24" refurb aluminum iMac at Apple store: $1349 ! (online only)

[HowEver]

http://store.apple.com/ca/product/FA878LL/A

Refurbished iMac 24-inch 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
24-inch glossy widescreen display
1GB memory
320GB hard drive
8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB memory
Built-in iSight Camera

The new 24" 2.8 Ghz is $1899. This is the previous model but the price is fantastic.

Add RAM from non-Apple sources.

http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1452/store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/imac/img/product-24in.jpg

Edit: added "online only" to thread title.

[ItemFinder]

Refurbs are never a good buy and especially at this price.

[k4zz4m]

pretty decent. but i rather pay $600 for a cheapo mac. It's not like people game on mac anyways.

[newkid]

Refurbs are never a good buy and especially at this price.

a refurb that is quality tested by apple, offered with the same warranty as a new unit, and at $500 less than retail is not a good buy??

maybe if we're talking factorydirect i'd be weary of spending $1500 with them but these refurbs from apple are top-notch...

[craeyon]

Refurbs are never a good buy and especially at this price.This post is blowing massive intergalactic chunks of fail.

I have a Macbook Pro (refurb) still running, an HP 24 inch monitor which is also still running, and my iPod touch which is also refurbished and still running.

Also, Apple provides full 1 yr manufacturer warranty just like they provide it with their regular products. So unless you wanna pay the extra $500 or $600 for a better piece of cardboard packaging then go for it son.

I would rather correct you than make fun of you just because I am nice.

kthxbye.

[HowEver]

Refurbs are never a good buy and especially at this price.

Here is a clue: Apple refurbs are as good or better than new products, unless you mind a brown box. They are basically tested thoroughly twice as many ways as new, have completely new outer cases and have the same solid one year warranty.

[Sansul]

Looks like a great deal. The 24 inch uses S-ISP I think or something, but not TN, and the screen is just breath taking.

But for me I think this is just way to big. I compared the TN and the S-ISP panels side by side at Best Buy, and I could not spot a single difference, and both were gorgeous.

The 20 inch TN version with exact same specs is 1099$.

I think I am going to hold out for September for the new releases, I am hoping for a brand new Imac design (Sunflower please oh god bring is back!)

[BlueMax]

DROOOOoooolllLllLLL!!

Best part about Apple refurbs is the occasional FREE upgrade surprises!
Extra RAM, speed, HDD, etc... for free!

[don_lee103]

Refurbs are never a good buy and especially at this price.

Apple is very good with their certified products. I have bought refurbished MBP 2 years ago and it was like brand new in condition.

[MrDisco]

Refurbs are never a good buy

that's just plain wrong (as it relates to Apple)

[sehomoho]

good deal, unlikely to see design updates on the imac for a while, at best a modest speed bump.

all-new laptops in sept though.

[hotweiss]

WOW, 2 year old technology for $1400... but you get no viruses on Mac's, right?

[devil2k]

a refurb that is quality tested by apple, offered with the same warranty as a new unit, and at $500 less than retail is not a good buy??

maybe if we're talking factorydirect i'd be weary of spending $1500 with them but these refurbs from apple are top-notch...

I don't have any doubt for the quality of Apple's refurbs. Here's the problem. $500 less is good, but isn't that great when the regular is already overpriced. When Apple was an Apple (not a PC), I could justify spending that much. Right now we all know Apple is just a PC, so I can't justify spending so much more for what it really is. For $1350 you could have a Q6600 + 8800GT + 24" LCD. MacOS is just a modified BSD anyways, no point of paying all that money for it.

I do like that Apple monitor though...it's nice.

[gmark2000]

I do like that Apple monitor though...it's nice.

Just in case you didn't realize, the monitor is the computer with iMacs.

[sehomoho]

odds that this thread devolves into 2 pages of fanboys/bashers....
78%

[Lookcho]

One of the best 24" monitors whatever your opinion on Macs is.

[cookedDeals]

I've been debating whether or not to jump on this for the better part of a week now. The price is great, and it was actually $1399 just a few days ago.

[TWDM]

MACS are never a good buy and especially at ANY price.
Fixed.

I like my equally abled PC for hundreds less fine thank you.

I'd peg the price of the parts individually to be less than $900. Unless you like paying $500 more for a shiny aluminum shell with an apple on it, this deal pretty much sucks.

[rlav81]

I had been contemplating an iMac for awhile now, and noticed this yesterday and jumped on it. It is my first refurb from Apple, but anyone I know that has gone that route has had nothing but good things to say about it. Now I just have to wait for it to show up!

[blahblohblah]

What I dont understand is why at this price you only get

1GB memory
320GB hard drive

Ram is $10/ gig
HD is $15/ 100 gig

Give me a wee bit more value in the box.

Just think of the specs you can get for $1,350 in the WinTel world.

PS: I do like Mac and I wish I could afford one.
But even refurb prices are still stupid

[genexxa]

Fixed.

I like my equally abled PC for hundreds less fine thank you.

I'd peg the price of the parts individually to be less than $900. Unless you like paying $500 more for a shiny aluminum shell with an apple on it, this deal pretty much sucks.

Good for you! :rolleyes:

[xansmommy]

We only use macs here, hubby is a graphic designer. This is probably our 8-9th mac over the past 14 years (he likes to buy shiny new ones).

He actually got rid of a power mac dual G5 to get the refurb 20" imac because of the power available in such a small package, plus we were able to sell my old powerbook and his power mac for a good chunk of change.

For the bashers, macs also keep a lot higher resale values than PC's

Anyone looking at getting an apple refurb, I say go for it!

Laura

[GoogleFish]

Give me a wee bit more value in the box.

Just think of the specs you can get for $1,350 in the WinTel world.



Just think of the operating system you get in the WinTel world. Priceless.

