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iMac 2.8 now or wait?! --SOLVED-- :-)

A

ArisFlackerbee

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 6, 2011
23
0
Okay, so this post is about five years in the making. I’ve been waiting for the most opportune time to get an iMac, and I’ve been waiting to get the best souped up one. I am a filmmaker, and I’ve always been in love with Final Cut. I have been wanting to upgrade to the iMac for a long time now, and I’m now stuck in a position I can’t find a way out of.

First of all, I want to get one badly. I finally have the fundage for the purchase, I’m just trying to decide if I should wait or not…there have been the rumors that a refresh is coming in the first quarter of 2011…

I’ve been drooling over the recent addition of the 2.8 i7 Quad in the refurbished section of the online store. So now, I have a dilemma.

The only thing in my way is time right now…so what do you guys recommend?

Wait? Do you think the refresh will happen soon, and if so, what information do you have that it might be a substantial one?

Or just get the refurbished one right now, save the money on a perfectly fine system and not worry about the update, because it would be minor?

HEEEELP!
 
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The question is though, will I regret not waiting (maybe two months? maybe more? less?) for the new upgrade.

Like the people who bought the iPhone 1.0 before the 2.0 came out. How much better it was...for the same price...!!!
 
You want it now? Then just buy it now. You won't see much of a significant difference between the current generation and the anticipated refresh later this year. But if you really want the Sandy Bridge models, then wait.
 
I guess my point is, I want to be able to get the most bang for my buck. If I’m going to spend over $2K on a system, I want to make sure it’s the best of its time, so I don’t have anything to worry about for the next 10+ years. I’m on an iBook right now, circa 2002 and my 2004 iMac just recently died on me (hard drive intact, thankfully).

I just want to make the best investment. If getting a refurbished one right now would be smarter than getting a brand new shiny model that hasn’t had a good run yet for stability…then that’s what I’ll do.
 
ArisFlackerbee said:
I guess my point is, I want to be able to get the most bang for my buck.
Click to expand...

If you play that game, you'll be waiting forever.

There actually is something to be said for actually having one in front of you, and being able to use it, versus waiting six (12? 24?) more months to get something *this* much better or *that* much cheaper.
 
Well, I'm already at the end of my rope. All I want to know is when this refresh is going to happen!!!

The earliest I've heard is Q1, the latest, Q2...but I just want to know!!! Make my decision easier...

Cause I can honestly wait a couple more months...but I don't know how much longer...
 
ArisFlackerbee said:
Well, I'm already at the end of my rope. All I want to know is when this refresh is going to happen!!!

The earliest I've heard is Q1, the latest, Q2...but I just want to know!!! Make my decision easier...

Cause I can honestly wait a couple more months...but I don't know how much longer...
Click to expand...

iMac refreshes seem to come typically around June-ish, but who knows?

Seriously, if you want one, go ahead and get one. You'll have one in the meantime, and you'll be able to use it and gain joy.
 
ArisFlackerbee said:
I guess my point is, I want to be able to get the most bang for my buck. If I’m going to spend over $2K on a system, I want to make sure it’s the best of its time, so I don’t have anything to worry about for the next 10+ years. I’m on an iBook right now, circa 2002 and my 2004 iMac just recently died on me (hard drive intact, thankfully).

I just want to make the best investment. If getting a refurbished one right now would be smarter than getting a brand new shiny model that hasn’t had a good run yet for stability…then that’s what I’ll do.
Click to expand...

10 years is a long time to expect to never be tempted to upgrade your machine. I think now is a good time for you since most people here (this question is asked here a lot) seem to think (and they are usually right) that the next imacs won't be anything completely groundbreaking. Don't expect USB3 or blueray drives built in. According to the buyer's guide here, the imacs are mid cycle meaning the current ones have been around for a bit so (hopefully) any bugs from a new design have been found and corrected but you are still months away from the next new one (which, as I wrote, probably won't be crazy-groundbreaking new tech).
The one thing I noticed from your post, is you wrote your hard drive was intact, thankfully. That wording let me to believe that you didn't have a backup hard drive. If this is true, please invest in one when you get your new machine; its the best "extra" you can get.
 
I think I will just get it now then. Cause, I think you’re right. I just don’t want to end up “wishing I had waited two more months” for something…but as you said, the updates, while good, are never so amazing your pants will fall off.

I think the last update to the 27” should have been the game changer for me, and I’ll just wrap my head around being settled on that.

Yes, my hard drive stayed intact…and is now encased in a very beautiful shell and is being used as an external hard drive. The thing (1.5TB) is only a year old, so I knew that it couldn’t have possible been the issue when my system died. My Mac specialist thinks it was the motherboard that finally gave out or something. Ah well. I have that hard drive and an extra 500GB external that I can continue to use for backup when I get the new system.

Going to the Apple store after work today to drool.
 
You should wait another 5 years and re-evaluate and maybe by the year you're going to retire you will pull the trigger. :D

Seriously though just buy the thing and get on with it!
 
Well, I went to the Apple store last night with my “Mac Advisor” and we had a long discussion while playing with company property…and I have decided to get it now.

The deciding factor was really just that…the fact that there’s always going to be something “better”…but mostly for the fact that I have been using age old technology my whole life…so having a brand new system that’s barely perfect will keep me more than happy for the next few years, and I’ll play the same game I’m playing now. Not knowing truly how much better the “newer” models are until I decide to do this all again.

So, thanks for all y’all’s help! (wow, so not a word) Here’s what I’m gonna get here in the next couple weeks: :D

• 2.93GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
• 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
• 1TB Serial ATA Drive
• 8x double-layer SuperDrive
• ATI Radeon HD 5750 1GB GDDR5 SDRAM
 
Enjoy your new machine.
ArisFlackerbee said:
Well, I went to the Apple store last night with my “Mac Advisor” and we had a long discussion while playing with company property…and I have decided to get it now.

The deciding factor was really just that…the fact that there’s always going to be something “better”…but mostly for the fact that I have been using age old technology my whole life…so having a brand new system that’s barely perfect will keep me more than happy for the next few years, and I’ll play the same game I’m playing now. Not knowing truly how much better the “newer” models are until I decide to do this all again.

So, thanks for all y’all’s help! (wow, so not a word) Here’s what I’m gonna get here in the next couple weeks: :D

• 2.93GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
• 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
• 1TB Serial ATA Drive
• 8x double-layer SuperDrive
• ATI Radeon HD 5750 1GB GDDR5 SDRAM
Click to expand...
 
I have the exact same machine. Coming from what you've been using, you'll love it. If you've been able to make that antique machine you've been using last that long, then you're obviously not a power user that really needs the speed, so there's nothing you would really need to be jealous of in a refreshed model when and if it comes out.

Take it from me, I waited and waited and waited for a stupid Mac Pro refresh... what a waste of time that was. (with a big disappointment at the end when the lame update was finally issued). So I broke down and bought the same imac model you want. Now I don't care about when a refresh is happening, because I have a great, fast system and I can now get my work done. Problem solved.

If you buy a faster machine 6 months from now, would the extra speed be worth the 6 months of productivity you lost while you were waiting?
 
Thanks you two.

Yeah, as I said, I'm a filmmaker, so the speed would be nice, but yes, as we figured out, I haven't REALLY been "missing" anything...but once I get it, I'll feel the raw power!

And I too, hopefully, will enjoy it for many years and not care what's "even better" because yes, I've been dealing with dino-speed for the past few years.
 
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