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Buy 27" iMac now, or wait until Sept/Oct?

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plasmo

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 17, 2007
90
1
My primary desktop computer just died (harddrive failure).
I was trying to prevent this from occurring for as long as possible, as there may be new iMac refresh around the corner. But unfortunately it just croaked, and now i'm in need of a desktop.

I was planning on getting (my first) iMac (27").

Do people really think there will be a significant upgrade in the new lineup (supposedly) coming out in Sept/Oct? I guess the only major thing I would really wait for is Retina... but this is probably hoping for too much- thoughts?
 
plasmo said:
My primary desktop computer just died (harddrive failure).
I was trying to prevent this from occurring for as long as possible, as there may be new iMac refresh around the corner. But unfortunately it just croaked, and now i'm in need of a desktop.

I was planning on getting (my first) iMac (27").

Do people really think there will be a significant upgrade in the new lineup (supposedly) coming out in Sept/Oct? I guess the only major thing I would really wait for is Retina... but this is probably hoping for too much- thoughts?
Click to expand...

Sept-Oct being so close and if you can wait then yeah I would recommend you do. And a lot might tell you its not worth buying 1year old tech when a new one is coming out soon for the same price with better stuff.
 
jim468 said:
Just curious. Why do you think Retina won't come?
Click to expand...

because the current GPU (especially mobile ones) are not powerful enough to drive a resolution that high on a 27" display. Even some of the animations on the 15" retina are choppy apparently.

Retina on a 27" display is not as needed either because you sit a lot further away from a bigger screen so the pixels seem smaller anyway. You would notice a difference but no where near enough to pay so much extra for it at this point in time.

Just 1 month away according to rumors I am definitely waiting myself. Even if I needed a computer right now I would probably go rent a PC until they released :p
 
Retina could come... because some rumors say that iMac will lose optical drive... so there will be enough space for GPU maybe iMac will be really goof machine. There could be enough space for desktop GPU... one GPU in Intel Core (HD 4000 - ivy bridge) and one desktop... I do not believe a lot in it but it is possible same as RETINA now.:)
 
I bought my iMac 27" exactly 31 days before the next generation came out last spring. If I would have waited, I could have gotten essentially the same model with an i5 processor instead of an i3 for the exact same price.

I didn't know the new models were coming. Nobody told me. I felt sick at the time, but now it's like, that's life and the iMac I do have is good.

So I'm not saying you should wait, and I'm not saying you shouldn't. Maybe reading my own experience will help you with your decision, though. Or not.
 
Buy a cheap HD to hold you over in your current desktop and wait a month.
 
Ry. said:
Buy a cheap HD to hold you over in your current desktop and wait a month.
Click to expand...

+1 but not too cheap,

Get a new HDD, transfer your backup (I assume you have one) and live with your current PC on for now. Should cost less that $100 depending on the HDD size.

We have no way on knowing what Apple will do, they could release an update next week or next year. That said rumors are strong for Sept/Oct but they said the same thing back in June. We should get better spec at a lower price in the coming weeks/months.
 
There is absolutely no guarantee that there will be a new imac released in September/October. Like another poster mentioned, I think it'll come in Spring 2013.

Furthermore if they do offer a retina version the price will be astronomical in my opinion; it certainly won't be he same price as the existing iMacs.

If you need an iMac buy one. The existing computer is fabulous.
 
Despite some posters' certainty, it's all guesswork. If I were in your position and couldn't replace the dead HD or use another computer for awhile, I'd buy now. But that's because I can't be without a computer for more than a day or two.

On the other hand, if waiting a bit is an option, it makes sense to see what happens by the end of October. If there's no new iMac by then, I think that it'll be 2013 before one appears, since an Nov. or Dec. release would be unlikely.

But that's just my opinion.
 
I agree with the cheap hdd option for your current machine. Or get a good hard disk of a decent size, then you can get a caddy to make it a good external after you have your mac and need the space. That way you are avoiding wasting too much money.
 
I would also suggest you replace the hdd and wait it out. Chances are just too good that it will be updated in the near future.

Do you know anyone who has a spare hard drive they might give you or sell cheap? As an enthusiast and having worked in IT I have literally dozens of hard drives between 80-500GB just sitting around. I'm sure there are plenty of other people in a similar situation.
 
Liquinn said:
Haswell's slated in March, which is 7 months away. If you can wait, then wait.
Click to expand...

Thats where I'm at. Ivy Bridge will be 6 months old by the time Apple gets around to selling something with it. So, I bought a 2006 Mac Pro to hold me over until next year at least.
 
If you need it now, get it now. Sure a new Mac is coming, but what cant you do with iMacs from the last 3 years?
 
Wait. Absolutely wait.

There WILL be either a refresh or redesigned iMac around October. Possibly sooner.

Tim Cook did NOT have to clarify his statement regarding the Mac Pro in 2013.

There was NO reason to.

Trust.
 
Buy now.

If there is a iMac refresh this fall it probably won't be a major update. This will happen in 2013 when the Apple desktop(s) will probably become completely different. The beginning of a new generation of a desktop solution(s).

If this happens a 2012 iMac won't seem that much different than a 2011 model. You'll want the new one(s).
 
omg... Do you really think they are waiting for Haswell?? I don`t thins so...
until now iMacs everytime were released in September - November...

So WAIT it will come out maybe 12th September... :D
or in late september...
 
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