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One last time: What should I buy and when?

D

dferigmu

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Ok, I know I have made multiple threads about what I should buy, but I realized some things about my situation and this is my last "what should I buy thread." Here we go:

I sold my iMac G3 a couple years ago. I have my photos/music/files scattered among a bunch of ZIP drives, CDs, CF cards, and two computers. I have $300 in Apple Store gift certificates and a little under $2000 to spend. I have wanted a new Mac and an iPod for a couple years now but have kept putting it off because I knew something better was always around the corner.

This is what I mainly want to use a new Mac for: iLife, Office, internet, and Dreamweaver. I don't need portability and I don't really like laptops. You get less for what you pay for and I would have to buy a keyboard, mouse, and monitor to be able to use a laptop at home. I don't like the eMac's CRT display, the Powermac is too expensive, and I don't have an extra keyboard, mouse, and display to use with a Mini. Because of these reasons, I decided the iMac G5 would be the best Mac for my needs.

A couple months ago, I decided to wait for a revision B iMac G5 since I thought it would come with standard 512 MB RAM, an 8X Superdrive and updated graphics card with more video RAM. I also wanted to wait for OSX 10.4 and was worried about the current iMac's fan noise issues.

My situation now is that I will be living in Europe starting in late summer for about 9 months to a year. I really want a computer before then, but I don't want to take it with me to Europe. I just want something so I can organize all my stuff in one place, buy an iPod that I will take to Europe, and have a computer I can call my own and that I can use during these next 6 months and then when I come home.

My question is: What would you do if you were in my situation? I also don't want to spend too much money since I won't really be using the thing during my time in Europe (other than when I come home to visit). Is buying refurbished a good idea? What should I do? Also, the thing that worries me the most about the current iMac is the fan noise problems. Is the problem less widespread than it seems? Does it have a fix yet?

About revision B, I have heard that it could come out earliest March and latest June. Is this true? Could it only be updated in June? The fact that it might only be updated in June is the main reason I would want to buy now.
 
dferigmu said:
Ok, I know I have made multiple threads about what I should buy, but I realized some things about my situation and this is my last "what should I buy thread." Here we go:

I sold my iMac G3 a couple years ago. I have my photos/music/files scattered among a bunch of ZIP drives, CDs, CF cards, and two computers. I have $300 in Apple Store gift certificates and a little under $2000 to spend. I have wanted a new Mac and an iPod for a couple years now but have kept putting it off because I knew something better was always around the corner.

This is what I mainly want to use a new Mac for: iLife, Office, internet, and Dreamweaver. I don't need portability and I don't really like laptops. You get less for what you pay for and I would have to buy a keyboard, mouse, and monitor to be able to use a laptop at home. I don't like the eMac's CRT display, the Powermac is too expensive, and I don't have an extra keyboard, mouse, and display to use with a Mini. Because of these reasons, I decided the iMac G5 would be the best Mac for my needs.

A couple months ago, I decided to wait for a revision B iMac G5 since I thought it would come with standard 512 MB RAM, an 8X Superdrive and updated graphics card with more video RAM. I also wanted to wait for OSX 10.4 and was worried about the current iMac's fan noise issues.

My situation now is that I will be living in Europe starting in late summer for about 9 months to a year. I really want a computer before then, but I don't want to take it with me to Europe. I just want something so I can organize all my stuff in one place, buy an iPod that I will take to Europe, and have a computer I can call my own and that I can use during these next 6 months and then when I come home.

My question is: What would you do if you were in my situation? I also don't want to spend too much money since I won't really be using the thing during my time in Europe (other than when I come home to visit). Is buying refurbished a good idea? What should I do? Also, the thing that worries me the most about the current iMac is the fan noise problems. Is the problem less widespread than it seems? Does it have a fix yet?

About revision B, I have heard that it could come out earliest March and latest June. Is this true? Could it only be updated in June? The fact that it might only be updated in June is the main reason I would want to buy now.
Click to expand...

I think you're stressing out over this a little too much. Just buy the damn imac and be done with it. Stop waiting! You'll be a lot happier. Don't spend the next 6 months debating what you should get. If you always wait for the next best thing, you're never going to get anything. It sounds to me that you already know what you should get, and what will suit you best.

