refurbished emac?

ryparksryparks
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I have about a 1000 to spend on a mac. I really don't neeeed a computer, but, I love macs and spend all day at work on a Dell so, I'd like to have at least one machine that works and is nice on the eyes.

What I will be doing on the mac is nothing fancier than that of the typical grad student- writing some grad papers, playing some music, researching some stuff on the net. Of course, I'd love an iMac with all the isight and goodies, but the reality is that I won't do anything really intensive on it. Plus, if my father can write web design books on his two year old Dell, than I can certainly browse the net and play some itunes on a simple mac.

I'm not a fan of the display on the iBooks, I think its not particularly clear. The refurbished eMac seems like a good price, or a new mac mini would seem nice too. Im skeptical that whatever I get will be somewhat limited but I am ok with that- just got rid of a dell laptop I've had for three years.

Help, thanks...

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    ryparksryparks Posts: 3member
    Ive had 39 people read my question and no replies? Was it something I said?
  • Reply 2 of 7
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    You really don´t ask a question.



    But go ahead. If you like the eMac buy one. Its a a Mini with a very cheap screen and a louder fan (I have been told)
  • Reply 3 of 7
    tacojohntacojohn Posts: 980member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ryparks

    I have about a 1000 to spend on a mac. I really don't neeeed a computer, but, I love macs and spend all day at work on a Dell so, I'd like to have at least one machine that works and is nice on the eyes.

    What I will be doing on the mac is nothing fancier than that of the typical grad student- writing some grad papers, playing some music, researching some stuff on the net. Of course, I'd love an iMac with all the isight and goodies, but the reality is that I won't do anything really intensive on it. Plus, if my father can write web design books on his two year old Dell, than I can certainly browse the net and play some itunes on a simple mac.

    I'm not a fan of the display on the iBooks, I think its not particularly clear. The refurbished eMac seems like a good price, or a new mac mini would seem nice too. Im skeptical that whatever I get will be somewhat limited but I am ok with that- just got rid of a dell laptop I've had for three years.

    Help, thanks...



    Get a mac mini and a KVM switch and then you can have the dell and mac mini hooked up at the same time.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    The Dell is a laptop.



    But one advantage to remember about the mini is that a seperate screen and computer gives a lot of flexibility in the future. Hook up a mini with any 17 inch screen found at th junk yard and replace the screen with a decent LCD when you can afford one. And then when your Mini isn´t up to your needs anymore replace that. Lots of flexibility.



    And a headless Mini can always be put into good use: Kitchen iTunes machine (controlled via your mobile), Home server, Advanced TiVo machine/DVD player, Home automation....
  • Reply 5 of 7
    lupalupa Posts: 202member
    ...slice 'n' dice vegetables with the fan, use the top as a cutting board, and much much more! Call your local Apple Store today!1!



    Seriously, I think the mini would be a better choice. Once you upgrade you don't have to waste a monitor, and the mini is, well.... mini.
  • Reply 6 of 7
    ryparksryparks Posts: 3member
    Thanks, you've made some good points- I didn't know the eMac had a lousy monitor and loud fan. From what I hear, the fan on the mini is really quiet and I can get a monitor for about $300 easy enough somewhere. Should i worry about only 32mb of video memory?
  • Reply 7 of 7
    igrantigrant Posts: 180member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ryparks



    I'm not a fan of the display on the iBooks, I think its not particularly clear. The refurbished eMac seems like a good price, or a new mac mini would seem nice too. Im skeptical that whatever I get will be somewhat limited but I am ok with that- just got rid of a dell laptop I've had for three years.

    Help, thanks...



    I have owned 3 different Macs since Janurary when I switched back from windows to mac. I have now owned 1 desktop mac and two ibooks. I first owned a g4 cube(which is one of my all time favorite macs) and then I owned a G3 iBook which i bought for cheap, but then sold and now I am the proud owner of a 1.33ghz iBook that I bought in late august. Now I do not like the screen quality for the 14 iBook, but I have had no problems with the screen quality on the 12 inch which I have. The battery is great and the built in wireless works flawlessly.



    However, I you are leaning towards a Mac Mini, at least get the super-drive, even if you do not burn videos, the ability to burn dvd data backs is extremely useful.



    Also 32mb of video memory on a Mac is fine, I have yet to own a mac that had more than 32, and I can do just about anything I did on a Windows machine. I'm a software engineer right now in college, and my little iBook keeps up with me 100% with no problems and or delays. I kind of want a desktop, but I just hook up my external firewire hard-drive and dvd burner (12in iBook can not have a super-drive) and my usb printer, and an external moniter for it.



    In the end, it really depends on what you like, I love desktops, but my iBook has made me forever a laptop person, my iBook has worked flawlessly, with absolutely no problems, and it never ceases to amaze me how long the battery last and how stable the OS is when running 5 to 11 different applications at once. Hope this helps!



    -iGrant
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