Apple Begins Selling Refurbished iMac Pro Models at 15% Discount

[69Mustang]

A link to order one would be nice??

First sentence in the article contains a link.

Apple today added refurbished iMac Pro models to its online store

 

[Detektiv-Pinky]

I am pissed that my iMac Mid-2011 27" (3.4 GHz i7, 16 GB RAM) just had a graphic card failure, but because the model just a few weeks ago got classified as "vintage", authorized Apple service partners are not allowed to service it, and there are few or virtually no spare parts.

Mind you that my iMac costed about 3000 USD at purchase and the specs are still quite good. The computer could still have tangible value, but because Apple has made sure that it's obsolete, the value pretty much is zero.

While I knew that iMacs are pretty much non-upgradeable, I didn't know that they would also be non-repairable.

If you make a hefty surplus by using an iMac Pro (which I'm sure is the intent), and you are willing to throw it away in 7 years, feel free to invest. But I'm never buying an iMac again, frankly. Maybe a Mac Pro.

Interesting. I have the same iMac and my graphic card died on Saturday. I believe now, the root cause was the failure of the ODD-fan on the right side of the chassis.

I managed to get a used fan via eBay for 18€ and successfully re-'soldered' the graphic card chip in an ERSA re-workstation. So far it seems the procedure was successful. I am typing on the machine now. The most painful thing was to take it apart and get it back together. It took me several hours. But at least it was possible with this model. No glue involved...

If you are interested in the procedure, you can PM me. It is a nice machine and I really do not want to part with it, just now!

 

[Braderunner]

Wow! That’s still a lot of money. Then, you drop that kind of money, and they expect you to eat it if there is some kind of widespread issue. Like with the MacBook Pro keyboard.

 

[PaulRustad007]

I am pissed that my iMac Mid-2011 27" (3.4 GHz i7, 16 GB RAM) just had a graphic card failure, but because the model just a few weeks ago got classified as "vintage", authorized Apple service partners are not allowed to service it, and there are few or virtually no spare parts.

Mind you that my iMac costed about 3000 USD at purchase and the specs are still quite good. The computer could still have tangible value, but because Apple has made sure that it's obsolete, the value pretty much is zero.

While I knew that iMacs are pretty much non-upgradeable, I didn't know that they would also be non-repairable.

If you make a hefty surplus by using an iMac Pro (which I'm sure is the intent), and you are willing to throw it away in 7 years, feel free to invest. But I'm never buying an iMac again, frankly. Maybe a Mac Pro.

See if I-Fixit can help.....

 

[Detektiv-Pinky]

See if I-Fixit can help.....

Unfortunately the did not have a complete tear-down for this model, or I could not find it. They only showed how to swap the HDD, but you have to also take out the motherboard in order to get to the graphic card.

They also seemed to be out of stock on spare-parts, at least here in Europe.

 

[tucupeis]

what about 40% discount on the new model and 40 + 15% discount on refurb ones?.. that would make them sell a little bit

 

[Lethcoeb]

I am pissed that my iMac Mid-2011 27" (3.4 GHz i7, 16 GB RAM) just had a graphic card failure, but because the model just a few weeks ago got classified as "vintage", authorized Apple service partners are not allowed to service it, and there are few or virtually no spare parts.

Mind you that my iMac costed about 3000 USD at purchase and the specs are still quite good. The computer could still have tangible value, but because Apple has made sure that it's obsolete, the value pretty much is zero.

While I knew that iMacs are pretty much non-upgradeable, I didn't know that they would also be non-repairable.

If you make a hefty surplus by using an iMac Pro (which I'm sure is the intent), and you are willing to throw it away in 7 years, feel free to invest. But I'm never buying an iMac again, frankly. Maybe a Mac Pro.

I had a graphic card failure in my 2011 iMac about a year ago if memory serves me and they replaced it at no cost - I was very fortunate that Apple fixed it for me, and it is still a very capable machine (and now with 32GB of RAM!).

 

[Krayzkat]

I am pissed that my iMac Mid-2011 27" (3.4 GHz i7, 16 GB RAM) just had a graphic card failure, but because the model just a few weeks ago got classified as "vintage", authorized Apple service partners are not allowed to service it, and there are few or virtually no spare parts.

Mind you that my iMac costed about 3000 USD at purchase and the specs are still quite good. The computer could still have tangible value, but because Apple has made sure that it's obsolete, the value pretty much is zero.

While I knew that iMacs are pretty much non-upgradeable, I didn't know that they would also be non-repairable.

If you make a hefty surplus by using an iMac Pro (which I'm sure is the intent), and you are willing to throw it away in 7 years, feel free to invest. But I'm never buying an iMac again, frankly. Maybe a Mac Pro.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Apple-iM...199501?hash=item3f990546cd:g:f90AAOSwUqBay4JA
This might be the right one for your particular machine, if not eBay is your friend (get the part and ask a local computer geek repairer to do the work if you don't feel up to it)

 

[fathergll]

even if you have money to burn, spending 4k and up having the hardware be outdated within 2 years is still unjustifiable

And what is your suggestion on someone who needs workstation grade hardware for work using MacOS. Don't say hackintosh.



