My thoughts on the new design

AppleMooseMan · Dec 10, 2012

For the past month I've seen a huge number of people who have been very critical of the new iMac design, i.e "who needs a desktop computer so thin"?
Well I said I would reserve judgement until I saw this new machine.
This morning it arrived, and I was blown away at how freaking beautiful it looks. Using this machine is just a blast; it looks like something straight out of science fiction. The 5mm edge looks great, and the bulge actually looks kind of trendy.

As for Apple removing the optical drive in favor of a thinner design, I'm not sure if that was the correct decision in terms of the consumer, at least not right now. I certainly never use an optical drive, but I'd imagine there are a lot of people out there who still do, they want to view DVD's on their computer, they want to burn certain stuff to a disk, and yes some software still requires a disk. Fortunately though, this issue really is a small one considering how cheap external DVD drives are today.

My two biggest annoyances about this machine are:

1. The re-positioning of the SD Card slot. I find it a lot more convenient to have it on the side as I'd imagine a lot of you do.

2. The lack of user-upgradable ram (21 inch), Apple charge an arm and a leg for their ram, so the inability to upgrade it is a huge annoyance. 8GB is fine for me now, but in a year or two I might need to upgrade to 16GB and I would have really liked that option.

So to sum up: I firmly believe this re-design was a good option, I'm still quite astonished to have all this power in a machine that's this thin. I've been waiting for this machine since April and I can say it's certainly been worth the wait. It's exceeded my expectations! I'm ecstatic

I'd appreciate your views on the re-design.

Bargle · Dec 10, 2012

I bought the 2011 model 21.5 with an SSD and the 6770M card. I play games in bootcamp, so, unless I'm mistaken on CPU heavy games (like skyrim) I'm getting much better performance than someone on a 2012-13 model on account of bootcamp being run by the 5400 hard disk and not the fusion drive.

Now that I think about it, in OSX my computer runs faster than the 2012-13 model because an SSD is faster than the fusion drive as well...

and I have a CD drive which I need. The only thing I would have liked was the less reflective screen, but probably not at the expense of all of the above.

gmanist1000 · Dec 10, 2012

AppleMooseMan said:
For the past month I've seen a huge number of people who have been very critical of the new iMac design, i.e "who needs a desktop computer so thin"?
Well I said I would reserve judgement until I saw this new machine.
This morning it arrived, and I was blown away at how freaking beautiful it looks. Using this machine is just a blast; it looks like something straight out of science fiction. The 5mm edge looks great, and the bulge actually looks kind of trendy.

As for Apple removing the optical drive in favor of a thinner design, I'm not sure if that was the correct decision in terms of the consumer, at least not right now. I certainly never use an optical drive, but I'd imagine there are a lot of people out there who still do, they want to view DVD's on their computer, they want to burn certain stuff to a disk, and yes some software still requires a disk. Fortunately though, this issue really is a small one considering how cheap external DVD drives are today.

My two biggest annoyances about this machine are:

1. The re-positioning of the SD Card slot. I find it a lot more convenient to have it on the side as I'd imagine a lot of you do.

2. The lack of user-upgradable ram (21 inch), Apple charge an arm and a leg for their ram, so the inability to upgrade it is a huge annoyance. 8GB is fine for me now, but in a year or two I might need to upgrade to 16GB and I would have really liked that option.

So to sum up: I firmly believe this re-design was a good option, I'm still quite astonished to have all this power in a machine that's this thin. I've been waiting for this machine since April and I can say it's certainly been worth the wait. It's exceeded my expectations! I'm ecstatic

I'd appreciate your views on the re-design.

I love the new design, but I just don't need a new computer yet.

CapnJackGig · Dec 10, 2012

It's not about hating the new design, it's about the idiocy of creating this design to the detriment of things like bluray/DVD drives. Show me one person that was whining about the last iMac being too thick and I'll show you a fool.

iHailCarlo · Dec 10, 2012

I think it's great. If I was in the market for a new iMac, I would be buying this machine!

CapnJackGig · Dec 10, 2012

iHailCarlo said:
I think it's great. If I was in the market for a new iMac, I would be buying this machine!

As if there's a choice. There's one new iMac design.

toddzrx · Dec 11, 2012

Sorry; Apple put form over function with this iMac design: SD slot in the back, non-upgradable RAM in the 21.5" (unless you're reeeeeeealy motivated), and no more CD drive or Firewire (granted, old tech).

Concerning the 5mm edge: like many have stated, you don't look at the edge when you're using your computer (well, I sure don't). The new iMac looks no different when in use than the last gen, so what exactly is the point? I understand thinner Macbooks, but desktops?

Finally, the worst part: the base 21.5" model has one option only. Why Apple didn't at least include a Fusion drive option is beyond me (although "forcing" consumers to the $1500 model is not implausible).