[rhainman]

I bought this exact refurbed model from Apple in May, though it was $1449 then. I sold my 20" G5 iMac to get it, and it's given me zero problems to date. To echo all the others, Apple refurbs are in 100% perfect condition (I've bought a macbook, an iMac, and a mac mini, all refurbed) and I would never have guessed it was a refurb. Given the newer models that are out, they may even be unsold last-gen stock that has been transferred into a brown box.

It does have a markedly better LCD panel than the 20" (last gen), which had a noticeably crappier screen. That was one of the major reasons I got a 24" vs a 20".

[Delroy666]

That's a really good deal. It's actually $50 cheaper than the refurb 2.66GHz 20" iMac (http://store.apple.com/ca/product/FB324LL/A)!

[NuggyBuggy]

I like my equally abled PC for hundreds less fine thank you.

I'd peg the price of the parts individually to be less than $900. Unless you like paying $500 more for a shiny aluminum shell with an apple on it, this deal pretty much sucks.
Yes, but then you have to run Windows on your PC, don't you ? And that also "pretty much sucks". I hate Apple as a corporation *almost* as much as I hate Microsoft, but I think OS X is now so far superior to Windows it isn't even close.

[HowEver]

Just think of the operating system you get in the WinTel world. Priceless.

True enough.

If I want to run Windows, I run it on my Mac using Parallels Desktop. If there's ever a problem, and there hasn't been, I'd just delete the Windows installation and re-install it--I guess that's what Windows-only people do from time to time.

In addition to running several versions of Windows simultaneously within the Mac OS, I can run Linux and whatever else is out there, switch between the systems on the fly, and drag files, apps, pictures, webpages, etc., between them. I don't often want to run Windows--practically never, lately--but a one-OS computer is archaic.

That said, this thread is about the deal: it's a good one. The computer is indistinguishable from new, except that it's a few Mhz less than the latest from Apple. The price is great.

[loybond]

One of the best 24" monitors whatever your opinion on Macs is.

It's great when you get one without flaws.

First of all, this deal is not THAT hot. Back in late May or so, I was able to get a (new) display 2.4 24" aluminum iMac from the 410xBovaird FS for $1249 with a 2 year PSP. It was one of the last 2.4s they had left, so the manager was pretty lenient on this deal.

My issue with iMacs is this> I love them, but all 24" models have serious display issues. I was not able to find one without dead pixels, each of the many I looked at had at least 1 (display models, new in box ones I took home, Apple store). That is not as big a deal to me as the gradient issue. Every single 24" I looked at was brighter on one side (I think left), noticeably so. I checked a few FS stores, Apple store... I couldn't find one without the issue. So just be warned... if you can get past these issues, not bad, otherwise even if you don't see these flaws right away, they might disappoint you when you discover them. This issue exists with the 2.4 ones, and the Penryn 2.8s.

BTW the 20" ones have vertical gradient issues, but aren't nearly as pronounced as the 24". Shame, really, because I love the glass screen and IPS panel.

[swmc]

It's great when you get one without flaws.

My issue with iMacs is this> I love them, but all 24" models have serious display issues.

I agree with this poster. If the monitor quality is not exceptionally important, this mac is not a bad deal, but for REAL graphic designers, you're much better off hooking a mac up to a Dell ultrasharp.

The 24 inch panels are an improvement over the last gen, but not as big as you think. Apple admitted to using a lesser bit panel and upping the saturation levels to make it "pop". It creates incredible colour inaccuracies. Another big problem is the glass panel; reflections galore. Almost unavoidable. Sure, you can get "used to" it and see beyond, but they distort images and colours.

Any REAL graphic designer would not tolerate this. If a graphic designer swore by this machine, I'd be skeptical of his qualifications and experience.

Don't have to take my word for it. Look up the reviews. The graphic design community think this machine is not up to par and that's bad for a machine targeted at this customer base. I'm much happier with my macbook pro hooked up to my dell ultrasharp and the price is about the same.

[NuggyBuggy]

The graphic design community think this machine is not up to par and that's bad for a machine targeted at this customer base.
I don't think these computers are targeted at the graphic design community - my wife owns a graphic design company and they wouldn't think of buying an all-in-one like an iMac for their designers, and not really for reasons of display quality. They only buy computers like this for reception and maybe administrative staff.

[HowEver]

This is actually a very useful post. This is a consumer computer, and should be treated as such. Of the millions of people who buy it, the handful of graphic designers among them might be better off with something like the Dell or or monitors described. Of course, you can hook up a separate monitor to this computer and plug and play, and either mirror or span, as that has been built in to the Mac OS for decades.



I agree with this poster. If the monitor quality is not exceptionally important, this mac is not a bad deal, but for REAL graphic designers, you're much better off hooking a mac up to a Dell ultrasharp.

The 24 inch panels are an improvement over the last gen, but not as big as you think. Apple admitted to using a lesser bit panel and upping the saturation levels to make it "pop". It creates incredible colour inaccuracies. Another big problem is the glass panel; reflections galore. Almost unavoidable. Sure, you can get "used to" it and see beyond, but they distort images and colours.

Any REAL graphic designer would not tolerate this. If a graphic designer swore by this machine, I'd be skeptical of his qualifications and experience.

Don't have to take my word for it. Look up the reviews. The graphic design community think this machine is not up to par and that's bad for a machine targeted at this customer base. I'm much happier with my macbook pro hooked up to my dell ultrasharp and the price is about the same.

[fyrefly]

I like my equally abled PC for hundreds less fine thank you.

I'd peg the price of the parts individually to be less than $900. Unless you like paying $500 more for a shiny aluminum shell with an apple on it, this deal pretty much sucks.

Your PC doesn't run OSX. Also...

http://www.themaclawyer.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/09/14/neat_mac_vs_pc_mess.png

hehe :D

[BashfulTux]

Your PC doesn't run OSX.

Mine does it just fine using a Gigabyte P35 Motherboard, 8gb, 8800GT, Q6600 blazing fast with only a few minor modifications to a couple of .kext files...

