Which iMac will likley best suit my need?

[glvr]

Finally, many years later than wise, I'm about to upgrade my old G3 iMac... but to which of the new ones - 20-inch 2.0 or 24-inch 2.8?

As usual, budget is a constraint but, as whatever I buy will likely have to last awhile (I got 7 years from the current G3 - and I'm still happy with it, but it can't handle web video and some other stuff), I'm ok to spend more now to get the smart choice.

None-too-techy, many of the benchmark tests are over my head. And, although I'll use Photoshop to edit an image for the web, the '21-step processes' used in speed/power testing just confuse me.

Having maybe a dozen Firefox tabs open, with BBEdit, Thunderbird, Transmit, Photoshop, iTunes and maybe a couple other apps open are about as much as my load gets. Oh yeah, and sometimes I have to open an about-an-hour mp3/aiff and chop it into 5-10 minute bits.

Realistically, am I likely to get a worthwhile performance boost with the 2.8 rather than the 2.0? Common sense says it should maybe be 40% - but is that likely to be noticeable on my work pattern.

And, monitor size... I'm getting older and my eyes are crap. I run the G3 15" at 800x600 - at 1024x768 the type is just too small to read comfortably.

A larger screen should help, but quick math suggests otherwise... with the 20-inch running 1680x1050, that's twice the resolution on a screen just one-third larger - won't that make things even smaller and harder to read?

With the 24-inch at 1920x1200, that's up to 15% higher resolution on a screen 20% larger - so am I right in thinking 'on a 24-inch, things'll look around 5% larger than they do on a 20-inch'? (And sure, I know I can lower the resolution, but I've noticed things get fuzzy at lower than default.)

Suggestions appreciated. Please and thanks.

[Photek]

I am in a similar situation (updating my iMacG5 17")

and I have decided to go for a 20" iMac 2.4mhz with 4GB RAM.... the screen is really big, they are blazingly fast.... (I have one at work)

Just make sure you update PS to the latest version..... PS Elements is very good value if your not a power user.

I am gonna hang on a few weeks till I 'splash the cash'.... The current iMac is due a refresh in spec... and all the rumor sites think it will be before the end of feb.

[JDV]

I don't think you'll see a huge difference in performance, although obviously there would be some difference. I expect 40% way over-states the gain. By "things" looking bigger, I suppose you mean desktop icons or menu items, which are comparatively small at higher resolutions, but applications can usually be adjusted satisfactorily to a good level of visibility even at higher resolutions. The larger the screen size, the more space you have to keep multiple applications open and visible simultaneously. For some, that's significant; for others it might not be. I don't think you'll actually notice much of a difference in apparent screen size for objects, but you might want to take an empirical approach and visit an Apple store and see for yourself.

Since you are on a budget--and who isn't?--you might want to put more money in RAM for the machine rather than the faster processor. Both contribute to the speed of the system, but I think RAM is a more significant factor as a general rule. Having said that, you might not want to buy the machine configured with additional RAM from Apple, for they rather notoriously over-charge for RAM upgrades, but rather purchase RAM from a good quality company (Crucial, Kingston, etc.) and add it yourself. Just be careful not to buy bargain-basement, no-name RAM.

Now, I've worked on a MacBook Pro with an external 30" display and I have to admit that size -does- matter, but just how much is a matter of personal preference. I don't think you'd be in the least disappointed with a 20" display if the 24" model is just more than you want to spend.

Joe VanZandt

[johngpt]

I think you should also take into consideration how close to your iMac you will be. Many folks who have gone with the bigger screens (not just with macs) report increased frequency of headache, unless they are a decent distance away. You'll want to assure that your screen is an arm to an arm and a half distance away.

These new glossy screens have also been somewhat of an issue, especially for those who do quite a bit of graphics work. You'll want to assure that there is as little reflection as possible onto your screen from above. If your environment can't be changed to reduce glare, then commercial or make-shift hoods could be helpful.

[kel101]

If you have the money, get the highest end model. Because the lower end models may suite your needs at first, but as time goes on (maybe when cs4 comes out) you would need a better preforming machine. The 24" would be best for your eysight especially as you can run it at a hd resolution.