Build-to-Order Pricing for New iMac Models Revealed

[hfg]

Originally Posted by Jeffythequick

OK, here I go for my first post...

I'm buying the 27" decked out, except for the RAM, and install that myself.

I'm debating the 1TB/3TB option, as if I need more HD space, I can go the Thunderbolt option. I figure 10Gbps > 600 Mbps (SATA) when I need it, but I do want the Fusion drive for the internal, and debating SSD externals with the Thunderbolt.

Since I'm using the word, Thunderbolt so much, and previously (in my PC days), the external interfaces were the bottleneck, and also with it being 10Gbps vs. SATA 600 Mbps, would the HD be the bottleneck in this setup? If so, then internal hard drives are no longer the limiting factor that they would appear to be, and the next issue is cost of the external drive enclosure(s).

There is no advantage of Thunderbolt over USB-3 when using hard disks as both interfaces are limited by the speed of the disks. If you are using external SSDs then you probably will want to use Thunderbolt.

Here are some results of tests I did recently:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost...70&postcount=9


-howard

[Jeffythequick]

Originally Posted by juliazo

... but a certified Apple technician with some experience can and will replace almost any component in less than a couple of hours.

Which I recommend from experience. I did the Youtube HD upgrade in 2010, everything works great until two months ago, and the video card dies.

Apple won't touch it after they discovered I went into it, and sent me to an AARC, who re-diagnosed it and got the card in, taking only 2 weeks to do it.

(Apple would have had it done in 2 days, due to how busy they were. Card was in in stock, but the repair center had to order it from Cupertino, or wherever they get them.)

Anyway, my days of opening up iMacs are over. I'm getting too old for this crap.

----------

Originally Posted by hfg

Here are some results of tests I did recently:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost...70&postcount=9


-howard

Nice work Howard, and confirmed my suspicions! Being an engineer, I love data!

[longofest]

Originally Posted by dashiel

Also worth pointing out Fusion isn’t file level storage: http://jollyjinx.tumblr.com/post/346...ed-to-know-how

Thanks for pointing that out. I had mis-read what I had seen posted earlier on other sites.

[palmerc2]

Originally Posted by iGrip

The microphone is built into it. It is professional quality. The true genius of Apple and Jony is in what they leave out of their products.

I like to plug in my guitar amp to do recordings. I get a great tone from my guitar setup that can't be replicated in GarageBand. A simple 1/4 inch to 3.5mm cable does the trick. A microphone just won't cut it, I've tried it but you can hear the strings being picked and also you have to take ambient noise into consideration.

I mean my 2008 iMac has a Line In....in all honestly I most likely will upgrade to this iMac (or instead get a 27" refurb). I don't care about the CD / DVD drive as I have an external one, I'm not worried about the user accessible RAM as the 27" offers that anyway. It just sucks that it doesn't have a Line In, Belkin is offering it on their Thunderbolt Hub however. Guess I'll have to make the decision between new and refurb when the time comes to upgrade.

[AppleScruff1]

Originally Posted by lpgorbet

Agreed. What sucks is that Apple hasn't sold a moderately priced Mac Pro in a long long time. Something with half the number of slots, less power supply, etc. A bridge between the Mini (which has a lame GPU, only two RAM slots, and no room (I think) for an SSD + HD -- and the GPU etc. are not user changeable) and today's big-bucks-only Pro's. This year's releases only widened that gap. Last year's iMac could have 32GB RAM, both an HD and SSD (e.g. thorough OWC)... No more. What's narrowed is the performance difference between today's iMac and the one available a year and a half ago.'

But it's thinner.

[vcastrejont]

I need a new computer asap been waiting for this new iMac a complete year but like most of you I think the extra ram and SSD is way too expensive so I have come to the conclusion:

I will buy the base Imac 21" with no extras that will be enough for now, then if there is a new 2013 model I will sell mine and a get a new one .

you know apple computers sells very good

I hope the 2013 will come with base ssd and better cpu and gpu

[dashiel]

Originally Posted by hfg

There is no advantage of Thunderbolt over USB-3 when using hard disks as both interfaces are limited by the speed of the disks. If you are using external SSDs then you probably will want to use Thunderbolt.

Here are some results of tests I did recently:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost...70&postcount=9


-howard

Unless there multiple external hard drives or a RAID, then Thunderbolt makes sense.

[hfg]

Originally Posted by dashiel

Unless there multiple external hard drives or a RAID, then Thunderbolt makes sense.

Yes it does ... I was impressed with the tiny LaCie RAID-0 "LittleBigDisk" Thunderbolt results shown in my tests. I am now going to replace the dual hard disks in the LaCie with dual SSD disks and see how that works out.

I may also try building an external Thunderbolt "Fusion" drive with the dual drive LaCie enclosure ... remove one of the 2.5" hard disks and replace it with a small SSD and then DIY join them into a Fusion drive.

[adildacoolset]

Originally Posted by Mactendo

Enjoy your meal)

You can complain all you want, this machine is sweet

[iGrip]

Originally Posted by AppleScruff1

But it's thinner.

"Stunningly" thin.

