Graphic Design People! Need a Replacement Computer! Opinions needed

[skyrocketneko]

My PC which I've been working on for the past 8 years is finally showing its age, and it's time for a new replacement desktop. 

I'm looking into Macs, but I'm not horribly familiar with the recent ones.

I use Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, do lots of coding and FTP stuff, and work with lots of content management websites.  I have wireless only.   I'm on double monitors- I need to have them for coding.  I need Office too. I don't game on computers.

I have an HP printer (Photosmart 7350) I'd hope is compatible- it has the card readers in it and was $300..  I also have an old HP scanner 4200C which I use sometimes, and would like that to be compatible- but that's not too important.

My brother told me to go refurb, and that's fine.

So my question is- what's good and what's too much for what I need it for?  I don't need a solid state drive, right?
I'm looking into a 27" iMac right now, but there are so many options! I'm overwhelmed!

Help!

[RAMChYLD]

What's your budget like? Macs are okay to own, but unless you have a specific reason to run Mac OS X (i.e. you want to code for iOS, you're tired of waiting 3 hours for the Windows version of iTunes to sync your iDevice, or there's some Mac-exclusive app or games you need), they're just basically overglorified PCs that run an exclusive proprietary OS.

And yes, you don't need a solid state drive from your task description. Solid state drive only matters if you work with very large amount of data that needs to move to and from drive and memory at high speed (i.e. High Definition movie editing).

I'd reckon a quad-core Intel i7 or AMD Phenom2 CPU with 8GB of RAM and a decent mid-range video card would make the cut.

Macs lost that advantage for graphics design since Apple ditched PowerPC CPU chips for Intel CPU chips.

[melodys_angel]

Well,

Macs usually are better for graphic designers (as I 'learnt' when taking..well..graphic design) but that was 6 years ago and things change.  Unfortuntely its not my department though If it was a PC I could probably bug one of the boys


Goodluck hun <3

[skyrocketneko]

My parents are actually going to cover this for me, so no budget really. BUT, saying that, I don't want to go overboard. I may dabble in HD editing at some point. It's something I always wanted to get into but never had a decent computer for it.
I'd like to run Windows 7 on it as well as the Mac OS through Parallels, so that's why I'm leaning toward one. Also, my company already has licenses for Photoshop, so I wouldn't have to buy my own copy. My other graphic designers are all on Macs too. 

[kaoskat]

Can't help, but giving a bump.

[skyrocketneko]

Thanks!  I went to the Apple Store yesterday and ordered a refurb 27" iMac last night!  I'm really excited! Wheeee!  Now I have to wait 5 days to get it- and this computer just keeps freezing on me. Hope it holds out!