Where are the iMacs?

[rawdawg]

Let's figure this out ourself....

This is exactly the answer I have been looking for in the many threads I've contributed regarding the OP's question. I wish more people here were as helpful as you in your answer because I must say I clearly do not have the knowledge you have for this discussion.

You start off saying "Let's figure this out ourself" but what many don't understand is not all of us know the slightest bit in order to figure this out ourselves. Maybe that's where the bad rap comes from regarding unhelpful IT guys. I'm not completely lost here, but have been looking for a clear and concise understanding of what we could expect and why we shouldn't be freaking out. And your response here has done that. In fact, I'm almost tempted to buy the old iMac. Those of us who don't understand these new technologies consider the current iMac like you describe the old PPC. I am very afraid of purchasing an out-of-date computer. But you make it sound like this isn't something we should worry about.

So let me say thanks. And also let this be an example of helpful information in a community dedicated to such yet victim to very unhelpful rhetoric regarding topics requiring an active understanding on new technologies.

----------

And USB3.
...Anyone who suggests someone should buy the current iMac is making a staggeringly stupid suggestion.

Scared again.....

 

[FrankHahn]

How to play the iMac game?

1. Get the current model if in a desperate need.
2. Otherwise, wait patiently for the release of THE NEW IMAC.
3. If you accidentally bought an iMac of the current generation, return it if you can; otherwise, enjoy using your iMac.

 

[AlDavis]

And USB3.
Just because you bought a 2011 iMac doesn't mean the rest of us are going to pay full ticket today for a 15-month-old device. It's a terrible value, end of story, period. The only logical courses of action at this stage are to wait, to buy an Apple notebook if a user's needs can be met by that, or to ditch Apple and get a PC, whether or not to Hackintosh it. Anyone who suggests someone should buy the current iMac is making a staggeringly stupid suggestion.

You are in error my friend...

Computers are not only for personal use. Business abroad need new computers because of their software updates and etc. We just purchased hundreds of new computers because of much need for them "now". Thousand of computers will be purchased by many companies even the day before the new release. Companies are not staggeringly stupid to put you on a maxed-out 2011 iMac.

Please understand that an iMac today is well advance than its competitor. From a business point of view, new technology must be backward compatible to work with PC's and Macs thus making thunderbolt of no use for PC's at this time.

Although I am forced to use both platforms, a maxed-out 2011 iMacs is amazing!

 

[12dylan34]

Today, a max-out iMax is all we could ever dream. It can definitely get the job done for all advance applications and it is a gamers dreams come true. So let's not let Apple's marketing strategies upset us. Let's try to stay happy. When I purchased the Mac pro G5-PPC, several months later Apple introduce the new Intel Mac Pros that really pissed-me off! Man...I was pissed! Nobody new nothing. It just hit the market and now, no one support the PPC's: not even Apple.

So I hope everyone can stay calm. If highly configure, the current iMac is a work horse and you cannot go wrong for buying it. If the new iMacs exceed our expectations, we can rest for sure that it will cost much, much more.

It doesn't sound like you use "advanced applications." More performance is ALWAYS better no matter what. Even a small amount is a few more effects you can have on a layer in After Effects without having to RAM preview, a few thousand more polygons in Cinema 4D before you start losing playback framerate, a few more layers in Photoshop. I'm sure that you're justifying your purchase of a 2011, and it's a great computer, but you're kidding yourself if you think that somehow your machine is as good as anyone will ever need. It'll eventually be obsolete, but so will whatever I end up buying. Just a bit later than yours.

Also, I'm almost certain that an updated iMac will be in the same price range of a similarly configured present day model.

 

[Roller]

Anyone who suggests someone should buy the current iMac is making a staggeringly stupid suggestion.

That's overstating the situation, I think. Given that new iMacs may be announced in a bit more than two weeks, I agree that anyone who can wait at least that long should. If my '09 iMac died tomorrow, I'd make do with my MacBook Air and a backup clone of my iMac's drive until the end of July. If no new iMac appeared then, I'd probably get an '11 iMac, even with its last gen CPU. I'd rather not have to do that, but I'd hardly call it staggeringly stupid.

 

[AlDavis]

That's overstating the situation, I think. Given that new iMacs may be announced in a bit more than two weeks, I agree that anyone who can wait at least that long should. If my '09 iMac died tomorrow, I'd make do with my MacBook Air and a backup clone of my iMac's drive until the end of July. If no new iMac appeared then, I'd probably get an '11 iMac, even with its last gen CPU. I'd rather not have to do that, but I'd hardly call it staggeringly stupid.

Well said and I agree with you 100%!

 

[Ddyracer]

15-month-old device.