[HowEver]

Mine does it just fine using a Gigabyte P35 Motherboard, 8gb, 8800GT, Q6600 blazing fast with only a few minor modifications to a couple of .kext files...

Cool, that sounds good. Does it install OSX updates easily also? If it does that sounds like a great system.

[craeyon]

odds that this thread devolves into 2 pages of fanboys/bashers....
78%op! too late! make that 100%

lol ok what is this? Who is trying to prove who and what wrong and why? Is there is mental dissatisfaction in the back of your minds about your regretful purchases that it doesn't go away no matter how many times you try to smack it with a wet flannel of weak excuses and it gets to the point where you try to distort reality so badly and blandly that it makes others want to puke on you.

This is a deals forum please try not to flame the product. We can judge the deal as being hot or not ourselves. Your "expert" advise on how you wish to keep your PC for hundreds of $$ cheaper is certainly not required especially if you have never purchased the product let alone used or experienced it first hand yourself.

kthxbye.

[BashfulTux]

Does it install OSX updates easily also?
Depends on what your definition of easy is. For the 10.5.2 & .3 updates you needed to download the combo update from Apple then type in a one line for loop in the Terminal to delete the IntelCPUManagement.kext as it appears on the system as that causes the system to freeze instantly when it is loaded and edit another file to prevent another .kext from loading on start up. The 10.5.4 installs from software update as is usually in a Mac anything else like iTunes updates just fine from the update.

If it does that sounds like a great system.

Yeah it works really well I have it running at 3.15GHz using the stock voltage of the chip which is 1.2125v it won't go any higher though the highest I tried was only 1.4v didn't want to go any farther and fry the chip, it beats anything but an eight core Mac Pro from the benchmarks I have run to compare it with.

[Rudy]

great deal for the 24" model

[zenzen]

Fixed.

I like my equally abled PC for hundreds less fine thank you.

I'd peg the price of the parts individually to be less than $900. Unless you like paying $500 more for a shiny aluminum shell with an apple on it, this deal pretty much sucks.

OMG, you are so right. What was I thinking? I know, I know: I wasn't thinking! What a revelation! Let's grab some pitchforks and torches and head to the nearest Apple Store.

[trini]

Forget the hardware the software is yours to do whatever you want and no viruses is just priceless.
I wish i had money to burn for this but my macbook run things for now.

[iamzill]

Considering that a 24" H-IPS panel is no less than $1000, I'd say this is a steal (if you can afford the best lcd technology on the planet that is).

[rlav81]

just got notice that mine has shipped, got my fingers crossed it will show up before the weekend..

[loybond]

This is actually a very useful post. This is a consumer computer, and should be treated as such. Of the millions of people who buy it, the handful of graphic designers among them might be better off with something like the Dell or or monitors described. Of course, you can hook up a separate monitor to this computer and plug and play, and either mirror or span, as that has been built in to the Mac OS for decades.

Even if you treat it as a consumer computer, there is no reason to accept such glaring deficiencies in the panel. Literally, a 22" best buy-branded TN monitor does not have the gradient issue (i.e. one side is brighter than the other side) and never before have I seen so many dead pixels... seriously... not being able to find ONE iMac without dead pixels? Just because its consumer-level, doesn't mean mediocrity is ok.

[loybond]

Cool, that sounds good. Does it install OSX updates easily also? If it does that sounds like a great system.

Mine does too, and to answer your question, yes. 10.5.4 here with all the updates available. Xbenches in the high 200s without a ramdisk.

[loybond]

Considering that a 24" H-IPS panel is no less than $1000, I'd say this is a steal (if you can afford the best lcd technology on the planet that is).

It isn't the ultimate LCD like you're thinking. IPS is a good technology, sure, but it's behind tinted glass, with the crappiest backlighting you'll ever see (in terms of evenness) and with plenty of dead pixels. I actually like the glass thing, but you know what the dark tinting means? It means that brightness has to be turned up so that you can actually see some shadow detail, and when you see something white, it's extremely bright, even on the lowest setting.

[HowEver]

Even if you treat it as a consumer computer, there is no reason to accept such glaring deficiencies in the panel. Literally, a 22" best buy-branded TN monitor does not have the gradient issue (i.e. one side is brighter than the other side) and never before have I seen so many dead pixels... seriously... not being able to find ONE iMac without dead pixels? Just because its consumer-level, doesn't mean mediocrity is ok.

I was only being partly facetious. Have you ever *seen* a 24" iMac up close? When I go to Yorkdale, I'm blown away by them. No, I wouldn't accept dead pixels either, but I haven't seen any.

Keep in mind that this is partly an anti-Mac thing. For whatever reason, any thread with Apple products mentioned in it bloats stupidly with anti-Mac rhetoric. The iMac pixel crapping commentary may or may not be part of that; does it happen in every thread where LCDs are a factor?

A 24" iMac for $1349 is hotly priced.

[Yololo67]

I purchased a refurbished MacBook from the online Apple store several months ago. I am very pleased with it.

It was packaged very well, arrived very quick, and saved me a couple hundred dollars. Like stated before, a refurb from Apple is just as good as buying a new one.

Too bad my wife won't let me spend more money. That picture comparing the Mac to a PC is kinda' sexy. LOL

[kelvin]

i'm using one at work, it's a very good machine, fast and osx 10.5 rocks.
however the glossy screen is very annoying, i was thinking to put a matt spray on it(seriously). but instead i just hook up an external LCD.:D
btw great deal!

[loybond]

I was only being partly facetious. Have you ever *seen* a 24" iMac up close? When I go to Yorkdale, I'm blown away by them. No, I wouldn't accept dead pixels either, but I haven't seen any.

Keep in mind that this is partly an anti-Mac thing. For whatever reason, any thread with Apple products mentioned in it bloats stupidly with anti-Mac rhetoric. The iMac pixel crapping commentary may or may not be part of that; does it happen in every thread where LCDs are a factor?

