Prices are triple for what they should be. The nice part is Apple does keep the prices pretty much the same, however; what you get for your money is a lot less so she needs to be sure on what she is buying. Apple has always been a "Go Big or Go Home" type of company. You get a better value spending more money. So I guess before I start linking to a bunch of things, what is her budget? (Hint: It needs to be triple or at the very least, double of what she wants to spend.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy1 Posted March 24, 2022 Author Share Posted March 24, 2022 She can spend up to $3,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 OK, good. That's a healthy budget. Now if anyone else comes across this thread, the only reason that I am recommending this model is that Kathy's sister IS NOT EDITING PHOTOS!! For "General Computing" and a budget of $3000, I'd recommend a 24" iMac, but with a few upgrades. Since the new 24" iMac is basically a sealed unit, and the RAM & GPU is "unified" with the CPU, meaning the RAM, Graphics Chip and CPU chip are all integrated on a single chip, there is NO UPGRADING AFTER THE INITIAL PURCHASE. So it's important to configure things correctly now to get the most life out of your computer. First, head to the 24" iMac Section. Start with the model all the way on the right, yes...this is the most expensive option, but with this model, it has all upgrades available. Then select the color you wish. Personally, I'd pick Silver but that's just me. Then Click the SELECT Button for the $1699 24" iMac. Now start upgrading things: Upgrade the RAM to 16GB Upgrade the HD to 1TB Upgrade the Keyboard (Optional) Personally, I find the Keyboard with the built-in number pad is totally worth the extra $30. If she likes the small keyboard you can leave this at the default. The real important thing is to upgrade the RAM and HD. Click Add to bag. Then select three years of AppleCare for $169.00. (Prices may vary depending on your Country, I'm in the US.) Yes, AppleCare is worth it. Apple is the only one who fixes their stuff. Authorized Repair Centers are few-and-far-between. Click Add to bag, then click Review your bag. It should look like this: The cost of my configuration, including my local sales tax is $2435.88. So call it $2500-ish for a 24" iMac, depending on your local tax rates. Shipping is free so that's a plus. This fits well within her $3000 budget. Now, when I configure things, I have a 7 year time-frame in mind; I want my computers to last at least 7-8 years. This is why I feel that it's important to upgrade to 16GB of RAM and increase the storage to at least 1TB. While it's true that the M1 Chip treats RAM more efficiently, and 8GB on a M1 Chip is more like 16GB on a Intel CPU Chip, RAM is RAM, and if you are the type of person who likes using Chrome with 150 tabs open, "Because they are all important!!" you are going to want 16GB of RAM, which acts more like 32GB of RAM on a Intel CPU. Make sense? Plus, since it's built on the CPU chip and in 4 years time you are finding that 8GB just isn't enough...too-bad-so-sad, you are buying a new Mac to get more. I'd rather spend a few hundred now than a few thousand in 3-4 years. Buy it Right...Buy it Once. Why do I NOT recommend a 24" iMac for photo editing? On the surface it looks fine, but you can not calibrate the screen!! That's right, even the modern Calibration Devices such as the SpyderX line ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE 24" IMAC DISPLAY!!! Hopefully things will change because since Apple quietly discontinued the 27" iMac, it's really difficult not to recommend a Mac "That's Good for Photo Editing..." at a $5200 price-point. Apple has a hole in their line-up; we have a "General Computing Model," such as this one we are talking about, but not "Advanced" Model that is good for Photo Editing that is "Affordable." Sure, there is the new Mac Studio and 27" Display, but by the time you are done you are around $5200 for a stupid Mac Computer. That's an insane amount of money to spend on a computer, but welcome to 2022/2023 pricing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy1 Posted March 24, 2022 Author Share Posted March 24, 2022 Thank you !! my sister is buying you a beer. Please direct me to your link to buy the beer. Can’t find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 Buy Brian a Beer!! (PayPal Donation) Thank You!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 Just published this as well: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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