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Considering a new iMac

Ladybug

Ladybug

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Apr 13, 2006
1,874
1,014
I'm currently considering purchasing a new iMac, my brother wants to buy this one (early 2006 2ghz Core Duo) from me and is pressuring me to sell soon. However after reading about various screen problems on the new iMacs I'm a bit concerned about taking the plunge. I've been very happy with my current machine thus far (my first mac so I'm kinda attached to it). I usually replace my computer every 2 yrs or so and its getting about that time again.

With all the talk of screen issues on the new models, I'm not sure now is the best time for me to upgrade, or perhaps I should be considering other options..such as a Mac Pro or a Macbook Pro with a seperate monitor for desktop use?

My computer is used mainly for internet browsing, email, Bootcamp/XP for my Windows games, Photoshop *light use*, Painter IX, Handbrake, etc... Based on all of the above, what would you recommend?

Thanks
 
Ladybug said:
I'm currently considering purchasing a new iMac, my brother wants to buy this one (early 2006 2ghz Core Duo) from me and is pressuring me to sell soon. However after reading about various screen problems on the new iMacs I'm a bit concerned about taking the plunge. I've been very happy with my current machine thus far (my first mac so I'm kinda attached to it). I usually replace my computer every 2 yrs or so and its getting about that time again.

With all the talk of screen issues on the new models, I'm not sure now is the best time for me to upgrade, or perhaps I should be considering other options..such as a Mac Pro or a Macbook Pro with a seperate monitor for desktop use?

My computer is used mainly for internet browsing, email, Bootcamp/XP for my Windows games, Photoshop *light use*, Painter IX, Handbrake, etc... Based on all of the above, what would you recommend?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I think the Mac Pro would be overkill and unless you are buying it to keep for alot more than 2 years, it really is a waste.

As far as screen problems go, all people that have reported problems have had their iMac's replaced with very little or no hassle at all (other than the inconvenience of actually getting it replaced of course).

My advice would be to wait until the end of the month (or at least until after MacWorld which is on Tuesday), and see if apple bring out any improved specs.

The iMac's are fantastic machines (I use one at work and had no problems), so I don't see you having any significant issues, and if you do, Apple's customer service is excellent and they will replace the machine as many times as needed until you get a good one :) (But I'm sure you'll get a good one first off).
 
Forgetting about your brother for a second, if your still happy with the computer and don't feel a need to upgrade, then why bother ? Wait till the next update even, I think your machine will suit you for a lot longer and you should be pressured into buying an upgrade that isn't needed.
 
gazfocus said:
My advice would be to wait until the end of the month (or at least until after MacWorld which is on Tuesday), and see if apple bring out any improved specs.

The iMac's are fantastic machines (I use one at work and had no problems), so I don't see you having any significant issues, and if you do, Apple's customer service is excellent and they will replace the machine as many times as needed until you get a good one :) (But I'm sure you'll get a good one first off).
Click to expand...

I will definately be waiting until after Macworld. Great to hear there are some iMac's with no issues...makes me feel better anyway :) I too think the MacPro is overkill for my needs. Also, another reasons I chose the iMac to begin with is because they are so quiet. Nothing worse than sitting down to work and having to listen to overworking fans and such *my last system was a Dell XPS..ran great but the noise level was intolerable.

Anyway..great advice and much appreciated.

samh004 said:
Forgetting about your brother for a second, if your still happy with the computer and don't feel a need to upgrade, then why bother ? Wait till the next update even, I think your machine will suit you for a lot longer and you should be pressured into buying an upgrade that isn't needed.
Click to expand...

I've been asking myself the same question Samh004. While this upgrade isn't necessary, at least not immediately, I must admit I do like to keep up with technology and he's given me a bit of new car fever so to speak :D

The only downside to not selling now, is that I might lose sale for my system altogether if I wait too long and get less for it later..anyway thanks for your kind reply.

techie4life said:
I know this isn't the marketplace, but I've got one that I may be willing to sell.:)
Click to expand...

PM me and we can discuss it perhaps. :)
 
I recently sold a 2 year old G5 Power Mac.

I was happy with the price I got, was enough for me to run down and buy a 24" iMac last month.

Why did I do that? Well the Power Mac was extremely nice, but tons of overkill. Also it was a G5, and well I said I wouldn't sell it unless I got enough $$$$ to buy the next machine, and I did.

