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iMac 2012?

A

AppleiBoy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 20, 2011
23
0
Hi all,
Sorry if this has been discussed, and I know only Apple knows, but does anyone have some kind of idea of when the 2012 iMac will come out? Early? Late?

It has been 2 years since the last design change, so do you think next year will change much?

I am just asking as my parents said I could have an iMac for christmas for uni (I am 17!) and I really want one, but don't want to get it just before an upgrade.

Any suggestions,
THANKS!
 
AppleiBoy said:
I am just asking as my parents said I could have an iMac for christmas for uni (I am 17!) and I really want one
Click to expand...

Just to say, perhaps for Uni you should consider a laptop over a desktop. My parents also offered me £1000 for a new computer for uni. I could have followed many of my friends and got some amazing Windows computer with neon lights or a rotten battery life. Instead I opted the Mac way-and the Macbook way specifically.

The iMac specs were very very attractive-quad core, graphics, bigger HDD, bigger screen. Plus my halls covers desktop insurance but not laptop insurance fully.

However I could not take a desktop home with me so easily on the train. And I'd be tempted to spend a lot more time in front of the computer with an iMac in my room. At least I can put the Macbook Pro in a drawer and try and forget it's there so I can do some work. ;)

Aside from that I do think it likely that Apple release a new iMac before the end of April. Doubtless thee'll be use of some higher clock speed i5 or even i7 quad core processors. Doubt Ivy bridge will be seen in Macs til the next refresh in late 2012/early 2013. Better Graphics and maybe a SSD-HDD hybrid may be coming though.
 
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I would have said get the MacBook pro 15" it's like a portable iMac which has a long battery life and could be taken around with you.

And szlor, you went down the best route for a laptop computer. Macs don't slow in speed, so in a couPle of years time, while your friends laptops run as slow as a netbook your MBP will be as lightning fast as it was when you unboxed it :apple:
 
Thanks all for your advice.

All I would get would be the base iMac model, as I will also be getting the base 13" MacBook Air for uni travels as well. However, the iMac will be based as my main machine.

Do you think it would be worth waiting for this? The iMac seems to be rather impressive as it is.
 
Do you think it would be worth waiting for this? The iMac seems to be rather impressive as it is.
Click to expand...

As always, "worth" based on specs depends on what you use your machine for. Every iMac produced in recent memory is capable of word processing and accessing the internet. If your uses are more demanding, waiting might be a better idea.
 
The most intensive work I do is handbrake conversions...
I just don't want to see a redesign.
 
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AppleiBoy said:
The most intensive work I do is handbrake conversions...
I just don't want to see a redesign.
Click to expand...

Then get the imac model as it is now, if handbrake conversations is all you are going to do, alongside Internet and word processing.

But like I said before get the MacBook pro 15" or get the 13" with a thunderbolt/cinema display. I've seen with my own eyes in a apple store that you can close the MBP and the interface pops up on the big 27" screen. This will be simpler since there is only one hardrive to store all your work in. So there is no need to look through 2 hardrives for all your work. This can also work with the MacBook air as well.
 
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AppleiBoy said:
The most intensive work I do is handbrake conversions...
I just don't want to see a redesign.
Click to expand...

Then get the imac model as it is now, if handbrake conversations is all you are going to do, alongside Internet and word processing.

But like I said before get the MacBook pro 15" or get the 13" with a thunderbolt/cinema display. I've seen with my own eyes in a apple store that you can close the MBP and the interface pops up on the big 27" screen. This will be simpler since there is only one hardrive to store all your work in. So there is no need to look through 2 hardrives for all your work. This can also work with the MacBook air as well.
 
macmastersam said:
And szlor, you went down the best route for a laptop computer. Macs don't slow in speed, so in a couPle of years time, while your friends laptops run as slow as a netbook your MBP will be as lightning fast as it was when you unboxed it :apple:
Click to expand...

"szlor"? Autocorrect was it? ;)

And yes, I was kind of counting on that-the same remains true of my iMac back at home which is still as fast as it was back in 2009. :D Apple products have a lot of stamina. lol

----------
macmastersam said:
But like I said before get the MacBook pro 15" or get the 13" with a thunderbolt/cinema display. I've seen with my own eyes in a apple store that you can close the MBP and the interface pops up on the big 27" screen. This will be simpler since there is only one hardrive to store all your work in. So there is no need to look through 2 hardrives for all your work. This can also work with the MacBook air as well.
Click to expand...

That's a great idea. If you can afford a laptop and desktop, but aren't going to be doing anything more power consuming than handbrake conversions a quad core iMac wouldn't be necessary. For a cheaper price you could get a 27 inch Thunderbolt display (27 not 21.5 note) and use it as a secondary display.

If I could have afforded one for uni I'd have got one hands down. That was my only real gripe about getting a laptop-less screen real estate. I've got used to it though and with Lion's full screen apps it's not so much a big deal as it'd have been on Snow Leopard.
 
