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Memory in New $1099 iMac is Soldered and Not Upgradable
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Maybe this has to do with being able to brag about becoming really green... like next year thy will be able to say their average computer uses so much less power and runs just as fast. Most people who would buy this probably are currently using a computer which burns twice the power and gives similar if not even lower performance anyway.
Cost of ownership should be lower with this model too since electric bills will be lower... ok so maybe by only 10 cents a year, but still it all adds up
What nonsense? That Apple RAM is better quality or that Apple should solder on the RAM? They're different issues. Yeah, Apple RAM seems to be better quality, both in reliability and in specs, but I don't care.
Apple doesn't make RAM, they buy it like everyone else from the same companies that everyone else does. There is no superior quality Apple RAM.
one would think apple really learned from their experience selling non-upgradeable rmbp and macbook airs to not pull this type of stunt on imacs </sarcasm>
Yeah, these cruddy parts in an otherwise high-end machine doesn't make sense no matter what the price is. For $699 (adding in the cost of a keyboard, mouse, and display), you'd expect a decently fast non-Mac PC that's pretty low-quality all around but is still much faster than this iMac.
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You can do that if you want. From personal experience, though, the "discount" RAM breaks more often for unexplained reasons. Had a bad experience with cheap RAM in an iMac. I've read that certain brands of RAM are better quality, and they're more expensive. Apple-branded ones are usually Kingston.
You don't have to buy Apple-branded RAM to get the best quality, but that's one way to. Oh yeah, and it also matters when you're selling a used Mac on eBay whether or not it has Apple-branded RAM in it. Sanctioned vs non-sanctioned.
All in one computers are known for not being upgrade friendly. Can't upgrade the video card either. But it looks to be priced for the average everyday computer user/business owner as an entry level iMac.
Apple ram is the same **** every other manufacturer has. Plus I can get equally if not better options, more options, warranty and support from other companies.
The average person doesn't care about upgradability, doesn't know about upgradability, and specially doesn't know what RAM even is. If you are on this website, you are not the average person...
With that said, I can understand this move on things like MacBooks (doesn't mean I like it though). However, for $1099 there is absolutely no reason to do this on a desktop. It's obvious that this move only benefits Apple's bottom line, money.
With that said, I can understand this move on things like MacBooks (doesn't mean I like it though). However, for $1099 there is absolutely no reason to do this on a desktop. It's obvious that this move only benefits Apple's bottom line, money.
AppleScruff1, I was at the Apple store a few months ago. The blue shirt was moving me toward the iPad Air. I asked him how much RAM the Air had. His response was that he didn't know. I asked him to find out. He said no one in the store knows. Went on to say that no one knows, not even Apple.
I must look really stupid. I hope that this type of duplicity is an issue at my area Apple store and not a company wide issue.
BTW I voted for you to be my spokesperson
The Air has 1GB. The only negative I have with it is the tab reloading in Safari and Chrome. It would be almost perfect otherwise. I still think it is the best tablet on the market. And for the record, I don't consider it in the same category as the Surface Pro. And I also think the Surface Pro is an outstanding product.
I must be lucky, the Apple store I usually go to has good people on the floor. I've actually gotten to the point of dealing with one in particular. If he's not available, I'll come back again. He's earned that for the service he has provided to me and my wife, and especially to her. But I've heard of people going to the other Apple Stores in the area and having a hit or miss experience. The store I go to is very busy in a busy, upscale mall. I've got nothing negative to say about them at all. There's a Microsoft store there too, 2 doors away! And they have very friendly, helpful people there too. And they are always giving away goodies and having promotions. I got Office for the iPad free and Windows 8 free. I just got a bracket poster for the World Cup too. A month or so ago they were giving away free Windows phones, but I had no luck that day.
If you are considering an iPad Air, it might pay to wait until the new model comes out, but either way, it is a great product and I recommend it.
