Has anyone else ever noticed that the people who already have Alum. iMacs (see his signature) always seem to guess that the next update will occur as far as far away as possible?
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The NEXT iMac update?
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Has anyone else ever noticed that the people who already have Alum. iMacs (see his signature) always seem to guess that the next update will occur as far as far away as possible?
Has anyone else ever noticed that the people who already have Alum. iMacs (see his signature) always seem to guess that the next update will occur as far as far away as possible?
Not really
if another a newer model was released tomorrow i would simply exchange my current one, if needed.... no hassle whatsoever.
I just don't think there will be a major change for a long time, maybe a price drop, who knows...
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Before you buy that iMac... Have you thought of a single Quad core Mac Pro?
It's priced the same as the 2.8GHz iMac ($2299), more powerful and has better expansion options. I think that was Apple's new "tower" right there (netdog on MacRumors has already taken to calling it the Mac Pro Jr
Keep in mind that if you don't have a monitor laying around the house (I don't) that you have to buy a new monitor, which could add $150 or so more to the price ($599 if you want to add the 20 inch ACD).
Oh, how I would love the iMac gaining true upgradeability. Or, more correctly, how I would love Apple to be the iMac truly upgradeable. That way, in two years or so, I could order a new GPU (a brand spanking new Nvidia 9700GT, or something like that) and be able to play that future's today's games at native resolutions, with settings all whacked up, like I (still) can now.
Man, how great would that be? Brilliant, if you ask me, as I'm planning to keep this iMac as long as I've held onto my last one, which I bought mid-2002. So that's over five years. That means, no new Mac until sometime in 2012.
vtprinz,
Thank you for looking so in-depth into the topic. I found your analysis very interesting. One thing that I think you may have wanted to consider however, is the update to Intel processors and what this means for Apple's upgrade path.
To me, it would seem that since now Macs can be compared to PCs far more easily since their 'insides' are more similar after the change. Because of this, don't you think Apple will have to more closely match vendors such as Dell and HP, and make sure that their products are getting processor updates faster or nearly as fast as the competition? Obviously Apple differentiates in so many ways from these companies, an thus they are not DIRECT competitors... but people will be comparing hardware from the three companies, and this would lead me to believe that Apple will begin to follow a bit quicker update policy. This is purely conjecture of course.
I am looking to buy in the next month, no later than February, and had all but decided to wait until the update came out. Now you've got me second guessing myself.
I certainly understand that Apple is supposed to, or at least should, update more frequently now that they're on the Intel side. Unfortunately though, it's too early to tell if this is the case. For all we know it could be a longer amount of time between updates now. After all, if you look at the buyer's guide, starting with the Intel iMac introduction in 2006, there has only been 2 updates, the first after an 8 month span, the second after an 11 month span (although that was the aluminum re-design). If we want to keep with my previous method and throw out the re-design time span, we're left with only an 8 month span to judge by (~224 days). Of course it's statistically meaningless to go by one data point, so in all honesty, IF the product recycle time has indeed changed since the Intel switch, we have no idea what it is yet.
Actually, looking at the rest of the mac line, the only product that has seen more frequent updates since its Intel transition is the macbook pro, but I'm pretty sure that has to do with the G5 troubles, so there were few upgrade options for the G4 powerbook (one of the main reasons for the switch in the first place). The macbook seems to be about the same as it's ibook ancestor, and the Mac Pro, as I'm sure everyone knows, has only had 1 update since it's 08/06 intel switch, a 2x longer span between updates than the powermac, and the same is the case with the mini.
So really, from the highly limited data that we have, it seems more like the update cycle has either stayed the same, or possibly even gotten worse since the switch to Intel....
I'm getting quite disheartened now
I love the design of the new iMac's and I am itching to buy one (although I don't NEED one which is why I'm waiting). I just wish they'd update something in the iMac...
I'm wondering whether an update for the iMac will be sometime around WWDC. Any thoughts?
Basically, whatever the update is, I'll then go and buy. I just don't want a Revision A iMac. (Will however be buying a Rev A MBP if one's released tomorrow)...in addition to the iMac.
If the processor goes up to 2.6GHZ standard with either a higher spec gpu or even just an upgrade to 512MB on the current GPU would be nice
I love the design of the new iMac's and I am itching to buy one (although I don't NEED one which is why I'm waiting). I just wish they'd update something in the iMac...
I'm wondering whether an update for the iMac will be sometime around WWDC. Any thoughts?
Basically, whatever the update is, I'll then go and buy. I just don't want a Revision A iMac. (Will however be buying a Rev A MBP if one's released tomorrow)...in addition to the iMac.
If the processor goes up to 2.6GHZ standard with either a higher spec gpu or even just an upgrade to 512MB on the current GPU would be nice
If they did change the gpu what card do you think use? Also I thought the curent mac had some heat issues, so wouldnt upgrading the gpu not help the situation.
Faster doesn't necessarily mean hotter. (i.e. new Penryn processors run faster, with more processing power, but use less energy and produce less heat)
Yeah this is a tough spot for those looking to buy a new iMac. I've been shopping around for one myself as I'm a current PC owner, and my POS PC is almost 5 years old so it's slow as hell. I won't have the money budgeted for an iMac until late March/early April so I really hope there'll be an update by that time. If not, I'll be in a real tough spot as it'll probably be very close to an update.
