Can I test my iMac in store before purchase?

[RickT67]

My apologies if this has been answered somewhere else.

I am driving 2 hours on Saturday morning to get to the closest Apple store. I am planning on buying a 2.4 24" iMac and after everything I have read, I would like to try it in the store to make sure that there aren't any dead pixels, backlight bleeding, etc..
My question is..."What else should I try (for tests) while I have it right there at the store?"
Thanks in advance

 

[bartelby]

As far as I'm aware you can't test before purchasing.

 

[RickT67]

That's too bad if that's the case. I'm trying to save myself 4 hours of drive time (if I ended up getting a bad iMac).
I know that I am probably being a nervous nelly about all of this, but I want to make my first visit to an Apple store a good one

 

[Killyp]

Yeh, you can't do that. However, they should have no issues with you testing it after you've bought it.

 

[RickT67]

Ok... Well, I will find an outlet an unpack in the store after the purchase!

Thanks for the input

 

[Palliser]

Hey there, maybe you should set up a personal shopping experience online at apple.com/retail You can get 1 on 1 and check out the floor models to see what you think before you get yours. Just a suggestion, good luck!

 

[je1ani]

Just go to a nearby Starbucks and test it out.. Malls are always full of em

 

[Legolamb]

Not an iMac, but when I bought my MBP, I tested for pixels and a routine run through to loaded apps at the store. (I'm in Montreal, the store being Laval).
But like Killyp said, I did it after they swiped my credit card.

 

[Leon Kowalski]

Can I test my iMac in store before purchase?

Yes, you can (and should) insist that they open it for inspection before you pay. The Apple store manager (reluctantly) agreed to that when I returned my second duff iMac. He was about to open the factory-sealed box of my third ALU iMac -- but at the last second, I told him not to bother. I decided to take the money and run.

When you ask for a pre-sale inspection, they'll grumble and try to change the subject, but they will eventually agree -- if you stand your ground.

While the money's still in your pocket, you are in charge.

...would you pay for a new car without inspecting it?

LK

 

[RickT67]

Good point.
I'm located in Maine and I have to drive 2 hours south to New Hampshire to get to an actual Apple store. I've never been to an Apple store being a recent switcher (6 months). I'm looking forward to the experience and there's a good chance that I am going to go for my trifecta of iMac, iTV and iPhone all in one trip (Hey-xmas could be very early for me ). I know that there are plenty of posts of unhappy owners and former owners of the new iMac, that's my main concern. I would think that they (salesperson) wouldn't have a problem with plugging it in and making sure that it worked correctly before I got it home.

Thanks for all the posts, and I'll update with my experience.