Is anyone considering waiting until Haswell?

[LYFK]

I just sold my 2007 Santa Rosa MBP and currently waiting for hardware refreshes. I'd probably want another MBP or an iMac but I'm wondering if this is the right year to commit. I'm contemplating buying a refurb Mac Mini to hold me over for another year.

Is anyone else considering doing the same? What are your reasons either way?

 

[ditzy]

Next year, when the next latest and greatest comes out, there will be a new latest and greatest around the corner. If new processors are coming out next month it makes sense to wait, if they're coming out next year, it really doesn't.

 

[Medic278]

The marry go round never stops. There will always be something better and faster coming down the pipe. The old MacRumors adage holds true, if you need one buy one, if not then wait. You'll only be on top of the technology hill for so long before some new processor knocks you off.

 

[kyjaotkb]

I'd say the jump from SB to IB is not really worth upgrading. Anything else should be more visible.

On a side note, the Haswell update will be a "tock" move from intel, hence a more radical move in architecture (like Core to SB).

 

[Paulywauly]

Personally, i've always found advantages to buying computers in time with releases of new major CPU architectures e.g. Core 2 Duo, Sandy Bridge etc.

The resell value of the computer stays higher for longer, your new kit is more likely to support the latest OS's a little longer. The outer cases of the machines may change with a refresh, but overall the revisions to components isnt as big. less of a kick in the nuts when watching the latest product laugh keynote

I have a late 09 iMac rocking a core 2 duo which looking back was a mistake as i should have waited 2 months for the Nethelem chips, the performance increase was large. Because of that my iMac lost half its value in less than a year, where as the first Core 2 duo iMac (late 2006) kept half its value at 3 years with a cheap ram upgrade.

I'm holding out for Haswell as my machine is okay for me for now and still in warrenty. Unlike me though, it sounds like you dont have a computer right now, so would be silly not to just go out and buy something you need. You could get your Mini and see how you feel with it in a year? You may still be happy with it then, or if you feel you need the extra power you could sell it and get a new one

 

[velocityg4]

Personally I'm waiting for 128 core, 33Ghz, Quantum CPU's, holographic displays and biochemical data storage.

On a more serious note I buy a new computer when my current one no longer does the job I want or need it to do. I'll probably keep my 2006 C2D MB another three or four years as I just need it for basic diagnostic work at jobsites. When I can no longer run the latest OS X or Windows smoothly it is no longer useful. Sure the next revision or two of OS X may no longer support it but I'm sure there will be some hack available.

As for my two year old gaming rig. It will probably be replaced with Ivy Bridge and Radeon HD 7800 series or GeForce GTX 670/660 series since there are some new games I am interested in that won't play smoothly at 1920x1200, high settings and at least 2x AA/AF. Which is what I want it to do.

 

[maflynn]

I go by the mantra that if you need one now, get one now. If you can wait, then do so.

I see little reason to fall the cycle of waiting for the latest and greatest around the corner. Why stop at Hawell and go for the chipset after that or the one the one in 2014?