Seems to be a decent price for the RAM/SSD.
Looking for a mac setup and tossing up between this and the M4 mac mini ($815 https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/874044)…
Would the base spec 16gb ram on the mini be too little for moderate dev work/music production?
$1699 with eBay Plus code VALUE22
Any deal recommendations for Mac?
M4 mac mini and a good screen will serve you better than this.
why?
isn't the ram less on the mini?
what about the other specs compared?
Only $7 for Big Mac happy hours incl small fries and a coke
what do you need to do with your machine?
this is a good package for a good price but if you're wanting to hammer it in some way or another you might be better off with something else
Will be used for as my main workstation - dev work (xcode/swift, so need mac), music production, and light video editing. Not running local LLMs or anything too heavy.
I think this will be more than sufficient for my needs, but just wanting to weigh up my options to get the most bang for buck.
Considering the M4 mini as well but worried about the base 16gb RAM running thin, and the upgrade options feel pretty expensive.
E.g. the M4 mini with 24gb ram & 1TB SSD is $1651, which is pretty close to this, and with M4 vs M3. But will need to get extra screen, peripherals etc.
@ryzie: m4 mini's great value but the gpu's not fantastic, anything you use regularly that leverages gpu'd be happier on something else
@ryzie: Main issue with the iMac is when you want to upgrade, you have to change the entire thing. If you buy a standalone monitor you can keep it. Resale value holds better though.
The iMac monitor is amazing, but personally I hate that it's only 24" and you can't get a second matching screen at the same resolution.
Plus this is yellow. You need to stare at a yellow computer all day while you work.
IMO I'd also get the M4 mini with 24GB RAM/512GB storage for $1,391 and buy an external SSD.
Of course not, old mate is on a bargain forum doing his best impression of a preteen edge lord. Doesn’t have a clue.
Who?
wtf
But it's so ugly. How is it that Apple stuck with the same attractive design for so many years and then decided this lump was good enough.
cheery colour, but
Wouldn’t call it ugly (I would in fact say pretty) but it is a tragedy there isn’t a 27 inch 5K iMac anymore.
I think these are great if they are highly visible location eg with customers or in a small apartment. Very tidy.
Otherwise just get a Mac mini with a decent 4K display.
They have a 5k 27” monitor using one ATM.
"The Apple Warranty has been activated and expires 31 October 2025."
Yeah I think its not that good value because of this.
How does that happen when its brand new?
Maybe a dodgey seller
I think the deal is okay rather than great- the warranty having been activated lessening it somewhat.
Not sure anyone gives a stuff but maybe my observations from a few setups I’ve used for nothing overly onerous at work and home:
A few m1 iMacs - starting to be a bit slow but really only for web based software and browsing so perfectly capable. The screen is still amazing.
M4 Mac mini pro with asus 5k monitor. Machine super quick running windows 11 on fusion for some 3d design work
The 5k on the Asus is good (I don’t need the colour accuracy in this environment) but The Apple display is superior (and I think maybe even worth the extra 1k!).
Some things I didn’t think of before purchasing this one- screen loading from sleep is painfully slow ( seconds?) on both hdmi and usbc MonitorControl app needed to enable brightness and sound keys on keyboard. The sound is the worst I’ve ever heard on any monitor. Good but I think if I had my time over I go to the Apple display
M4 studio for video editing. M4 mini pro would probably have been fine so I’m not testing any limits. 32inch lg monitor is okay but you do realise that 5k just looks so much better for web pages. Given highest res is too small for my eyes and I change it, the screen real estate not too different from a 27.
The iMac seems like a genuinely great deal (aside from the shortened warranty, that is rather sketchy), but I would still suggest going for a Mac mini instead as it gives you a lot more flexibility later on with expansion options and upgrading to a different/better monitor etc. With the iMac, you're stuck with what you've got.
I owned a 27" Intel-based iMac for years and it was a real workhorse, but after a few years the display died and it just highlighted how inflexible the machine really is — replacing/repairing the display would've cost around $800. iMacs also tend to be a real pain in the arse to open up if you plan on doing any unsanctioned upgrades etc. I swore to never buy an iMac again, no matter how tempting.
I’ve just ordered one, but I’m still a bit confused about why the warranty period would be shorter on a brand new device. That aside, this is my third iMac. My previous iMac was the 2017 5K model, which I’ve used for seven years. I upgraded it to 64GB of RAM and it could still handle my daily tasks smoothly—even running games like World of Warcraft without issue. The only noticeable problems were when processing images and videos.
My main reason for upgrading is that some new system features are no longer compatible with the older machine—otherwise, it would still be my perfect companion. Plus, I recently discovered that you can use Luna Display to turn an old Mac into a monitor, which is a fantastic way to give new life to the gorgeous 5K display.
Bad deal