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For those waiting for new iMac release

D

david19801

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 18, 2012
48
0
The new iMac, if it does come this year will just be a spec upgrade. Apple will not do a new iMac design so close to the new macpro design refresh. So, we know it will be a spec upgrade.

Now, what is the best time for a spec upgrade? Mountain lion release date. This way it will help sell more ML copies and that is good for Apple. Other times are end of summer and iphone 5 release date, but I can't wait that long! So...

Also, when you buy a imac, you can return in 14 days if you want to swap.

So my plan is:
Buy the imac 2 weeks before mountain lion release. If the new imac is released at the same time as mountain lion, I swap for the new one. Otherwise The old iMac will still be relevent for this year and I will be happy with it.

What do you guys think?

What is your strategy?
 
At 400+ days old, the technology present in the 2011 iMac is WAY overpriced. Yes, you will get an iMac for your money, and a good computer. But I would have serious buyer's remorse knowing the computer was outdated to such a degree (processor, GPU, USB2, etc.) the day I paid full price for it.
 
If there's not iMac around the ML release then I'll get a retina MBP. Hopefully by then the shipment dates will have settled down too.
 
david19801 said:
...
What do you guys think?
...
Click to expand...
I don't know how pressing your need is, but since you're already talking about waiting, I would wait until a week or 2 after Mountain Lion is released. Why go through the hassle of setting up a system to just have to clean it off and then set up a new one?

Of course iMac rumors will probably really start appearing a week or so before updates will be released.
 
worst time to buy

I think buying an old imac 2 weeks before the release of a new one is stupid, you've been waiting for months so you'd better wait and take the imac you really want instead of taking the risk of asking a swap, waiting for the swap to be done....
 
david19801 said:
Now, what is the best time for a spec upgrade? Mountain lion release date. This way it will help sell more ML copies and that is good for Apple. Other times are end of summer and iphone 5 release date, but I can't wait that long! So...
Click to expand...
Wouldn't this mean they'd sell fewer copies of Mountain Lion considering there'd be an influx of iMac sales that come pre-installed with Mountain Lion? If you buy a new iMac, you're not (as) likely to upgrade the OS on your old one.
 
rhkik said:
I think buying an old imac 2 weeks before the release of a new one is stupid, you've been waiting for months so you'd better wait and take the imac you really want instead of taking the risk of asking a swap, waiting for the swap to be done....
Click to expand...

But what if the next iMac is released in 2013? i will be waiting forever...
 
david19801 said:
But what if the next iMac is released in 2013? i will be waiting forever...
Click to expand...

Newsflash: iMacs will more than likely be updated every single year. I bet there's going to be a new one in 2014 and 2015, too. But why buy either of those years when 2016 is right around the corner?

Buy one and sell it when a new one is released, problem solved.
 
david19801 said:
But what if the next iMac is released in 2013? i will be waiting forever...
Click to expand...
If you need a Mac buy it. If you can wait until just after Mountain Lion is released, do so. There's always a what if when buying a Mac model that is due for an update of some sort.

With some people thinking that the iMac update is waiting for Mountain Lion, why buy a system that you might wind up returning? What's another 2 weeks when you've waited this long? We're not saying wait forever, but with how long you've apparently waited, what's another 2 weeks when you've waited this long?
 
I have been waiting since February for my first Mac. If no new model with ML (by new model I'm just expecting speed bump and USB 3) I'm going to look into apple refurb unit. What is the chances of getting a refurb with an SSD? Or can you get apple to BTO on a refurb. I've looked at upgrading yourself but I'm not wanting to do that.
 
ngenerator said:
Newsflash: iMacs will more than likely be updated every single year. I bet there's going to be a new one in 2014 and 2015, too. But why buy either of those years when 2016 is right around the corner?

Buy one and sell it when a new one is released, problem solved.
Click to expand...

I love that macs have such a great resale value. Basically you can rent a mac for about 100-200 a year which is pretty good in my eyes.
 
TouchMint.com said:
I love that macs have such a great resale value. Basically you can rent a mac for about 100-200 a year which is pretty good in my eyes.
Click to expand...

