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Snow leopard or OS X in a few years with current iMac ?

N

NStocks

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Apr 3, 2008
1,569
18
England
So I am 90% sure that I'm getting a iMac within the next 6 weeks. My question is since this is my first Mac, will it still be able to get and make good use of the versions of OS X later to come with the 24" iMac 2.8ghz ( Maybe the 3.06ghz). For example, on the current macrumors page, it is saying about new intel chips of laptops, now these will be multi core i understand. Obviously they will be slightly faster, but they will be able to do more as well. My question is, will Apple design all there future versions of OS for these type of chips, to get best performance out of them, or continue to optimize the use of the current ones.

I and like many people, don't want to be buying a iMac this summer, then finding out next January there are newer ones out that are loads faster and regret waiting until its announced about the new chips for IMacs. But waiting till next year isnt what i wanted and i know that people in response to this thread will say the current ones are great, which i have heard they are, but will my iMac still be able to cope with future versions of OS X. This is a bit veigh but would i need to upgrade the graphics for example to run OS 11, i know nobody can answer this, but just as brief explanation anyone who has owned a Mac since 2003, can/does Leopard work perfectly on it ?

NStocks
 
Leopard would run fine on a Power Mac from 2003. There is no OS 11 right now, nobody really knows anything right now. It's pretty safe to say any new Mac you buy now will be compatible for a while.
 
Any computer you buy will be outclassed by the next model, that's just the nature of the tech. Buy what you need when you need it is the only advice I can give you.

But yeah, based on Apple's history, I'd say you'll be fine. I still run most things on macs that were top of the line in 2001 and 2003 and they run smoothly and quickly. :)
 
Great, thats just what i wanted to hear. I'm just waiting to hear about when Apple are going to offer the free Ipod Touch with a Mac in the UK. Once i know i will be selling my current Pc, and ipod touch to make way for brand new Mac and Ipod :D

Thanks

NStocks
 
I am willing to bet that Mac OS would have to change A LOT in terms of apperance, features, and ability to warrant OS 11.

For now, Apple will probably just keep trucking along the 10.3, 10.4, 10.5 number line. That is until they reach 10.9....:apple::D
 
I'm sure the current iMac will be fine for years to come and probably the next two major OS upgrades. apple is really good about making their OS backward compatible with their old hardware. I just got a 2.8ghz 24" last week and i'm sure it will last a long time, unfortunately i'm the type of person thats constantly upgrading my technology, so in a year or less I will probably have a different system lol.
 
No

Don't buy an iMac now. Apple will be upgrading them. In fact, I wouldn't buy any of Apple's products, as they will upgrade them all.
 
appleretailguy said:
Don't buy an iMac now. Apple will be upgrading them. In fact, I wouldn't buy any of Apple's products, as they will upgrade them all.
Click to expand...

:O, Really ? Do you have any proof, when are they updating the iMac... before Christmas October ?

NStocks
 
Haha, its just that you're name makes it sound more convincing !

( Really, do you know when they are updating them :rolleyes: )

NStocks
 
NStocks said:
Haha, its just that you're name makes it sound more convincing !

( Really, do you know when they are updating them :rolleyes: )

NStocks
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm trying to change it. I don't work there anymore, but I do know that retail employees (meaning everyone, even the managers) have NO idea when new products will be announced. We/they work from the same assumptions the general public does.

Every once in a while we received new posters and whatnot, but no one ever saw them until the night before (after closing) the product was available.

Look at the buyer's guides on here. They are pretty good at keeping up.
 
Yeah, I've being checking on here almost everyday for the past few months, seeing if there is any news of the next update ( it was only 3 months since the last 1 I think). I have a friend who has the latest iMac and he says its very good, very fast - that was a upgrade from the Macbook Pro.

Unless i see something when the Ipod Touch offer comes out i will still be getting the current generation, I have no reason not to wait any longer, as long as Adobe dos'nt make a new editing suite ( current one is CS3, CS4 is suppost to be out October, and ideas of how it will run ont he current Imac Vs the new- future ones ) that uses multi core, I want be bothered.

Just looking at the buyers guide, the next update is scheduled to be in November :S
Thanks

NStocks
 
NStocks said:
Yeah, I've being checking on here almost everyday for the past few months, seeing if there is any news of the next update ( it was only 3 months since the last 1 I think). I have a friend who has the latest iMac and he says its very good, very fast - that was a upgrade from the Macbook Pro.

Unless i see something when the Ipod Touch offer comes out i will still be getting the current generation, I have no reason not to wait any longer, as long as Adobe dos'nt make a new editing suite ( current one is CS4 ) that uses multi core, I want be bothered.

Just looking at the buyers guide, the next update is scheduled to be in november :S
Thanks

NStocks
Click to expand...

Going back to your original question: You are probably going to want a new computer for the speed before the point at which Apple no longer supports it with new OSes. Who knows whether an iMac today will support 10.9, but almost assuredly it will support 10.6, and highly likely 10.7. 10.8 is more questionable, but that's probably 5 years from now and by then you'll be looking to upgrade to something else anyway.
 
Yer, you're probablly right. My current pc that im selling in a few weeks, I have had that almost 3 years and as you can tell im upgraing ( but not because i need to, I really want a Mac and it will help with my photography in a way ). So like yu say in 5 years or son, Apple would have probablly invented a new OS, which will only work on certain machines.

Like what Microsoft is doing : They are supporting Windows XP until 2012 I think, so Apple will probablly do something similar, once they has established that most of the market ( apple Industry ) has upgraded anyway ?

NStocks
 
bigjnyc said:
I'm sure the current iMac will be fine for years to come and probably the next two major OS upgrades. apple is really good about making their OS backward compatible with their old hardware. I just got a 2.8ghz 24" last week and i'm sure it will last a long time, unfortunately i'm the type of person thats constantly upgrading my technology, so in a year or less I will probably have a different system lol.
Click to expand...

Two? The G5 I have shipped with Jaguar, and my G4 shipped with OS9.1...
 
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