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iMac: Buy or wait?

rkphoto

rkphoto

macrumors regular
Original poster
I've decided to buy a 20" iMac. My only concern is that they're going to come out with a revision next week that has the Firewire 800 I want, a 250 GB disk, 512MB RAM, and a moderately faster chip (2.0 Ghz) all for $300 less than the current model. Should I really worry or should I run down to the Apple Store this afternoon?

BTW- I'm planning on a new iMac and iBook combo instead of a 17" Powerbook (Thanks in part to several other threads in this forum). I think this is a wise decision.

Thanks for any thoughts/ comments!

rk
 
So when next week comes and goes are you going to wait until the week after that, still hoping an update is going to come?

Sometimes you get burnt making purchases and there just isn't much you can do about it a lot of the time and right now I haven't heard anything about iMac updates except for some fanboys theorizing that they might be updated seeing how the Powerbooks just were.
 
The iMac didn't even start shipping until mid-september. I doubt we'll see any upgrades in that arena until june (WWDC)
 
If you look at the buyer's guide here, both iMac and iBook are listed as "neutral, mid-product cycle". Look at the graphs of past releases. Also remember that the emac has been "don't buy - updates soon" for a few months now (that is to say, even when you think a new release is imminent, it might not happen as soon as you think)

Say you wait until late March and there's a new iMac -- then you'll be worrying about waiting for Tiger.

You've waited long enough that you'll be geting iLife '05 for free -- wouldn't you rather be playing with it than hanging around here, waiting?
 
"Buy now or wait?"
That's the hardest working question in technology. No simple answer. Buy now if you need it now. Both the iMac and the iBook have been fairly recently updated. I would think you are safe with both for the next few months at least, probably longer. If you always play the waiting game you'll never actually get a computer.

"Tiger is due in a couple of months, I'll wait for that to save an extra $129."
"They'll probably up the minimum RAM to 512MB with the next rev, since that's what they did with the new PB."
"I really want a 2.2GHz iMac."
"I think I'll wait for the new dual layer SuperDrive to be standard."
"They're going to upgrade that crappy iMac GPU finally."

While you're waiting on the next modest update, you could be enjoying that new iMac. What is that experience worth?

BTW, I think the iMac/iBook combo is a good choice. Gets you a G5 that can do pretty much anything a home user could need, and puts a portable in your hands to take with. All fot the price of a maxed out 17" PB or PM.
 
If you absolutely need it now and your business depends on it to stay open then buy it, if not I would wait since updates should come about ~March - April. 🙂


Faster Processor, Faster Optical Drive, Larger HDD, Newer 90nm G5 chips, maybe an option for BT 2.0. <-- if those do not sound appealing then buy the current model. 😉 🙂
 
I personally hate waiting for possible upgrades and usually just plow ahead unless I know something I really want is imminent. That said, I'm glad I didn't spend $2500 for a 1.5ghz PB last week just before Apple came out with the $2,300 1.67ghz model. Missing a .17ghz upgrade wouldn't have bothered me nearly as much as the price reduction that accompanied it.

Don
 
Its a tough call. My parents are in the same position. I want them to switch - which they are open to - but I also want to make sure they get a machine that has 6 years + life in it, which includes all future OS upgrades, video editing and dvd burning.

I figure the 20" with a few tweaks aint bad BUT

-> the Video ram / GPU is a sticking point with Tiger on the way.

-> dual layer burners are now the current tech and I dont want them to get an external burner until its fully supported and uses BluRay or HD burning

-> the price seems a little high in Aus given US prices and recent PB price drops...an issue when you add on all the options and get them a 250 gig HDD

-> BT 2nd gen has appeared, so best to get with the new tech for longevity

-> Second gen iMacs could have some other nice features like for instance and iPod touch wheel for iTunes and other apps built into the chin of the screen; improved support for High Def (better graphics card of course)

-> I still wonder if they will bring out a high end model as a 23" version! Probably too rich for us but it would be pretty amazing to see...
 
I'm also going to get an iMac and need to decide wherther to wait or not. I'm in no rush so I will probably wait till the next revision
 
You're pretty safe with the iMac. We know that as soon as the G5 PBs come out, the old ones are going to look pretty bad in comparison. The next iMac will likely only be a bump over the current version.
-Kevin
 
This is when I pull the trigger:

20" goes to 2.0ghz and gets at least a token price drop. I hope that an upgraded SD and GPU will be a part of the package too.

I've read speculation and wishing for other features that would be fine but probably don't make a difference to me. I'm really just waiting for rev.B out of stubborn pricniple and the fact that it will likely match up with when I have the money together.

I got my first, only and still trusty Mac friend, a dual-USB iBook, in Sept. of 2001 just before an update. I just didn't know any better at the time - or maybe it was better that I didn't know about Apple's product cycles back then. Maybe we just make it worse on ourselves by thinking the the best thing is just around the next corner...or maybe the corner after that...

