Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iMac -- To wait or not to wait . . .
- Thread starter jwp333
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I agree with you on this one. There's been alot of criticism on the current design in the sense that people seem to want a whole new look. I love my G4 lamp design but I also like the current design. Where would they go from here? It's so compact and sleek looking. Now I'm not a big Jay Leno fan, but the current design doesn't remind me of him at all. Besides, I don't think that Jonanthan Ive created it with him in mind. As far as I know, and there are many more people on here with more knowledge than me, but since that G5 came on the scene, they've put an iSight into it, and changed the port layout in the back. What more can you do to it? Perhaps this is why we're all buying the new machines and they're the ones responsible for the "Wow" factor. Just give me an update!
Mick
Some final thoughts--money better spent on HDTV?
As I said in the original post, after a little bit of saving, I have the money to buy a new iMac. But I've been thinking over the last 2 days that maybe I'd get more benefit out of an HDTV than a new Mac. As I said in my first post, my old Mac does get the job done except for HD movie content. I am amazed by HDTV whenever I see it at other people's homes. I could end up spending the same amount of money for a Mac as I would for a 40 or 42 inch LCD with 1080P, and I could get the content for free over the air.
As I said in the original post, after a little bit of saving, I have the money to buy a new iMac. But I've been thinking over the last 2 days that maybe I'd get more benefit out of an HDTV than a new Mac. As I said in my first post, my old Mac does get the job done except for HD movie content. I am amazed by HDTV whenever I see it at other people's homes. I could end up spending the same amount of money for a Mac as I would for a 40 or 42 inch LCD with 1080P, and I could get the content for free over the air.
Funny, I've got my 52" HDTV paid off & have saved some of my tax refund for a new computer .Thats why I've put it off a new computer for a year & a half.It looks like I'll pull the trigger . Thanks for the replies .
Microcenter is a major computer retailer in Atlanta . They have like three locations .They are known as a very reputable company . They are doing a 150 dollar rebate for the 20' & 24" Imac this month . They are calling it Apple month . Apple was doing a rebate till April 15th .I read online but I have never been to an Apple store . The guy that had showed me the imac knew about the manufactures rebate . He said something to the affect that atleast with us you know you'll get the 150 refund . I think he was joking . Anyway if it happened at one chain it WILL happen at others . With a company as central as Apple seems there is no way only select companies could offer a rebate .
I recently sold my broken iBook for parts and I decided on an iMac. I was going to wait until they shipped with Leopard, but I need a new computer soon. I'm just going to wait until they update the hardware, wait maybe a month or so after that for better revisions or whatever, and then hopefully that timeframe will be within Apples free upgrade to Leopard when it releases.
updates have to be coming soon....i wouldn't buy until an update.....and i advise you to do the same if you decide to get one
I sold my old Mac 3 months ago and bought the MacBook which I am now using. My plan was to use the MB until the new iMac 24 came out and sell the MB. I like the MB so well, I intend to keep it and buy the iMac 20 when it comes out, whenever that is. I'm sure I could sell off the MB if I wanted to for a good price and would have had the use of an updated Mac the whole time. Anyway, it works for me.
I really appreciate everyone's responses . What I have come away with is maybe you should wait or maybe you should go ahead & buy one . In other words ,there is no magic answer .
It's such a major purchase for so many any help is naturally sought . Thus thats why so many people have asked the same question . I guess the answer is can you wait till october when most people think a new model will be released if not the current model is fine .
It's such a major purchase for so many any help is naturally sought . Thus thats why so many people have asked the same question . I guess the answer is can you wait till october when most people think a new model will be released if not the current model is fine .
Same Situation Here
I went so far as to actually purchasing a HP Pavillion and a 7600GT graphics card. Then I went to an apple store an fell in love with the iMac. I then returned the HP and graphics card. I decided I was going to go with apple; however, I would wait for the new iMac before purchasing. I was hoping that it would have been released at NAB or before, but now I have decided I will wait 'til WWDC. If nothing comes out then, I will purchase the 24" iMac.
Everyone that is saying that there won't be any changes to the model doesn't know what they're talking about; unless they work for Apple and are divulging secrets. I say don't give in because of instant gratification - only for necessity.
I went so far as to actually purchasing a HP Pavillion and a 7600GT graphics card. Then I went to an apple store an fell in love with the iMac. I then returned the HP and graphics card. I decided I was going to go with apple; however, I would wait for the new iMac before purchasing. I was hoping that it would have been released at NAB or before, but now I have decided I will wait 'til WWDC. If nothing comes out then, I will purchase the 24" iMac.
Everyone that is saying that there won't be any changes to the model doesn't know what they're talking about; unless they work for Apple and are divulging secrets. I say don't give in because of instant gratification - only for necessity.
Like everyone else I was playing the waiting game, but impatience got the better of me and I received my 24" imac 3 weeks past. As an XP switcher, it's the best move I've made. I would have loved to switch to Leopard directly but Tiger is a joy to use after XP (I never seriously considered Vista). If you really need it don't wait, Tiger is already a Vista-beater!
