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Will you wait longer than the July release of Mountain Lion to purchase a new iMac.

  • No. If the new iMac is not out by then, i will buy the 2011 iMac.

    Votes: 67 30.7%
  • Yes...I will wait till after July if needed to buy a new 2012 iMac

    Votes: 151 69.3%

  • Total voters
    218
Not having a Mac makes waiting difficult.
I can understand the need for secrecy if Apple need to shift as many 2011 as they can,but they can't be doing themselves any favours.

Alan

They are doing themselves favours. You read these forums, you see all the people that just gave up and bought a 2011 imac because they dont know when or if there will be an upgrade.

Sales numbers of the 2011 model would drop a ton if they announced a 2012 model.

I understand a few mac users just see the shiny store and want something thats cool and hipster, but id also say there are a good amount that follow this type of thing pretty close and would hold out.
 
They are doing themselves favours. You read these forums, you see all the people that just gave up and bought a 2011 imac because they dont know when or if there will be an upgrade.

Sales numbers of the 2011 model would drop a ton if they announced a 2012 model.

I understand a few mac users just see the shiny store and want something thats cool and hipster, but id also say there are a good amount that follow this type of thing pretty close and would hold out.

I think we are the minority of buyers. The majority of people outside the rumormill don't pay attention to these kinds of things. They see 'iMac' not 'iMac with 2011 specs'.
 
I'll buy the new design iMac in late 2013 when it comes out. The 2012 model will just be a speed bump (plus USB3) of the current design.

Don't you think they would have already released the update if it were a minor speed bump? I think they would have quietly refreshed it alongside the Mac Pro on Tuesday.

With Apple PR saying that the iMac would be updated prior to 2013, I find it very plausible that there will be a new iMac on the shelves of Apple stores by Christmas. Probably by October, to be honest.
 
Yeah, I'll wait

My 2007 iMac has been chugging along, so I'm going to hold out. If for some reason it doesn't last until the new iMacs are out, we have a MacBook Pro I can use in the meantime. The new iMac is supposed to be my birthday present. My February 2012 birthday present. I'm very patient. :) For now, I'll just celebrate that Virgin is finally getting the iPhone so I can switch back from my Android phone, which I despise. But I'm still gonna wait till the iPhone 5 comes out to see if Virgin is going to carry it before I switch. Like I said, I'm patient.
 
Typical conundrum

After 4 blue screen of deaths from my 7 year old windows machine I decided decisively to go and get a refurb iMac. Then I started reading this thread and got frustrated. I want to buy a new machine before the end of June so that I can include it in my tax return (likely a 21 or 27 refurb model) but now, should I wait? Urghh. Apple you kill me.


I have an iPhone 4 and new iPad. Couldn't be happier. Is the spec bump really worth it for me. I want to watch digital tv in the machine and Internet. Photo editing perhaps and the kids will use it for games. I will use my iPad mostly. Awesome machine.

What do you guys want the new iMac for and why is it worth waiting for it?
 
Like previous posts stated 2012 model: USB 3, slightly better performance, slightly better graphics graphics. What you need depends on your requirements and use.

  • if you transfer 128GB of data via USB everyday than USB3 would be worth the wait
  • if you need blistering fast external storage than USB3 would be worth the wait.
  • 2012 model slightly better performance (only of you use apps that use that performance)
  • 2012 model slightly better graphics (only of you use apps that use that performance)

My point - if you are someone who uses the iMac to surf the net, write a document etc you will not notice much difference between 2011 and 2012 models.
 
They should lower the price of iMac (or other Mac) after 9 months by around 100$/200$ depending on models.

This will have the effect of:
1. People will continue buying their computer even if we are near a refresh.
2. People who just bought an iMac will be less angry if Apple refresh their model a month later for the same price since they saved money.
3. The hardware part after 9 month cost them less so they can absolutely afford it.
4.With the price drop, they can clear their inventory of the last model.
5.We'll see less "Should I wait???" thread on the forum.
 
