Okay... I prefer to buy higher end computers and buy them less frequently... but one thing that I will say is that buying apple upgrades is a ripoff. So: You should check to make sure, but I'm fairly certain the RAM apple uses is fairly standard RAM... but buying it off apple usually costs about 5 times as much as buying it and just putting it in (Cass can probably confirm this for iMacs). If you get 2gb, it comes as 2x1gb chips, but 2gb is fine for now, so what i would do is get it as 2gb, and in 1-2 years when 2gb isnt cutting it, replace it entirely, because you will probably be able to get 4gb in a year for less than 2gb costs now. Even if you don't wait, it is cheaper to buy 2x2gb chips off a computer store than it is to upgrade through apple. Computer world sells 2gb chips for about $70 each. Also, I would buy an external hard drive rather than upgrading the internal hard drive. Apple will charge you $333 to upgrade the 500gb to 1tb, which means you are paying $333 for 500gb. You can get a 1tb external drive for less than $200, meaning that for 2/3 of the price you end up with 1.5 times the capacity. And if you held off buying it until you really needed it, it would be even cheaper/give you even more capacity. Plus it means that when you do upgrade your computer, all of your data will be on a drive that will just unplug and plug into the new computer. As to keyboard and mouse - thats personal preference, but personally i think the mighty mouse is hopeless, and i wouldnt pay money for it. Up to you, but I would rather get a logitech mouse than use the apple mouse. That being said, I know some people quite like the mighty mouse, and it does match the computer. Lastly, the printer: Do you print colour? If you do, get an inkjet. Personally, I would recommend getting one that has a multicartridge system rather than the one you mentioned (i.e. separate colours, so if you run out of blue you don't have to replace red and yellow), but HP does make pretty good printers. If you don't print colour, get a cheap laser printer. Might not get wireless, but my printer cost $99, it connects via ethernet (so could connect to your router), and it is CHEAP to run. As in, I think we went through 3-4 reams of paper before it started to complain about running out of toner. So roughly 2000 pages per toner cartridge, which is WAY WAY WAY WAY cheaper than ink. In other words, my recommendation: Get the 24 inch, and get the best one because things like the graphics card arent really upgradable. But don't get an apple upgrade for anything except the applecare (which I would definitely get, just in case). Anything you do want to upgrade, get off a computer store or officworks or something like that, cause it will be cheaper.
So:
You should check to make sure, but I'm fairly certain the RAM apple uses is fairly standard RAM... but buying it off apple usually costs about 5 times as much as buying it and just putting it in (Cass can probably confirm this for iMacs). If you get 2gb, it comes as 2x1gb chips, but 2gb is fine for now, so what i would do is get it as 2gb, and in 1-2 years when 2gb isnt cutting it, replace it entirely, because you will probably be able to get 4gb in a year for less than 2gb costs now. Even if you don't wait, it is cheaper to buy 2x2gb chips off a computer store than it is to upgrade through apple. Computer world sells 2gb chips for about $70 each.
Also, I would buy an external hard drive rather than upgrading the internal hard drive. Apple will charge you $333 to upgrade the 500gb to 1tb, which means you are paying $333 for 500gb. You can get a 1tb external drive for less than $200, meaning that for 2/3 of the price you end up with 1.5 times the capacity. And if you held off buying it until you really needed it, it would be even cheaper/give you even more capacity. Plus it means that when you do upgrade your computer, all of your data will be on a drive that will just unplug and plug into the new computer.
As to keyboard and mouse - thats personal preference, but personally i think the mighty mouse is hopeless, and i wouldnt pay money for it. Up to you, but I would rather get a logitech mouse than use the apple mouse. That being said, I know some people quite like the mighty mouse, and it does match the computer.
Lastly, the printer: Do you print colour? If you do, get an inkjet. Personally, I would recommend getting one that has a multicartridge system rather than the one you mentioned (i.e. separate colours, so if you run out of blue you don't have to replace red and yellow), but HP does make pretty good printers. If you don't print colour, get a cheap laser printer. Might not get wireless, but my printer cost $99, it connects via ethernet (so could connect to your router), and it is CHEAP to run. As in, I think we went through 3-4 reams of paper before it started to complain about running out of toner. So roughly 2000 pages per toner cartridge, which is WAY WAY WAY WAY cheaper than ink.
In other words, my recommendation: Get the 24 inch, and get the best one because things like the graphics card arent really upgradable. But don't get an apple upgrade for anything except the applecare (which I would definitely get, just in case). Anything you do want to upgrade, get off a computer store or officworks or something like that, cause it will be cheaper.
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