I wondered how long iMacs usually last. About 3~4 years? Or Can it be up to at least 5? I have a macbook that is over 3 years old and dying on me.
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How long does iMacs last?
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For my needs? yes.
I run photoshop all the time and try to do full HD video editing, but obviously the technology I have in my macbook can't handle that. I mean its an Intel Core Duo. Not an intel core 2 duo.
iMac can last over 5 years and it should but with Mac Pro you can upgrade GPU, add a lot more RAM, quad HDs... It's just suits better for your needs
2.66GHz Mac Pro is ~2200$ from refurb store and that is perfect for your needs
I have had some motherboard issues with the G5 Isight iMac. I always suspected heat as the cause, but AppleCare never commented. Maybe the Intel iMac is more reliable. I'd assume it will run for three years (get AppleCare) and hope for 5.
Anyway, I'm running the latest Mini and I'm happy.
I had this exact machine at my last job. I put in extra RAM and it handled everything I threw at it: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, HD editing in Final Cut, etc.
I have a 2007 iMac at home that is still running as well as it did brand new. If you can't afford a Mac Pro but you can afford the top-of-the-line iMac, it's worth looking into. But then again...the price difference won't be that much.
If you want to be as cheap as you can, get the cheapest 24" iMac you can find - I regularly see them for $1400 and lower, max the ram in that. (think I've seen a couple of new ones around 1100 on ebay before)
Then again, the iMac is a Core 2 Duo - the Mac Pro is an i7 Xeon. But..
2 years from now, that imac will probably still be worth about $600, ebay it for that, and dump another $1400 into a new iMac.
Total cost: $2200, you have a 2 year old machine at the end of 4 years.
Vs Mac Pro: $2500, you have a 4 year old machine at the end.
Of course, Macs aren't for bang for the buck, and I can name a few good reasons to have a Mac Pro, such as:
* Multiple internal hard drives
* Ability to have all sorts of monitors
* Ability to use more SCSI, FW800, SATA ports than you'd ever get on an iMac
* Ability to use PCIe soundcards, other odd devices
* Multiple optical drives (though this may be of little use to you)
* That wonderful i7 POWAH, 2 extra cores (for now, the iMac will probably get an i5 very very soon).
* Much more (and in the case of the quad: much much more) RAM
To me, the case of having multiple hard drives, and all sorts of other devices in 1 box without external power supplies and/or ugly externals, is totally worth it.
I forgot to add: These computers will probably last as long as you can stand using them.
Then again, the iMac is a Core 2 Duo - the Mac Pro is an i7 Xeon. But..
2 years from now, that imac will probably still be worth about $600, ebay it for that, and dump another $1400 into a new iMac.
Total cost: $2200, you have a 2 year old machine at the end of 4 years.
Vs Mac Pro: $2500, you have a 4 year old machine at the end.
Of course, Macs aren't for bang for the buck, and I can name a few good reasons to have a Mac Pro, such as:
* Multiple internal hard drives
* Ability to have all sorts of monitors
* Ability to use more SCSI, FW800, SATA ports than you'd ever get on an iMac
* Ability to use PCIe soundcards, other odd devices
* Multiple optical drives (though this may be of little use to you)
* That wonderful i7 POWAH, 2 extra cores (for now, the iMac will probably get an i5 very very soon).
* Much more (and in the case of the quad: much much more) RAM
To me, the case of having multiple hard drives, and all sorts of other devices in 1 box without external power supplies and/or ugly externals, is totally worth it.
I forgot to add: These computers will probably last as long as you can stand using them.
I had an iBook that died at 5 years, my dad has a macbook Pro that is 5 years old and still going good, I have an iMac intel that is 3 years old and still going fine... =)
I wish your iMac a long life lol
I wish your iMac a long life lol
If you get an iMac it will still be able to do what you are doing now in 5 years time. But what you want it to do then, might be very different, and no one can guarantee that it will be up to spec.
I wouldn't go for the mac pro though, as I'm a believer in the spend half as much twice as often theory. I never plan to keep my computer more than three years.
I wouldn't go for the mac pro though, as I'm a believer in the spend half as much twice as often theory. I never plan to keep my computer more than three years.
Well, I'm writing this on a first generation iMac G5 from 2004. It still runs, but the optical drive is dead and I had to get a new keyboard as well. I think all the guts in the computer have been replaced, but that is normal for this particular model, which had a lot of heat problems. So, I'm currently using a 5-year old machine that works, but is on its last legs. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the new iMacs...
My first Mac that I bought in 1995, a 6220 Performa lasted me 14 years, probably because it ran OS7.5.1 all the way up to 9.0, then in 2000 bought a Strawberry iMac and it is still running well but am getting tempted for a new machine. Like the man says, "Do you need a new computer, No, Do you want a new computer, you betcha.
My iMac was purchased in March of 2006 and has seen very heavy use...and is still going strong.
Bryan
Bryan
My PowerMac is about 11 years old and still going strong.
Computers, like everything else man-made, will last for as long as you need if you take care of it and aren't unlucky enough to get one of the occasional "bad apples".
I'd have to check, but I think the accountants for one place I do work for have the computers written off after three years, but they are usually still in use longer than that.
Computers, like everything else man-made, will last for as long as you need if you take care of it and aren't unlucky enough to get one of the occasional "bad apples".
I'd have to check, but I think the accountants for one place I do work for have the computers written off after three years, but they are usually still in use longer than that.
My iMac is running fine after 3 years and I don't intend to replace it anytime soon. Its a 2007 model with intel, no heating problems =) I have Tiger on it now and might be getting Snow Leopard soon on it. I maxed its memory slots so it is very fast and has very good graphics at 24 inch.
Depends on what you mean by "last". If you mean physically, then they should last for decades. My iMac G3 is over 10 years old now and still running perfectly. And i'm sure there are loads of original Macintosh's from 1984 that work just fine too. However, I would have to admit that Apples quality seems to have really gone downhill since the G5 imacs were introduced.
But if you mean "how long will the speed of the computer be adequate for my needs?", well, that depends on what you are doing and if your workflow will change - and only you can answer that question.
But if you mean "how long will the speed of the computer be adequate for my needs?", well, that depends on what you are doing and if your workflow will change - and only you can answer that question.