Actually 14 months plus 6 days. Sorry, i had to do that

 

[iSayuSay]

To all the people whining about the extra cost of retina:

Go to the Apple store and configure a non-retina MacBook Pro of the same size to the same internal specs as the Retina MacBook Pro, you'll find that the non-retina with the same specs is 200 dollars more expensive. Then please come back and explain why that is, and no, "Apple ripping people off with BTO options" is not a viable argument.

Yeah right .. Just like paying Apple extra $600 for 16GB RAM or 256GB SSD on iMac BTO options. Cheap as hell, right

I still believe that BTO is where the biggest money come from.

 

[DisMyMac]

More performance is ALWAYS better no matter what.

Actually, I remember a couple of games from the 1990s that became unplayable on faster machines. I doubt that still happens though.

 

[d0nK]

Please understand that an iMac today is well advance than its competitor.

So a desktop computer with a laptop graphics card is the most advanced.
Riiiiiight.
Apple bubble much?

 

[mrmarts]

I got a macbook pro retina when it first came out so am out of pocket money also I have been buying games like crazy for my 27 iMac which is a 2010 model with 8gb of ram and is still running great on Rage, mini ninjas, quake 4, bio shock 2 and even diablo 3 and starcraft.

I will wait till my applecare warranty runs its course next year and see whats on the market. i wonder if the new macs will support the new 808.11ac standard, I know that USB 3.0 is one feature i want, i also would like retina display when i came to upgrade my rotting apple and higher graphic memory as i currently am using 512mb of ram.

I am bit sad on that as when i came to apple i never knew there was certain time when apple replace their models so if i had waited just 2 months i would had got the 1gb of video ram ah well my macbook pro retina has me covered for that.

And besides this at least i get to update to mountain lion for free when it comes out.

 

[JForestZ34]

And USB3.

And the new faster channel Thunderbolt. And the Nvidia 680 GPU. And an SSD at a price resembling the current market instead of what SSDs cost in spring of 2011. (They're less now.) And and and. And that's not counting speculative stuff like a higher RAM capacity (by modules or by total memory amount supported) and official support for larger HDDs like current 4TB models, etc. It goes on and on.

Just because you bought a 2011 iMac doesn't mean the rest of us are going to pay full ticket today for a 15-month-old device. It's a terrible value, end of story, period. The only logical courses of action at this stage are to wait, to buy an Apple notebook if a user's needs can be met by that, or to ditch Apple and get a PC, whether or not to Hackintosh it. Anyone who suggests someone should buy the current iMac is making a staggeringly stupid suggestion.

And your assuming that they will be release shortly. Just like EVERYONE thought they would be released at WWDC and guess what not even a mention of them. If you need one now buy now. I'm willing to bet its going to be a minimal spec bump, same design, same screen. Everyone waiting is gonna be mad when it only turn out to be a minimal update.


James

 

[ctdonath]

Everyone waiting is gonna be mad when it only turn out to be a minimal update.

"Minimal" updated will entail USB3, higher max RAM, >10% faster, etc. Those are no-brainers from just bumping the processor and following its direct ripple effects. For those of us who will drive the machine until it dies outright, those benefits from waiting a few more weeks can buy us months/years more longevity.

In light of that, I'll be happy with whatever improvements the next iMacs provide. (No, Apple isn't going to be stupid about it, so forget any "what if there's no USB3?" type inanities.)

 

[chevalier433]

Has anyone consider if maybe the new iMac has non upgradable RAM or the retina Macbook pro SSD?

 

[AlDavis]

And your assuming that they will be release shortly. Just like EVERYONE thought they would be released at WWDC and guess what not even a mention of them. If you need one now buy now. I'm willing to bet its going to be a minimal spec bump, same design, same screen. Everyone waiting is gonna be mad when it only turn out to be a minimal update.


James

This is so true indeed. At the WWDC, the iMac did not exist.

 

[emoore]

Has anyone consider if maybe the new iMac has non upgradable RAM or the retina Macbook pro SSD?

Why would it be not upgradable? The iMac is not a portable computer and until they put non upgradable RAM in the mini I think the iMac RAM will be upgradable.

 

[chevalier433]

Why would it be not upgradable? The iMac is not a portable computer and until they put non upgradable RAM in the mini I think the iMac RAM will be upgradable.

I didn't say it won't just a thought because some are in the rush to sell their 2011 model for the unknown upcoming one.

 

[forty2j]

And your assuming that they will be release shortly. Just like EVERYONE thought they would be released at WWDC and guess what not even a mention of them. If you need one now buy now. I'm willing to bet its going to be a minimal spec bump, same design, same screen. Everyone waiting is gonna be mad when it only turn out to be a minimal update.

The lack of WWDC release is explained by a switch to Nvidia GPUs. We were just hoping they would use AMD, since AMD's option was already available.

