New Mac Purchase Strategy - Seeking advice

[nasadave]

I am in desperate need to get a new Mac as my dual-867 G4 is now approaching it's 6 year mark. I like the new iMacs and even the MacMinis, but with OS X.5 just around the corner I've been putting it off.

So here's what I'm considering. Sometimes when Apple announces a confirmed ship date for a new OS they will allow all computers purchased within the window prior to that date a coupon to get the next OS.

The way I look at it, if I buy during that window, I can get the proven 10.4 OS and have the option of 10.5 if it proves to be a stable OS right out of the gate. If not, I can hold off on the installation until they fix the bugs.

So what does everyone thing... is this a feasible approach to upgrading?

 

[lofight]

I am in desperate need to get a new Mac as my dual-867 G4 is now approaching it's 6 year mark. I like the new iMacs and even the MacMinis, but with OS X.5 just around the corner I've been putting it off.

So here's what I'm considering. Sometimes when Apple announces a confirmed ship date for a new OS they will allow all computers purchased within the window prior to that date a coupon to get the next OS.

The way I look at it, if I buy during that window, I can get the proven 10.4 OS and have the option of 10.5 if it proves to be a stable OS right out of the gate. If not, I can hold off on the installation until they fix the bugs.

So what does everyone thing... is this a feasible approach to upgrading?

There is a small risk, you can't be sure when they are going to start shipping leopard... it could be mid-october or late-october. and if they say there ship date , how can you be sure you'll get the coupon??

 

[nasadave]

There is a small risk, you can't be sure when they are going to start shipping leopard... it could be mid-october or late-october. and if they say there ship date , how can you be sure you'll get the coupon??

Usually when they announce a hard shipping date they start shipping all computers with the coupon. I would, of course, ask before buying.

 

[dmied]

Sounds like a great idea to me

Considering that you'll know before you buy if you'll get Leopard for free, I'd say you've got a great plan, and congratulations on your patience. I was working with an iBook G3 500mhz and sprung for a new iMac this spring, so I'll be paying full price if I upgrade to Leopard.

 

[fhopper]

funny thing happened on my way to the upgrade

I too have a dual 867 and decided on the new 24" iMac. The estimated ship date was October 12 so I ordered it thinking surely Leopard would ship with it. It shipped on Sep 16!!! Now what? Oh well, I suppose I will buy the new OS, they really don't cost much anyway, it just would have been nice to have it pre-installed.

 

[DaveF]

I am in desperate need to get a new Mac as my dual-867 G4 is now approaching it's 6 year mark. I like the new iMacs and even the MacMinis, but with OS X.5 just around the corner I've been putting it off.

You've made it nearly 72 months. What's another month or two?

Your strategy is reasonable if you know when the upgrade coupons are released.

But I feel your pain, as I was in a similar situation this Spring. I had a 6+ year old PC and had decided to by a new Mac. I was waiting, and expecting, new MacBook Pros, iLife 08 and Leopard to all be released in April. Alas, only the MBP appeared, with iLife and Leopard delayed significantly. So I bought my MBP; two months later bought iLife 08. And in a month or so will buy Leopard. Apple has my wallet and now they're taking my watch and jewelry!

 

[MorzillA]

I am in desperate need to get a new Mac as my dual-867 G4 is now approaching it's 6 year mark. I like the new iMacs and even the MacMinis, but with OS X.5 just around the corner I've been putting it off.

So here's what I'm considering. Sometimes when Apple announces a confirmed ship date for a new OS they will allow all computers purchased within the window prior to that date a coupon to get the next OS.

The way I look at it, if I buy during that window, I can get the proven 10.4 OS and have the option of 10.5 if it proves to be a stable OS right out of the gate. If not, I can hold off on the installation until they fix the bugs.

So what does everyone thing... is this a feasible approach to upgrading?

So am I to assume that after 6 years the G4 won't be of any use?!

 

[nasadave]

So am I to assume that after 6 years the G4 won't be of any use?!

It still has some value, but I do a lot of video editing and my last iMovie project took over 24 hours to render. Not to mention that my G4 is plagued by a constant sleep-wake problem where I am unable to wake up the computer half of the time. (If anyone has a solution to this, I'm all ears - when I press a button the fan starts to spin up, the hard drive starts to spin up, then everything kicks off completely. I have to unplug, wait 10 seconds, and replug the computer to get it to turn on again.)

 

[kristofor]

I like your plan.

I'm so impatient that I might buy a mac mini with tiger. Then I will get the imac once leopard comes out and because i bought the mac mini have a nice home theatre setup.

Your certainly much more patient than I am.

 

[MorzillA]

It still has some value, but I do a lot of video editing and my last iMovie project took over 24 hours to render. Not to mention that my G4 is plagued by a constant sleep-wake problem where I am unable to wake up the computer half of the time. (If anyone has a solution to this, I'm all ears - when I press a button the fan starts to spin up, the hard drive starts to spin up, then everything kicks off completely. I have to unplug, wait 10 seconds, and replug the computer to get it to turn on again.)

hmmmmmm......I see, yes, mine does the sleep thing too where I am gone for may be 45 minutes and find my G4 "off" them I hit the space bar and the whirling starts up, but was not aware of the fact that it messes up the video rendering (plan to do some in the near future with OS X 10.5) 😱

Will try to look into this issue this weekend since I'm the only one who knows minimal work on a Mac and everyone else is like 😕 I only know Windows....duhhhhhhhhhhh!! FOOLS!

Once I find the answer to the sleep issue I will Post it