P.S. You can still sell iMacs at a good price years down the road.

 

[dazzer21-2]

that cost/performance ratio is a hard pill to swallow - I can't see anyone justifying the iMac Pro except for gamers... even then, buy a console.

Gamers?! Really?

 

[oneMadRssn]

even if you have money to burn, spending 4k and up having the hardware be outdated within 2 years is still unjustifiable

People here would be thrilled if Apple updated their desktop hardware on a 2-year time schedule.

 

[Detektiv-Pinky]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Apple-iM...199501?hash=item3f990546cd:g:f90AAOSwUqBay4JA
This might be the right one for your particular machine, if not eBay is your friend (get the part and ask a local computer geek repairer to do the work if you don't feel up to it)

Careful, this is only the GPU-Heatsink and not the card itself. So this would not help!

You need something like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Apple-iMac-2011-A1312-HD-6970M-HD6970M-1GB-DDR5-MXM-VGA/282965680495

Or, you could try to re-solder the chip contacts like it is shown here:

I used a similar approach, however I had a professional chip re-workstation at my disposal. If you go for the 'oven'-method. I have a suggestion for improvement:
Wrap the whole card in tin-foil. I would suggest 2 wrappings. Then use your fingernail to trace the GPU-chip and make a neat hole in the foil to let only this chip heat up during the procedure. Also don't touch the chip or move the card in any way before it has cooled down fully. You don't want the solder-connections to get bad on any of the other components on the card.

 

[jouster]

even if you have money to burn, spending 4k and up having the hardware be outdated within 2 years is still unjustifiable

Not if it does what you need it to do.

 

[762999]

the first canadian refurb that I see is 12089$ +(15% taxes)= 13899.33 $
*GULP*


Originally released December 2017
10 cores
27-inch (diagonal) Retina 5K display; 5120x2880 resolution with support for one billion colours
128GB of 2666MHz DDR4 ECC memory
4TB SSD storage
1080p FaceTime HD camera
Radeon Pro Vega 64 graphics processor with 16GB of HBM2 memory

 

[redheeler]

At those prices, refurbished or not, on sale or not, you either need to be making money from the machine or have disposable funds to justify the expense. Great product. Great performance regardless of the lack of upgradability. But this is a niche market machine that most of us have no justification for.

Exactly why Apple is still maintaining the normal 27" iMac with the Core i7 processor. Just wish they would bring over a few things from the iMac Pro such as desktop-class graphics (which the normal 27" iMac used to have before the 2011 models), the improved cooling system, and the Space Gray color; though I fear that would mean the end of easy RAM upgrades, and Apple's RAM prices are way too much to justify.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

For Development in Unity, Cinema4D, SubstanceDesigner... a cheap PC with a good video card will out pace the Mac on drivers alone (Mac support in professional 3D development tools are nowhere near as mature/robust/fast as the PC counterparts), but that cost/performance ratio is a hard pill to swallow - I can't see anyone justifying the iMac Pro except for gamers... even then, buy a console. It KILLS ME to say this, but Apple did this to us, Tim Cook doesn't give a crap about the desktop.

sorry for the rant, but this is a sore point like a blistered foot.

That's all fine and true and doesn't conflict with what I wrote; that companies will do the cost/benefit for themselves and make a rational choice. Agree Apple is transitioning away from computers, desktop and laptop, but right now there are still outfits that for one reason or another are Mac only and it would literally be more expensive to switch to PC without a transition period. In the meantime they still might want the most powerful Mac around. Macs have almost always been more expensive from cost/performance perspective. No Mac, Pro moniker or not is a $ bargain. Heck the mini is an outright rip off.

 

[44267547]

15% discount is still better than not having a discount at all, but I would also watch for sale prices from Fry’s for a new unit as well if someone was not interested in a refurbished model (Which Apples refurbished models are stringently inspected). They had a $1000 discount back in January for the iMac Pro.

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/01/13/imac-pro-3999-at-micro-center-stores/amp/

 

[Chupa Chupa]

though I fear that would mean the end of easy RAM upgrades, and Apple's RAM prices are way too much to justify.

Yes. It wouldn't be such a nagging sting if Apple wasn't so chintzy with stock RAM in the first place. But a good lot of off the shelf Macs barely have enough RAM to run OSX. But it's not really Apple's concern because the quicker Mac revenue dips below 5% the easier it will be for TC to announce Apple is phasing them out.

 

[macjunk(ie)]

... Maybe a Mac Pro.

