Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Mac2004

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 17, 2004
295
43
My friend wants to know if he should buy a 20" Imac now or wait until the new ones come out in September..... I told him to get one now because there may be issues with the newly revised rev A's.... I told him the current ones are very stable and powerful. Are there going to be any big differences (G5, SuperDrive 8X, bigger monitor, etc.)???
 

NusuniAdmin

macrumors 6502a
Nov 19, 2003
870
1
Like i posted in another thread i am hoping for g5 imacs...hoping for 1.6 and 1.8 ghz models. My brain tells me its going to be g4 still. I am thinking moto might have new g4 procs ready... But yes...apple would be dumb to not stick in an 8x superdrive.

THe case will probly be redone..and if g5 gets in there it will probly have liquid cooling similer to 2.5 ghz pmac (which would partially explain the delays..along with the high stockpile of imacs). To be honest i really doubt apple will lower the price but if they do even 100 dollars less would be nice but a 1099 dollar low end imac would be AWSOME (if that was the price then the proc speed..assuming its a g5...will probly be lower).
 

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
I'd wait. When Apple tells everyone that they're coming out with something new in a few months - unprecedented, basically - I think you'd be a fool not to wait.

Yeah, Rev A's might be problematic. But: (a) that's what AppleCare is for; and (b) my G5, 10 months old and so therefore completely Rev A, has had zero problems - they aren't all bad.

If he could get a 1.6GHz G5 (say) in a couple of months, or a much slower G4 now... why not wait?

If he needs one now, have him buy a dual-1.8 and get a cheap CRT. Same price. Faster machine.
 

fartheststar

macrumors 6502a
Dec 29, 2003
504
2
Toronto
Mac2004 said:
My friend wants to know if he should buy a 20" Imac now or wait until the new ones come out in September..... I told him to get one now because there may be issues with the newly revised rev A's.... I told him the current ones are very stable and powerful. Are there going to be any big differences (G5, SuperDrive 8X, bigger monitor, etc.)???

Wait. The new ones will be quite different. As posted on the Apple website, they're getting rid of the last of their stock of the current ones. They aren't even selling them on the Apple site anymore. The current ones are out of date and over priced... it's almost worth buying a low end (or rev A) G5 instead and buying a different monitor.

Wait until September or go for a G5 tower if you don't want portability. If you want to save a bunch of money and don't mind the CRT, get the eMac, it's a great deal.
 

PlaceofDis

macrumors Core
Jan 6, 2004
19,241
6
i wouldnt worry about it being a rev.a as other people have said. It should be a largely updated machine. As of right now i wouldnt recommend anyone an iMac due to its lack of updates and poor video card, ect ect. If he/she can wait for the new ones then i say wait. If he/she needs a mac now i would go for a refurb G5 or an eMac depending upon uses and needs
 

Mac2004

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 17, 2004
295
43
Update.....

I talked to him tonight and i think he is going to get the dual 1.8 PowerMac instead and add 1 gig memory to it (and perhaps ATI Radeon 9600 card). He doesn't want to wait until September for the new Imacs. I told him the PowerMacs are more expandable too and there is no guaranteee the Imacs will even have a G5 chip. I think this is the better way for him to go.
 

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
Mac2004 said:
I talked to him tonight and i think he is going to get the dual 1.8 PowerMac instead and add 1 gig memory to it (and perhaps ATI Radeon 9600 card). He doesn't want to wait until September for the new Imacs. I told him the PowerMacs are more expandable too and there is no guaranteee the Imacs will even have a G5 chip. I think this is the better way for him to go.

Good choice!

One thing: he should be classified as insane if he does not upgrade to the 9600XT - it'll be the best $50 he ever spent on a computer. Please tell him to upgrade.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.