I am on the market for an IMac 24" and need to get it before March. From what I have been reading it's best to wait unless you need it now and I am sure that is the response I will get the most but I want to know others opinions. I was going to go with the 2.4 24" stock config and upgrade ram to 3GB. Will a new processor or any important updates likely occur before Jan/Feb? I really "want" it now since it will be my first mac and I can't wait but I want to make a smart decision. Leopard doesn't fall into the decision making process as I am fine with upgrading that. I was reading about Blu-ray being incorporated after the holidays. Is this likely or optimistic speculation? My intended uses are office, light video and picture editing for personal use, internet and multimedia. No heavy design or editing software, no gaming.
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Buy 24" iMac now or wait till Jan Feb
- Thread starter Doctorsti
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The iMacs were just radically redesigned. I highly doubt there's going to be a major change anytime soon. Maybe a bump in specs but nothing more. For your needs, I don't see any reason to wait. Blu-ray is also just a speculation.
You don't save any money by waiting. You'll spend the same $2K either way but if you buy today you will get 1/2 year of extra usage for the same price. If the prices were falling you might save something by waiting but Apple does not work that way. Likely there will be a small "speed bump" increment in CPU speed before March but those are hardly noticable. The new imac line is fresh and I doubt they will make major changes other then a "speed bump"
Normally I go with the rule if you need it now, get it. It sounds like you don't need it now, but personally I'd say just go for it. I LOVE mine and I've had zero problems with it and it's just simply gorgeous. I was worried at first about the glossy screen but it's not a problem for me at all. The keyboard takes some getting used to but it's certainly fine (although I really wish they'd offer a full sized bluetooth version). I'm loving mine and I bet if you go ahead and get it, you'd have several months of loving yours.
Ah yes I want it bad but I tend to do this frequently, go out and buy something just because I get anxious and then 1 month later a better version comes out for the same price and I didn't really need it that last month. I know it's impossible to predict what apple is going to do in the next few months and I am sure I would be happy regardless. I am considering doing it now as I am a teacher and can get a free ipod and can sell it for maybe a hundred bucks and then another hundred off the computer. Ha be waiting I will get leapoard free instead of paying 129 for it so it's a wash, huh.
Well I ordered on the same day it came out and only got it 2 weeks ago. So really the iMac is pretty darn fresh. You wont get any major revisions for a long while.
Bluray on an iMac wont happen by March since a blue ray burner is about $450(at the VERY least) more than a dvd burner. Blu ray should hit the Mac Pro first and then trickle down to the rest of the line up probably in 2009
given how fresh the latest imac update will be, no new form factor for at least a year and in march, probably only incremental speed bump - wouldn't even assume any update in increased ram or video cards. long and short, buy now! if want new ipod (to sell or keep) get now as that deal is about to expire. if waiting for 10.5, wait for that but buy as soon after that to get most longevity possible from current model.
just received our new 24 incher and dude, it's marvelous. even glossy screen is not an issue in our well lit room. couldn't recommend a better computer at current state!!!
If you're getting the education free iPod deal...do it now.
Or wait until Leopard. Cost is almost a toss-up. So by getting it now, you get an extra month of use.
This is assuming you won't be upset when something better comes along...which is always the case regardless of when you buy.
Or wait until Leopard. Cost is almost a toss-up. So by getting it now, you get an extra month of use.
This is assuming you won't be upset when something better comes along...which is always the case regardless of when you buy.
That is my thought. I have never had an ipod but think having one would be nice and I am not sure I would spend the money on it otherwise so this may be the way to go. I will definitely get Leopard but may give it a few months to work out all the bugs. I think the edu price for Leopard is cheaper, is it not?
Or get one now with the tried and true and stable Tiger OS - or wait a month for a machine with the untried version 1.0 of Lepoard with no option to go back to Tiger if version 1.0 of Leopard turns out to be less than stable/app breaking/bugfest.
At least with the current iMac you can upgrade to Leopard at a relatively nominal cost anytime you want. One of the major reasons I got mine now was due to the fact that Tiger was pre-installed. Leopard will be major upgrade, and I rather wait and see how it performs in the real world (at least initially) before making the leap to a new OS.
This was one of the deciding factors in my decision to buy a iMac now as opposed to waiting. You never know what your going to get with a new OS.
Get one now. They won't make any major improvements by march so you should get it now and enjoy using it. You also get the iPod and Printer rebates if you buy now.
They've just been updated. If you can't buy one now, you'll never buy one as there'll always be one more thing worth waiting for. The new iMacs, even the model it replaced, are very fast and capable machines. I can't think of any rumoured feature that its missing.
Blu Ray? Maybe, but with the home consoles being very cheap and external firewire discs being even cheaper, who needs them just now?
Blu Ray? Maybe, but with the home consoles being very cheap and external firewire discs being even cheaper, who needs them just now?
Good points, all of them. I think I am going to pick one up this Saturday. 24" 2.4 stock config and I will order 2x2gig sticks of memory to really make it move. This way I get a greatly reduced 80 gig ipod video and a good rebate on an all-in-one printer. I think I am going with the HP all-in-one that's 299.99. Anyone use this one or heard anything about it?