New computer after 9years.

stimpsonslostson

My beloved 9(!!) year old iMac died a couple of days ago- no response to power button: it's DEAD but I have backups of everything.

So I'm now looking for a new machine.
Cash is tight- but I'm eligible for the education discount from apple...

Do I get a mid level Mac Mini for £535? I have a keyboard, mouse & monitor already. Or is there a better option?

The fact that I've been happy for the past 9years with the same machine tells you how light a user I am... Office, mail, safari, iTunes & iPhoto is all I use. (I'm leaning towards apple again due to the longevity of the old one & the fact that we have iPhones&ipads in the house)

I'd like whatever I get to be as compact- but not a laptop & as future proof as possible.

Anyone out there have suggestions?
Ta muchly.

ICBM

Just get a new iMac.

My last one must have been the same age as yours, but I was less lucky and it died after 6 years. I bought a new one and it's going fine. And I'd buy another if it died tomorrow.

The Mac-haters will laugh and say that it's an expensive way of owning a computer, but I don't really see it that way. Six years of no trouble and hassle at all for a grand and then replace it with the latest far more advanced model actually seems fair value to me.

Bear in mind you will need an external CD/DVD drive if you use that, the new ones don't come with them.

ThorpyFX

I agree, stretch to a Mac and remain happy for the next nine years, with discount that'll be £100 a year.

beed84

End of discussion, I'd say.  Really, get another iMac.

xmrchi

The new macbook air, is a thing of beauty and a very powerful machine.

Emp_Fab

Get a Windows 8 laptop.

<ducks>

xmrchi

If you are going to get a windows laptop, spend as much as you can, cheaper laptops are poo, and use really poor hardware I would say 400 plus:-)

Flink_Poyd

Still chugging along, a bit slower than last year and its been on an external monitor the last 2 years as the screen started to fail. Thought about the Mac Mini route myself but just dont rate them much anymore, not brand new anyway.

monquixote

I don't think modern macs are as reliable as the old ones. We bought a load last year at work and they have been quite unreliable.

Axe_meister

I'd try and get hold of last years mac mini if you can as you can upgrade the memory and add in an extra hard drive or get an SSD and create your won fusion drive.
Also last years mid range was a quad core rather than the crappy dual cores the new ones have.