A 24" iMac for $1349 is hotly priced.

Yeah, I've owned them, and a Macbook, iPhone, iPod touch etc... I like Apple stuff, it's not that. It's just that I didn't expect the display to have those issues at that price. I agree that they're very nice to look at and all that, and you can't beat the near-silence, but if you begin to see the gradient + dead pixel issues, you can't help but feel that your money wasn't well spent. The pixel thing... it exists because other manufacturers don't have pixel failures at the rate that exists in the iMac, so that's to be expected. Dead pixels won't necessarily pop out at you in the store, you have to look for them. It just sucks if you find them after your return period!

[loybond]

i'm using one at work, it's a very good machine, fast and osx 10.5 rocks.
however the glossy screen is very annoying, i was thinking to put a matt spray on it(seriously). but instead i just hook up an external LCD.:D
btw great deal!

It's interesting how most people don't like the glossy screen. I thought that at least some people would liken it to a plasma/CRT and like the vividness of the colour.

[loybond]

I purchased a refurbished MacBook from the online Apple store several months ago. I am very pleased with it.

It was packaged very well, arrived very quick, and saved me a couple hundred dollars. Like stated before, a refurb from Apple is just as good as buying a new one.

Too bad my wife won't let me spend more money. That picture comparing the Mac to a PC is kinda' sexy. LOL

Yeah no harm in refurbs from Apple, full warranty and all. They even did some stuff for free after my warranty period was over (changed the plastic inside and out, new battery).

[gohtor]

for those interested in just the monitor it can be had for $850 (23inch though)

http://store.apple.com/ca/product/F9178LL/A

i've been waiting for the monitors to come down in price. it's still pretty pricey but they perform well.

[TWDM]

:lol: at all the fanboys

http://www.gadgetell.com/tech/comment/gone-in-2-minutes-mac-gets-hacked-first-in-contest/

Cause you know, OS X is the safest and most secure operating system. Thats why all the big companies use mac!! I can't believe some of you actually believe those apple ads.

[HowEver]

You do know that "hacking" required physical access and login information, right?



:lol: at all the fanboys

http://www.gadgetell.com/tech/comment/gone-in-2-minutes-mac-gets-hacked-first-in-contest/

Cause you know, OS X is the safest and most secure operating system. Thats why all the big companies use mac!! I can't believe some of you actually believe those apple ads.

[BlueMax]

:lol: at all the fanboys

http://www.gadgetell.com/tech/comment/gone-in-2-minutes-mac-gets-hacked-first-in-contest/

Cause you know, OS X is the safest and most secure operating system. Thats why all the big companies use mac!! I can't believe some of you actually believe those apple ads.

Weeeeeeaaaaaak comeback. It's already been said now, but after a whole day of failed attacks, day two was successful because they were given all the keys to do it, plus a trojan. Why was the mac hacked first? Because they got to KEEP the machine hacked first so they TARGETED the new Macbook Air because it was the most expensive in the competition by a fair margin. They could have just as easily hacked an XP or Vista machine with their trojan.

And why might you pay more for a mac?
http://www.themaclawyer.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/09/14/neat_mac_vs_pc_mess.png
THAT's why. And guess what? The all-in-one form factor for the Sony/HP machines that finally copied it after ~4-5 years costs just as much or more. So there goes THAT argument out the window. Yeah you can get cheaper if you don't mind a butt-ugly box.

Me? I have no choice but to live with my dirt-cheap ugly box. :o

[rlav81]

I personally can't wait for my brown box to show up with my iMac inside of it...with the exact same warranty as a BNIB, I'm looking forward to spending my savings on upgrading to what I want for way less than I would have paid....

flame away

[Loomy]

> any thread with Apple products mentioned in it bloats stupidly with anti-Mac rhetoric

I dont know man maybe it has something to do with the fact that apple is selling a $800 computer for $1800 marked down to $1400 refurb

I guess if you want one less cable you can pay the $400 to have your computer in your monitor, but thats not really a good deal

[M@rk]

Maybe it's just my layman eyes, but I always thought the best thing about these Macs were their screens. They just look amazing, better than any monitor I've ever seen at Best Buy.

[loybond]

Maybe it's just my layman eyes, but I always thought the best thing about these Macs were their screens. They just look amazing, better than any monitor I've ever seen at Best Buy.

It's because of the dark tinted glass screen. It doesn't look cheap because it's not plastic, and the dark tint makes contrast "appear" better. That opinion fades after a while of owning it though.

[loybond]

> any thread with Apple products mentioned in it bloats stupidly with anti-Mac rhetoric

I dont know man maybe it has something to do with the fact that apple is selling a $800 computer for $1800 marked down to $1400 refurb

I guess if you want one less cable you can pay the $400 to have your computer in your monitor, but thats not really a good deal

Hey, I'm bashing the quality of the monitor, but they're really not THAT expensive. A non-TN panel 24" in most cases will cost you upward of 500 bucks. That CPU will cost you more than $200, being mobile. It has a laptop-like motherboard, also more expensive than your standard one. A hard drive will add to the cost, as will a bluetooth dongle, wifi-n card, keyboard and mouse. How do you get $800?

[HowEver]

It's because of the dark tinted glass screen. It doesn't look cheap because it's not plastic, and the dark tint makes contrast "appear" better. That opinion fades after a while of owning it though.

No, it doesn't. These computers not only have higher resale value than any others, they also have greater customer satisfaction.

[TheDoctah]

This thread is chock full of apples to oranges comparisons.

At any rate, this is an amazing deal. I actually just bought one 2 weeks ago when it was $1399, I just called in to get the price difference refunded to me. :D

For what its worth, previously I was a PC user the entire time from Commodore days to 2 weeks ago. My last PC being a Core2Quad setup. This is my first mac and I don't regret it.