Intel Penryn chips delayed
If Apple has intensions of putting the new Intel Penryn chips into their computers they'll have to wait, and those of us waiting will be delayed further. See this site for a quick discussion of this:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/15/intel-experiencing-worldwide-penryn-delays/
I'm in the market for a new iMac 20" or 24" but I'm trying to put off the purchase until some kind of update. I'm not optimistic about the timeframe and figure it won't be until august or september because they just came out with the new aluminum iMacs. My biggest beef with the iMacs are their lousy graphics chip/card and the inability to upgrade. Oh... how I would salivate over a budget iMac that was upgradeable.
If Apple has intensions of putting the new Intel Penryn chips into their computers they'll have to wait, and those of us waiting will be delayed further. See this site for a quick discussion of this:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/15/intel-experiencing-worldwide-penryn-delays/
I'm in the market for a new iMac 20" or 24" but I'm trying to put off the purchase until some kind of update. I'm not optimistic about the timeframe and figure it won't be until august or september because they just came out with the new aluminum iMacs. My biggest beef with the iMacs are their lousy graphics chip/card and the inability to upgrade. Oh... how I would salivate over a budget iMac that was upgradeable.
Has anyone else ever noticed that the people who already have Alum. iMacs (see his signature) always seem to guess that the next update will occur as far as far away as possible?
That's TOTALLY ridiculous!! I don't know where you came up with that wacked out idea.
By the way I don't think there will be an iMac update for quite some time to come.
I'm confused - I'm also in the market for a 24 inch iMac (looking to buy within the next week but as up-to-date as possible). From what some people are saying, it'll be a long time until the next update, but the iMac Buyer's Guide says to wait.
Any recommendations?
Thanks, Alex
Any recommendations?
Thanks, Alex
so i should buy one today since my PC finally died last night???
Will i notice a difference between the 2.0 and the 2.4 20 inch??
Yes. Not necessarily because of the processor (although it is 20% faster), but definitely because of the better GPU (128MB 2400 XT vs 256MB 2600 XT*). Mac OS X has become really GPU-hungry (especially Leopard), so even buying the iMac just for the better GPU should be justifiable.
*) And yes it actually is an XT card.
The last user to respond to your query knows what he's talking about. The graphics cards on the iMacs are hurtin', even the Macbook Pros graphics cards are better for games or simulators than those in the iMac. The ATI HD2400XT that comes with the 20" 2.0GHz should work but it'd be poor. The ATI HD2600 Pro that comes with the 20" 2.4GHz has better performance and more memory within the card and that's important. As mentioned earlier the processor speed isn't the bottleneck - the graphics card is. These graphics cards are considered low end or really low mid end cards by PC gamers. Unfortunately they aren't upgradeable. If you do have one of these cards, getting some after-market RAM will certainly boost performance. I just bought 2GB of ram today and it cost a total of $69.20 Canadian. A cheap and effective performance boost. At the Apple store it would have been $199.00 +tax for the equivalent quality RAM.
I've heard of Mac/Apple users who got Microsoft's Flightsimulator X to work reasonably well on a 1.83 GHz iMac with an integrated Intel 950 graphics chip. If that chip can work, the iMacs you're considering will both work fine, although I would spend the extra $ to get the upgraded one. You can always consider getting a higher end 'refurbished' iMac from the Applestore (bottom left of the store page). Let me know what you decide and how it goes
One of us is confused. The new 24" iMacs come in either 2.4GHz or the upgraded 2.8 GHz. The 20" comes in 2.0 or 2.4 GHz. Were you talking about the older 24" ones??
For what it's worth, I'm waiting as long as possible before I buy my new 20" or 24" iMac in the hopes that I can wait long enough for a 'speed bump' upgrade or price drop from Apple. I'm also going to upgrade the RAM with after-market RAM and save myself hundreds of dollars by not getting this upgrade by Apple. I won't be sacrificing quality either.
That's TOTALLY ridiculous!! I don't know where you came up with that wacked out idea.
By the way I don't think there will be an iMac update for quite some time to come.
While you're likely to be correct about no significant upgrades to the iMacs in the near future (because they've just recently came out with the aluminum ones); it is reasonable to expect a 'speed bump' upgrade sometime soon. The new Intel penyrn chips could be used or some other faster processor options, or even (I wish) a better graphics card. Apple sometimes even lowers the price between significant upgrades. So while I would agree with you on the likely-hood of any big changes before August or thereabouts, I still think we can expect a speed bump increase by the end of February. Just my thoughts
While you're likely to be correct about no significant upgrades to the iMacs in the near future (because they've just recently came out with the aluminum ones); it is reasonable to expect a 'speed bump' upgrade sometime soon. The new Intel penyrn chips could be used or some other faster processor options, or even (I wish) a better graphics card. Apple sometimes even lowers the price between significant upgrades. So while I would agree with you on the likely-hood of any big changes before August or thereabouts, I still think we can expect a speed bump increase by the end of February. Just my thoughts
Thank you, but I was actually just having a go at Fivepoint's observation about those with aluminum iMacs in their signatures (see my signature below
) always predicting the next iMac update to be as far away as possible.It is nice to actually own the current thing in the Mac world but I realize "speed bumps", processor changes or new GPU options could come at any time. I bought my current iMac on the date of its release so as to maximize my time with the "latest model".
Thank you, but I was actually just having a go at Fivepoint's observation about those with aluminum iMacs in their signatures (see my signature below
It is nice to actually own the current thing in the Mac world but I realize "speed bumps", processor changes or new GPU options could come at any time. I bought my current iMac on the date of its release so as to maximize my time with the "latest model".
I'm jealous
How's the big screen for these RC games? How would you compare it to the 20"? I can't decide between 20 or 24".