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Apple should make their stuff great not cripple it.

Even the low end iMac should have fully upgradeable RAM.

But I guess you could argue that the iPhone's RAM can't be upgraded, either!
 
As if you needed any more evidence that this is meant for institutional buyers. They don't care about specs or upgradeability. They care about price only, and this imac is cheaper. Period.
 
I'm assuming the people buying this model wouldn't be upgrading the memory and those complaining about it would never buy this model in the first place.

Maybe because most people wouldn't know or think to ask if it's upgradeable or not and find out a year or two down the line when they bring it in to see if it can be upgraded to speed things up? Just a thought.
 
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The current 21.5" hasn't ever had upgradable RAM has it? Only the 27" since they dropped the disc drive...
 
Consumers don't want upgradeable parts. They don't care. This is a sensible move from Apple and I support it 100%.

Look I agree with you in some respects, the entry level Mac Users they are aiming for with this aren't looking for upgrade options, just an off the shelf model.

BUT….

There really is no need to do this. It can't be that much cheaper to have it locked down in this manner, then to have it not locked down. The entry level customers still wouldn't touch their computer in order to upgrade it anyway. Just a bad decision.
 
No Contest - at all

Frankly, for an extra $200, I'll take the mid-range iMac, thank you.

Many iMac fans like to be able to upgrade the memory & have a few "extra horses under the hood."
 
What is going on around there? The last couple of years it is like they are trying to run their customers off. They have really started to show more arrogance. The only reason I will not leave right now is because I hate Windows. I also love OSX, but if they continue down this path I am not sure I will stay.
 
What pains me is that people who don't know any better will buy this. Lots of people. Those who don't understand the impact RAM, graphics, an SSD, etc, all have on your computer will end up with slow underperforming machines, and will probably think to themselves "what's the point of buying a mac?"

There was a day where anyone who had a mac had a machine that performed exceptionally well. Now, the lineup is littered with products that house old technology in new hardware for the sake of shaving up a small percentage of the price.

Talk about dilution!

This iMac is a joke. The iPhone 5c is a joke. Nothing innovative here, just Tim finding ways to make more money and please shareholders.
 
Does the new ULV mobile CPU in the iMac even support more than 8GB RAM?

this would also explain why apple did this...

I am like 95% sure that the CPU in the low-cost iMac only supports up to 8GB, therefore it makes perfect sense for apple to solder it in
 
I'm not saying its a valid reason. But I've no doubt most of the complaints about it will come from people who have zero intention of ever buying this model.

It doesn't matter who it comes from. It's simple a dumb decision. I hate it more when people try to justify some as stupid as this.

Let's say my mom purchased this with ram that was removeable. 3 years down the line she says it's running slow. I perform a clean install and purchase new ram for her.

Now, you're telling me people don't know someone tech savy? What are the two most common solutions for people that say their computer is running slow? Buy more ram and get an ssd.
 
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Maybe because most people wouldn't know or think to ask if it's upgradeable or not and find out a year or two down the line when they bring it in to see if it can be upgraded to speed things up? Just a thought.

Obviously Apple thinks the people they're targeting don't care and would never do it. I'm not trying to justify it; I said in the other thread that Apple should have made this model cheaper.
 
If this were $699, maybe $799, the price would be justified. But at $1099, it just has way too many compromises.

Even stranger - the CPU they put in is more expensive than the CPU in the $1299 iMac! This machine makes zero financial sense - to Apple or the consumer.
 
What pains me is that people who don't know any better will buy this. Lots of people. Those who don't understand the impact RAM, graphics, an SSD, etc, all have on your computer will end up with slow underperforming machines, and will probably think to themselves "what's the point of buying a mac?"

There was a day where anyone who had a mac had a machine that performed exceptionally well. Now, the lineup is littered with products that house old technology in new hardware for the sake of shaving up a small percentage of the price.

Talk about dilution!

This iMac is a joke. The iPhone 5c is a joke. Nothing innovative here, just Tim finding ways to make more money and please shareholders.

And that's the people that Apple is targeting with this, those that don't know any better. How's that for respecting your customers? I think it's a bit insulting.
 
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I'm assuming the people buying this model wouldn't be upgrading the memory and those complaining about it would never buy this model in the first place.

Yup. If they were to do this with the 27" model, I'd be first on the bus to go throw rocks at Apple HQ. But this is a new budget line iMac that comes with 8GB ram, no more, no less. As much as I hate the "consumers don't want X so olol" arguments, in this case, it's kinda true. People who might need to upgrade their ram at some point will likely opt for a faster computer over this one. It's a consumer machine through and through. Might as well solder in the memory and save a few cents producing the motherboards.

edit: I should add that I think of this machine as I do the iPhone 5C. A good idea, overpriced.
 
So let me sum up.

Same CPU as the MBA.
8gb non-upgradeable RAM.
500gb hard drive.

For $1099.

Meanwhile, a MBA with 8gb RAM is $999.

They should have taken a MBA body (without screen), put inside an iMac case, and connected the MBA to the screen. It'd be around the same price and a better deal.
 
Obviously Apple thinks the people they're targeting don't care and would never do it. I'm not trying to justify it; I said in the other thread that Apple should have made this model cheaper.

Honestly, I think Apple is arrogant enough to do it because they know people will buy it anyway. Again, just my opinion.
 
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