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Crap by Apple standards
Honestly, I don't even think that. It just needs to be priced at $799 or even $899 and I think it would be a good deal.
Seriously, I wish apple would stay out of the "cheaper (insert apple device here)" market. Bottom line, you get what you pay for. And I for one, don't mind paying for the cost of quality. Also the apple refurbished store is the better option, for saving money. just saying' 
What would they be doing that's making the Mac require more RAM? Why would someone who doesn't even know what RAM is be insulted about soldered-on RAM? Yeah, it stinks for techies, but some people don't care.
Apple will drop support for it long before that will likely happen. If the newer version operating system would put too much strain on the hardware.
I guess I fall into the camp of those that feel Apple is not doing a service to the public with this model.
1) Green is more than manufacturing as it also has to do with durability. This Mac is only as good as its ability to handle applications and OS which over time become hungrier for more CPU and possibly video power.
2) The price of this get into the Mac Family is high. There are Windows counterparts that are far cheaper or at the same price but more powerful.
I am glad I don't have these problems in my life now. I will never own (again) an iMac. Apple keeps reducing our real options by telling us we want certain models plus the Apple tax for BTO on RAM and drives which is just downright obscene. This new Mac is simply an anemic pathetic piece of .... Apple appears to be counting on the masses of those folks that don't realize they are being ripped off. Shameful.
1) Green is more than manufacturing as it also has to do with durability. This Mac is only as good as its ability to handle applications and OS which over time become hungrier for more CPU and possibly video power.
2) The price of this get into the Mac Family is high. There are Windows counterparts that are far cheaper or at the same price but more powerful.
I am glad I don't have these problems in my life now. I will never own (again) an iMac. Apple keeps reducing our real options by telling us we want certain models plus the Apple tax for BTO on RAM and drives which is just downright obscene. This new Mac is simply an anemic pathetic piece of .... Apple appears to be counting on the masses of those folks that don't realize they are being ripped off. Shameful.
No, it really isn't. The people that post on macrumors are NOT the target market for this machine, and the popular opinions on this board are certainly not parallel with the popular opinions of the mass-market demographic that this iMac model is for.
Most people will never, ever, open up their computer. Apple knows this. Nearly every normal/non-techie person I know who uses a Mac doesn't even know what RAM is. They just expect their computer to work.
I'm not talking about "discount" RAM. I'm talking about Crucial, Corsair, G Skil, Mushkin, etc, etc. These are all far cheaper to buy than what Apple charges at point of sale. Apple "superior quality" RAM is nonsense.
The soldered RAM is a big bummer. I believe, with a move like this in a desktop computer (I understand soldering for the MBPr), they need to explain why.
The OS can barely handle 4 GB RAM. Most people recommend at least 8 GB RAM to run Mavericks. And now with Yosemite, the demands will be even greater. OS 10.11 and .12 will probably require 8 GB RAM as a minimum.
So, yes, Apple is selling a device that is already obsolete. Talk about disposable. It's like selling last year's iPhone with only 8GB when the updates require at least 3GB free space to do its thing.
So, yes, Apple is selling a device that is already obsolete. Talk about disposable. It's like selling last year's iPhone with only 8GB when the updates require at least 3GB free space to do its thing.
Its Pragmatic
This memory may look like a issue but its just pragmatic.
If you are doing anything more resource intensive that requires more than 8 gig's of RAM, then there is a high probability that you need a faster processor aswell. plus we already have the memory compression technology in OS-X, in any case any of your applications suddenly needs a little more memory the existing data in memory can be compressed to make space for more data. I dont see it as an issue.
This memory may look like a issue but its just pragmatic.
If you are doing anything more resource intensive that requires more than 8 gig's of RAM, then there is a high probability that you need a faster processor aswell. plus we already have the memory compression technology in OS-X, in any case any of your applications suddenly needs a little more memory the existing data in memory can be compressed to make space for more data. I dont see it as an issue.