[smeagol]

Originally Posted by FinalCutJay

Really wish they didn't dump the FW800. That just made the 12 HD's I have useless.

It's a shame about the Firewire 800, but you could get around this by getting the thunderbolt to firewire 800 adapter for $29. http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD...apter?fnode=51

[Sacird]

Originally Posted by AppleScruff1

But it's thinner.

Getting there but not thin enough. Over time I believe Apple will sell "air" a theoretical Mac or iDevice that only exists in the mind of the purchaser. Think of it.

No weight
Less space
Literally impossibly thin since it isn't there

All for the magical price of $2299

A bargain if you ask me. People with physical stuff are way stuck in the past.

[AidenShaw]

Originally Posted by smeagol

It's a shame about the Firewire 800, but you could get around this by getting the thunderbolt to firewire 800 adapter for $29. http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD...apter?fnode=51

Of course, that adapter eliminates the chance of using any other T-Bolt peripheral on that port.

So, it converts a 20 Gbps port to a 0.8Gbps port.

Sad.

[turtlez]

Originally Posted by HenryDJP

Yeah right. Keep saying that while you're whipping out your credit card and cheerfully handing it over to Apple to get the approval number.

haha maybe :P i was talking out of anger at those prices. Truth is my industry is Apple only so that kinda makes up for the price rise a little. Still 50/50 on this whole thing though

[AppleScruff1]

Originally Posted by Sacird

Getting there but not thin enough. Over time I believe Apple will sell "air" a theoretical Mac or iDevice that only exists in the mind of the purchaser. Think of it.

No weight
Less space
Literally impossibly thin since it isn't there

All for the magical price of $2299

A bargain if you ask me. People with physical stuff are way stuck in the past.

And people will wait in line for their invisible products. And there will probably shortages due to quality control issues.

[Sacird]

Originally Posted by AppleScruff1

And people will wait in line for their invisible products. And there will probably shortages due to quality control issues.

LOL got to have purified air for sure.

[Lunatichamster]

Looking to buy my first iMac. I'm a long time pc user, even going so far as to build my own machine the past 3 times, but I'm sick of components and motherboards crashing. My girlfriend has had the same MacBook for 6 years and I'm desperate for that kind of longetivity. I want something that will last me a very long time, in upwards of 5 years. Basically, I'm looking for someone to talk me out of getting a fully loaded 27'. I'm ok with paying that much, as long as its truly worth it. I also don't want to mess with getting third party upgrades, as I'm terrified of voiding the apple care warranty. Anyone?

[thefizzle657]

Originally Posted by Lunatichamster

Looking to buy my first iMac. I'm a long time pc user, even going so far as to build my own machine the past 3 times, but I'm sick of components and motherboards crashing. My girlfriend has had the same MacBook for 6 years and I'm desperate for that kind of longetivity. I want something that will last me a very long time, in upwards of 5 years. Basically, I'm looking for someone to talk me out of getting a fully loaded 27'. I'm ok with paying that much, as long as its truly worth it. I also don't want to mess with getting third party upgrades, as I'm terrified of voiding the apple care warranty. Anyone?

If you're looking for longetivity a rev. A Apple product is the last thing you should be looking at. Rev A Apple products are notorious for having all sorts of issues that usually get sorted out a few revisions later. And as far as any computer lasting for 5 years it depends on what you plan to do with it. If you are simply doing word documents, music, email, internet etc then it should be fine.

[dwmaso001]

I'm most likely going to make this my first Mac and going with the 27" with i7, best GPU, and Fusion drive. I'm just a college student and only game I play is SC2. Think this this will play sc2 on max settings just fine?

[knewsom]

Yep. My next Mac Desktop will probably be a Hackintosh.

[kolizion]

if you had an option....

Would you get the fusion drive? or upgrade the processor to an i7?

I'm not sure if one will be able to install the fusion at a later date, and I KNOW one can't upgrade the processor later...

so..

Which would you do if you could only do one?

((On the high end 27 inch imac))

[LagunaSol]

Originally Posted by kolizion

if you had an option....

Would you get the fusion drive? or upgrade the processor to an i7?

I'm not sure if one will be able to install the fusion at a later date, and I KNOW one can't upgrade the processor later...

so..

Which would you do if you could only do one?

((On the high end 27 inch imac))

I think the Fusion drive would give you a better performance boost in typical daily use.

[smoledman]

It's no wonder Apple sells so many iMacs. Vizio is the next best thing and they only have a 32GB SSD for OS caching.

[coreymlong]

I want an iMac for home tasks as well as the ability to do my imaging from home. I work for Nike and have a nice Macbook Pro with a display at work but I want to be able to use my iMac to run my Macbook and do personal stuff like music editing, video and photo editing, and typical web browsing.

Here are the different setups I'm looking at:

27" 2.9GHz i5, 8GB RAM, 1TB Fusion

27" 3.2GHz i5, 8GB RAM, 1TB Fusion

21.5" 3.1GHz i7, 8GB RAM, 1TB Fusion

This is assuming RAM is upgradable on the iMacs. Has that been confirmed? If so what would be the best setup for running photoshop, logic, and other editing programs?