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iMac 21" - Right time to buy?

B

BlakeBrattina

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 10, 2011
542
61
Bay City, MI
So I finally off-loaded my MacBook Pro and use my MBA as my main carry around machine. I'm looking for an iMac for the house so the wife will not have to worry about a portable machine (and taking care of it in terms of constant power source to destroy her battery). My question is; it seems that I always end up looking at this nearing the middle of their life cycle, that being said, do you think it's safe to purchase this now or have we heard any word on a refresh coming soon? :confused:
 
BlakeBrattina said:
So I finally off-loaded my MacBook Pro and use my MBA as my main carry around machine. I'm looking for an iMac for the house so the wife will not have to worry about a portable machine (and taking care of it in terms of constant power source to destroy her battery). My question is; it seems that I always end up looking at this nearing the middle of their life cycle, that being said, do you think it's safe to purchase this now or have we heard any word on a refresh coming soon? :confused:
Click to expand...

the last iMac lasted 577 days before refresh...the current one is at 111 days...
 
I would imagine the next refresh may not take as long. I was fighting with myself when i should buy my iMac i was thinking about waiting for back to school but then I decided to just pull the trigger.
 
lulla01 said:
I would imagine the next refresh may not take as long. I was fighting with myself when i should buy my iMac i was thinking about waiting for back to school but then I decided to just pull the trigger.
Click to expand...

Word is the next processor release from Intel is focused on integrated graphics and mobile PC power reduction, minor bump in performance. They aren't going to redesign it so soon IMHO.

So I am not so sure what we will see in a refresh, and if there is one, I doubt it would be less than a year after the current refresh.

So a refresh, if it comes, probably would take place toward the end of this year and even then, maybe we see some new graphics card options only?
 
Go for it NOW as i did. What configuration you have in mind beside the size??
 
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I did take note of the distance between each refresh, but it goes without saying that they have been jumping on board with quicker refresh rates on other product lines, so who knows about the new ones.

I would look to go for a base 2.7, possibly the 2.9 21". The only other snag holding me up is the relatively non-upgradable capacity that the 21" has, but the jump to the 27" would be too much at this point.
 
BlakeBrattina said:
So I finally off-loaded my MacBook Pro and use my MBA as my main carry around machine. I'm looking for an iMac for the house so the wife will not have to worry about a portable machine (and taking care of it in terms of constant power source to destroy her battery). My question is; it seems that I always end up looking at this nearing the middle of their life cycle, that being said, do you think it's safe to purchase this now or have we heard any word on a refresh coming soon? :confused:
Click to expand...

Do you mean 21.5"?
If you want an intell iMac then i recommend the 2011 model; to open the 2012 iMac heatgunnning the case is nessasary.
 
Go for the base 21.5 imac with 16gb ram if you think that the RAM upgrade is the problem and you think that you will need it in the future. In your case i see 2 options :

1) Base 21.5" iMac with 16gb ram or 8 Gb ram +fusion drive
2) High 21.5 iMac

I recomand in this particularly order
 
rabidz7 said:
Do you mean 21.5"?
If you want an intell iMac then i recommend the 2011 model; to open the 2012 iMac heatgunnning the case is nessasary.
Click to expand...

Picky picky :); I did mean 21.5" just figured it was a given that we all knew the sizes.

It's likely that I will end up with the base model, potentially with the Fusion Drive upgrade.
 
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