On Sep 30, 2011, at 12:07 PM, Adrian Goldman wrote: > I would disagree about the disk issue. That's not the failure mode we have > seen in the iMacs. Fwiw. Anyway, if it were to fail you could just attach an > external disk and continue merrily along - macs will boot from external > FireWire (and I assume thunderbolt?) disks.
Yes, but I treasure my desktop and USB/Firewire port space ;) My point is that replacing anything (video card, logic board, display card, drive) within an iMac is difficult. If the OP (like me) plans on keeping your computer for more than 5-7 years, then he/she might want to get something where replacing the hardware is easy. I still have several fully functional dual processor PowerPC G5 from 2004 that work wonderfully for general desktop use. And it will still run most (CCP4/Phenix/Coot) crystallographic software. > > We are putting money where my mouth is. Our last five purchases have been i7 > iMacs. It seems like quite a nice amount of oomph for the money. Core i7? Then your macs are still quite young (i7's were introduced in 2010). I'm talking a core 2 duo mac from 2007 (the iSight G5). Time will tell if the drives in 2010 were any better than then drives from 2007. I doubt it though. F --------------------------------------------- Francis E. Reyes M.Sc. 215 UCB University of Colorado at Boulder
