Be careful with the iMac - specifically the G5 models. In my quest for a cheap(er) home based Mac I've been researching the options of G5 vs. Intel vs. iMac vs. Mini vs. upgrading the free G4 PowerMac I currently have. I was also pinging a buddy who is a life long Mac user and now former lover. He dropped by today with a G5 iMac, 2.0 Ghz, 20" display, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB HD, that he's
GIVING to me...for
FREE. Why you ask...in the first year he replaced 1 power supply, 1 motherboard, and now out of warranty same problems with heat and lockups. It's a lovely paper weight though. I'll spend some time trying to figure out what can be done to save it but from what I gather the G5 chip makes tons of heat, like the Intel P4, and the nifty iMac case does not have proper ventilation thus cooking the components.
Here's a forum on the subject.
G5 iMac issues If you dig further you'll discover that the new Intel iMac's are also having issues with video cards that cause lockups. I'm not so sure I'd drop any money into a new Mac without investing in the Apple Care package. FWIW.
The idea of throwing $300 in upgrades to my G4 powermac is sounding better all the time.