Help me choose; 20" or 24" New Aluminum iMac?

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I am wrestling with two options. I am certain I'm getting a new iMac when big old Leopard ships in October. I already have this iMac I am typing on sold for when that time comes.



If I could see both computers (20" & 24") in person, it would really help my decision here, but I can't, as there's no Apple store in Ireland.





It's not really a money issue per say, but more of a;
  • Do I really want a 24" screen?

  • Would the 24" screen be much more productive than a 20"?

  • Would I have a hard trouble selling a second-hand 24" iMac when that time eventually comes, if I bought one?

  • And would I really notice the difference between 2.8Ghz & 2.4?

As I have never seen a 24" iMac in person--as you can expect--I'm having a hard time making a decision here.



Any help on this major concern would be wholly appreciated. I really don't want to regret my decision. I don't want to turn around and say; "I didn't need a 24" screen, it's really too big." Or; "Why didn't I get the 24" version I would have loved the extra space."
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 43
    tomkarltomkarl Posts: 239member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    I am wrestling with two options. I am certain I'm getting a new iMac when big old Leopard ships in October. I already have this iMac I am typing on sold for when that time comes.



    If I could see both computers (20" & 24") in person, it would really help my decision here, but I can't, as there's no Apple store in Ireland.





    It's not really a money issue per say, but more of a;
    • Do I really want a 24" screen?

    • Would the 24" screen be much more productive than a 20"?

    • Would I have a hard trouble selling a second-hand 24" iMac when that time eventually comes, if I bought one?

    • And would I really notice the difference between 2.8Ghz & 2.4?

    As I have never seen a 24" iMac in person--as you can expect--I'm having a hard time making a decision here.



    Any help on this major concern would be wholly appreciated. I really don't want to regret my decision. I don't want to turn around and say; "I didn't need a 24" screen, it's really too big." Or; "Why didn't I get the 24" version I would have loved the extra space."



    All I can say is that in my many years of using computers, I've never, ever, once, thought a screen was too big.
  • Reply 2 of 43
    l33r0yl33r0y Posts: 94member
    24" has a higher quality panel matrix
  • Reply 3 of 43
    shanmugamshanmugam Posts: 1,200member
    Ireland, get the 24" $2299 version if you can afford. That will last for few years.
  • Reply 4 of 43
    vineavinea Posts: 5,585member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tomkarl View Post


    All I can say is that in my many years of using computers, I've never, ever, once, thought a screen was too big.



    24" is in no way too big for any normal sized desktop...heck, some folks have two on their desks and yes its a heck of a lot more productive even for things like Keynote...and I usually have 2 Inspectors open and on smaller desktops that starts getting annoying.



    Vinea
  • Reply 5 of 43
    gargar Posts: 1,201member
    Quote:

    "Well son, a funny thing about regret, It's better to regret something you have done than something you haven't done"



    The Butthole surfers



    So... [newspeak mode] it's better to spend some extra money for something better and being overwhelmed by the effect now, than pay less (like windows pc owners seems to prefer) and regret it after a year or 2.[/newspeak mode]



    I bought my 20"iMac G5 back in september 2004. (didn't regret it then, don't regret it now, but it doesn't run Adobe CS3 as I hoped)

    In a week after I purchased the 20"iMac G5 I told my girlfriend: "If they introduce a 23" version in a couple of years I'll buy it instantly"



    Bastards introduced a 24" iMac just at the moment I was waiting out for a MBP to replace my old and aging Pismo.



    Anyway If you want to buy the 24"iMac 2.8Ghz,

    you can save yourself some money by buying it CTO with 1GB ram instead of 2GB ram and buy the extra ram elsewhere.

    (saves 140 euro for a 1GB module)

    I payed 2,180.50 euro incl 19% VAT for an iMac 24" 2.8Ghz 4GB ram 500GB HD.

    And that's pretty good on the continent.
  • Reply 6 of 43
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gar View Post


    I payed 2,180.50 euro incl 19% VAT for an iMac 24" 2.8Ghz 4GB ram 500GB HD.

    And that's pretty good on the continent.



    When it arrives give me an update please, thanks dude!
  • Reply 7 of 43
    The 24 screen is brighter, clearer and the whole thing is wall mount ready.



    Even if you would not do that, at least the option is there.



    the 20 lacks these.



    If you go to an Apple store and see it in person, the 24 is sooo impressive. The 20 is cool, but the 24 is well worth the $.
  • Reply 8 of 43
    knnethknneth Posts: 14member
    I went with the 24". The punchline was not that I need it, but because I have got a pair of 22"s at work and could not bear myself to go with a smaller screen at home



    24" (hell, 22" also for that matter) is a pretty darn large screen. But if you choose the 20" you run in risk of beeing hunted by this choice for a long time ahead if you are a more than average screen space consumer. To get the feeling of the two display sizes I would recommend you visit a local computer store and compare 20", 24" flat panels - if they got both sizes at the store, that is.
  • Reply 9 of 43
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    I can't seem to figure out why this damn website takes so long to load on my sweet powerbook



    20" screens are for babies.



