Depending on your needs (and your budget), I'd give consideration to refurbished iMacs. They're cosmetically identical to brand new ones and come with the same warranty. Right now you can get a 27" one for $1349.
I've got a refurbished 24" iMac that I bought about 2 1/2 years ago and it's the best computer I've ever owned. It runs as fast as the day I got it with absolutely no maintenance. I've never experienced even a minor hiccup with it, despite using it probably 4+ hours a day every day (I also use it for movies/music in my bedroom).
The lack of easy upgradability was a bit of a knock for me, but it's maintained its performance so well, I've never felt the need to beef it up. By the time I want better performance, I'll just sell it and get a 27" one. They hold their value exceptionally well, so if you do want to upgrade in a few years you can get back most of what you paid for it. I paid about $1300 for mine when I bought it and I see similar ones sell for $800-$1000. A 25-40% depreciation over several years is fantastic for a personal computer.
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