You want an imac and an ipod. You can easily get both of these with 2300. You said you don't want to spend too much. You're only going to be doing ilife, dreamweaver, word, and internet. That doesn't take too much power. Just get the low-end imac and an ipod. That'll run you about 1500 with HD and RAM upgrade. Then the ipod is 300. So that makes 1800 dollars spent and 500 left over for you stay in europe. And if decide you want more power just go for the mid-range model. After reading this, make your decision, and go buy it. Be done with it man. Good luck.
 
Romulan said:
I think you're stressing out over this a little too much. Just buy the damn imac and be done with it. Stop waiting! You'll be a lot happier. Don't spend the next 6 months debating what you should get. If you always wait for the next best thing, you're never going to get anything. It sounds to me that you already know what you should get, and what will suit you best.

You want an imac and an ipod. You can easily get both of these with 2300. You said you don't want to spend too much. You're only going to be doing ilife, dreamweaver, word, and internet. That doesn't take too much power. Just get the low-end imac and an ipod. That'll run you about 1500 with HD and RAM upgrade. Then the ipod is 300. So that makes 1800 dollars spent and 500 left over for you stay in europe. And if decide you want more power just go for the mid-range model. After reading this, make your decision, and go buy it. Be done with it man. Good luck.
Click to expand...

You nailed it on the head. I am stressing over this too much.

I was kind of thinking about buying the 20" model because of the screen size, the screen quality, and the fact that it's the 17" model that usually has fan/heat problems. Is it worth the extra $300?

And what about the Europe thing? I would never take a new Mac desktop to Europe with me. I would however take a laptop and then probably sell it when I got home and buy a desktop. But then my question is: How much are iBook/Powerbook adapters/battery chargers that will work Europe and where could I get them?
 
dferigmu said:
I was kind of thinking about buying the 20" model because of the screen size, the screen quality, and the fact that it's the 17" model that usually has fan/heat problems. Is it worth the extra $300?
Click to expand...

Yes.

It's not like the monitor is any easy thing to upgrade at a later stage on an iMac... you will appreciate the extra space.

There's always something better around the corner.

You're torturing yourself. Stop wavering, brace yourself and go out and get the damned thing. 🙂
 
dferigmu said:
And what about the Europe thing? I would never take a new Mac desktop to Europe with me. I would however take a laptop and then probably sell it when I got home and buy a desktop. But then my question is: How much are iBook/Powerbook adapters/battery chargers that will work Europe and where could I get them?
Click to expand...

You may want a computer while you're in Europe. If nothing else, it can be useful to use iChat back to the family in the US, travelogs with pictures etc are also easier to produce. You can back stuff up by burning a CD of pics every so often and mailing it back home. And it's a lot more pleasant sitting in any bar/cafe with wifi access than having to find a grotty internet cafe. If I go out of the country for more than a few days, my laptop comes with me (more so than in the past since wifi is so much easier to connect via than having to find a local ISP access number)

It does seem pointless to buy a computer now, use it for 6 months and then not use it for a year. By the time you get back it will be 18 months old and there will be lots of 'better' things out there at, probably, cheaper prices.
Get an iBook now, stick a bit of extra RAM in it and it'll do everything you need - you might not even need the extra keyboard/mouse/monitor - they're surprisingly nice to use. iBooks hold value pretty well so you should be able to sell it for a reasonably price when you get back.

As far as chargers go, on an 'Book, they're all multi-voltage. You just change the plug part of the power adaptor (if you're going to multiple countries, the Apple Travel pack might be a good deal) or plug it into a power socket adaptor. You can then charge the iPod through the 'Book and save another adaptor weighing down your bag.
 
iMac G5... Not dual voltage.

If you are looking at those mighty nice iMac G5's in the US, remember that they are not dual volt PSUs... Meaning that it will last you in the US but will fry as soon as you plug it in to a European socket.

If you want to go the iMac route factor in the cost of a step down transformer too. I so wanted to get one of the new iMacs to take back to Australia with me but, after reading one of the posts here decided against it, and bought a PM G5 instead.

All the other Apple products have 110-240V power supplies except the US and Japan iMac G5's.

If you go for the iBook or other machine, you will have to buy a new power cable once you get to Europe for a couple of Euro at most.

Buy whatever makes you happy, and whatever you can afford. If we all held off buying stuff, Apple wouldn't sell a damned thing.
 