After 4 blue screen of deaths from my 7 year old windows machine I decided decisively to go and get a refurb iMac. Then I started reading this thread and got frustrated. I want to buy a new machine before the end of June so that I can include it in my tax return (likely a 21 or 27 refurb model) but now, should I wait? Urghh. Apple you kill me.

I have an iPhone 4 and new iPad. Couldn't be happier. Is the spec bump really worth it for me. I want to watch digital tv in the machine and Internet. Photo editing perhaps and the kids will use it for games. I will use my iPad mostly. Awesome machine.

What do you guys want the new iMac for and why is it worth waiting for it?

If you really need to include the purchase on your tax return (I assume that you're not in the US), then by all means buy now. The spec improvements are likely to be relatively unimportant given what you're going to do with the computer. And even if Apple releases a retina iMac this summer, which I doubt, it'll be pricey.
 
Don't you think they would have already released the update if it were a minor speed bump? I think they would have quietly refreshed it alongside the Mac Pro on Tuesday.

With Apple PR saying that the iMac would be updated prior to 2013, I find it very plausible that there will be a new iMac on the shelves of Apple stores by Christmas. Probably by October, to be honest.

The new machine will be released between July and September. It's important for apple to spread releases across the year, and also across sales quarters.

As long as the new machine is released during this period, sales will contribute towards that quarters sales. The new iPhone release will then count towards the following quarters release.

My guess is the spec bump iMac is ready now - all the important logic board/ driver development would have been done alongside the new std MBPs. It makes sense to release it with ML to help boost the new OS release.
 
If I had the money to outright buy one right now, probably no. But I'm getting one as a gift in August so I'll have to
 
Don't you think they would have already released the update if it were a minor speed bump? I think they would have quietly refreshed it alongside the Mac Pro on Tuesday.

With Apple PR saying that the iMac would be updated prior to 2013, I find it very plausible that there will be a new iMac on the shelves of Apple stores by Christmas. Probably by October, to be honest.

Apple has switched from using AMD Radeon HD to Nvidia GeForce for the MBP's graphics, so it could be assumed that it will do the same for the iMac.

According to other people in this forum and elsewhere, the Nvidia GeForce "Kepler" GPU that would be most appropriate for the high-end iMac won't be readily available until late June / July.

So it could be that Apple is just waiting on Nvidia...
 
So how does it work, will apple have had the new Nvidia GeForce graphics cards for quite some time for development and testing, and just need to wait for bulk delivery to start production?
 
There are VERY good reasons to believe that a 2012 iMac will be released around or before Mountain Lion.

1. Mountain Lion features some new things, such as the Power nap, which only the newly released macbooks supports. iMac is still a machine Apple wants in their stable, and for that it doesn´t make much sense selling a machine that doesn´t support their own new OS to the full extent of what it offers. This means iMac and macmini will see an update around Mountain Lion so that all their machines suports their own OS features...-Mac Pro is a different story, as it doesn´t even have thunderbolt....Probably Mac Pro doesn´t earn even 0.5% of apples yearly profits (probably doesn´t even cover Cooks salary) and therefore it´s only made to keep old customers happy (it´s purely made out of loyalty to pro customers)

2. above 400 days since last release, well that one speaks for itself. It´s way overdue and far longer than ever before.

3. The geekbench rumors means they have a complete machine in testing, which can only mean that the machines are ready and only waiting for the right moment to be released.

So, now all we need to see is signs that retailers can´t get restocks of the current iMac. I also hope we will see signs that Apples delivery dates are going up soon on the iMac. But since Apple nearly have no storage facilities and 5 days complete turnover of products in average, any signs of slipping delivery dates most likely won´t happen until an imminent release date.
 
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Don't you think they would have already released the update if it were a minor speed bump? I think they would have quietly refreshed it alongside the Mac Pro on Tuesday.

No, I don't and for one reason. Apple likes to keep things uniform. When their MBPs are using AMD so are their iMacs and visa versa. Seeing that MBPs got nVdia for their GPU's, it's a safe bet to say that iMac's will as well. One problem is that the highest end iMac would surely be using the GTX 680m and these GPU's haven't hit prime time just yet, somewhere from early to mid July analysts are saying.

