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buy now or after january 6 on 17" iMac

K

kevino

macrumors newbie
Original poster
I'm trying to get as many opinions on this as I can. I've got a couple of weeks around Xmas that I could use setting up and playing with my new machine but if something got bumped on the high-end iMac I know I'd be bummed.

Thanks
 
Well...

...the iMac was last updated at MWNY, and the 15" models have never been updated, so I'd say there's a very good chance that they will be. My guess would be that they'll go to a 133MHz system bus, the 17" screen will be on the top two models, and we'll get a MHz bump (800/933 maybe). The GeForce4mx might go to the lower end models, which would be a good thing (the 2mx really really sucks). We also might get FireWire2 or USB2, but i doubt we'll get ATA100 unless they switch to the PowerMac/XServe northbridge (which seems unlikely to me). So here's my guess:

17" FP iMac
933MHz MPC7455 (or it we're really lucky, 7457)
133MHz FSB
512MB PC133 ram
80GB HD
10/100 or 10/100/1000 ethernet
FireWire (FireWire2?)
USB (USB2?)
SuperDrive (newer model perhaps?)
Radeon 9000 or GeForce4mx
$1,899 or 1,999
 
I'll tell what I just told someone else in a similar thread to this one.

WAIT! I would definitely wait until after MacWorld SF to get a new iMac. There will almost definitely be updates to the iMac line. Even if you would buy the same model whether you got it now or in January, I would still wait. The current models will surely come down in price if new models come out.

Anyway, if I were you, I would wait. Even though that probably means the next few weeks are going to be very hard!

-Natron
 
I agree. I've been struggling over the same decision. No price drops yet so it's up to MWSF to bring new upgrades and price drops. I'll probably opt for the upgrades and I would love to see a 19" screen. The big question will be how long will it take for the new Imacs to ship once they are announced?
 
i definitely would not like to see a 19" iMac. i bought my 17" in late august, and i think the screen is the perfect size. i can't imagine how ridiculous it would look with another 2 inches added. as for when to buy, i'd say wait till MWSF. if there's one machine that will be updated, it will be the iMac. it's a great machine, enjoy it when you get it, and until then, spend every weekend at your local store like umm... my "friend" did. 😉
 
Originally posted by beez7777
i definitely would not like to see a 19" iMac. i bought my 17" in late august, and i think the screen is the perfect size. i can't imagine how ridiculous it would look with another 2 inches added. as for when to buy, i'd say wait till MWSF. if there's one machine that will be updated, it will be the iMac. it's a great machine, enjoy it when you get it, and until then, spend every weekend at your local store like umm... my "friend" did. 😉
Click to expand...

Billy, shut the hell up and admit you have no life.

I would wait as well. The is a good chance of price drops, porbobly due to the lack of a 15" model. 19" won't happen w/o a base redesign. A 133Mhz bus is probable, but don't count on it. Also, don't count on Gigabit Ethernet. The iMac is a consumer computer. I think the USB 2 will happen on all models, as well as FireWire 2 (GigaWire?) Also, count on a 4X DVD-R/-RW drive, or at least count on them admitting that the current SuperDrive had -RW capability.
 
I'm in the same boat as well. I figure that the current 17" may be the low or mid level model, and we'll probably see a price drop on it as well. I've had my eye on an iMac ever since it came out... then I saw that 17" and realized that I didn't have enough saved for that... so here I am still, waiting to ditch my "crashes every 30 minutes- don't have this on and expect to hear the TV at the same time because the dern fan is so fricken loud" windoze box.... at least I figure I should be able to get a iPod for the same money as if I were to buy that 17" now. Once I thought of that, it kind of justifies waiting. (even if the No Doubt iPods are gone!) 😛
 
Wait.

Normally I'd say buy now, play now. But they've got to update the iMac soon.

133 FSB
800 MHz ~ 1 GHz?
17" across the board
Better graphics
Bigger drives
Faster CD/DVD
No FW2, USB2 until other stuff gets it.

But then again, I'm trying to be a realist. I don't want to get my hopes up too much this time. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised.
 
adding to the choir

I also think it's best to wait. At MWSF it will have been a year that the 3 15" models were introduced and theere has been no update to them (the 17" notwithstanding). I'm pretty surprised Apple hasn't updated them by now. And seeing that the laptops were just upgraded and the Power Macs were updated not all that long ago, MWSF seems (over)ripe for an iMac update. I have a friend in the same boat - she's itching to buy, but I'm telling her to hold out..less than a month to go! If they don't update them at MWSF, then I have no idea when it'll happen.
 
The advice you're hearing is right.

The longer you can wait, the more you get for the same money, or the same for less, or even more for less.

It's always that way in the computer world.

(For example, it's a ***LONG*** time ago, but look at the Macintosh IIfx. It was a 40MHz 68030 w/4MB of RAM and a 40-160MB hard drive. Price? $8970-$10,970 US, depending on configuration.)

You don't have to wait 10 years, of course. But waiting a month or two might be a good idea.

Of course, if you always wait, you'll never have...

Whenever you buy, stop looking at models and prices. It's only frustrating. Just enjoy what you get!
 
The advice you're hearing is right.

The longer you can wait, the more you get for the same money, or the same for less, or even more for less.

It's always that way in the computer world.

(For example, it's a ***LONG*** time ago, but look at the Macintosh IIfx. It was a 40MHz 68030 w/4MB of RAM and a 40-160MB hard drive. Price? $8970-$10,970 US, depending on configuration.)

You don't have to wait 10 years, of course. But waiting a month or two might be a good idea.

Of course, if you always wait, you'll never have...

Whenever you buy, stop looking at models and prices. It's only frustrating. Just enjoy what you get!
 
Originally posted by beez7777
i definitely would not like to see a 19" iMac. i bought my 17" in late august, and i think the screen is the perfect size. i can't imagine how ridiculous it would look with another 2 inches added. as for when to buy, i'd say wait till MWSF. if there's one machine that will be updated, it will be the iMac. it's a great machine, enjoy it when you get it, and until then, spend every weekend at your local store like umm... my "friend" did. 😉
Click to expand...

**********************************************


The 19" preciousssss will be mine !!!

Death with fessssssstering boils onto all who rebuke the coming of the 19" preciousss!!!!

These are motivated by a desire to be the biggest one around and shall surely perspire in heck.

But the base of the preciousssssss is more than massive enough as issssss.

Maybe a Southern hemisphere could be added with four blended cylinder post legs
to look like the lunar lander in "2001 A Space Odyssey"

The neck tension of the precioussss is easily ratcheted up to hold the weight.

The appearance will grow on me ... immediately.

# Gooolluumm # !!!!

---gooddog
 
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