I know that Power Mac would have served me well for several more years but there was another reason as well. I work in a cramped environment and and the iMac is not much bigger then the LCD display I had on the Power Mac.

Screen issues???? The only 'gripe' I have heard of was the glossy surface and reflections on it. Is it there? Well yeah, but it's not an issue for me.

I love the large screen, I can put away my reading glasses! :p :D

CON: The Intel iMac is not " user friendly " when it comes to changing things inside. ( I should have looked into this, if I had I would have had Apple put a larger HDD in the unit. )

So I would say .... go for the new iMac -BUT- get the largest HDD inside you can afford.

EDIT: I would like to see a future iMac have all the I/O ports maybe on the side or bottom, but not on the back. Then you could mount it on a wall !
Oh yeah and while I am dreaming .... how about a 46" iMac for my living room! :D :D :D
 
Go ahead and get the iMac. For most people, including yourself, the screen gradient will hardly be an issue if it is present. The gradient just really is NOT that noticeable. If you go to the test sites, play with the brightness, and follow ALL the instructions for seeing the problem, you might see the gradient. In normal everyday use, the gradient just isn't a problem.

We have a new iMac in the lab and the only way I can notice the gradient is by doing all the things one must do in order to see it. The machine is super fast, the display is awesome and it performs perfectly. No one notices the gradient and I actually forget that it is there when I use the machine. The 24" display is so big that there is no way I can see the entire screen at once. If one part of the screen is brighter than the other, I'm not going to notice since I'm looking into the center of the screen anyway.

Also note that people are more apt to post when they have a problem with a piece of equipment or software. There are likely tons of people who are very happy with their iMacs and just haven't said so :)
 
Leon Kowalski said:
IMO, it's a bad time to buy a new iMac -- unless you really need a new
computer. The current version is mid-late in its life cycle, and is missing
two features that are likely to appear soon, hopefully in the next update:

- no eSATA external disk interface

- no support for BluRay or HD DVD

https://buyersguide.macrumors.com//#iMac

LK
Click to expand...

I like posts like this one .......

" You should wait, because the next version will MIGHT have ________ "

It's a vicious cycle, isn't it.

Do I buy now or wait? If I wait and buy the next best thing to come out how will I feel when that next new model comes out.

When I bought my Powermac the Intel machines were on the horizon.

What was I to do? Buy a time tested platform ( G5 ) or wait for the first version of the new Intel? I opted for the time tested G5, used it for 2 years and it made me a Mac user for life!

I sold it and bought the 24" Intel iMac, figuring the intel systems had been out long enough to prove themselves.

Make your purchase decision a " needs based " decision. For me my needs had changed and the need to work in a smaller footprint dictated the iMac.

I bought mine last month and I wonder why I did not buy it sooner!!!
 
Leon Kowalski said:
IMO, it's a bad time to buy a new iMac -- unless you really need a new
computer. The current version is mid-late in its life cycle, and is missing
two features that are likely to appear soon, hopefully in the next update:

- no eSATA external disk interface

- no support for BluRay or HD DVD

https://buyersguide.macrumors.com//#iMac

LK
Click to expand...

I'd bet my house Mac never has support for HD-DVD.
 
IgnatiusTheKing said:
I'd bet my house Mac never has support for HD-DVD.
Click to expand...
Quite possibly true -- but only because it's now looking like the
film studios have all but buried HD DVD, and BluRay will win.

But from a technical standpoint, there's absolutely no reason
why the two formats couldn't coexist peacefully. Unlike the
VHS versus Beta fiasco, BluRay and HD DVD media are the
same physical size, so there's no major technical obstacle to
building players/burners that handle all four optical formats
(CD, DVD, BluRay, and HD DVD). The players already exist.

LK

harcosparky said:
I like posts like this one .......

" You should wait, because the next version will MIGHT have ________ "

It's a vicious cycle, isn't it.
Click to expand...

I'd agree, if we were talking about some minor tech feature, but in
a year or two, any computer that can't read & write high-def video
media will seem as obsolete as a computer that can't handle DVDs.

LK
 
Leon Kowalski said:
I'd agree, if we were talking about some minor tech feature, but in
a year or two, any computer that can't read & write high-def video
media will seem as obsolete as a computer that can't handle DVDs.

LK
Click to expand...

