2012 iMac vs 2013 iMac

If you reeeeaaaaally need to buy a new iMac because your current computer is either broken, or not suitable for what you're using it for, go ahead and buy it. You'll have the best part of a year's use out of it that you wouldn't otherwise get.

If you just want to buy it because you want a new shiny (and TBH who doesn't want that from time to time) then if might be more prudent to wait.

Finally, if you're swimming in cash then ****** it, just buy both.

Haswell desktop processors are not due until q2 and that's q2 in intel terms, so expect q3 before they ship, then allow apple to have a play with them as they never launch straight away, and you are into q4, falling inline with a 12 month product refresh.
Haswell will be a big boost for notebooks as the gt2 and gt3 variants apparently have some graphical oomph, for desktops that have a gfx card, the 10% increase is pretty usual...

Hexley said:

Ok, while the 2012 model will be shipping before year's end I am thinking that perhaps I should wait for the 2013 model.

I am considering this as the Intel chips (Ivy Bridge) for 2012 was released mid-year and the next Intel chips (Haswell) for 2013 is scheduled for release as early as March.

I am concerned that if I get this year's model Apple will make it obsolete in less than 6 months instead of around 12.

Just speaking out my worry. Really trivial.

Apple will offer both the 2012 iMac and 2013 iMac with Retina display? Built-in GPU would have double the performance by then so it could drive the lower-end model.

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I did the same last year. And I found myself wrong.
We can never approach the speed of the computer development. What I have learned is that Intel is going to enlarge its market towards mobile cups. So for desktops, I personally will not expect 2013 imac will have significantly enhancement. Of course the power saving will be better.

the new iMac will not be obsolete in any way just because a new model comes in 2013 with a slightly better CPU. Anf, there´s really not that much completely new that will come, as we know of. SO, unless you are on the very edge on CPU usage, the changes won´t even be noticable.

So, buy the current and shut up
WHo knows maybe there won´t be a new iMac until 2014 (it wouldn´t surprise me)

Even if a new iMac is released in 2013, why buy that one when 2014 will be around the corner? But you shouldnt wait and buy 2014-model either.. Because at that time the 2015-model will be soon to released

Hexley said:

Ok, while the 2012 model will be shipping before year's end I am thinking that perhaps I should wait for the 2013 model.

I am considering this as the Intel chips (Ivy Bridge) for 2012 was released mid-year and the next Intel chips (Haswell) for 2013 is scheduled for release as early as March.

I am concerned that if I get this year's model Apple will make it obsolete in less than 6 months instead of around 12.

Just speaking out my worry. Really trivial.

Apple will offer both the 2012 iMac and 2013 iMac with Retina display? Built-in GPU would have double the performance by then so it could drive the lower-end model.

Click to expand...

Based on Apple's "interest" in desktop machines, I do not expect an update to the late 2012 iMac for at least another 600+ days.

Buy the 2012 if you need it when it comes out.

Hexley said:

I am concerned that if I get this year's model Apple will make it obsolete in less than 6 months instead of around 12.

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So what are you using today? Isn't that it obsolete right now?

Ignore the "obsolete" thing. "Obsolete" is nonsense. Unless you have some severe personality problems, it doesn't matter when there is a better model out.

Step 1: Set yourself an amount how much you want to spend on new computers per year on average. Say $500 a year. Or any other amount.

Step 2: Go through Apple's store price list, write down the prices, and calculate how long you have to keep each computer with your budget. For example, you can buy a $1600 Mac every 3.2 years or 3 years 2 1/2 months with a $500 per year budget.

Step 3: Compare the different choices to find which one gives you the best value on average. For example, you could have a $1000 Mac today and another new one in two years time, or spend $2000 today and use that Mac for four years, at exactly the same cost. So which is better?

Personally I think you should get the 2014 model..........

tears2040 said:

Personally I think you should get the 2014 model..........

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Or better yet... wait till the end of '13, and get the '15 model.

/Jim

This is the beginning of the torture that many people here have gone through waiting for the 2012. Just buy the computer when you want it and go on your way. This is the last time that I wait more than a month for a new machine. Period.

In China, the new iMacs have arrived! or iClone?
http://tech-neet.com/?p=6607

Wouldn't it depend upon how long you want your set up to last for? I'm hoping to get 5 yrs or more out of a desktop, so worrying about keeping up with the latest and greatest wouldn't be worth my while. Whatever we buy at any given point in time, it is going to be 'old' by tech standards within 6 months. So it depends upon what you use it for, what your priorities are. It sure can tie a brain in knots though!

Then again....I might wait it out for the 2020 release yet.

joe-h2o said:

Based on Apple's "interest" in desktop machines, I do not expect an update to the late 2012 iMac for at least another 600+ days.

Buy the 2012 if you need it when it comes out.

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This is faulty logic. The new iMac has been delayed because of the new design. Now that it's (almost) here, the next update will happen much sooner. That is almost guaranteed. I would guess a Haswell update early Autumn.

It depends on what iMac you're buying and how long you want it to last. In theory if you just want it to last a year or two whatever model you buy now will still be a decent computer at the end of that period.

If you want it to last longer and you're planning on buying the basic no frills 21.5" model then it will feel slower in a couple of years. Not unusable by any means though. I have a 4 year old MacBook that until this year has remained a top spec machine for my useage, including photoshop.