The price comparisons you guys are coming up with are not even close to realistic, laybond has touched on reality a bit more. Plus, at the end of the day, you have to pay a premium for any 'brand' name computer vs. home made as well as the mere fact that this comes in a very sleek all-in-one case. That alone is worth a bunch to most of us. Lets see you all buy the individual components that actually equate to this unit and dream up a case that you can magically have machined to fit it all in, and see what that costs you. Don't forget the cost of a vista ultimate license (the equivalent of the osx leopard license you get) and the cost of a 1 year parts and labour warranty.

I am by no means a fan boy, considering my track record, but atleast I don't have a skewed view of reality.

Hot deal, good post OP!

[Z06jerry]

And I don't think anyone has mentioned that in addition to being georgeous, these things are virtually silent under normal operating conditions. :D An awsome deal IMHO.

[cookedDeals]

I finally jumped on this deal today when I saw another model - a 2.8 GHz Core 2 Duo Extreme with a 24 inch screen, 2GB of RAM, and a 500gb HD for $1649 - the same machine went for $2299 when it first came out last year!

I'm very happy with the price I paid and can't wait for it to arrive!

[napoleon1769]

How much heat does it generate?

[BlueMax]

How much heat does it generate?

Not much - it's mostly laptop components except for the HDD. Lower power consumption too for the same reason.

[jase]

This is a great deal. If it weren't for the fact that I bought a Dell back in Feb, I'd be all over this.

The macs are really great machines. I used to hate the idea of Apple, but some stuff is just easier to do on a mac. eg. Ruby on rails development

I now use Macs and PCs depending on what task I'm doing. :cheesygri

[TWDM]

Hey, I'm bashing the quality of the monitor, but they're really not THAT expensive. A non-TN panel 24" in most cases will cost you upward of 500 bucks. That CPU will cost you more than $200, being mobile. It has a laptop-like motherboard, also more expensive than your standard one. A hard drive will add to the cost, as will a bluetooth dongle, wifi-n card, keyboard and mouse. How do you get $800?
Processor 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo $150, heck they don't even sell 2.4ghz core 2 duos anymore
Memory 1GB (one SO-DIMM) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300), supports up to 4GB $10 (i'm already being generous here)
Hard drive 320GB Serial ATA; 7200 rpm $50
Optical drive Slot-loading 8x SuperDrive with 4x double-layer burning (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) $30
Display 24-inch (viewable) glossy widescreen TFT active-matrix LCD, 1920 by 1200 pixels, millions of colors $350 (because its most likely a TN panel, and my Samsung 245BW costs that much with better quality)
Video Built-in iSight; mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video, and composite video connections via adapter $30 (being generous here as well for a low quality webcam)
Graphics ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB of GDDR3 memory $15 (lol I remember when I had one of these... last year)
FireWire One FireWire 400 and one FireWire 800 port; 7 watts each $0, all standard motherboards have these
USB Three USB 2.0 ports on computer; two USB 2.0 ports on keyboard $0 all standard motherboards have these
Audio Built-in stereo speakers with 24-watt digital amplifier, built-in microphone, optical digital audio output/headphone out, optical digital audio input/audio line in $0 most motherboards have onboard audio
Ethernet Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit) $0 motherboards have this
Wireless Built-in AirPort Extreme (802.11n); built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) module $50? Being generous yet again.
Hardware accessories Apple Remote, Apple Keyboard, and Mighty Mouse, Other Built-in IR receiver $60? (I'll be generous and compare it to the much better G15 keyboard)

Pre-tax, pre-motherboard and case = $745

Motherboard + Aluminum Case = $160

$905

Cost to you? $1349 - $905 = $444 for branding and some cable management.

These numbers are with harsh overestimates as well as you know OEMs tend to use the cheapest parts possible. So the number is probably much less than that. I'm not counting the OS X because to be honest, it costs them nothing to put it on. Heck i could run linux on a PC if I wanted and its free. There are reasons why enthusiasts run PCs and not macs and its because its the best bang for buck.

But whatever floats your boat. If you like paying 1.4k for a web surfer then by all means go ahead. I mean its not like Apple fanboys aren't known for visuals over substance.

As a comparison of what I built with 1.4k
http://www.evga.com/community/ModsRigs/uploadImages/364067_10925_01.jpg
All with quality parts unlike the cheap oem parts you get from apple. Not to mention the fact it can blow the bejeebus out of the iMac of yours in everything it does. Everything comes with manufacturer's warranty and unlike the iMac, my warranty isn't "void" when I open my case up.

[gmark2000]

And that remarkable piece of engineering is certainly more than 2 inches thick.

[Orbberius]

This thread is like one big "Hi, I'm a Mac. And I'm a PC" commercial.

[hotweiss]

And that remarkable piece of engineering is certainly more than 2 inches thick.

Come on, who cares if it's 10 inches thick, it's not a notebook. Plus you can play games and have access to a thousand more applications, not to mention that it will be much faster.

[hotweiss]

for those interested in just the monitor it can be had for $850 (23inch though)

http://store.apple.com/ca/product/F9178LL/A

i've been waiting for the monitors to come down in price. it's still pretty pricey but they perform well.

Typical Apple rip-off... $900 for a 700:1 contrast ratio...

[Orbberius]

Come on, who cares if it's 10 inches thick, it's not a notebook. Plus you can play games and have access to a thousand more applications, not to mention that it will be much faster.
Obviously, plenty of people who are not you care. What a concept. And Macs can run Windows (in multiple ways) and play games too, but obviously if you are an uber 1337 h4x0r gAm3r this computer is not for you.

[von Monster]

Processor 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo $150, heck they don't even sell 2.4ghz core 2 duos anymore

Fail - NCIX.com (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=19144&vpn=BX80557E6600&manufacture=Intel)

Display 24-inch (viewable) glossy widescreen TFT active-matrix LCD, 1920 by 1200 pixels, millions of colors $350 (because its most likely a TN panel, and my Samsung 245BW costs that much with better quality)

Fail once again, it's an S-IPS

Hardware accessories Apple Remote, Apple Keyboard, and Mighty Mouse, Other Built-in IR receiver $60? (I'll be generous and compare it to the much better G15 keyboard)

So where can you get all of this for $60? I looked but didn't find anything even close.