If that's the case than I'd imagine external blu-ray drives will be dirt cheap by then as well, so it really doesn't matter

(unless it wouldn't be possible to play a blu-ray movie through an external drive, but I don't see why that would be. Even though the current iMacs don't support it, I'm sure a simple software update could enable it.)
 
Leon Kowalski said:
I'd agree, if we were talking about some minor tech feature, but in
a year or two, any computer that can't read & write high-def video
media will seem as obsolete as a computer that can't handle DVDs.

LK
Click to expand...

vtprinz said:
If that's the case than I'd imagine external blu-ray drives will be dirt cheap by then as well, so it really doesn't matter

(unless it wouldn't be possible to play a blu-ray movie through an external drive, but I don't see why that would be. Even though the current iMacs don't support it, I'm sure a simple software update could enable it.)
Click to expand...

Right, not to mention that although my current iMac cannot read/write HD content from/to removable media it has no problems whatsoever playing HD content. :)

I do so almost every day in full 1080p glory.
 
Leon Kowalski said:
Quite possibly true -- but only because it's now looking like the
film studios have all but buried HD DVD, and BluRay will win.

But from a technical standpoint, there's absolutely no reason
why the two formats couldn't coexist peacefully. Unlike the
VHS versus Beta fiasco, BluRay and HD DVD media are the
same physical size, so there's no major technical obstacle to
building players/burners that handle all four optical formats
(CD, DVD, BluRay, and HD DVD). The players already exist.

LK
Click to expand...

BluRay winning was my point, but the fact that HD-DVD and BluRay are essentially the same means most people will choose one or the other. Not many people want to have a mixed library. Plus, HD-DVD is backed by Microsoft.
 
IgnatiusTheKing said:
..the fact that HD-DVD and BluRay are essentially the same means most people
will choose one or the other. Not many people want to have a mixed library.
Click to expand...

If commodity players could handle both, most people wouldn't know or care
which format they were renting/buying. Kinda like DVD+R versus DVD-R, if
your DVD drive and software can handle both, what does it matter?

LK
 
vtprinz said:
If that's the case than I'd imagine external blu-ray drives will be dirt cheap by then as well, so it really doesn't matter

(unless it wouldn't be possible to play a blu-ray movie through an external drive, but I don't see why that would be. Even though the current iMacs don't support it, I'm sure a simple software update could enable it.)
Click to expand...

Blu-Ray, HD-DVD and combo external drives are already on the shelves, at least here in Japan anyway. The ones I've seen thus far are all USB 2.0 and are still a bit pricy.

I was in the computer store this afternoon and saw a Blu-Ray/HD-DVD combo drive (reads/writes Blu-Ray at 6x and reads HD-DVD) for 39,980 yen ($364.50 USD at current exchange). Blu-Ray only are less and I only expect the prices to continue to drop. The prices on the media are still ridiculously expensive with one 25GB Blu-Ray disc going for upwards of $20 a piece.
 
I've been waiting for the next iMac update too and someone I know mentioned holding out for Blu-Ray. But to me, it seems like purchasing DVD's in any format would be foolish, seeing as how Apple (and other like-minded comapnies) are moving towards an all-digital living room. Why bother with adopting new DVD formats and players if in a year we will all just be downloading movies straight to our tv/computers from online providers? I'd like to think that's where we're headed and I would love the wall space back that's currently being occupied by my 300+ dvd library.
 
Z.Beeblebrox said:
I've been waiting for the next iMac update too and someone I know mentioned holding out for Blu-Ray. But to me, it seems like purchasing DVD's in any format would be foolish, seeing as how Apple (and other like-minded comapnies) are moving towards an all-digital living room. Why bother with adopting new DVD formats and players if in a year we will all just be downloading movies straight to our tv/computers from online providers? I'd like to think that's where we're headed and I would love the wall space back that's currently being occupied by my 300+ dvd library.
Click to expand...

I am slowly getting back the space my 300 + dvd library occupies.

My only dilemna is to figure out which format to rip them into - so I chose two.

One for the iPhone and one for the TV.

Oh now I have to buy a couple of Terabyte Drives! :D


Leon Kowalski -

You mentioned " in a year or two ".

Most likely it will be two years, and heck by then the iMac I purchased today will be in someone else's hands anyway.

I would buy TODAY, enjoy TODAY, for all we know we may not even be here TOMORROW!!!!!
 
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