Apple simply can't release 3/4 iMacs and then a month later release their final one, it just wouldn't make sense. They will release all four at one time.

Apple has switched from using AMD Radeon HD to Nvidia GeForce for the MBP's graphics, so it could be assumed that it will do the same for the iMac.

According to other people in this forum and elsewhere, the Nvidia GeForce "Kepler" GPU that would be most appropriate for the high-end iMac won't be readily available until late June / July.

So it could be that Apple is just waiting on Nvidia...

I sincerely believe that this is the case but wouldn't be surprised other wise. For instance, if Apple did a major overhaul on aesthetics this year, then they could have a lot to boast about due to the "smallish" spec increase for the 2012 model.

When Haswell gets released next year, Apple will have the new iMac design already released but have the opportunity to tout "revolutionary" advancements on the hardware side.
 
I just hope the top end GPU available is a damn good one as I'll be keeping this machine a long time (4+ years).
 
Available where? Alienware is getting them, but you can't order a system with the 680m in it yet, right?

Correct... The 680M was announced almost 2 weeks ago, but doesn't appear to be shipping in end user products yet. You can bet we'll see full bechmark numbers once they start shipping and if they're anything like the preliminary benchmarks this is gonna be one heck of an upgrade for the iMac from last years model.
 
Available where? Alienware is getting them, but you can't order a system with the 680m in it yet, right?

Available to Apple for production, not yet to the mass consumer ... it's *possible* Apple waited to include this GPU in the line and wanted to launch with ML, so, that timing would make sense for the July update. :cool:
 
I won't wait. I'm ready for what I hope is a step up in computer...that being my first Mac.

As one said earlier, having two iPods, an iPhone, and an iPad, I'm ready to move up to the big dollar items and see how Apple is over Windows; two Vaio's (one crapped early, this one is running fine and will be used for all my truck/car engine tuning and possible transmission tuning duties down the road), and two HP's (the 17"er didn't last long, and the little Mini is...well Mini).
 
I'll wait until July but not sure what I am going to do yet.

I am still on a iMac 4,1 running SL. It runs everything I need it to except Diablo 3. :) (I have that on my wife's win7 laptop).

I need and want to upgrade it, but am hesitant to buy the 2011 iMac for fear of having a 2012 just around the corner. I am considering the MBP with retina, but I am not really a laptop kind of person. The retina display is really the only reason I am considering a lap top.

So, I think it's coming down to a new iMac if released in July or leaving the OS X family and moving back to a regular PC. :eek:
 
Correct... The 680M was announced almost 2 weeks ago, but doesn't appear to be shipping in end user products yet. You can bet we'll see full bechmark numbers once they start shipping and if they're anything like the preliminary benchmarks this is gonna be one heck of an upgrade for the iMac from last years model.

Now THIS would make the wait so worth it for me.....
 
Now THIS would make the wait so worth it for me.....

It's about the only thing making the wait worth it for me. I really WANT to make the full switch to Apple by replacing the last Windows PC I own with an iMac instead of building an updated Windows PC. While gaming performance isn't nearly as important to me as it once was, I would hate to pay a premium for an iMac and be unable to run current and future games with decent performance.

My backup plan if the iMac doesn't show up within the next month or so, or if it does show up with anything less than a top end mobile GPU that can go toe-to-toe with say a GTX 560 TI or 7950 is to go ahead and build a mid-tier Windows gaming PC then pick up a new Mac Mini when it refreshes to run my home theater and use the MacBook that's currently running it as a Mac counterpart to the gaming rig as the PC will only really get used for games. I really can't stand using Windows for day to day stuff at home, OS X just does it so much better and with far less hassle and fuss...and I'm forced to deal with typical Windows crap at work so I have no patience for it at home anymore.

I'd still rather have the iMac, so I hope they do it right...and soon.

I sure wish consoles would completely take over PC gaming, as it's the only reason left for me to "need" Windows at home.
 
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