I don't hate the new iMac; I'm just really disappointed with it. So I bought a mid-2010 and dropped in a 120GB SSD and 4 more gigs of RAM; couldn't be happier and I spent half what a new one would cost.

mihai.ile · Dec 11, 2012

toddzrx said:
Sorry; Apple put form over function with this iMac design: SD slot in the back, non-upgradable RAM in the 21.5" (unless you're reeeeeeealy motivated), and no more CD drive or Firewire (granted, old tech).

Concerning the 5mm edge: like many have stated, you don't look at the edge when you're using your computer (well, I sure don't). The new iMac looks no different when in use than the last gen, so what exactly is the point? I understand thinner Macbooks, but desktops?

Finally, the worst part: the base 21.5" model has one option only. Why Apple didn't at least include a Fusion drive option is beyond me (although "forcing" consumers to the $1500 model is not implausible).

I don't hate the new iMac; I'm just really disappointed with it. So I bought a mid-2010 and dropped in a 120GB SSD and 4 more gigs of RAM; couldn't be happier and I spent half what a new one would cost.

And 2-3 years from now you are going to come here to say how bad form over function the new iMac is and that you:
bought a late-2012 and dropped in a XXXGB SSD and XXX more gigs of RAM; couldn't be happier and I spent half what a new one would cost.

This is life, apple never did function over form, I think nobody really needed the 5mm edge but oh well...

AppleMooseMan · Dec 11, 2012

CapnJackGig said:
It's not about hating the new design, it's about the idiocy of creating this design to the detriment of things like bluray/DVD drives. Show me one person that was whining about the last iMac being too thick and I'll show you a fool.

Personally I have no need for A DVD drive, I have bought a cheap external DVD for the rare occasions when I do need to burn something to a disk, or install some software. I'd much prefer the slim body rather than a disk drive, but that's my preference. I think Apple should have provided the external super drive along with the iMac instead of it being separate purchase.

baxlobs · Dec 11, 2012

As a new Mac user moving from a Windows PC it is very elegant, and will save a lot of space in my study, once I have shifted out the old PC.

I am not doing that until I am sure that I have managed to copy everything across.

blanka · Dec 11, 2012

I really don't understand why they kept the BEARD.
That was the most ugly piece of the original iMac, but it looks totally shît on the new one.

But I don't care. I used to look at iMacs as the were the only machines with affordable power, but now the Mini is faster and cheaper. For the price of each base iMac, you get a faster mini with better IPS display and free SSD and 16Gb.

comatose81 · Dec 11, 2012

Had no interest in an iMac until this redesign. So there's at least one person they won over by designing this way. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Maybe they turn a few people off... they'll go and buy a refurbished iMac. Apple wins either way.

Lankyman · Dec 11, 2012

Let's put it this way, if I had waited all year for this update as many people have, I would kick my own backside until I couldn't stand up for not going with the existing model. I wonder how any of the new buyers are putting a brave face on it when they say they're pleased? There are of course those who would buy a pig if it had the Apple logo stamped on it, so say it's great whatever.

3lutz3toe · Dec 11, 2012

My thought is exactly!

I did try out the computer for a bit at one of the Apple store. And it does look great and is super fast. But the user non-upgradable RAM is a huge minus for me. Slower HD speed and the squeezing down w/ more laptop parts just for sake of having a new design! Form over function on just not a few things, but a number of key features!

CapnJackGig said:
It's not about hating the new design, it's about the idiocy of creating this design to the detriment of things like bluray/DVD drives. Show me one person that was whining about the last iMac being too thick and I'll show you a fool.

Lankyman · Dec 11, 2012

comatose81 said:
Had no interest in an iMac until this redesign. So there's at least one person they won over by designing this way. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Maybe they turn a few people off... they'll go and buy a refurbished iMac. Apple wins either way.

Given the new and outgoing models are visually almost identical please give your reasons for saying this.

3lutz3toe · Dec 11, 2012

Hah hah, i just had to laugh out loud at the pig part!

Lankyman said:
Let's put it this way, if I had waited all year for this update as many people have, I would kick my own backside until I couldn't stand up for not going with the existing model. I wonder how any of the new buyers are putting a brave face on it when they say they're pleased? There are of course those who would buy a pig if it had the Apple logo stamped on it, so say it's great whatever.

----------

[/COLOR]Really, and everybody else but the user would be able to admire the thin edge! Unless u position the keyboard to the sides of the iMac!

Lankyman said:
Given the new and outgoing models are visually almost identical please give your reasons for saying this.

----------

The previous model was a great looking computer design wise already.

And I really do think that Apple designers were stumped as to how to come up w/ a new design. And the only thing they came up with was to make the edge thinner! So they can say they have a new design to roll out!

