2012 iMac - next big date?

[forty2j]

So can someone tell me if im correct in my comparisons between buying a 27" refurb and a new iMac?

Refurb:

-$1599, 3.1GHz i5, 4GB RAM, CD Drive, 1TB HD, USB 2.0 & Firewire 800

New:

-$1799, 2.9GHz i5, 8GB RAM, No CD Drive, 1TB HD, USB 3.0 & no firewire?

Is the processor in the new iMac a more powerful processor or no? The fact that there is no firewire on the new iMac is basically a deal breaker for me. I have audio equipment that runs via firewire and I'm not about to buy new gear.

If this is the case, I'm just going to go refurb as they've already dropped in price.

Thew new one is an Ivy Bridge i5, the old one is a Sandy Bridge i5. It's faster, but not remarkably so.

You can get a Thunderbolt->Firewire adapter if you'd like to use the new model. The primary reason for you to get the new one at this point is that it will be supported for longer down the road and will likely retain its resale value a bit better.

 

[KeenanKoso]

What about the screen ... a slight improvement here

Haha true, but it will be going in a relatively dark room. I'm a student at an audio school, so if I can save some money and get a machine more/equally as powerful for less, I think I have to go that route. Unless I'm missing something that is a huge upgrade on the new one.

 

[forty2j]

Yeah same, the imac is so nice, cant' wait to get one. Your getting the 27inch model?

Yeah, I'm going 27", for GPU and for the fact that I can't go smaller after using the 24"

 

[sukai]

Ahaha so we will all have the new 2012 iMacs(27" anyways) right when 2013 will start ahaha -_-

By the way, is there a slight chance the date will change and get released earlier?

 

[JustMartin]

They mentioned in the keynote that the fusion drive is "almost" as fast as a SSD. Depends on what they mean by "almost". I'm going to hope the 768GB SSD option is around $500-$600, and I'll go with that. Any bulk storage could easily be added via USB 3.

Well, judging the Fusion performance is going to depend on a number of factors like any other caching solution - how often you open particular files so that they get cached onto SSD for example. So, it's something where the benefits will show up over time, I guess.

 

[Imaginethe]

I keep feeling ecstatic and relieved, then disappointed, back upto ecstatic. Need a couple of days of working it out and what I actually need.

 

[Soundburst]

Yeah, I'm going 27", for GPU and for the fact that I can't go smaller after using the 24"

Same!

I'm going 27 with extra GPU

I wish I could order it though. . .even though it's not here to december.

 

[strangegeek]

When will we be able to pre-order the 27" IMac?

At least now we know it's coming.
Save up a bit more. And in december, BAM, new iMac.

But i don't want a fusion drive. I rather have a SSD inside and an external usb 3.0 2 TB drive.

Forgive me if this has already been answered but I looked and haven't seen it yet but - has there been any word on when we will be able to pre-order the 27" IMac?

I know they will be released in December but I didn't hear anything about a pre-order date.

I've been waiting since February for the IMac refresh and as soon as I can I'm getting a BTO 27" !!!

 

[forty2j]

Forgive me if this has already been answered but I looked and haven't seen it yet but - has there been any word on when we will be able to pre-order the 27" IMac?

No.

 

[yozora]

I keep feeling ecstatic and relieved, then disappointed, back upto ecstatic. Need a couple of days of working it out and what I actually need.

same, except more on the disappointed side. i have a nice computer i've put together on newegg that i'm considering, but i'll wait a few days to give it more thought. i'm just not too impressed with the new imac.

 

[Soundburst]

It's gonna feel like AGES before we get our iMac's hahaha.

 

[Whackman]

Forgive me if this has already been answered but I looked and haven't seen it yet but - has there been any word on when we will be able to pre-order the 27" IMac?

I know they will be released in December but I didn't hear anything about a pre-order date.

I've been waiting since February for the IMac refresh and as soon as I can I'm getting a BTO 27" !!!

No sure. I even hope the december guestimate turns out true for the 27 inch..
It's rather vague.

 

[element1108]

Hmmm, love that we finally have an update, still need to let it all sink in. Unfortunately I don't have all the power to do that. Availability and BTO specs/price points aren't anywhere to be found which I find strange at this point.

Felt like during the keynote the imac section ended rather suddenly, I'm also surprised they didn't spend more time on the imac, with so much time on both the 13 rmbp (to which there is already a 15 inch) as well as the mini AND new ipad.

I know waiting was worth it, but I'd love to have ZERO information to move forward with. .... so MORE waiting.

Another option is refurbished, but no 2GB or dual SSD/1TB drives I7's available in Canada.

I still can't believe they killed the optical drive in a desktop (I know that point has been beaten to death).

 

[jonnyback]

Not sure about it myself. I love the idea of seamless, especially how he described Aperture being almost as fast as strictly flash across the SSD+HD fusion drive... guess it's going to depend partly on price, but if the cost for the 3TB option isn't too bad, I'll bite.

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I feel MUCH better, because I know that in just a couple months I'll be done dealing with my machine struggling with my work, and I won't be paying for old hardware either

Ditto on both fronts.

Reality check.... Less glare, ivy bridge processors and better graphics cards, sounds all good to me!

 

[hansmueller]

Big up to all the long time waiters!!!
It was about time ...