If you're buying a more powerful model, you're looking at a 3-4 year usage cycle before you even notice it's getting slower. A top spec model will last even longer! There's really no point in waiting.

I myself will be ordering a BTO 27" that I plan to use for the next 4 years.

12dylan34 said:

This is the beginning of the torture that many people here have gone through waiting for the 2012. Just buy the computer when you want it and go on your way. This is the last time that I wait more than a month for a new machine. Period.

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I agree. I'm on the verge of buying a 2011 at this point (if I can find one).

Obviously you should wait for the 2014 iMac. That's going to be FANTASTIC.

unknownx said:

Even if a new iMac is released in 2013, why buy that one when 2014 will be around the corner? But you shouldnt wait and buy 2014-model either.. Because at that time the 2015-model will be soon to released

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You know, the first 10,000 times I read this joke on MacRumors it was amusing, but this 10,001st time, it's just not doing anything for me...

Nothing personal, mate!

As for waiting for next year's model or not. It all depends on what imac you have now (if at all).

If you got a 2011 then there is definitely no need to upgrade. If it's a 2010/09 it's a murky choice and if it's 2008 or earlier then I'd say do it asap.

I'm waiting for Haswell because I can. I believe 2013 iMacs will probably be released in Aug-Sept and possibly October at the very latest. Any machine with and Intel i5 or i7 quad core CPU and plenty of RAM should suffice for the time being.

I'm about to install an SSD next week in my iMac, which should hold me over nicely for another 8-10 months.

unknownx said:

Even if a new iMac is released in 2013, why buy that one when 2014 will be around the corner? But you shouldnt wait and buy 2014-model either.. Because at that time the 2015-model will be soon to released

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Exactly!

You can never have the latest and greatest. Just buy if you need.

smoking monkey said:

You know, the first 10,000 times I read this joke on MacRumors it was amusing, but this 10,001st time, it's just not doing anything for me...

Nothing personal, mate!

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First of all, it was not a joke, More like a statement because it sounded like threadstarter was thinking like this.

The point is, If you need a computer, Buy it.. If not, Wait for the next one but dont expect a new one in mid-2013..

We all waited for a new iMac when ivy-bridge released, and it didn't - until now(soon, later, never...)

Mac32 said:

I would guess a Haswell update early Autumn.

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Could you be more specific what do you all expect from Haswell for a Desktop?
Just please take a look into the Haswell Intel spec slides.

Intel is fighting to survive. So Intel is concentrating 100% pure on Mobile Devices.

Intel is working Ultra Low Voltage CPU´s and a general mobile power / battery life tuning for the low end Laptop CPUs. Mobile GPU will have a nice speed bump.

That´s all. Nobody cares for Top End Mobile & Desktop CPU´s. There is no market. AMD will never compete here. The Market is shrinking. Nobody cares. Intel will provide you every year some litte MHZ more and some new market names like "Haswell" for some microcode changes. Nothing with real world speed impact.

You can wait for the 2015 iMac if you prefer a 27" Retina Display. But dont expect any Desktop CPU speed bumps in the next 3-5 years. Currently nobody spends any R&D costs there.

paepcke said:

Could you be more specific what do you all expect from Haswell for a Desktop?
Juste please take a look into the Haswell Intel spec slides.

Intel is fighting to survive. So Intel is concentrating 100% pure on Mobile Devices.

Intel is working Ultra Low Voltage CPU´s and a general mobile power / battery life tuning for the low end Laptop CPUs. Mobile GPU will have a nice speed bump.

That´s all. Nobody cares for Top End Mobile & Desktop CPU´s. There is no market. AMD will never compete here. The Market is shrinking. Nobody cares. Intel will provide you every year some litte MHZ more and some new market names like "Haswell" for some microcode changes. Nothing with real world speed impact.

You can wait for the 2015 iMac if you prefer a 27" Retina Display. But dont expect any Desktop CPU speed bumps in the next 3-5 years. Currently nobody spends any R&D costs there.

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Wow, I think you're playing the devil's advocate a bit too much here. I'll agree that the difference from Ivy Bridge to Haswell will clearly be less for the desktop computer user, as Haswell is mostly about lower power consumption and more powerful intergrated graphics.
It's sounds like you're trying to justify buying the new delayed iMac model, when there's a new CPU generation looming on the nearby horizon. I for one will get the new iMac 27'' as soon as it's out, it's gonna be very nice computer. The next Haswell upgrade in 2013 will probably run a bit cooler, and that's pretty much the one thing I'm most sceptical about with the new iMac - the internal heat in the new iMac with a 680MX graphics card. That's why I'm getting a more cooler running i5 CPU, but then again I don't really need the i7 as I don't do photo or video editing - just composing/arranging, Office and gaming.

Mac32 said:

Wow, I think you're playing the devil's advocate a bit too much here. I'll agree that the difference from Ivy Bridge to Haswell will clearly be less for the desktop computer user, as Haswell is mostly about lower power consumption and more powerful intergrated graphics.

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Intel Integrated Graphics is not used in any iMac.

2.5W power savings is a new world for Mobile Devices, but a Desktop 350W Powersupply is normally not able to adjust to so tiny savings well.

It's sad, but the next few CPU generations (Haswell/Broadwell/Skylake) will have nothing in the bag for iMac users. It's all about new ULV (Ultra Low Volage) CPU cores now.