Apple Begins Selling Refurbished M4 iMacs at Discounted Prices

[ignatius345]

It's an exaggeration but my point is that they'll have an overall shorter lifespan than previous upgradable models but, also, that many will get thrown out sooner than they would if they could be used as a monitor when computer itself is no longer powerful enough for the owner. If you replaced your M1 iMac with an M4 iMac wouldn't it be nice to still use the old one and have two matching displays?

100% true, over time. But you also don't "throw out" a working computer, you sell it. I'm hoping to get ~$900 for my M1 iMac, for instance, which subsizes about half the cost of the M4 I replaced it with. I totally agree with your larger point, that in 10 years an iMac will probably be on the tail end of being usable for current software. But on the short-term end of things, it's not an atrocious value proposition if you take good care of it and sell before it depreciates too much.

What M1 spec did you have, and which M4 spec do you have now?

Would like to hear about any differences you picked up.

The M1 was the top model, with 16 GB RAM with a 1 TB SSD. The M4 is also the top model, but with 24 GB RAM and a 1 TB SSD.

The only difference is speed. Both work super smoothly for the same workload, but the M4 just does everything more or less immediately. Like, if I log into my work account with a bunch of stuff reopening from last session after a reboot (email, calendar, some Safari tabs, Slack, Things, a few other bits of software) it'll be logged in and ready to work in 30 seconds or less. The M1 might have had me waiting a minute. Or launching something like Photoshop or Illustrator, I can now launch one of those cold and be in a ready to work state in like 10-15 seconds. It's all just very zippy. I did not need to make this upgrade, though. The M1 was totally doing its job, but I sit in front of this thing for like 30+ hours a week, so it's more a quality of life thing.

(Actually there is one other difference: the webcam on the M4 is much better.)

 

[ignatius345]

For example on the 32" screen I can put an Indesign window with a whole bunch of expanded indesign panels and have a good amount of space for visualising my current project at the same time. Not possible on 24".

I found the 27" 5K was excellent for stuff like that (Adobe apps with a crap ton of palettes). I find it possible to do on the 4.5K 24" screen, but it's a bit more cramped. To me downsizing was like going from a king bed to a queen: basically enough room, but you can't spread out the way you'd like.

 

[Johnny907]

I think it will come in March

They are just staggering the lineups (on purpose)

Why? The M4 will have launched a year ago by the time it releases.
At this point they should just wait until June and announce the M5 MBA during WWDC.
Who wants to pay full price for year old tech? This strategy is just another brick on the evidence pile that Apple is getting lazy and complacent.

 

[thefrost]

Great to see refurbished M4 iMacs.

 

[pischu12]

This is very difficult to "gauge" as everyone's needs are truly different.... In the hopes of keeping another computer off the donation block / land fill - updated my families iMac for them just recently... It was a i5 2017 21" .

Now it has an 1 T SSD and 64 GB RAM ( total cost 110$ + couple gray hairs taking it appart) & ( of course ) with the amazing amazing people @ OCLP .... for daily tasks ( Zoom, Microsoft conferencing, email and browsing) "for them" you truly can't even tell.

However it seems the threat of something "shiny" and "new" that "must" ? be better is always around the corner Lets see how many years before I hear rumbling lol !

With best wishes to all ...