Applespider said:
You may want a computer while you're in Europe. If nothing else, it can be useful to use iChat back to the family in the US, travelogs with pictures etc are also easier to produce. You can back stuff up by burning a CD of pics every so often and mailing it back home. And it's a lot more pleasant sitting in any bar/cafe with wifi access than having to find a grotty internet cafe. If I go out of the country for more than a few days, my laptop comes with me (more so than in the past since wifi is so much easier to connect via than having to find a local ISP access number)

It does seem pointless to buy a computer now, use it for 6 months and then not use it for a year. By the time you get back it will be 18 months old and there will be lots of 'better' things out there at, probably, cheaper prices.
Get an iBook now, stick a bit of extra RAM in it and it'll do everything you need - you might not even need the extra keyboard/mouse/monitor - they're surprisingly nice to use. iBooks hold value pretty well so you should be able to sell it for a reasonably price when you get back.

As far as chargers go, on an 'Book, they're all multi-voltage. You just change the plug part of the power adaptor (if you're going to multiple countries, the Apple Travel pack might be a good deal) or plug it into a power socket adaptor. You can then charge the iPod through the 'Book and save another adaptor weighing down your bag.
Click to expand...

I like desktops much better than laptops, but this morning I realized that buying an iBook or Powerbook would make a lot more sense, considering my situation.

I could buy one now, take it to Europe with me, and then decide what to do with it when I come home. I may even learn to like laptops! When you think about it, it truly does sound like a big waste of money to buy a desktop now, use it for 6 moths, and then have it sit here for a year while I'm gone.

Well, I guess my next thread will have questions geared towards Europeans... 😀
 
you are definitely not a mini mac candidate since you want a little more and you also don't need the top of the line dual G5 powermac

...and since you will be "on the road", i would say go in the middle of apple's line and get a 12" inch powerbook...it's also in your budget

you mentioned macromedia's dreamweaver so that's why i didn't say go for an ibook, but a maxed out ibook, RAM and hard drive, is also a viable option but for the money, i would go powerbook with a minimal 512 mb of ram

you can always spring for more ram later when you get more funds, and buy other peripherals like external hard drives

i hope this helps
 
Might I suggest a Mac mini along with 20" Cinema Display. The Mac mini would be easy to carry to Europe, it would save transferring files multiple times. Then the iPod could be a backup and still enjoy music.
 
wait...

why do you want to buy a new computer now and then go to Europe without it? why don't you just not get a computer now and wait until you get back, when you can get a rev C (3 GHz!)?
 
After reading the other posts, I have to agree that buying a desktop now would not be such a great idea. You should probably get a 12" powerbook (they're awesome 😀) and sell it when you get back. Then you can hopefully buy the next rev imac! Just remember, by then there will probably be a powerbook G5, so your Powerbook G4 will lose alot of resale value. Actually, scratch that, considering how well the imac G4s still sell, your powerbook wouldn't lose too much value (any other opinions on this?). But whichever one you choose, i'm sure you'll be happy. Good luck! 🙂
 
wide said:
why do you want to buy a new computer now and then go to Europe without it? why don't you just not get a computer now and wait until you get back, when you can get a rev C (3 GHz!)?
Click to expand...

Because I want to buy an iPod and I realized it would be a lot easier taking a laptop to Europe than having to use computers at cafes and other people's houses. Plus, I've been saving to buy a new Mac for years now. It's time to take the plunge. If I waited until I came back, that's another 1 1/2+ years without a Mac of my own.
 
wdlove said:
Might I suggest a Mac mini along with 20" Cinema Display. The Mac mini would be easy to carry to Europe, it would save transferring files multiple times. Then the iPod could be a backup and still enjoy music.
Click to expand...

The mini would be easy to take with me, but what about a display? I don't think I'll have access to a seperate display that no one is using and I wouldn't want to carry around a beautiful 20" Apple display.
 
Romulan said:
After reading the other posts, I have to agree that buying a desktop now would not be such a great idea. You should probably get a 12" powerbook (they're awesome 😀) and sell it when you get back. Then you can hopefully buy the next rev imac! Just remember, by then there will probably be a powerbook G5, so your Powerbook G4 will lose alot of resale value. Actually, scratch that, considering how well the imac G4s still sell, your powerbook wouldn't lose too much value (any other opinions on this?). But whichever one you choose, i'm sure you'll be happy. Good luck! 🙂
Click to expand...

Thanks! If I buy a Powerbook, or an iBook, I think I would keep it for at least 3-4 years. Selling it when I got back, only after about 1 1/2 years of using it, would be a waste.

About the 12" Powerbook, I just think the screen is too small and I don't want to buy an external display. Look for to my iBook vs. Powerbook thread soon and then I'll finally make a purchase! 😛
 
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