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Without Retina, will you still upgrade this fall?

driftless

driftless

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 2, 2011
1,486
183
Chicago-area
I have to admit that I did not like reading this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=15105088#post15105088 I made the MBP/iMac decision a couple of years ago and it looks like I will have the same decision to make this year as well. After spending some time with MBPr at my local Apple store, not having a retina display may tip me to the mobile side while keeping my current iMac until a retina iMac surfaces in the future.
 
I think people are making way too big of a deal about a retina iMac. Sure it would be nice but the current screen is beautiful and works well for me.
 
I can think of lots of things on my iMac wish list that would be a higher priority than retina.
On a screen that is held closer than your arms length then sure. But on a desktop it's not a big deal.
 
I don't think it will feature a Retina display, screen size is just way to big and still it has a very descent display. I do like it how it is. Also I would upgrade if I had the money. The 2010 iMac is starting to feel slow compared to my 2011 MBP.
 
Is current res on the 27" iMac not good enough for regular joe no more? The supposed retina resolution will be very taxing on the gpu I'd imagine and to game on it there would have to be compromises and sacrifices made. Nice to have for video/photo enthusiasts but at what cost? Surely such a product won't be priced for normal consumer consumption. I surely won't consider one at a $2000 starting price point.
 
If you do design work, are a photographer, video, etc., then you will need to see what your work looks like on retina. And, if you plan on keeping your iMac for a while, shouldn't you purchase a machine that the creative folks are now designing content to be amazing on a retina display? Apple has just raised the bar with MBPr, expect that to be your future.
 
Dornblaser said:
If you do design work, are a photographer, video, etc., then you will need to see what your work looks like on retina. And, if you plan on keeping your iMac for a while, shouldn't you purchase a machine that the creative folks are now designing content to be amazing on a retina display? Apple has just raised the bar with MBPr, expect that to be your future.
Click to expand...

Im not sure its such a big deal considering only 1 laptop out today. Also you can turn on HiDPI mode without a retina display for testing.

There is no way they will have retina on the 27" monitors this year without dropping the workspace dimensions which would turn a lot of people away from it.
 
I would upgrade without retina, of course. I will NOT, however wait until fall for Ivy Bridge as there is simply no reason for such a delay other than Apple pushing desktop the the bottom of the barrel as far as priority for development resources goes.

I personally don't care to own a machine that Apple cares so little about as to let the hardware lapse 6 months beyond what's current.
 
Retina on a desktop would create many problems. eg.
~Gaming (Upscaled and straining your graphics card.)
~Movies (Upscaled again, pixelated.)

These would be the biggest two for me simply because that's what I use it for, that and the Adobe suite.
 
old-wiz said:
A 27" iMac with retina would be expensive. I have a 2008 iMac, and if it goes I'll just buy a thunderbolt display and use my 2011 MBP with the external display.
Click to expand...


A 30" may be cheaper though. Because Retina is worked out be having something that looks real, when you look at it from its viewing distance. So by pushing a 30" display away from you, if its got the same pixel density as today's 27", it may become Retina. And a 30" would be cheaper to buy now, than a 27" display - IPC LG one like I think Apple's is - than it was in mid 2011.

And to keep it light, leave off the external glossy glass. Just like Apple have with the Retina powerbooks pros 15.4" machines. You get a considerable degree of anti glare that way too, and it becomes much lighter, and its cheaper to build as well.

So yeh ... I'll take a 30" Retina thanks, with the same pixel density as today's 27". Through in a 120GB SSD and a 1GB HD, USB-3, a decent screen card and a Quad i7, I'll be fine for his July. And for the power dudes and high cost option, preview a 6 core i7, and deliver it a bit later. Water cool it somehow. that way you grab the whole show - size, performance, the graphics/video guys will love it. And the market for Thunderbolt drives will take off for those Pro machines.

Yeh ... lets call it that 6 core one - the iMac Pro. now that's been done before hasn't it ...
 
