SSD Upgrade or Wait for Ivy Bridge?

[MacOG728893]

I'll try to make this as specific as possible so that I can hear everyones opinion.

My personal setup:
- iMac 27 [Late 2009]
- i5 2.66Ghz
- 16GB RAM
- 1TB 7200RPM HDD
-- Basically all stock except the RAM

I am thinking of purchasing a 120GB SSD for my OS and applications alone, I have heard this is the most substantial upgrade that can be done to any computer right now.

So what do you guys think? Should I throw that 120GB SSD in my current iMac and then sell it later when Ivy Bridge comes out or should I simply wait for Q2 of 2012? [By the way, I have a $75 GC to amazon that will bring the price down of a SSD]

Also, I thought I would throw this out there.. A friend is willing to sell me his iMac [i7 2.93Ghz, 12GB of RAM, stock, ect] for $1600. I have offers for my current iMac at $1400, so I will technically only be paying $200 for the processor and video card bump. Most people this wouldn't be too important, but I do a ton of video editing and it is extremely important to me.

So basically here are my options..
1. Upgrade my current iMac with the SSD and sell it in Q2 2012.
2. Do nothing and save some more money for Q2 2012.
3. Buy my friends iMac and install an SSD in that and pass on Ivy Bridge.

 

[monchiwai]

if I were you, I will pick option 2.
Your current setup sounds great enough to hold on till Ivy Bridge.

 

[MacOG728893]

if I were you, I will pick option 2.
Your current setup sounds great enough to hold on till Ivy Bridge.

Thanks for the reply all the way from Japan! I have felt this same way too, but the enthusiast in me is begging for an SSD lol. Thanks for the input, greatly appreciated!

 

[flynz4]

I have the same iMac as you. I am planning to replace it with IVB when available.

I am not going to open it and replace drives... but instead I will order it pre-configured. I am hoping a 3TB HDD option will be offered as well as a larger SSD.

There is no way that I will ever buy another computer without an SSD. This iMac is the only computer I've owned since early 2008 without an SSD, and only because an SSD option was not available at the time.

/Jim

 

[Wreckie]

Ivy. In terms of power efficiency it is must be, especially when combining with SSD, it is very low power usage. Also little speed boost.

 

[dylin]

Go with option 2. Ivy the latest mac will end up having other advantages as well for sure such as a better GPU, and who knows, maybe even more RAM standard, but i wont count on that last part.

 

[robbie12345]

number 1

go for number 1 and you won't be sorry the sad will give you a needed speed upgrade and then you will also be able to go ivy bridge

don't worry about the price of the sad because you will also be bake to use it in your sandy bridge iMac so you won't have to get rid of it also

be careful don't buy an sata 6g because your mac can't support it anyway so it will cost more and the extra speed won't be able to be used

 

[MacOG728893]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Thanks for all the replies! So even with a $75 gift card to amazon bringing down the price of an SSD, most of you would still wait?

- You say not to buy a Sata III drive because it costs more and the iMac won't take advantage of it? But would if the Ivy Bridge iMacs do? I would be future proofing correct or is more likely that the IB iMac still won't take avantage of Sata III?

 

[NMF]

Current 2011 iMacs support SATA-III drives (Apple just doesn't use them in their builds), so I see no reason why the 2012's wouldn't as well. Your 2009 does not though, so you'd be wasting your money if bought a SATA-III drive for that.

 

[MacOG728893]

Current 2011 iMacs support SATA-III drives (Apple just doesn't use them in their builds), so I see no reason why the 2012's wouldn't as well. Your 2009 does not though, so you'd be wasting your money if bought a SATA-III drive for that.

So buy Sata II for cheap for my current iMac and then why I buy an Ivy Bridge iMac, buy a good Sata III for that?

 

[colonelbutt]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Thanks for all the replies! So even with a $75 gift card to amazon bringing down the price of an SSD, most of you would still wait?

- You say not to buy a Sata III drive because it costs more and the iMac won't take advantage of it? But would if the Ivy Bridge iMacs do? I would be future proofing correct or is more likely that the IB iMac still won't take avantage of Sata III?

I wouldn't wait

there is a new iMac & intel chipset at least every 12 months
Ivybridge will hardly make a difference to speed, sandybridge is very fast

If you have the money and need it now then buy

This is always the camera advice I give. People are always waiting for the next best thing. Do you want to take pictures now or not !!!!!

 

[heimbachae]

Everyone is missing a point: new processors do have issues. Older ones, while the name/architecture will be out of date, usually are at their prime by the end of cycle. I guess it comes down to need. Do you need one now or can you wait? I have the same comp as you, and I'd say wait it out, see what the next gen will be like at least.

 

[mrlittlejohn]

HMMMM

We just purchased a late 2011 iMac with just a 500Gb drive.

You are saying that these new models support SATA-III drives?

Would it be advisable to put a SSD for OS and programs on and purchase a 2Tb SATA-III internal drive to store on?


By the way - as for the OP question... I agree, if you have the funds now and the need - get you a system now. Haven't you seen the commercial of the guy driving so proudly in his convertible with his latest and greatest G5 computer in the back seat that he just purchased. While he is driving, he sees a billboard ad being updated for the latest and greatest G6 computer that is just coming out. You will keep waiting and waiting for the newest technology if you let yourself get into that mindset.



Thanks,
Mike

 

[MacOG728893]

I don't "necessarily need" it right now as I have a pretty solid setup as it is.

Only thing is that I am thinking about purchasing a Sata II SSD to hold me over until I buy an Ivy Bridge iMac, which I will buy a newer Sata III SSD then.