iMac 17 vs. PM Dual 1.25 with ASD or ??

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
This is my first post so please excuse me if it's a bit long-winded. I'm a semi-switcher: I've always used Macs in design jobs and they are certainly my preference. My home rig is a nearly useless hand-me-down PC which is getting the heave-ho after I take the sage buying advice I hope to receive here.



The dilemma: money is very tight but there's some room on the credit card, so speed and image quality are as important as price. The trick is finding the balance.



I'm considering the 1 gig iMac and the Dual 1.25 PM with either an Apple Studio Display or a 19" CRT in the Diamond Pro/LaCie range.



Has anyone compared these displays? I always thought the iMac 17" display and the ASD were the same (aside from the shape). After seeing them at a local Apple vendor yesterday, this doesn't seem to be the case. The images on the ASD seemed twice as clear! Is this true or just a set-up oddity? I couldn't compare a good-quality CRT at the time, so I don't know how it would stack up.



As far as speed, I know the Dual PM will be faster than the iMac, but will it blow it away?

Will it be worth the extra 30% to 50% I'll have to spend (with display)?



I'll be doing print design work with Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign primarily but the jobs will be a trickle at first so I could probably go "entry level" and move up later (post 970).



I very much appreciate any guidance you can give.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    elricelric Posts: 230member
    I went with the 17" iMac (800 mghz) I use the Adobe web collection (photoshop, illustrator, acrobat, golive) This is my first mac and I didn't want to go all out on a 'power' system. So far I am happy with what I have. The newer iMacs have to be a bit faster with the bigger processor and faster ram.
  • Reply 2 of 4
    stevesteve Posts: 523member
    I think the 17" iMac is a great, great value. By the time you get a comparable display on that 1.25, you're going to be spending twice as much, and you'll end up with a noisy machine that takes up more space.



    And don't even think about going with a CRT. I can never go back to a CRT for my full-time computer. The LCD is just too clear and nice-looking. I personally feel the monitor is the most important part of a computer, because it's what you're looking it. It's your visual method of interaction with the computer.



    Go with the $1799 iMac. Add some RAM.
  • Reply 3 of 4
    [quote]Originally posted by Elric:

    <strong>I went with the 17" iMac (800 mghz) I use the Adobe web collection (photoshop, illustrator, acrobat, golive) This is my first mac and I didn't want to go all out on a 'power' system. So far I am happy with what I have. The newer iMacs have to be a bit faster with the bigger processor and faster ram.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I'm glad to hear from someone who's been at the same crossroads! I have the Adobe Design Collection (still boxed after 3 months).
  • Reply 4 of 4
    [quote]Originally posted by Steve:

    <strong>I think the 17" iMac is a great, great value. By the time you get a comparable display on that 1.25, you're going to be spending twice as much, and you'll end up with a noisy machine that takes up more space.



    And don't even think about going with a CRT. I can never go back to a CRT for my full-time computer. The LCD is just too clear and nice-looking. I personally feel the monitor is the most important part of a computer, because it's what you're looking it. It's your visual method of interaction with the computer.



    Go with the $1799 iMac. Add some RAM.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Good points! I live in fairly close quarters and though the iMac's compactness isn't imperative, it sure is nice. I've also been a bit leery of the PM's "wind tunnel" aspect, even in its latest, quieter incarnation. Thanks, Steve.
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