Graphics Card on $999 iMac, 512 MB doable?

[Sam*]

Gang,

Purchasing iMac for aging (but Mac Experienced) parents.

Any thoughts regarding the graphics card on the bottom-of-the line iMac. My parents don't need a DVD burner on the $1199 model which has the better graphics card.

Main purpose for new computer is the built-in video for iChat with me and their grandkids who live at a distance. Does the video card handle this iChat function well?

My mom does a bunch of iPhoto stuff and some scanning in addition. But she doesn't play games.

Finally, is it possible to squeak by with 512 MB?

Sam*

[Lew Zealand]

The graphics card on the $999 iMac will be fine for what your parents need. I have the same card in my MacBook and use iChat and Skype and it works well.

As for the memory, you need more than 512MB. In OWC's tests, even 768MB is a huge step up in performance and 1GB will be great for them.

[chas_m]

Why are you trying to go so cheap? Don't you like these people?

The $999 has the equivalent of a 64MB graphics card, far better than most Macs have ever had until the last few years. It's more than enough to handle iPhoto and iChat.

However, for what you want them to do, the extra $200 is WELL SPENT on a better video card and double the RAM, even ignoring that they get a DVD burner (important for backing up large quantities of photos and other data). The extra RAM would be a must regardless of model.

You're being pennywise and pound foolish. Get the $1199 model.

[jdc]

i think the base model is more than doable, but i would add a 1 gig stick to it (about $75)

FWIW, amazon has $75 rebates, free shipping and no tax -- easily the best deal out there

http://www.amazon.com/Apple-Desktop-Disp...21?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1175620531&sr=1-1

[Carm]

Get the $1199 model with $75 mail in rebate @ Amazon.

$1199 model - $75 Mail in Rebate = $1124 with better graphics & 1 GB RAM (Free Shipping/No Tax)

$999 model + $77(CA Tax rate 7.75%) = $1076 Less Ram

$1124 - $1076 = $48 difference.

Chose wisely grasshopper.
Better Video Card, More Memory for only $48 more.

Carm

[RAMd®d]

Carm's deal is a good one, though a better video card is probably of little value in your case.

One thing- I think an entry level iMac uses shared memory for the GPU and CPU. That might be a good reason for getting the second tier iMac. It would have discreet video memory and wouldn't sponge off the CPU memory.

And 1G is really the way to go, even for light duty.