Touchmint

What's you're setup for programming with? Do you have a external screen? Imac or mini? Mouse or trackpad?
 
I'm waiting patiently... or at least as patiently as possible :p

Fortunately my "Early 2009" 24" iMac is still going strong. It was chugging pretty hard (especially w/ Aperture) with 4GB of RAM, but with 8GB it runs great again.
 
david19801 said:
Touchmint

What's you're setup for programming with? Do you have a external screen? Imac or mini? Mouse or trackpad?
Click to expand...

2011 13" mbp
23" asus 1080p second monitor
Logitech wireless mouse/keyboard

Note: I also have a pc I use to game on so the Logitech is the best choice (so I don’t need two keyboards/mice) makes switching between the two super easy, just unplug/replug the little usb wireless receiver.

My setup runs xcode pretty well. The problem comes in when I want to do any design I currently use gimp for everything which is pretty light weight but the colors on the asus are horrible (nowhere close to real iphone colors) and I don’t have the screen pixels on the mac to do retina graphics =/.
This is why the iMac is needed so badly.

I plan on selling the mbp and gaming pc which should get me close to an imac.
 
themcfly said:
Maybe waiting 2 weeks more and don't mess up with any return of a 2000$ machine?
Click to expand...

This is what plan on doing in the next couple of weeks, doesn't seem like much sense but am dying from all the wait (have been holding back since February) to purchase my first mac! figured 'd enjoy a current gen for a couple of weeks and lo and behold! if new iMacs are released with ML, then 'll just return the current gen and pick up a refreshed model. really don't know how much longer can bear through all this, it also helps to mention am PC-less and do everything on my iPad! have the summer of until August, where start the semester again, and would love to get some D3 on before start school again :(
 
MagicThief83 said:
This is what plan on doing in the next couple of weeks, doesn't seem like much sense but am dying from all the wait (have been holding back since February) to purchase my first mac! figured 'd enjoy a current gen for a couple of weeks and lo and behold! if new iMacs are released with ML, then 'll just return the current gen and pick up a refreshed model. really don't know how much longer can bear through all this, it also helps to mention am PC-less and do everything on my iPad! have the summer of until August, where start the semester again, and would love to get some D3 on before start school again :(
Click to expand...


Why are all of your I's in brackets like this:
 
david19801 said:
The new iMac, if it does come this year will just be a spec upgrade. Apple will not do a new iMac design so close to the new macpro design refresh. So, we know it will be a spec upgrade.
Click to expand...

That's precisely the point, getting a spec upgrade. Who cares about a redesign in the first place? We just want current hardware...
 
Save me some $$

My strategy is to use it as an excuse NOT to run out and buy a new machine this year, but let my 2009 i7 iMac (bought in 2010) actually get some serious miles on it. Something I've not done for several years now, giving in to upgrading every year or two to a newer machine.

Thank goodness these things hold such good resale value :)
 
leman said:
That's precisely the point, getting a spec upgrade. Who cares about a redesign in the first place? We just want current hardware...
Click to expand...

While I'm eager to see what a "redesign" would entail, I agree with you. Give me some current hardware. The current design suits me fine. The next design will just have the chin removed.

Oh and whatever happened to the anti-reflective screen? I hope it's included with the spec bump.
 
david19801 said:
What is your strategy?
Click to expand...

I need a machine for work before July, so if there isn't a spec bump before then, I'm definitely going with the 3.1GHz 27". If there is a full redesign before then, I'll likely get a refurb 2011 model (I don't particularly like the idea of being a hardware beta tester).

Having a hard, need-based deadline makes my decision much easier. :cool:
 
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The MBP-R is pretty darned close to the iMac 2011 specs which I would have bought had I known the 2012 model would come so late. Short of the ODD and sheer physical size (heck, it even matches the pixel count) it's about the same thing for the same price (from my POV; YMMV). Ergo I'm going to liquidate some assets and buy the MBP-R ... unless the iMac 2012 shows up in the meantime (I'm not hurrying here).
 
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