Motherboard + Aluminum Case = $160

:confused: Once again -where?

Cost to you? $1349 - $905 = $444 for branding and some cable management.

Math is not your friend, and probably never will be.

[von Monster]

Typical Apple rip-off... $900 for a 700:1 contrast ratio...

Compared to what? Overblown and exaggerated claims other manufacturers make?

You could at least link an article to back up your claim.

[expergo]

Some of you guys are funny. You think tech specs are all that matters. Yes, you turn on Word on your PC and I'll turn it on on my Mac and you'll beat me by 0.5 seconds. Great!

Then you install you antivirus software and scan every hour while I don't.

Honestly, the fact is, spec for spec, you can find cheaper on a pc, but at the end of the day, it's really the software that counts. You either think OS X is worth it or not. I personally think it is. The price "premium" is worth it when I don't ever have to think about viruses or spyware and I know that when I want to do something, it'll just work.

That's why people continue to buy them even though it's more expensive. That's why the iPhone is so popular and iPods are everywhere. It's all about the software.

[liamoforange]

Apple is the one company's products whom I will buy a refurb from. It comes with the same warranty, you can buy the same extended warranty, and it is cheaper.

If everyone stood behind their refurbs like Apple does refurbs would not have a bad name.

[blairs1]

anyone ever use the apple financing option?

Don't like putting that large of a purchase on a credit card...

if you have, can you msg me, just want to ask a few questions..

[craeyon]

anyone ever use the apple financing option?

Don't like putting that large of a purchase on a credit card...

if you have, can you msg me, just want to ask a few questions..I believe this feature is available only to the mighty Americans because they haven't been able to establish a relationship with a Canadian bank in order to provide financing to the general public.

[craeyon]

You seem the have the notion that Macs are more secure and less prone to viruses, but its really the fact that hackers find Macs pointless to hack. If they wanted to hack a mac, it wouldn't take them very long. You seem to think that a company that has a team of devs fixing exploits is better than a company that has hundreds and thousands of teams dedicated to the problem. I'm afraid I haven't been going to porn sites and infecting my pc with viruses and trojans so I can tell you I haven't had to scan any of my pcs for viruses.

And to the person that said Macs can game? :lol: Ok you go game with that radeon 2600 at 640x480 resolutions and I'll game on mine at 1920x1200. :lol:

Apparently math isn't my strongest topic yet I can assure you my education levels are much higher than yours.couple of good points but lots of weak ones as usual.

Yes Macs are as much vulnerable as PCs are. Maybe slightly less based on the fact they run on a UNIX core that has almost close to 7 levels of file protection. (I am assuming because my Solaris installation has this and since Sun Solaris and Macs have the same core). But what I am saying is that it is a very bad propaganda. Terrible infact.

Gaming, again you fail miserably. My Macbook Pro has an nVidia 8500 video card. I can max out most the latest games and still get 50 fps. In fact I even took it to one of the LAN parties I hosted. Everyone thought I was stupid until they saw me run the games. Everyone started to **** bricks.

You play at 1920x1600? that's nice I play at 5760 x 1600 on my PC. We should game sometime.

And apparently math is a serious issue, not only interms of mathematical operations but also in terms of mathematical observations. The max res for HD 2600 is 1920x1600 not 640 x 480. How do I know? Because my home server has it.

dude just give up...

EDIT: Just um, to respond to your feebish attempt to put me down as a "Mac fan" I would just like to say that I was referring to Vista. Windows XP does not and will not exist pretty soon. If you are what you call a true "gameing enthusiast" or "PC enthusiast" then you know what the advantages are of gaming in a DX 10 environment. Also, my Leopard install DVDs cost me $40. You fail at math once more.

[BlueMax]

http://www.evga.com/community/ModsRigs/uploadImages/364067_10925_01.jpg

OOGly! With a capital OOG!

(Like mine...)

[hotweiss]

Compared to what? Overblown and exaggerated claims other manufacturers make?

You could at least link an article to back up your claim.

LOL, compared to what? Exactly! You Apple people have no clue about computer hardware. Style over substance - the Apple way.

[HowEver]

Could people stop arguing about these complete red herrings?

This thread should be about the *deal.* You can buy a 24" iMac for new for thousands, or get a refurb, which is not the latest model and has slightly less speed, for way less. That's it.

Every time some unfortunate PC fan bumps this thread, a few more people waiting for a deal on iMacs see it and buy them. But it's still annoyingly stupid to read about it. Absolutely no PC directly competes with a 24" iMac with Mac OSX. None.

[iamzill]

Display 24-inch (viewable) glossy widescreen TFT active-matrix LCD, 1920 by 1200 pixels, millions of colors $350 (because its most likely a TN panel, and my Samsung 245BW costs that much with better quality)

I'm not a mac fan myself, but I do know that the 24" iMac has a H-IPS panel, which is the exact same panel used in the NEC LCD2490WUXI (http://www.shopbot.ca/p-50848.html).

[timmui]

the argument is pointless.. it's like the dudes over at honda forum saying they can soup up their civic with twin turbo, suspension blah blah, why buy a Porsche with less bhp

[blairs1]

I believe this feature is available only to the mighty Americans because they haven't been able to establish a relationship with a Canadian bank in order to provide financing to the general public.

I was on the Canadian site and got the financing page..

Thanks for your input..

[craeyon]

I was on the Canadian site and got the financing page..

Thanks for your input..oh wow they have it? I will check this out. If they have the same idea as buy ow and pay it off in 6 months idea then I might just pick up a MacPro.

