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Bad time to buy an iMac?

B

Baseline

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 9, 2002
91
4
Southern Ontario
I've been waiting about three or so months now to buy a Mac (ever since I first fell in love with the Powerbook). My university's bookstore currently has a great deal on the 800Mhz Superdrive machine (10% cheaper than Apple.ca). It's been torture waiting this long to get my first Mac, and I don't know if I can wait much longer.

However, I can't help but think there's going to be a reasonably significant upgrade at MWNY. Possibly a 1Ghz processor, but that I'm not too worried about. For me, it's the terrible video card currently in the iMac.

Say all you want, but a GeForce 2 (MX, no less) is absolutely ancient. It was an ancient card when the new iMac was first released, and it's even worse right now. It may run the current crop of games reasonably well, but not anything coming out soon. Doom III, for example, is said to require at a MINIMUM, a GeForce III. So the low-end version of the GeForceII is not going to cut it.

However, whether or not the GeForce2 is a good card is not my question. I already know the answer to that. I'm more wondering about Apple's history with product releases.

How likely is it that 6 months after the iMac's release, Apple will improve it? New card hopefully, maybe a faster processor (and some of that L3 cache Apple has become so fond of), and maybe the rumoured 17" LCD?

Any input (except for arguments on the graphic card) would be greatly appreciated.
 
I for one am certain that the iMac will be revved up either before or at MWNY. No one seems to agree, but it fits their product cycle and they have been offering refurbs lately.

I'd say if they are really giving 10% off, you just can't beat that deal and get it. My $0.02
 
This is a question that seems to come up on a regular basis and I've responded to it a couple of times. Basically it comes down to the what do you need if for and what advantage to you get by buying now?

There is no guarantee you will see what you want in 6 months, you can only hope it happens. So you have to realize that you will only have the best machine for a little while, and it will be upgraded eventually. Jaguar poses a different problem in that its already acknowledged that it needs a certain level video card to optimumly preform. So in this case, I'd suggest waiting and seeing what happens, if you don't have any pressing need for a new machine right now.
 
if only the local computer store (authorized mac dealer 2) sold macs (more often than it does), then i wont have to drive 3 hrs lol
 
Since you've already waited this long, why not just wait the extra time? MWNY is so close, and there's bound to be improvements to it. At the VERY least, a bump in processor speed. If you were to say this in February, I'd say buy then. But you're so close... just wait it out!
 
i seriously doubt the imacs will be updated at mwny. way too soon. makes absolutely no sense.

however since it seems yoiu have done your research on the card and found that apps you will use wont run on the imac, id say wait. no point in buying something that wont run apps you want to run. but i suspect you will wait longer than july.
 
I think a new iMac should be released by MWNY since it does fit Apple's product cycle schedule (about 6-8 months for a new speedbump or upgrade). I can't put any money on that, but I'd say MWNY is a good forum for Mr. Jobs to bring out a new iMac.

I tend to agree with other posts: Think about what you need and buy accordingly. It seems like timing isn't an issue for you (considering you've waited so long), so it can't hurt to wait for another month or so to see if Apple will roll out a new product.
 
Originally posted by AmbitiousLemon
i seriously doubt the imacs will be updated at mwny. way too soon. makes absolutely no sense.
Click to expand...

Actually it makes perfect sense. Apple tend to bump products on a 6-month cycle (as a rule of tumb). With the iMac G4 being released in january, 6 months on we have another MW. I feel there's a very strong possibility the iMac will be upgraded somewhat. Nothing spectacular, but something at least.
 
Not the most important of details, but i just thought i'd point out that the geforce 3 doesn't come in a 32MB flavour. Minimum of 64MB RAM.
 
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