I was wondering if I can also customize my new machine at a local apple store (once they are released), e.g. add RAM, storage etc., or is the only way to do this online via BTO? Just thought it would be faster to go there, pick it up, go home, than to wait for post delivery?

 

[Payton]

Big up to all the long time waiters!!!
It was about time ...

I was wondering if I can also customize my new machine at a local apple store (once they are released), e.g. add RAM, storage etc., or is the only way to do this online via BTO? Just thought it would be faster to go there, pick it up, go home, than to wait for post delivery?

You typically have to order online for BTO options… although they can usually ship to an Apple store for you to pick up.

 

[forty2j]

Big up to all the long time waiters!!!
It was about time ...

I was wondering if I can also customize my new machine at a local apple store (once they are released), e.g. add RAM, storage etc., or is the only way to do this online via BTO? Just thought it would be faster to go there, pick it up, go home, than to wait for post delivery?

If you want something other than more RAM slotted in (to the 27" only, even, in this case), they will let you use a demo model to order one for in-store pickup...

 

[hansmueller]

You typically have to order online for BTO options… although they can usually ship to an Apple store for you to pick up.

Thanks for your reply and also to forty2j ... In France over here ... seems like there is no option for in store pick up when ordering online ... So you cannot go to the store and tell them what specifications you would like and have them customize your machine?

 

[Apple fanboy]

Can one of you experts help with this question? From a price point of view there's not much difference between the following, but which would give me the most longleverty in a computer?
Top of the range 2012 21" iMac
Base unit 2012 27" iMac
Top of the range 2011 27" iMac (refurb)
I'm not a power user and all of these will be a big step up from my old Dell, but I want my iMac to age well.

 

[bankshot]

Well now that it's announced, how long till current refurbs drop in price so I can buy one?

Looks like the top end 27" refurb iMac (no SSD) dropped $80 today. Was $1869 yesterday, now $1789. I imagine that's as much as it'll drop, at least until 2012 refurb iMacs start appearing, which won't happen until March or April.

Decisions, decisions... New Mac mini is cheaper with USB3 but only up to 16 GB mem and no optical drive. Refurb iMac has no USB3 and costs more, but has optical drive and goes to 32 GB. Decisions...

 

[Pie Chips Salad]

Can one of you experts help with this question? From a price point of view there's not much difference between the following, but which would give me the most longleverty in a computer?
Top of the range 2012 21" iMac
Base unit 2012 27" iMac
Top of the range 2011 27" iMac (refurb)
I'm not a power user and all of these will be a big step up from my old Dell, but I want my iMac to age well.

not an expert but id say the new 2012 21's are not good value stay clear. Its very tough between lowend 2012 and top end 2011 because 2011 has op drive and better gpu. But here is what you do...

Between now and December save up a few hundered extra and boom top of the range imac 2012. Or low end with Fusion drive.

Forget saving a few bucks on a refurb. You've waited this long !

Ok back to waiting again

Roll on December

 

[Reason077]

128 GBs of flash and 1 TB hard drive is standard - fused together - the flash acts as cache. You only see one single volume.

Looking at the specs, this is not the standard configuration. 1TB HDD is standard, with Fusion Drive as a BTO option. Apparently the Fusion Drive is not even available on the low-end 21.5" model.

Personally I'm keen on the low-end 21.5" model if the HDD can be easily swapped for an SSD. Been rockin' an SSD in my current iMac for a while and would hate to go back to a HDD at this point.

 

[Apple fanboy]

not an expert but id say the new 2012 21's are not good value stay clear. Its very tough between lowend 2012 and top end 2011 because 2011 has op drive and better gpu. But here is what you do...

Between now and December save up a few hundered extra and boom top of the range imac 2012. Or low end with Fusion drive.

Forget saving a few bucks on a refurb. You've waited this long !

Ok back to waiting again

Roll on December

Thanks for the advice. Trouble is between now and December I have some Christmas shopping to do! Wife wants an iPad mini and daughter wants an iPad 4 (or the slightly newer than the last iPad)
I'd rather have gone for the 2012 21" top of the range as I really want the SSD, however if you can't chose that option or upgrade RAM it's a bit limiting. I don't really want just the HDD and I think Fusion sounds risky. If the HDD part fails you lose the SSD part as well. How is that a good idea?
Trouble is the extra £400 for the 27" and optional SSD/external ODD/AppleCare is really gonna hurt! It will end up being £2000 plus which is way beyond my budget.

 

[Soundburst]

Anyone know if you can use a MBP as the cd drive for the new iMac? Like could I burn something to cd via the MBP if the content was on iMac? I could just external drive it over to the laptop first I guess ; but giving clients a disk of master wavs straight off the iMac via the mbp's drive would save a wee while

 

[bpeeps]

So there are numerous threads about this, but they all fall under now irrelevant topics, and I guess we need a fresh Topic.

I can start by posting yet another Shipping rumor adding to what Digitimes and Product-reviews repported earlier this week.

http://worldnewsresource.com/2012-i...i-and-13-inch-macbook-pro/4664/elaine-solomon

My best guess atm is primo Oct, but I have no idea if it will be silent or it will be at the iPad event. I don't think they will silent refresh it if they changed anything major about it (designwise), and if they launch the the rMBP 13" at an event, the iMac will be launched at that event as well.

Lets hear more speculation guys GO!

Good guess.