Resolved Fix the old or buy new?

[EZ01]

I have a late 2009 i7.
Had a couple issues recently. First repair bill was around $300 (new hd, heat sink and a few other small fixes). The next one, if I have the work done (some screen/backlight issues) is about $800.

Is it worth fixing, or should i just look at getting a new machine?


If I decide to go with a new machine, which 27in one would you recommend?
2.9GHz, 3.2GHz or 3.4GHz? Is the i7 processor worth the extra $$?
Any necessary upgrades (ram)?

I'm a graphic designer specializing in print; so Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign is used heavily.

 

[AppleNewton]

thats alot to invest into a machine. and that repair/parts only gets coverage for an additional 90 days so after that if it has problems again probably SOL.

look at refurbs if you want to save a few bucks.

the processor is nice if youre running alot of applications at once.
The latest adobe may take advantage of all the cores so it may be beneficial.

I'd recommend atleast an SSD iMac 256, 512, or 768
you could most likely get away with an i5 no problem. slap in at least 16GB of ram and you'll be set.

On top of that get an external scratch disk for the Adobe suite. Thunderbolt drives from buffalo are relatively inexpensive and you can get a HDD or SSD version.

 

[thedeske]

I have a late 2009 i7.
Had a couple issues recently. First repair bill was around $300 (new hd, heat sink and a few other small fixes). The next one, if I have the work done (some screen/backlight issues) is about $800.

Is it worth fixing, or should i just look at getting a new machine?

If I decide to go with a new machine, which 27in one would you recommend?
2.9GHz, 3.2GHz or 3.4GHz? Is the i7 processor worth the extra $$?
Any necessary upgrades (ram)?

I'm a graphic designer specializing in print; so Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign is used heavily.

Buy the panel online and install it for half the price or spend close to or over 3k for a new one to run graphics. If you are truly a Designer running Adobe for a living, you already know about Ram. As much as possible. In your case 32 in the 09 i7.

 

[flavr]

Stay away from the 2.9...video card is sub par for the 27in 1440 screen...

Id go 3.2 i5, fusion, 675mx/680mx 16GB RAM and call it a day...

 

[iDutchman]

fix the old.

http://www.thebookyard.com/product.php?cPath=34_166_173&products_id=7548

and this isn't even the cheapest. way cheaper than a new machine. i would also pop in 16Gb for 80 eu ( that's what it was here) and an 120GB SSD to replace the Optical Drive. Install apps on there and boomm fast machine

 

[flavr]

fix the old.

http://www.thebookyard.com/product.php?cPath=34_166_173&products_id=7548

and this isn't even the cheapest. way cheaper than a new machine. i would also pop in 16Gb for 80 eu ( that's what it was here) and an 120GB SSD to replace the Optical Drive. Install apps on there and boomm fast machine

That sounds all well and good but you forget he is still going to be stuck with the Radeon 4850 512MB video card...and thats not going to get him much further especially doing graphics...


how do i know? because i used to have his same computer and i also do a great deal of design...I opted for the off the shelf 2013 imac with 3.2 i5, and 675MX video card

get a new iMac man

 

[flynz4]

That sounds all well and good but you forget he is still going to be stuck with the Radeon 4850 512MB video card...and thats not going to get him much further especially doing graphics...


how do i know? because i used to have his same computer and i also do a great deal of design...I opted for the off the shelf 2013 imac with 3.2 i5, and 675MX video card

get a new iMac man

A 2013 model has not been introduced. That would be 2012.

/Jim

 

[flavr]

A 2013 model has not been introduced. That would be 2012.

/Jim

I've seen it referred to as the 2012 and sometimes the 2013, especially the 27 inch as they didn't really start shipping in any real quantity until 2013...regardless of which one is technically correct you knew exactly which iMac model I was talking about.

 

[flynz4]

I've seen it referred to as the 2012 and sometimes the 2013, especially the 27 inch as they didn't really start shipping in any real quantity until 2013...regardless of which one is technically correct you knew exactly which iMac model I was talking about.

Of course I knew what you were talking about. Just trying to make it clear that the current model shipping is called the "2012 iMac". I have one (delivered in March '13 or so) and I love it.

/Jim

 

[toddzrx]

I have a late 2009 i7.
Had a couple issues recently. First repair bill was around $300 (new hd, heat sink and a few other small fixes). The next one, if I have the work done (some screen/backlight issues) is about $800.

Is it worth fixing, or should i just look at getting a new machine?

JMHO, but $800 is quite a bit of scratch to put into a nearly 4 year old machine. If you average 4 years between upgrades, that's about 1/4 the cost, or one year's worth of use (or more), of a high end 27" iMac.

If I were in your shoes, I'd wait until the next iMac update if the screen isn't too bad and/or inhibiting any work I'm doing. Although I doubt it will happen, there is a possibility that Apple could update the iMac soon, given that desktop Haswell chips will be released in a few days. Before I get flamed for that idea, keep in mind that Apple has done plenty of 1/2 year updates to their machines. Heck, the 2009 iMac saw 3 releases (early, mid, and late).