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Razorhog said:
I think people are making way too big of a deal about a retina iMac. Sure it would be nice but the current screen is beautiful and works well for me.
Click to expand...

+1.

I never had any belief that 27" Retina could come out this year, esp. if they were doubling the current resolution rather than reducing "usable" real estate.
 
Time will come when all Mac display become Retina. But not this year for 27" iMac or Thunderbolt Display.

It's always minor increment with Apple. Just like MBP, they didn't include it on all models, rather only on higher end 15".

I'd say maybe in the next 2 or 3 years.
 
I don't care about Retina. I'll be happy with Ivy Bridge, USB3, and a new GPU.

I don't "need" Ivy Bridge etc., but I'd simply prefer to not spend 2012 money on a 2011 machine.

Still, if there's nothing by the end of July, then I'm just going to give up waiting and buy a 2011 iMac. There's only so long I can wait.
 
Icy1007 said:
Just give me the same screen with less glare.
Click to expand...

+1

I just want the Ivy Bridge updates, maybe more RAM & bigger HDD but a Matte screen would be the cherry on top. My LG screen I'm using right now on my G5PM is Matte and while opposite a window has no glare at all.

I'll be getting the 2012 update which I hope comes in July with Mountain Lion, I don't see Retina iMac's before the next design iMac in 2013.
 
It's still a worthy upgrade, lets not forget that the 27" iMac has a fantastic screen already.

You'll hear very few people complaining about a 27" screen @ 2560x1440 ;)
 
Imac 27 has a gorgeous display ,i don't need a Retina display to be sincere,
now i hope Apple have all to build and release it,Gpu(7970m,680m)are out(680 not so sure),Cpu is out,Usb3 and Cactus Ridge Thunderbolt are available too and already built in new MacBook Air,Pro..,so the last piece missing is just Mountain Lion.
Next year,maybe,with a redesign,Haswell and a new Gpu (??) we will see the retina land on Imac and on Cinema display,right in time to link with the new Mac Pro.
I really hope to see Imacs released in July ,in Fall the stage will be for Ios6 and Iphone 5,while on other side Windows 8 will start to sell,so i see the ML release the right time to introduce the new machines (maybe with the new mac mini{will it share the same Air specs?} too).
Let's see.
ps.
As someone pointed out here ML wallpapers are 3200x2000,i think this is a very good point,even if i don't want retina gpu hog to happen.
 
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Retina not a priority here. I would much rather spend that much extra other ways than to improve the display which is already wonderful.
 
I personally very much doubt that a "retina" (I hate that term!) display will come to the iMac line in the next generation. 2560x1440 is a huge resolution, pixel doubling that to 5120x2880 would be both extremely expensive (for Apple, thus the end user) and would be of limited use, as you the iMac display is sharp when you are viewing from such a distance anyway.

If I were to upgrade (won't be as all my machines are pretty new) I would regardless. If there were both "retina" and non-"retina" options, I would more than likely go for the latter.
 
If the Retina does come to the 27" display it will be for the Thunderbolt Display and the iMac might be riding into the sunset with it's partner the Mac Pro.

Happy trails to you. :D
 
Razorhog said:
I think people are making way too big of a deal about a retina iMac. Sure it would be nice but the current screen is beautiful and works well for me.
Click to expand...

I totally agree. In order to make a retina display for the iMac, Apple needs to increase pixel density just a little, since we already hardly distinguish pixels at 50-60 centimeters away. I think we will see a retina iMac in 2013.

Anyway, I think the new iMac will be launched at the end of July, with Mountain Lion. There's no reason for Apple to wait this fall.
 
Razorhog said:
I think people are making way too big of a deal about a retina iMac. Sure it would be nice but the current screen is beautiful and works well for me.
Click to expand...

Yup. My neighbor has one of the 27" iMacs, and the screen looks awesome as is. Of course the new retina display would be really awesome, but I doubt I'd pay the premium price it would fetch.
 
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