iMac Impressions
Last week I talked about my experience migrating to my new iMac. Today I want to give my impressions.
It is a lovely looking machine that looks mighty impressive sitting on my desk, but it is still just a computer. You always wish when you buy a new computer that there could be something mind-bogglingly different, but alas, in the end it’s still just a computer to surf the ‘net, run an office suite and your other software.
Going from a G4 Powerbook to the Intel iMac, the only difference is you get Front Row, a remote, and Photo Booth. Front Row is pretty nifty - and even useful - plus the remote is quite handy for pausing music instead of fiddling around for an application. Even on the 17 inch iMac, the screen is large enough to comfortably watch movies. Photo Booth is fun and the kids love it. And it is the app I go play with when I want to think there’s a difference between my Powerbook and my iMac.
The clincher for me to get a new Mac was the ability to run Windows, and run it fast. If not for that, my Powerbook G4 1GHz, 1GB RAM was more than adequate for what I do. Although that might sound like I am bagging the iMac, it does reflect very well on the PowerBook and the longevity of Macs.
The iMac doesn’t feel all that fast. I know it is (when you compare the numbers) but in real day to day use, my use, it’s not often noticeable. This is normal with computers. I once went from a 75Mhz PC to a 366Mhz one, and felt the same thing. It is in games, graphics and multimedia type applications that speed is improvements are most noticeable (these aren’t applications I use a lot). And of course virtualization is much faster than emulation.
True, apps start quicker and that’s noticeable, and even web pages seem to be snappier, and of course the thing boots heaps quicker, Dashboard, Spotlight, but it doesn’t feel twice as fast. I guess I had hoped I’d go “Wow!” a few times.
Rosetta rocks
I am impressed with Rosetta. I haven’t noticed any slow down compared to my PowerBook, except for momentary pauses every now and again, such as when opening dialogs. Applications I’m using that aren’t yet Universal are:
- Word
- Excel
- Ecto
- Toast 6 Titanium
- Pastor
- Celtx (I’ve just discovered a Universal is available for Celtx. And running each, the version running in Rosetta runs pretty well by comparison to the Universal version.)
- Style Master
Of those, the only one I’ve had problems with is Style Master, which is having trouble displaying the properties windows.
Dislikes
Yes, there are some things I don’t like. Just a few:
- The keyboard looks great, but with no edge around it, I find I sometimes rest on the bottom left Control key - which of course messes me up when typing.
- The iMac has rather sharp edges - sharp enough to have gouged me whilst unpacking it. Surely it wouldn’t require much to smooth those edges slightly.
- Surprisingly, unlike the Powerbook, the screen does not dim to black. I use my computer in my bedroom and sometimes leave it doing stuff when I go to bed, so dimming the screen to black is useful. (Some wag will suggest changing the time before the screen blanks, but why go through that when dimming is quicker and easier?)
My favorite apps
When you migrate, it doesn’t take long to realize which apps you depend on - besides your main ones. I installed Pastor straight away as use it to record and manage all my passwords and serial numbers. (I’ve tried to using Keychain for this purpose but it’s hopeless by comparison.) I also missed Texpander (now called Textpander although in no way worth the $30 the new owner is charging for it.)
But the application I missed most, and so installed second (after Pastor) was Overflow. I guess whichever application launcher you use, you’d find the same thing. I felt positively neutered (hmm? Is that an oxymoron?) without Overflow.
Was it worth it?
My favorite part of this new iMac is the remote control. But is that alone worth the cost of new computer?
Running Windows is my justification, so for that it was worth it. My nephew (a film student and recent Mac convert) just reminded me I should also check out CrossOver for Mac, which I’ll do and write up in the near future.
The iMac is a great machine and Apple make the migration easy - even if you do it manually. Installing Windows on an Intel Mac is easy - both bootable and virtualized. But at the end of the day, computers are still computers. If the one you’ve got does everything you need, then you don’t need to upgrade. Although if someone offers to buy you a 24 inch iMac…
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Comments
“The keyboard looks great”
And that’s about it. What Apple dares to send out to its customers these days is an an abomination. One could think they expect all their customers do is rename the odd file and otherwise just mouse away. Any self-respecting typist will look for a better keyboard. In the US of A you are in the incredibly privileged situation to have the Matias TactilePro available (get one while they last, it won’t be much longer). Otherwise, all you can do if you need a decent keyboard is to grab an Apple Extended II and an iMate ADB->USB adaptor. The good thing is that the AEII will likely outlast you and can almost be had for free, compared to the original price. For the uninformed: The Apple Extended II is a $400 keyboard from back in the day when Apple cared to produce quality accessories. Too bad the market seems happy with low quality wobbleboards these days, and “notebook-style” is considered a good thing.
The biggest problem I see with the new iMacs is that they only offer the 7600 GT video upgrade to the 24” screen. Boo.
Apple is notorious getting the upsell by underfeaturing the lower-end models. This has always irritated me. The 24” model has the 7600GT as a BTO option, why doesn’t the 20”?
So, if you want a more powerful video card, you have to buy the 24” model, or a Pro tower… but with the tower you now have an oversized box with no monitor, or iSight camera.
I guess I’m one of the few who still would like a headless style Mac, but not a full Pro box (Core 2 instead of Xeon, upgradable video). Apple actually had it right with the Cube. Small form factor, but still upgradable. They just over-priced it.
How about a slightly larger/faster mini with an upgradeable video card (rather than crappy on-board)? I’d pay over $1000 for that… Heck with an X1900, I’d pay a *lot* more! : )
One can always dream…
BTW, anyone know the pixel refresh rate (latency) on the iMacs? I couldn’t find the information anywhere on the Apple site.
I’d like to have a monitor with 8ms or better, but I’m willing to be the iMac has something like 12ms… which is why I may be relegated to getting a tower anyway. (sigh)
Fire up Adobe or Adobe/Macromedia products on that machine, and you’ll feel the lag. My 12” 1ghz powerbook smokes my new 2.16 MacBook Pro for running Dreamweaver. Here’s to hoping the new apps actually hit in March 07.
Paul
Whatwethink,
Make sure you are running 10.4.8. I’m not sure what Apple did with the update but apps that require Rosetta run faster. Not PowerPC native fast mind you, but faster.
whatwethink,
My family’s iMac Core 2 Duo 17” seems considerably faster starting and using photoshop, and microsoft word, than my 12” 1.33GHz Powerbook.
Regarding Front Row, I was never that impressed with it as a feature. It’s NOT a media center, as some have hyped. It’s basically just a front end for iTunes and DVD Player.
I use it out of annoyance more than anything because of the crap-tastic way videos are handled in iTunes directly. When you go full screen from iTunes and hit pause, the video is permantly minimized (into the preview pane no less) until you click on it and go full screen again. What-the-fuck.
That said, I love my iMac, although I agree that Photoshop and After Effects, which I use daily, are DAWGS in Rosetta. Like working in molasses. Ungh!
Regarding the keyboard, I’m slightly annoyed by it. My wife HATES it. I moved her to my Mac mini and an Apple keyboard from a Microsoft Natural. No comparison. Now I just have to get her a Mac one.