EDIT: http://www.apple.com/ca/education/financing/ I dont think this is the same as what you were talking about plus its only available to educational institutions? I don't know maybe I am wrong? The type of thing I was thinking about is still only available in the US http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?sf=wHF2F2PHCCCX72KDY&nnmm=ucred

[lindmar]

I'm not a mac fan myself, but I do know that the 24" iMac has a H-IPS panel, which is the exact same panel used in the NEC LCD2490WUXI (http://www.shopbot.ca/p-50848.html).



Then in that case its an excellent deal if the display is over $1k itself.
I just got a 24 imac off kijiji, love it, display is crystal clear.

[craeyon]

Then in that case its an excellent deal if the display is over $1k itself.
I just got a 24 imac off kijiji, love it, display is crystal clear.Yes, but that logic is beyond the level comprehension of any PC fanboy. "Z0MG PC is TEH W1N!!11!1!" The price of the panel along with the beautiful design of Apple computers makes this a very good deal.

[BlueMax]

Yes, but that logic is beyond the level comprehension of any PC fanboy. "Z0MG PC is TEH W1N!!11!1!" The price of the panel along with the beautiful design of Apple computers makes this a very good deal.

In the PC world, it's taken about 5 years to really catch up to the design... like this from Sony: http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0926INGFS10108456&catid=26199
http://www.bestbuy.ca/multimedia/products/pdp/10108456.jpg

Much lower specs, crummier video for "only" $1600. :lol:

[hotweiss]

In the PC world, it's taken about 5 years to really catch up to the design... like this from Sony: http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0926INGFS10108456&catid=26199
http://www.bestbuy.ca/multimedia/products/pdp/10108456.jpg

Much lower specs, crummier video for "only" $1600. :lol:

Sony had these 7 years ago, I remember seeing them when I was in Japan.

[milhaus]

Sony had these 7 years ago, I remember seeing them when I was in Japan.

Uh okay, so they had integrated webcams and flat panel all in ones seven years ago? I think your memory is not so good.

[hotweiss]

I'm not a mac fan myself, but I do know that the 24" iMac has a H-IPS panel, which is the exact same panel used in the NEC LCD2490WUXI (http://www.shopbot.ca/p-50848.html).

H-IPS gives you no advantage over S-PVA, it's actually worst. What makes the NEC so expensive is the colorizer, which the Mac monitor does not have.

[masterhapposai]

the argument is pointless.. it's like the dudes over at honda forum saying they can soup up their civic with twin turbo, suspension blah blah, why buy a Porsche with less bhp

unfortunately for the MAC, it's neither a Porsche or souped up Civic

this thing is going to run like an Echo against anything more than browsing the web

the posts in this thread just reinforce all the negative stereotypes about Mac users. I understand if they want to browse or do simple things, but insane claims such as maxing games out or some other nonsense is plain ludicrous.

Macs are NOT gaming machines, unless you enjoy wasting money. And if you're just browsing, what are you Mac/Apple kids thinking? This is RFD, not the Rich Boys Club. Get a $300 or less DELL.

[craeyon]

hooray for fanboys! can we close this thread now!? before an all out war breaks out?

[fyrefly]

Processor 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo $150, heck they don't even sell 2.4ghz core 2 duos anymore

The iMac has the Mobile Merom 2.4Ghz T7700 processor - so it's about double the cost of the Desktop Conroe that you quoted for $150.

Optical drive Slot-loading 8x SuperDrive with 4x double-layer burning (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) $30

Where can you get a laptop-sized slot loading drive for $30? They're more like $100.

Display 24-inch (viewable) glossy widescreen TFT active-matrix LCD, 1920 by 1200 pixels, millions of colors $350 (because its most likely a TN panel, and my Samsung 245BW costs that much with better quality)

As has already been pointed out, the panel in the iMac is a S-PVA - the same panel your Samsung 245T uses. How much was that 245T? Oh yeah, about $600 or so.

We're already at $470 over your amount.

Again, you cannot compare this stuff, guys. If you wanna build your own PC or get a Dell you can.

For $1349 - this is a deal if you're looking at this product - the iMac. Can we get back to talking about this deal (which this is - a deal) instead of whether enthusiasts can build cheaper PCs that can't legally run OS X for cheaper?

No-one complains when a Harmony remote goes on sale, when I could just get a $5.99 universal remote at Wal-Mart.

[craeyon]

http://packy.dardan.com/walky/albums/album11/agb.jpg

[hotweiss]

The iMac has the Mobile Merom 2.4Ghz T7700 processor - so it's about double the cost of the Desktop Conroe that you quoted for $150.



Where can you get a laptop-sized slot loading drive for $30? They're more like $100.



As has already been pointed out, the panel in the iMac is a S-PVA - the same panel your Samsung 245T uses. How much was that 245T? Oh yeah, about $600 or so.

We're already at $470 over your amount.

Again, you cannot compare this stuff, guys. If you wanna build your own PC or get a Dell you can.

For $1349 - this is a deal if you're looking at this product - the iMac. Can we get back to talking about this deal (which this is - a deal) instead of whether enthusiasts can build cheaper PCs that can't legally run OS X for cheaper?

No-one complains when a Harmony remote goes on sale, when I could just get a $5.99 universal remote at Wal-Mart.

It's still a rip off for a limited use computer, meaning it doesn't support a lot the games and applications that exist today. Oh yeah, and you can't upgrade it. My friend's new MacBook Pro doesn't even do V-sync for full screen Flash videos.

[chris103610]

We only use macs here, hubby is a graphic designer. This is probably our 8-9th mac over the past 14 years (he likes to buy shiny new ones).

He actually got rid of a power mac dual G5 to get the refurb 20" imac because of the power available in such a small package, plus we were able to sell my old powerbook and his power mac for a good chunk of change.


don't mean to insult your husband.. but what kind of designer or video editor would use an iMac? the video card in it is simply... terrible.. especially for the type of rendering they will probably be doing? wouldn't all graphic designers/videographers need a mac pro?

imac, you can't change the vid card.. that i know of..