  • Reply 10 of 43
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by knneth


    I would recommend you visit a local computer store and compare 20", 24" flat panels - if they got both sizes at the store, that is.



    Funny, there's no Apple store here, but I never thought of that, totally simple idea ~ thanks!
  • Reply 11 of 43
    l33r0yl33r0y Posts: 94member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    Funny, there's no Apple store here, but I never thought of that, totally simple idea ~ thanks!



    Ryan air -> Heathrow. Apple store in Regents Street. Make a weekend of it!



    (just ignore all the English folk )
  • Reply 12 of 43
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by l33r0y View Post


    Ryan air -> Heathrow. Apple store in Regents Street. Make a weekend of it!



    (just ignore all the English folk )



    Maybe if you want to get there slow. Top Gear repeatedly shows that the fastest way to get anywhere in Europe is by supercar.
  • Reply 13 of 43
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by l33r0y View Post


    Ryan air -> Heathrow. Apple store in Regents Street. Make a weekend of it!



    (just ignore all the English folk )



    I think I'm going to get the 24" model but I definitely thought about going to Regent Street. My and my mates are going to Wales soon, so I may go a day early to pass through London on a flying visit.
  • Reply 14 of 43
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Splinemodel View Post


    Maybe if you want to get there slow. Top Gear repeatedly shows that the fastest way to get anywhere in Europe is by supercar.



    Top Gear? How do you know?
  • Reply 15 of 43
    imickimick Posts: 351member
    I have a 20.

    I just came from a store that sells Apple stuff, but they didn't have the new ones yet (next week).

    They have a 17, 20 and 24 next to each other.

    When I bought my 20, I thought that it was huge.

    Now however, I wish that I would have went with the 24. The 24 wouldn't fit under the top thing on my desk, but that's easy to remove.

    As soon as I can visually see the new ones, I'll probably go with a 24, and I'll also buy a separate 19 or 20 inch lcd monitor, as a second screen - one for productivity stuff and the other for online poker.
  • Reply 16 of 43
    ajpriceajprice Posts: 320member
    What will do a lot will do a little. I have a 24" Dell LCD, came to that from a 17" CRT. It took a while to get used to the size (moving my head around like I was watching a tennis match!), but after that, its great. People are saying the 24" is a better quality panel too compared to the 20" .
  • Reply 17 of 43
    sequitursequitur Posts: 1,910member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    I am wrestling with two options. I am certain I'm getting a new iMac when big old Leopard ships in October. I already have this iMac I am typing on sold for when that time comes.



    If I could see both computers (20" & 24") in person, it would really help my decision here, but I can't, as there's no Apple store in Ireland.





    It's not really a money issue per say, but more of a;
    • Do I really want a 24" screen?

    • Would the 24" screen be much more productive than a 20"?

    • Would I have a hard trouble selling a second-hand 24" iMac when that time eventually comes, if I bought one?

    • And would I really notice the difference between 2.8Ghz & 2.4?

    As I have never seen a 24" iMac in person--as you can expect--I'm having a hard time making a decision here.



    Any help on this major concern would be wholly appreciated. I really don't want to regret my decision. I don't want to turn around and say; "I didn't need a 24" screen, it's really too big." Or; "Why didn't I get the 24" version I would have loved the extra space."



    There is a $300 difference between the 20 inch and the 24 inch 2.4GHz Macs ? similarly equipped.



    If you plan to use the iMac 5 years before upgrading (?), that?s $ 60 a year, $ 5 a month, or little over $ 1 a week. Sorry. I don?t know the equivalent in pounds. Do you think you will kick yourself later on for saving

    $1 a week when you could be enjoying that 24 ? screen? If you?re on a tight budget, give up a bottle of Evian once a week or a Starbuck?s latte once a month.



    Sad words:

    ?I could have had a V-8.? (Do you get US commercials in Ireland?)

    ?I could have been a contender.? (Did you see the movie ?On the Waterfront??)

    Later on, don?t say to yourself, ? Could a, would a, should a.?
  • Reply 18 of 43
    dudditsduddits Posts: 260member
    the diff in price doesn't seem that great if what you want is 24. so try and picture it on your desk and ask yourself what is the ideal size. Then get that size.



    Before the 17 went away, the 20 seemed a great size. Now, without the 17, everyone is pissing on the 20 like its too small. remember, many of you 20-haters were 20 once yourself!
  • Reply 19 of 43
    l33r0yl33r0y Posts: 94member
    Quote:

    Hi Mike, I work in a Premium Reseller amb we recieved several iMacs this week. I unboxed three 20" (1x2.0GHz and 2x2.4GHz) and one 24" models and noticed that all 20" models screens are washed up and also have bad vertical angle vision, on all 3x20" had to recalibrate using System Preferences and corrected brightness and contrast quite well but not the angle vision problem. (that's panel/hardware related)

    The 24" 2.4GHz model screen has a very high quality with a lot of contrast and doesn't seem to have those problems.

    -Marc.





    :apple:
  • Reply 20 of 43
    gdoggdog Posts: 224member
    get 24 with 4 gigs ram or go home
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