New iMac or upgrade hardware in old one (for my mom)

[STRMfrmXMN]

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING A REPLY

 

So my mom has an '08 iMac with a Core 2 Duo, 2 GB RAM, old, breaking-down HDD and a 20" screen. It does everything she wants it to *currently* (I'll explain that in a bit) but, like old stuff tends to go, it's starting to go unbearably slow. It needs 4GB RAM (the max it can hold and enough for my mom right now) which is 32 dollars and it needs an new drive (probably would get a 240GB SSD) and this totals $100. Now obviously if she were to just do web browsing the most logical thing to do would be to upgrade the hardware to better-than-new and it would be more than enough for her.

 

However, the caveat is she wants to do graphic design and Photoshop-type stuff down the road. She's currently happy with her job now but says that if she could do anything she would do the aforementioned stuff. It sounds to me like more of a pipe dream than an actual plan. Her computer guy she goes to for help says that, if she wants to do that stuff down the road in some amount of time (could be 10 years, you never know) she should buy a new iMac (she wants a Mac so don't even try to argue against that or saying stupid shit about Apple - you're not helping). I basically told him that, because the HDD was going, it needed more RAM and she had no *immediate* plans to do any graphically intensive things then she would be fine on a Core 2 Duo, ancient AMD card, 4 GB RAM and an SSD (SATA 2 BTW). The iMachine currently runs OSX Mavericks (second-newest OS) and can run Yosemite if we upgrade RAM, I believe (probably won't but it's something to point out).

 

Her computer guy insists that a new iMac is a way better use of money ($1500+) than putting money into an old machine ($100 max) since it's old and can't run the latest OS (which my mom does not need).

 

So.

 

Upgrade to an SSD and 4 GB RAM in an old machine for mom or buy a new machine that's way overkill and then will be outdated by the time she would ever get around to using Photoshop and whatnot?

 

EDIT I'd also like to point out she needs to get a new car here quick. Her 1994 Honda Accord is gonna need a new transmission here soon. She really needs the money set aside for a car, not a new computer IMO.

[Guest Philosophy]

I'd upgrade to 6+ GB of ram, SSD and upgrade the OS. Your mom does nothing that will tax that computer. 

[DarkBlade2117]

Upgrade it until she is SURE that she wants to get into Photoshop ect ect.

[STRMfrmXMN]

I'd upgrade to 6+ GB of ram, SSD and upgrade the OS. Your mom does nothing that will tax that computer. 

It can only hold 4GB max. That's still plenty for Freecell and 2 tabs in Safari.

[Guest]

Or build a monster with the money for the iMac?

[Guest Philosophy]

It can only hold 4GB max. That's still plenty for Freecell and 2 tabs in Safari.

Oh, I see. 4GB max, hmm that may be cutting it close. 

[STRMfrmXMN]

Or build a monster with the money for the iMac?

As I said an Apple PC is the only thing she would ever accept. Don't even try to argue for the other side - she'll never switch back to Windows.

[STRMfrmXMN]

Oh, I see. 4GB max, hmm that may be cutting it close. 

For Freecell and 2 tabs in Safari...?

[Castdeath97]

Or build a monster with the money for the iMac?

And have to explain for her how windows works all over again. Probably a bad idea.

[Guest]

As I said an Apple PC is the only thing she would ever accept. Don't even try to argue for the other side - she'll never switch back to Windows.

 

Ugh.... I hate these kind of people (no offense)

But erhm... yeah... I'd go for the iMac upgrades.

[Castdeath97]

Oh, I see. 4GB max, hmm that may be cutting it close. 

Mac OS X uses some form of memory compression to help free RAM, 4GB is more than enough for her case.

[STRMfrmXMN]

Ugh.... I hate these kind of people (no offense)

But erhm... yeah... I'd go for the iMac.

New one for $1500 that she'll never even approach the max output of or SSD + RAM that will satisfy her until she gets a new machine?

 

I just straight up cannot see the logic behind buying a totally new machine...

[Guest]

New one for $1500 that she'll never even approach the max output of or SSD + RAM that will satisfy her until she gets a new machine?

 

I just straight up cannot see the logic behind buying a totally new machine...

 

Read again 

[STRMfrmXMN]

Read again 

Gotcha 

[ohJey]

As I said an Apple PC is the only thing she would ever accept. Don't even try to argue for the other side - she'll never switch back to Windows.

Do some research into building a Hackintosh

[STRMfrmXMN]

Do some research into building a Hackintosh

It needs to be stable enough to the point where my mom can do something stupid and the thing will reboot with the sound and location-based services working just fine. Hackintoshing is something that has never worked out for me in the past.

[Tiby]

4 GB is enough for OSX and maybee Photoshop but not for multiple tabs on Chrome. Many users actually hate Chrome with a passion on OSX because well of poor optimisation.

OSX is designed with 2 GB of RAM in mind (even new MacBook Air are selling now with 4 GB of RAM) and the other applications that run on it as well. Sure they may not run as fast as on Linux or Windows counterpart but they run well enough for most mac users.

I've recently upgraded a Mac Mini (from 2010) with 4 GB of RAM and an SSD and it's mostly like new. Don't use it as much as my desktop but it's a nice little testing machine.

[STRMfrmXMN]

4 GB is enough for OSX and maybee Photoshop but not for multiple tabs on Chrome. Many users actually hate Chrome with a passion on OSX because well of poor optimisation.

OSX is designed with 2 GB of RAM in mind (even new MacBook Air are selling now with 4 GB of RAM) and the other applications that run on it as well. Sure they may not run as fast as on Linux or Windows counterpart but they run well enough for most mac users.

I've recently upgraded a Mac Mini (from 2010) with 4 GB of RAM and an SSD and it's mostly like new. Don't use it as much as my desktop but it's a nice little testing machine.

She refuses to use Chrome so that's no big deal. Safari is what she likes

[FuzzyYellow]

I would say upgrade.

[Guest Johnny5g]

get a new one and recycle the old one to @BlueRas computers . he will LOVE to get it.

[STRMfrmXMN]

get a new one and recycle the old one to @BlueRas computers . he will LOVE to get it.

It would be sold to pay off for the new one and some car repairs unfortunately.

[Guest Philosophy]

Mac OS X uses some form of memory compression to help free RAM, 4GB is more than enough for her case.

I see

[gergy008]

Been in a similar scenario, upgrade the PC.