[IronMac]

don't mean to insult your husband.. but what kind of designer or video editor would use an iMac? the video card in it is simply... terrible.. especially for the type of rendering they will probably be doing? wouldn't all graphic designers/videographers need a mac pro?



Without knowing what type of work he does, you can't say that. I'd be more concerned about the glossy screen rather than the video card.

[IronMac]

It's still a rip off for a limited use computer, meaning it doesn't support a lot the games and applications that exist today.

And it never will unless you load Windows on it then you get the best of both worlds.

[lindmar]

All my Macs run Windows cleaner and faster than any Windows PC I've ever owned? Why is that.

It runs faster and better, every time.

[lindmar]

It's still a rip off for a limited use computer, meaning it doesn't support a lot the games and applications that exist today. Oh yeah, and you can't upgrade it. My friend's new MacBook Pro doesn't even do V-sync for full screen Flash videos.

What applications?
My macs can run any applications I throw at them.
As for Games well, I've seen people buy brand new PC's and not be able to play brand new games.

Also, no need to worry about having ten different spyware programs installed on your system which is a joke in and amongst itself.

I saw lifehacker did a post on an anti-malware kit that would automatically download oh 30 of the best protection programs or so. What a joke that is!

[Emancipated]

unfortunately for the MAC, it's neither a Porsche or souped up Civic

this thing is going to run like an Echo against anything more than browsing the web

the posts in this thread just reinforce all the negative stereotypes about Mac users. I understand if they want to browse or do simple things, but insane claims such as maxing games out or some other nonsense is plain ludicrous.

Macs are NOT gaming machines, unless you enjoy wasting money. And if you're just browsing, what are you Mac/Apple kids thinking? This is RFD, not the Rich Boys Club. Get a $300 or less DELL.

Anyone buying a Mac thinking it can trump a PC in gaming is seriously delusional or ill informed about the products. Even the Mac Pro needs to be cobbled together with PC video cards to have a decent gaming experience. Dollar for dollar, you cant beat this price. If you're going to get an iMac this is the best deal going. In terms of All in Ones, I'm partial to the HP myself. iMacs never really caught my fancy.

don't mean to insult your husband.. but what kind of designer or video editor would use an iMac? the video card in it is simply... terrible.. especially for the type of rendering they will probably be doing? wouldn't all graphic designers/videographers need a mac pro?

imac, you can't change the vid card.. that i know of..

Photoshop is the industry's absolute standard regarding 2D and it is heavily CPU dependent. A Mac Pro would be ideal fur a designer but an iMac packs enough punch to get work done, believe it or not. Design encompasses a wide gamut so certain situations a Mac Pro would be overkill.

[craeyon]

why does everyone think that computers are made for gaming? You realize that there are people out there who can't even type on a keyboard. This includes my mum and surprisingly she prefers using my Macbook Pro over my ultimately souped up PC. :/

I hate it when people assume things.

Please stop calling the HD 2600 XT a useless card? Because its not. I have it installed in my Media Center PC for my living room and sometimes I even game on that PC and it provides absolutely brilliant graphics and it certainly eats photoshop cs3 for breakfast.

[HowEver]

You are so right.

I hate playing this game, but there is a reason that Photoshop and InDesign users the world over use Macs, and it sure isn't (just) because they're pretty.

I've used Photoshop on iMac G3s and PageMaker, which preceded InDesign, on ancient PowerBooks. And generated both huge prepress files and printed locally.

Better yet, at home I can run 50 apps at a time on my MacBook Pro and that was before I maxed it at 4GB RAM.

At work, my top of the line elite Dell PC chokes way before that.

This is a non-argument.


Photoshop is the industry's absolute standard regarding 2D and it is heavily CPU dependent. A Mac Pro would be ideal fur a designer but an iMac packs enough punch to get work done, believe it or not. Design encompasses a wide gamut so certain situations a Mac Pro would be overkill.

[fyrefly]

It's still a rip off for a limited use computer, meaning it doesn't support a lot the games and applications that exist today.

People have 7 year old iBooks that support 95% of the applications available today. What applications does this less than year old iMac not support?

You seem to be creating arguments that are beside the point. You can get a dell for $299 if you want. If you want to buy an iMac - this is a great deal. If you don't want to buy an iMac, then good for you - but stop trolling this thread ;)

[zer0tails]

I own a few macs but will NEVER buy an iMac again. The bad thing about having your computer and monitor integrated into one unit is that if one fails, you can't use the other. Example: my iMac G4: screen died, cost of repair 1000. :mad: I can't use the damn thing anymore because the screen died.

don't waste your time on iMacs people. Get a macbook instead.

[HowEver]

You raise a good point. A few questions.

How long did you use your iMac G4 for? Did you buy AppleCare? How long after your warranty ran out did the screen die?

How much is an external monitor?

I own a few macs but will NEVER buy an iMac again. The bad thing about having your computer and monitor integrated into one unit is that if one fails, you can't use the other. Example: my iMac G4: screen died, cost of repair 1000. :mad: I can't use the damn thing anymore because the screen died.

don't waste your time on iMacs people. Get a macbook instead.

[zer0tails]

Died after the warranty, so that's 3 years. Sure people will say 3 years is good enough, but for other mac computers they last longer. A few posts up someone said their ibook lasted them 7 years. And i know people whose powermacs, and powerbooks are still going strong.

love the imacs but experience has taught me to buy a different mac computer.

[BobyYoo]

what's the warranty on the dead pixel on these thing?

if i buy one and there is a dead pixel, are they going to replace it??

[BlueMax]

Uh okay, so they had integrated webcams and flat panel all in ones seven years ago? I think your memory is not so good.

Well, there's some truth to that.... eMachines made a G3 iMac clone.... specs were crap and so was the machine, but it was a blue all-in-one that looked a bit appley.