I would have preferred that they kept the same design and improved on other things such as the inside!

toddzrx · Dec 11, 2012

mihai.ile said:
And 2-3 years from now you are going to come here to say how bad form over function the new iMac is and that you:
bought a late-2012 and dropped in a XXXGB SSD and XXX more gigs of RAM; couldn't be happier and I spent half what a new one would cost.

This is life, apple never did function over form, I think nobody really needed the 5mm edge but oh well...

Your last statement doesn't make sense.

I offered valid reasons to back my opinion, please critique those reasons instead.

mmomega · Dec 11, 2012

Looking at the front of the machine it looks identical to the previous models, I don't see why a thinner edge is causing a problem.
Apple products are meant to be pretty, they have ALWAYS gone the way of form over function with iMacs.

Sorry boys but they are only going to get smaller.

nutmac · Dec 11, 2012

For me, one of the biggest reasons against new iMac is timing of it all. I frankly don't think iMac needs to exist at all. Apple should instead beef up Mac mini to match iMac spec, and offer 21.5" and 27" displays, along with keyboard and mouse, as a bundle (with discounted pricing).

AppleMooseMan · Dec 11, 2012

nutmac said:
For me, one of the biggest reasons against new iMac is timing of it all. I frankly don't think iMac needs to exist at all. Apple should instead beef up Mac mini to match iMac spec, and offer 21.5" and 27" displays, along with keyboard and mouse, as a bundle (with discounted pricing).

The "all in one" appeals to a lot of people, including me.

toddzrx · Dec 11, 2012

nutmac said:
For me, one of the biggest reasons against new iMac is timing of it all. I frankly don't think iMac needs to exist at all. Apple should instead beef up Mac mini to match iMac spec, and offer 21.5" and 27" displays, along with keyboard and mouse, as a bundle (with discounted pricing).

This is a great idea, if you ask me.

I'm surprised that Apple eliminated their 24" ACD from the line-up; must not have been selling well. I'd happily pay $400 to $500 for a 22" ATD along with a beefed up Mini (or the mythical XMac).

zemzabob · Dec 11, 2012

I love it.

skippymac · Dec 11, 2012

I personally think it looks stupid. I'm all for making things thinner etc etc, even if I don't necessarily believe desktops need to be.

However, it's not thinner... it looks pregnant! If they're going to boast about a 5mm thick edge, at least make the rest of the machine vaguely attractive!

Personally I think they'd have been better off making the thing look a bit nicer, more practical and not having such a thin edge, then in the future when the whole machine is 5mm thick everyone will be wowed instead of saying "so what, they did that 10 years ago"

It often seems to me that apple and other tech companies aren't very good at looking ahead...

aerok · Dec 11, 2012

AppleMooseMan said:
For the past month I've seen a huge number of people who have been very critical of the new iMac design, i.e "who needs a desktop computer so thin"?
Well I said I would reserve judgement until I saw this new machine.
This morning it arrived, and I was blown away at how freaking beautiful it looks. Using this machine is just a blast; it looks like something straight out of science fiction. The 5mm edge looks great, and the bulge actually looks kind of trendy.

As for Apple removing the optical drive in favor of a thinner design, I'm not sure if that was the correct decision in terms of the consumer, at least not right now. I certainly never use an optical drive, but I'd imagine there are a lot of people out there who still do, they want to view DVD's on their computer, they want to burn certain stuff to a disk, and yes some software still requires a disk. Fortunately though, this issue really is a small one considering how cheap external DVD drives are today.

My two biggest annoyances about this machine are:

1. The re-positioning of the SD Card slot. I find it a lot more convenient to have it on the side as I'd imagine a lot of you do.

2. The lack of user-upgradable ram (21 inch), Apple charge an arm and a leg for their ram, so the inability to upgrade it is a huge annoyance. 8GB is fine for me now, but in a year or two I might need to upgrade to 16GB and I would have really liked that option.

So to sum up: I firmly believe this re-design was a good option, I'm still quite astonished to have all this power in a machine that's this thin. I've been waiting for this machine since April and I can say it's certainly been worth the wait. It's exceeded my expectations! I'm ecstatic

I'd appreciate your views on the re-design.

I just would've preferred if they kept the same thickness but got rid of the bottom bezel (chin). Design would've been 10 times sexier that way.

AppleMooseMan · Dec 11, 2012

skippymac said:
I personally think it looks stupid. I'm all for making things thinner etc etc, even if I don't necessarily believe desktops need to be.

However, it's not thinner... it looks pregnant! If they're going to boast about a 5mm thick edge, at least make the rest of the machine vaguely attractive!

Personally I think they'd have been better off making the thing look a bit nicer, more practical and not having such a thin edge, then in the future when the whole machine is 5mm thick everyone will be wowed instead of saying "so what, they did that 10 years ago"

It often seems to me that apple and other tech companies aren't very good at looking ahead...

40% less volume than its predecessor.

My thoughts on the new design

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