Want to buy, but nothing to buy

[Abulia]

I picked up a 17" iMac last week that was essentially DOA. I got my money back and have returned the unit. However, I did like the Mac for the brief period that I got to use it.

I find myself in a real quandary, and as an IT professional *wanting* to buy a Mac, Apple sure is making it hard on me! The iMac fits a niche that I think really suits me, yet the machine is (by all accounts) horribly overpriced and underpowered. My options:

1. Don't need/want a laptop. No iBook or PB.
2. eMacs use CRTs. I haven't used a CRT in years. I have no desire to go backwards in my computing experience.
3. iMacs are way overpriced for a 1.25 Ghz machine and showing their age. The oft-believed iMac update at the WWDC didn't happen. If there was an iMac update that made these even slightly more cost-effective I'd be all over them.
4. The Power Mac is way more computing power then I need.

Here I am, wanting to buy an Apple computer and it seems like Apple's gone out of their way to create this computing void between "budget/entry level" and the "power user."

What should I be buying?

I suppose a Power Mac is an option but that's a lot of cash for just a CPU that I wouldn't be taxing with any great processing. However I would be "future proof" for a fair bit with the G5. The downside is that I have to use my own display; I enjoyed the "sexy" iMac display. Purchasing an Apple display pushes me in the $2500 range; far more than I want to spend.

The prudent move would be waiting I suppose for news on a new iMac. (Then waiting for them to make it and ship it.)

I just find it funny that I have money in my pocket to spend and Apple doesn't have anything that suits my needs. It boggles my mind that there is this void in their product line.

 

[davincijones]

I agree

I agree with you about the rift in Apple's product line. My powermac recently died and I need a new computer. But I don't want to spend the cash for the G5 and if I bought a G4 tower I'd be spending way too much for a computer that's as powerful as the one it's replacing. And the value just isn't there. I love the mac os, but to a point. The price performance ratio on the lower end is way out of whack. So I'm selling the parts from my mac: upgrade card, graphics, etc and I bought a PC. The PC will tide me over until Apple releases something that appeals to me. I want to buy a G5 imac with Tiger installed,

 

[debo]

Why don't you just get a used powermac?

 

[Don't panic]

well, tomorrow is tuesday....
and a souped up g4 iMac will be offered to escort you in these dire times

 

[musicpyrite]

Why don't you just get a used powermac?

He said he did have the money, and there is way too much power there.

Don M,

I was in the same position as you were back in October.
I couldn't get a laptop. (personal prefrence, among other reasons)
I couldn't afford a PowerMac.
I don't have room for an eMac.

If I were you in this position, I would either say:

1)screw it, and go out a build a pc.
or
2)suck up your gut and buy an iMac.

What I don't understand is why you don't want a laptop. If you don't want to be portable or risk it getting it stolen, bolt it to your desk. Thats why there are security locks for PowerBooks. (and iBooks)

 

[Espnetboy3]

i hate to say it but crt's are sharper and render pixels quicker than the lcd flat panels , now i dont know about the reaction time on the new ones but as a graphic design major i bought a crt.

 

[Sabbath]

There definitely is a void between the PM and eMac which appear pretty good buys but a fair distance apart. For people wanting something in the middle the iMac just isn't doing it right now. The iMac seems set for a G5 and surely it must come sometime soon, but then we are not dealing with logic hear but the tech industry.
I would feel the iMac G5 will be out as soon as Apple can possibly get it out, when that is anyones guess however. The eWeek comments last week seemed much more positive for a iMac G5 and eventually a PB G5, lets just hope it come soon.

 

[mrorange]

ME TOO

I need a new computer, wanted a mac, waited until today and was seriously disappointed. I just ordered a refurb 20" imac for $1799. More screen than I would've ordered if the new ones came out, but at least that'll keep me happy when the g5s are here....I hope. Oh well, mac resale value is really good if not.

 

[thehuncamunca]

apple unfortunately does not have a desktop computer that is less than 2K that you can upgrade, quite a market to lose out on cause many people want something that is upgradeable and will not spend 2K for a powermac

i would suggest you look at the refurbished 1.6GHz powermac for $1299, it's the most bang for your buck

 

[QCassidy352]

yes, there is quite a void now, and the imac should be filling it, but instead it's practically the price of a powermac with the power of an emac. The imac line has just gotten to be an embarrassment; apple has rarely offered a worse deal.

I would say either wait on imac updates, or, if you can't wait, pick up a something like a discounted 1.6 Ghz G5 or a dual G4 1.25. Both would give you plenty of power and a far cheaper price than the current G5s.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

well, tomorrow is tuesday....
and a souped up g4 iMac will be offered to escort you in these dire times

From your mouth to God's ears....

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

yes, there is quite a void now, and the imac should be filling it, but instead it's practically the price of a powermac with the power of an emac. The imac line has just gotten to be an embarrassment; apple has rarely offered a worse deal.

I would say either wait on imac updates, or, if you can't wait, pick up a something like a discounted 1.6 Ghz G5 or a dual G4 1.25. Both would give you plenty of power and a far cheaper price than the current G5s.

I know that I am thinking about going with the eMac, and damn the iMac. I might be willing to hold for a week or two, but not much more. Apple is missing the boat. I would be at the Apple store in the morning if there were a iMac G5.

From what people say Apple does not make much off the eMac. But if I buy an eMac, i will NOT[/b} be buying an G% Apple for 2 to 3 years!

That will be Apple's (and my loss in the log term) for not meeting the nees of the consumer.

 

[kuyu]

I too have a bank account with a year and a half savings for a new mac. But, just when I get the money together there's nothing that looks attractive. The G5's are nice, but I can't spend $2,500 on a computer. The emac's are nice (using one now), but they will be obsolete by X-mas. And the imac is really just an emac, an LCD screen, and a $500 luxury tax.

The ibooks are cool, but like the emac and imac, not fast enough to last 2-3 years. This leaves the powerbooks. These are Apple's moneymaker right now. Except for the trade off between GPU and size. Why can't we get a good GPU in a 12 incher???

In the end, Apple isn't selling anything that will be able to run the OS's, technologies, games and apps of the coming 24 months except for the G5's. Great if you've got a G5, crappy if you don't. I guess we're forced to buy powermac's.