Down the road Leopard WILL be available EVENTUALLY of course for a price. So technically you are not being crippled in anyway. Play the waiting game if you want or throw in the towel which you won't regret.
I too am waiting for the new iMac and I had high hopes that it would switch to a desktop chip and zoom up to 2.9 GHz or there abouts instead of sticking to it's mobile chip which is maxing out at 2.4 I believe. I was sorely disappointed that at NAB nothing came. It was improbable due to the nature of the event but .... Anyway, I have some insurance money from a dead iBook and in France you have to buy before being recompensed and so my insurer is getting tired of my claim not reaching completion and is hassling me to buy my replacement computer but I don't want to buy now - right on the cusp of a revision. I phoned Apple France today and said "Can I order and pay for a 20" iMac but you don't send it to me and then when you release your new model, you can upgrade me to that and if there's a difference in cost I'll pay it?" The man on the phone said "No that's not possible and why do you think there's going to be a change?" So I said "Because it's so long over due in every way - by revision averages, the chip. Everything!" He said "Your wrong there is no revision coming. We've updated our line for the foreseeable future!" He was a grim company zombie bastard but .... "For the foreseeable future!" I hope he's wrong. My advice is to hold on. Not for Leopard but for a new model. Surely it's just around the corner.
apple zombies
it is rather annoying reading posts a/b
denying any pending updates. secrets are good to a point, then they just impede on our ability to make informed choices on rather large purchases. i must say however, that there is some level of anticipation that they keep with those of us that check for product updates frequently. they have a captive audience of people with cash waiting for the next big thing, at any point, they can boost their sales figures for a quarter..... so maybe late may imac release. get cash in before a possible iphone delay.
it is rather annoying reading posts a/b
denying any pending updates. secrets are good to a point, then they just impede on our ability to make informed choices on rather large purchases. i must say however, that there is some level of anticipation that they keep with those of us that check for product updates frequently. they have a captive audience of people with cash waiting for the next big thing, at any point, they can boost their sales figures for a quarter..... so maybe late may imac release. get cash in before a possible iphone delay.New iMac's
Penryn, the next chip family to be based on the Core micro-architecture, will include the following enhancements (among others):
- Speeds in excess of 3 GHz
- Dual-core L2 cache of 6 MB, Quad-core L2 cache of 12 MB
...with the penryn chip coming with 6 MB per processor, I'm waiting til June to see if they may be incorporated in the new iMac's. there also may be a substantial speed increase applied, perhaps more than the 2.33 ghz currently available on the 24". I like the iMac's, and will be using this for animation only. my Sawtooth will continue as my FCP 4 Suite/Internet until 'death' do us part.
Penryn, the next chip family to be based on the Core micro-architecture, will include the following enhancements (among others):
- Speeds in excess of 3 GHz
- Dual-core L2 cache of 6 MB, Quad-core L2 cache of 12 MB
...with the penryn chip coming with 6 MB per processor, I'm waiting til June to see if they may be incorporated in the new iMac's. there also may be a substantial speed increase applied, perhaps more than the 2.33 ghz currently available on the 24". I like the iMac's, and will be using this for animation only. my Sawtooth will continue as my FCP 4 Suite/Internet until 'death' do us part.
Don't laugh but I'm still quite happy with my eMac 1.25 G4 for the time being....it's sturdy, pretty unflappable and except for the fact that it does get a bit draggy with newer software out there, it's very pleasant machine. I plan on getting an external hard drive to boost my storage and upgrade my memory to 1GB( any recommendations out there?) so that should perk this puppy up until whenever I decide to get a new unit. Obviously from what I've been reading here, I'm rather inclined to wait until Leopard's ready to come out, especially if there is indeed an upgrade within the Imac line....nothing worse than finally plonking down $1200.00 for a computer you've lusted after for better part of a year only to find out that the upgrade coming in a few months bounces the resale value of your box down to nothing in the blink of an eye. I fell for that once before with my first Mac..I bought an Imac G3 450 Mhz DV+ for $1200.00 ( still have it too!) and thanks to the release of the G4 about six months later, it's value fell to about $600.00 in nothing flat. Talk about getting outclassed in a hurry! Ironically, I replaced my G3 with the eMac that I am currently using, and it's still a pretty tight running machine, which I might add still retains a fairly decent resale ticket 3 years on. Better still, I can tweak it a bit and actually keep up with the rest of the pack despite a few obvious limitations here and there. Of course I'm aware that by the end of the year I'm gonna have to move on to a MacIntel, cos let's face it.....that's the future and there's really no way to avoid the inevidible. Until then however, I'm gonna use this baby and enjoy myself!
![]()
Well I guess I will hold off & wait a couple of months . The last barrage of postings have convinced me to wait it out . At my age patience has finally set in . If I hear nothing about a new Imac in the near future I will check back with ya'll.I appeciate everyones insight & guidence on this difficult & relatively expensive decision .