I think I've just made this more confusing!
 
the only thing I'd still like to see on an iMac would be the built in iPod dock that was rumoured for he mac mini. I dunno, it just seems like it would be a damn cool thing to have cuz you could keep your other doc at the office or whatever hookt up to the AC.
Than again I guess their are a few different docs now so it's kinda hard to do.
 
No idea how significant this is, but if you go to the apple store, everything EXCEPT the iMac and PowerMac's webpages have been revised to show iLife '05. iMacs and PowerMacs still ahve '04 listed.

Maybe they're not bothering with this as they'll be redoing the whole thing when the upgrades come along?



Maybe I'm just being too hopeful. It's getting harder and harder to wait for the PM update.

EDIT: I just know it's going to happen two weeks after I buy the damn thing 🙁
 
I'd say just buy it. You can't wait forever for the next greatest thing because that will always be a possibility that lies just around the corner.

First off, you can decide to wait, but you'll be coming to this forum every night, forever scanning posts on any little tidbit of information regarding the iMac update that you can find...night after night, day after day, hour after hour...wishing your iMac just came off the "open order" listing on the Apple website and is on the way to your home, while feeling completely jealous of others that just took the plunge and love their new purchase. Not to mention, running to the Apple store each weekend, wasting precious gas and time to try and see anything new or talk to an associate (that of course knows your name by now and runs at the sight of you coming in for fear of the same questions over and over again), that might have new insight about updates, only to find the same news..over and over and over again....and yet, you have no iMac. Just wishing on something that may not come for a long long time.

Or...

You could buy your iMac on a Friday (where you have all weekend to get acquainted with this kick butt machine), get crazy taking it out of the box and setting it up and start enjoying every day!!! Showing it off to your friends, while telling everyone on the forum that you are a new Mac owner with a huge grin from ear to ear!!!

Which sounds better??
 
Just wanted to thank everyone for their help and opinions and let you all know that I'm sending this post from my new 20" iMac G5. It's much bigger and faster than the iMac G3 (400 Mhz, Graphite, DV/SE edition)that it's replacing. I think it's going to work out really well. Now I can get back to being productive.

Thanks,
rk
 
@cmvsm:

Its 1:00 in Holland. Im tired. I am reading this forum for weeks now and I see myself in everything you mention in your post. Its just scary reading my own habits of the last weeks. I want to thank you. I'll go get the imac I want so much.

and ontopic again: What bad could happen if you buy the imac now?

* A standard of 512 mb memory. You can buy it extra.
* A better graphicscard. Unlikely, Apple does not put super fast graphic cards in consumer macs
* Ilife 2005. You kan upgrade the 2004 version for 20 dollar.
* Faster processor. Oeh, 200 more mhz. Like it would make a difference.

Please, go and buy it now. I want to do it do.
 
You only live once. You could die next month and you'd never have been able to enjoy your Macs. 😉

Enjoy life. 🙂

Patience is a virtue for the old and boring. 😎
 
Brat said:
@cmvsm:

Its 1:00 in Holland. Im tired. I am reading this forum for weeks now and I see myself in everything you mention in your post. Its just scary reading my own habits of the last weeks. I want to thank you. I'll go get the imac I want so much.

and ontopic again: What bad could happen if you buy the imac now?

* A standard of 512 mb memory. You can buy it extra.
* A better graphicscard. Unlikely, Apple does not put super fast graphic cards in consumer macs
* Ilife 2005. You kan upgrade the 2004 version for 20 dollar.
* Faster processor. Oeh, 200 more mhz. Like it would make a difference.

Please, go and buy it now. I want to do it do.
Click to expand...

You're right on the money Brat. Take the day off early on Friday and go get it!! You'll have a hellava weekend ahead of you exploring every little nook and cranny.
 
verces said:
Should've waited for Tiger...
Click to expand...

Tiger is still a couple months off, besides, its better to wait a few months after Tiger is released so that the bugs can get sprayed. Panther will be practically perfect when the final update comes out this month. I'll be sticking with it for another 6 months or so.
 
I am in the same boat. In fact, I came here in search of the same question.

I tend to update my Mac every two years. My last purchase was a 17" 1GHZ, Flat Panel iMac. I really like the machine, but it's age is showing... since outside my home I am using newer and faster systems and it just seems sooo slow compared to other machines.

I have finally saved up enough to purchase an iMac G5, 20". I'm not sure if I really need it. The thing that is bugging me is the 4x Superdrive, I'd much perfer a 8x. On top of that, I don't mind if they update the speed much, but I'd really hate to buy something this week and in 3 weeks, have an update come out that is $200 less.

At this point, Im thinking of maybe buying a 17" iMac G5 and using it until the updates come out and then update then to a 20" iMac G5 and sell the 17". I know I'd lose some money on the deal, but maybe less than if it was the 20".

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!
 
The general consensus of this forum has usually been "if you need it, buy it. If not, wait for the next revision." But even if you wait for the next revision, it's only a little while before another iMac comes out that will outplay yours. So i would say buy now, unless an update is right around the corner.
 
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