For history on iMac releases, surf: https://buyersguide.macrumors.com//#iMac

Based on above contents, the estimated release of future iMac box is March/April 2012.

Today, iMacs have i5s and i7s. One can connect internal SSDs, external SSDs (using thunderbolt port) and one can even have multiple monitors. For the average home user, the current iMac specs are more then enough power. Especially for the average student - who doesn't do intense games. For games, one should get a proper gaming machine.

Suggest waiting until a few days before Christmas, then decide to buy (at that time) or wait a few months longer.... For today's average student needs (without intense gaming), I'd buy just before Christmas (when Lion becomes more stable).

Hope this helps...
 
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AppleiBoy said:
Thanks all for your advice.

All I would get would be the base iMac model, as I will also be getting the base 13" MacBook Air for uni travels as well. However, the iMac will be based as my main machine.

Do you think it would be worth waiting for this? The iMac seems to be rather impressive as it is.
Click to expand...

just to add, you can get iMac-like specs on the 15" MBP. this is also quad-core, has the 512mb AMD graphics card AND intel hd 3000 with clever graphics switching, all for £1500.

The iMac would be too bulky, and sometimes you might want to take your MBP to class as well, (if it is allowed) to take 'virtual notes' on something, but then again, an iPad would be better for that. So you could potentially have a MBP or the iMac +iPad, each suggestion with will total the same price.

And I'm including iPad as well because this could be your portable computer if you take the iMac route and Ic you are allowed to take the iPad with you to class as well.
 
Thanks all. My cause does not require any intensive video and photo work.

And I have pretty much decided on the Air, as I have an older Pro and it is time for a change. A 15" would be too bulky on the run, where I see that an iMac would still have this system in a home environment.

I may just wait a couple of months first...
Thanks, all.
More advice would always be appreciated.
 
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AppleiBoy said:
Thanks all. My cause does not require any intensive video and photo work.

And I have pretty much decided on the Air, as I have an older Pro and it is time for a change. A 15" would be too bulky on the run, where I see that an iMac would still have this system in a home environment.

I may just wait a couple of months first...
Thanks, all.
More advice would always be appreciated.
Click to expand...

If the 15" MBP is too bulky, the get the 13" MacBook Pro. The MacBook air might be underpowered for what you are doing. Not to mention that the MBAs come with small hardrives. The MBP comes with the SuperDrive as standard and a big 500GB hard drive to store your videos, photos and general stuff in there as well!
 
I am waiting for the new redesign and ivy bridge, but for those who know, what is a new iMac launch like. Is there madness at the apple store on the first day. Or do Apple update the line and say it is available NOW! Like they do with product line refreshes (just like the macbook pro refresh we had last week)?
 
My guess is that there will definitely be a redesigned iMac but when is anyones guess, I think it will be atleast another year...so there will definitely be a speed bump in the near future but a redesign is way off...just seems like the design team is too busy with iPhone/iPad etc
 
For me, I would only get the 15' if I drove, and the laptop is going to stay on a table for most part of a day (eg: I am an executive who only needs to shuttle between my workplace and home). :p
 
I am waiting for the new iMac 27'' also.
I only hv a Macbook air 13'' 2010 basic now and use it everyday with a external display.
The 2GB ram is not enough at all:(
hope it will be released soon!!
 
macmastersam said:
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If the 15" MBP is too bulky, the get the 13" MacBook Pro. The MacBook air might be underpowered for what you are doing. Not to mention that the MBAs come with small hardrives. The MBP comes with the SuperDrive as standard and a big 500GB hard drive to store your videos, photos and general stuff in there as well!
Click to expand...

The MBA is hardly underpowered and will handle everything he wants to do.
 
vendettabass said:
another in the 2012 iMac queue. I'm hoping they introduce the MBA's blade SSD across the board [64GB/128GB/256GB]. Other than that, I'm not sure what I'd do to improve an iMac!
Click to expand...

I would suggest the CPU and the GPU? Those are normally good starting points. Then I would take a look at the panel issues and try to improve on that.

The 2012 iMac will certainly have Intel's new ivy bridge and faster CPUs. Since the chipset wil support USB 3 natively I am hoping that it it will have USB 3 ports. Anything beyond that is pure speculation.
 
vendettabass said:
another in the 2012 iMac queue. I'm hoping they introduce the MBA's blade SSD across the board [64GB/128GB/256GB]. Other than that, I'm not sure what I'd do to improve an iMac!
Click to expand...

Allow GPU upgrades across the line instead of just the highest price model?

Use Intels SSD/HDD combining technology to boost speed. Bring the iMac SSD price into line with the real world.

I have a 2009 i5 and I am hoping that next year's iMac is an actual upgrade worth the money, haven't seen one yet.
 
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