A "minimal spec bump" will include a 100% boost in GPU over 2011. I'll wait as long as I need to for that. A couldn't care less if they do or don't shave 5 millimeters off the profile and a centimeter off the chin or whatever.. I don't want touch (not practical, bad design) or Retina (panel too costly, GPUs not ready for the pixels).. all I want is 2012 internals (cpu, gpu, ssd) at 2012 prices.

Now, if there is no release in July, then we need to start taking the October Retina rumors seriously. But I just don't see it. October is an iOS month.

 

[xgman]

And USB3.
Anyone who suggests someone should buy the current iMac is making a staggeringly stupid suggestion.

Not if they can get it at the right price, which I suppose would be used or at least refurb'ed.

 

[iSayuSay]

So a desktop computer with a laptop graphics card is the most advanced.
Riiiiiight.
Apple bubble much?

I think what he meant by competition is all-in-one desktop computers. Not by the whole desktop like regular towers. Totally different class. MacPro might be more relevant.

iMac is the best AIO out there even compared to HP Z1, and ironically one of the cheapest too. I already compared and surprisingly iMac has the best value of them all.

Not because iMac is very good, but because other AIOs either suck or even more expensive.

 

[Mike Valmike]

Not if they can get it at the right price, which I suppose would be used or at least refurb'ed.

Actually thank you, you managed to catch the qualifier that I meant to include in my post and forgot. In fact, I WOULD suggest buying a 2011 iMac today... at no more than 70% of retail. That's the primary problem with it, is that it's a terrible value as priced and specced. And I don't even care about specs and that's still the truth.

Paying full ticket? Give it a few more weeks. Or however much longer it takes, actually.

Business that needs to buy today? Value doesn't matter for you as much as immediate deployment, but just be aware when it comes time to advise the decision-maker that he/she is taking what might be an unnecessary haircut on value by purchasing now.

Paying a deep discount? Buy whatever you find that has an agreeable price and is in working order.

 

[bluewooster]

I don't consider USB 3 accessibility a minor spec bump.

While I agree that the current models still have more than enough oomph for >90% of the population (myself included) - I just don't understand buying a new machine right now without USB 3. And more importantly, you are saddled with a computer that is impossible to install USB 3 on! (I recently installed a card on my 5 year old desktop!). For me, this is a big deal. All the external drives and the majority of flash drives in the box box stores I frequent are already updated to USB 3. In fact, I just cracked open all my old external USB drives and installed the hard drives into an 8 bay USB 3 enclosure.

This isn't a criticism of Apple per se - I know the AIO form factor limits the ability to upgrade and Apple likes to make products that are "seamless". My point is that USB 3 is not a fad and is not going away. If you've tasted the difference, you will not want to go back. I know USB 2 is fast enough to stream HD movies, etc but it can be maddening if you have a large media collection and reorganize it even occasionally. Further, I just don't see TB having the same momentum to create storage products at a price point that I will ever find acceptable.

To each their own but if I'm buying an $1800 computer, I want it to have the external accessibility of my 2006 $400 Acer desktop! I would definitely wait for the upgrade.

 

[mentaluproar]

I hear they are phasing out the iMac in favor of new mac pros.

 

[harcosparky]

So the general consensus among a few is wait ..... because the new iMac with newer technology is on the way.


In that case .....

DO NOT BUY TODAY

DO NOT BUY TOMORROW

DO NOT BUY NEXT MONTH

DO NOT BUY NEXT YEAR


BECAUSE ..........

No matter what you buy, or when there will ALWAYS be something newer and better coming right around the corner.


ROFLMAO


The Waiters sure are funny.

More performance? Productivity? By waiting for the new one?

Not completely true !!!!

I bought my 27" iMac just about the time the rumors of a new one coming came about. Buyers guides said " Wait ... Don't Buy "

The lemmings said " Don't Buy New One Just Over The Cliff "

Well I shunned them and bought anyway.

My new 27" iMac has already. to date. generated many many times its cost in income for me.

I have enjoyed a marked increase in performance and productivity over the three year old iMac it replaced. I calculated the increased performance led to increased productivity in reality to day provided me with an additional $4,500.00 in net income over what the three year old one would have in the same time period.

So if and when the new 2012 or 2013 iMac hits the street, I will be able to buy one or two courtesy of my 2011, 27" iMac.




BOTTOM LINE:

If you are a working professional and the computer is a part of your revenue stream you buy according to your business needs.

If you are just some kid who just wants to play the newest version of Space Invaders ... you wait!



.

 

[forty2j]

No matter what you buy, or when there will ALWAYS be something newer and better coming right around the corner.

This depends an awful lot on your definition of "right around the corner".

With a just-released iMac, you can be pretty sure of at least 250 days or so before the next new one comes out. Apple is always the best value when purchased shortly after the release.