imac, should I wait?

[Clothesline5246]

Hi to everyone =]
I've been seriously looking at getting an imac (or macbook pro) for a month odd now. I'm starting University in September and I'll be studying music technology, all the music department is mac based so I figured it was about the right time to make the jump to mac.
The thing I've been wondering is whether I should wait to see if Apple release an updated version of the imac between now and when I start. (my girlfriend would be able to use her education discount as she's already in her second year so that isn't really a deciding factor for waiting)
I mentioned the macbook pro as I was thinking about one instead but I'm now leaning toward the imac as I doubt I'd ever take the macbook pro out the house in fear of losing or breaking it, the University seem to have plenty to use for when I'm there and also if I really do need a laptop to do any documentation and can't get to a computer there, I can use this old Dell laptop I'm using at the moment.
So yeah basically is it worth me waiting? I've really got the urge to get one now but really don't want to in case in say month or twos time a new version comes out.

 

[Hellhammer]

Nobody knows for sure...

I would get MBP as portability is very nice feature in uni, you might regret getting a desktop. Get external display so you can use it as "desktop"

 

[Clothesline5246]

See I already have an 22" LCD TV which I could easily hook it up too, which is what I would of done but as I say I don't think I'd ever take it anywhere so what real good would there be in it being a laptop... and I do have this old Dell laptop.

 

[Hellhammer]

See I already have an 22" LCD TV which I could easily hook it up too, which is what I would of done but as I say I don't think I'd ever take it anywhere so what real good would there be in it being a laptop... and I do have this old Dell laptop.

Will you be living in a dorm or at home? Is the Dell usable in your opinion?

iMac is very nice but I just hear people recommending a laptop for school as portability is needed anyway. You may now think that you'll never take it out but that might change when you actually get there

 

[Clothesline5246]

I'll be living in a flat I'm renting with my girlfriend.
I'd say it's defiantly got at least a year or two left in it probably longer if I'm only going to be using it for word documents and such.

 

[Hellhammer]

I'll be living in a flat I'm renting with my girlfriend.
I'd say it's defiantly got at least a year or two left in it probably longer if I'm only going to be using it for word documents and such.

I think it's up to you whether you want iMac or MBP. I would get MBP but if the Dell still goes okay, the iMac is good too.

What iMac would you get? What is your usage? There is iTouch deal kicking off soon, wait at least till that and WWDC, then buy

 

[Clothesline5246]

I was thinking of the 27" i5.
It would be used for recording mixing and editing audio. I will need something that can handle these tasks with ease, no lagging or latency issues.
My Dell does do all this but only with very small projects and not really very well, as soon as I start adding effects to multiple tracks, plug-ins and so on it dies on me, it tends to blue screen quite bit too and that's a definite no, which is one of the main reasons I'm fed up with PCs and moving to macs, I'm just fed up with their issues all the of time.

 

[Hellhammer]

I was thinking of the 27" i5.
It would be used for recording mixing and editing audio. I will need something that can handle these tasks with ease, no lagging or latency issues.
My Dell does do all this but only with very small projects and not really very well, as soon as I start adding effects to multiple tracks, plug-ins and so on it dies on me, it tends to blue screen quite bit too and that's a definite no, which is one of the main reasons I'm fed up with PCs and moving to macs, I'm just fed up with their issues all the of time.

As you're getting the i5, just buy now, the update won't affect it by much as it already uses the fastest chips suitable for it

EDIT: Wait for the BTS promo of course, and maybe till WWDC too

 

[Christina1971]

Wait till WWDC, which is June 7-11 -- just around the corner. I'm not sure anything new will be released but the conference is so soon that it doesn't do any harm in waiting a bit, if you don't have a pressing need.

Have you touched base with your academic department to see if they have any special requirements of their students? That may push you in one direction or another.

If I were starting university in the fall, I'd go for portability. I know you say you don't need the laptop ("...I doubt I'd ever take the macbook pro out the house in fear of losing or breaking it, the University seem to have plenty to use for when I'm there and also if I really do need a laptop to do any documentation and can't get to a computer there, I can use this old Dell laptop I'm using at the moment.") But using those arguments, it's possible that you don't need a new computer at all.

Edit to add: Oh, I didn't see you were thinking of the 27 inch i5. Get it now, then.

 

[Omnigray]

Get the i7 iMac becuase its amazing is the best bang for your buck. I would get it now because the upgrades in the next launch probably won't be too significant.

...if you find that you REALLY need a laptop just get a used Netbook for a few hundred and it will satisfy all your portability needs.