I have a strong suspicion that Apple is going to mess it up for us. They are probably thinking of introducing proprietary connections in the MacPro in the name of performance. If they do this, you will have the same issue as the iMac. If they are not doing this, I don't know why else would they take 2 years to release a MacPro.

 

[asiga]

At those prices, refurbished or not, on sale or not, you either need to be making money from the machine or have disposable funds to justify the expense. Great product. Great performance regardless of the lack of upgradability. But this is a niche market machine that most of us have no justification for.

I don’t understand why people get it wrong again and again: The problem is not money. I find the price very correct for a Mac Pro. But this is not a Mac Pro, so the real price is not $5000, but $5000 every three years (by which time Apple expects you’ll buy a new machine if it malfunctions or if you want an upgrade), while a Mac Pro would last 6 or more years if you upgrade it and take care of it. This means the price of this thing is not $5000, but two to three times that amount.

If Apple released a true modular Mac Pro in which I can plug a Pascal Titan, I’d consider $5000 a very reasonable price. As I said, the problem is not the money: the problem is asking that money for an iMac.

And get this right: if the iMac Pro succeeds in sold units, you can say bye bye to the promised modular Mac Pro, as the iMac Pro is the last attempt from Apple before surrendering to what the professional users want (a real Mac Pro, priced from $4000 upwards, but a real Mac Pro).

 

[lec0rsaire]

the first canadian refurb that I see is 12089$ +(15% taxes)= 13899.33 $
*GULP*


Originally released December 2017
10 cores
27-inch (diagonal) Retina 5K display; 5120x2880 resolution with support for one billion colours
128GB of 2666MHz DDR4 ECC memory
4TB SSD storage
1080p FaceTime HD camera
Radeon Pro Vega 64 graphics processor with 16GB of HBM2 memory

GULP is right but that is a ridiculously powerful config. 10 core Xeon, 128 GB RAM, 4 TB SSD. This stuff isn’t exactly cheap. All of this paired with a fantastic 5K display. It’s worth the money but only if you are making money. Since it’s a desktop unit, hooking up a pair of eGPUs and upgrading them will make this machine good enough for everyone but the most demanding customers.
[doublepost=1527183365][/doublepost]

If Apple released a true modular Mac Pro in which I can plug a Pascal Titan, I’d consider $5000 a very reasonable price. As I said, the problem is not the money: the problem is asking that money for an iMac.

And get this right: if the iMac Pro succeeds in sold units, you can say bye bye to the promised modular Mac Pro, as the iMac Pro is the last attempt from Apple before surrendering to what the professional users want (a real Mac Pro, priced from $4000 upwards, but a real Mac Pro).

You can hook up two Titans to an iMac Pro if you wanted right now. That’s what TB3 is for. Heck you can hook up Titans to the MBPs as well. They won’t be as fast as they would inserted directly into the motherboard, but you’ll still get a huge amount of extra performance.

 

[oyabroch!]

Okay Linus Tech Tips, now you can trade in your trashed one and buy a new one
[doublepost=1527183485][/doublepost]

For Development in Unity, Cinema4D, SubstanceDesigner... a cheap PC with a good video card will out pace the Mac on drivers alone (Mac support in professional 3D development tools are nowhere near as mature/robust/fast as the PC counterparts), but that cost/performance ratio is a hard pill to swallow - I can't see anyone justifying the iMac Pro except for gamers... even then, buy a console. It KILLS ME to say this, but Apple did this to us, Tim Cook doesn't give a crap about the desktop.

sorry for the rant, but this is a sore point like a blistered foot.

Mention gamers & gaming in a professional context regarding an overtly pro machine, expect to be scorned or ignored.

 

[SSDGUY]

At those prices, refurbished or not, on sale or not, you either need to be making money from the machine or have disposable funds to justify the expense. Great product. Great performance regardless of the lack of upgradability. But this is a niche market machine that most of us have no justification for.

Kinda like how people who aren't professional auto mechanics have no need for a fully stocked $30k rollaway tool chest.

 

[bladerunner2000]

Here’s your chance, Linus!

After that, I'd never buy a Mac again. Too bad for me, I have too much invested in OS X apps to just get up and leave.

 

[Michael Scrip]

...the real price is not $5000, but $5000 every three years (by which time Apple expects you’ll buy a new machine if it malfunctions or if you want an upgrade). This means the price of this thing is not $5000, but two to three times that amount.

That's true. It's a lot of money over the years if you were buying it for yourself (hopefully you'd be using it to make money with)

But think of it from an employer's standpoint.

Let's say the company buys Henry a $5,000 iMac Pro every 3 years. That's $1,667 a year.

But Henry's salary is $50,000 a year.

In that case... the company will pay waaay more for the talent than they will for the equipment.

No doubt Apple has a habit of pricing their computers in the upper-ranges of the price spectrum.

But computers probably rank low on the list of expenses that a company would pay each year.