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Is the iMac worth it?

Chandler Adaway

Chandler Adaway

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 29, 2008
542
1
Beaumont, TX
I personally didn't think I would ever ask myself this, but ever since I have been dead set on buying a 24in iMac, I'm seeing all of these awful threads...
I realize that for every complainer, there is hundreds of happy owners, but it makes me scared!

Just taking at a glance on the iMac forum right now, I'm seeing these... and there is tons more.
(These next three were out of the most recent top four threads, and it just continues)
"iMac rant only 5 days old !!!"
"Lets find out How many people Actually have iMac screen problems"
"NEW iMac 24" is BROKEN!!!"
" imac external display probelm"
"Ordered An imac and i will probably regret it wont i."
"24" iMac producing loud static 'fuzz' sound from speakers"
" Screen Problems (24" iMac) From Which Production Plant?"
"iMac Concerns"
"Sloooow iMac!"
"24 inch iMac sound problem?"


Those were all of my recent, unread threads...

I just don't know now...

I really want an iMac, but if people are that unhappy with the product that they payed $1,000+... Should I really get one for myself?

Granted, I will have apple care, but I'm scared my computer will be getting repairs more than sitting on my desk. :(

Opinions?
 
if your dead set on buying a 24in iMac haven't you answered your own question ? (all new computers are a crap shoot)
 
Best machine I have ever purchased. Only people with problems usually post, so you are not hearing from the 98% plus people who are very happy. I would never go back to Windows.
 
Chandler Adaway said:
I personally didn't think I would ever ask myself this, but ever since I have been dead set on buying a 24in iMac, I'm seeing all of these awful threads...
I realize that for every complainer, there is hundreds of happy owners, but it makes me scared!

Just taking at a glance on the iMac forum right now, I'm seeing these... and there is tons more.
(These next three were out of the most recent top four threads, and it just continues)
"iMac rant only 5 days old !!!"
"Lets find out How many people Actually have iMac screen problems"
"NEW iMac 24" is BROKEN!!!"
" imac external display probelm"
"Ordered An imac and i will probably regret it wont i."
"24" iMac producing loud static 'fuzz' sound from speakers"
" Screen Problems (24" iMac) From Which Production Plant?"
"iMac Concerns"
"Sloooow iMac!"
"24 inch iMac sound problem?"


Those were all of my recent, unread threads...

I just don't know now...

I really want an iMac, but if people are that unhappy with the product that they payed $1,000+... Should I really get one for myself?

Granted, I will have apple care, but I'm scared my computer will be getting repairs more than sitting on my desk. :(

Opinions?
Click to expand...

It really is a crapshoot with pretty much all tech gear. I love my iMac I have it is absolutely the best computer I have used. However, my MacBook Pro on the other hand has been trouble from the beginning I've had to have the logic board replaced, the harddrive replaced, and one other I don't remember exactly. Now it has heat issues I'm just not sure what to do about it. Order what you want I'm sure you will love you're iMac and you have to remember this is partially a support forum so you will see the people asking questions and being unsure of themselves this is the place for that but I wouldn't worry at all. Good Luck.
 
you shouldn't really be worried,
these problems are few and far apart,
now if you wanna talk about a comp that spent more time in repairs than on my desk that would be my nec pc from 11 years ago, in the 4 years i had it i went through almost everything that can go wrong with a pc :mad:
finally got something reliable...... A MAC!!!!!
 
Bought my 24" last week. Been amazing so far! No regrets. Screw PCs.
 
a couple years ago i bought a refurb 20" imac (first gen - jan 2006). i used to build my own pc's - always admired macs but it was the first i purchased and it was hands down the best purchase i ever made (until i got my macbook last year). still runs rock solid, esp. now with leopard. its such a blessing to have the 20" (or 24" in your case) and a powerful cpu under the hood all on your desk with very little footprint. some of my buddies have the new 24" imacs and i'm jealous of the added screen real estate, but still VERY satisfied with my purchase. still don't have any dead pixels 2.5 years out from original manufacture. dunno how different the new revision screens are, but i'd bet the complaints are the exceptions not the rules. imacs are simply.

like vansouza said, just do it
 
Chandler Adaway said:
I personally didn't think I would ever ask myself this, but ever since I have been dead set on buying a 24in iMac, I'm seeing all of these awful threads...
I realize that for every complainer, there is hundreds of happy owners, but it makes me scared!

Just taking at a glance on the iMac forum right now, I'm seeing these... and there is tons more.
(These next three were out of the most recent top four threads, and it just continues)
"iMac rant only 5 days old !!!"
"Lets find out How many people Actually have iMac screen problems"
"NEW iMac 24" is BROKEN!!!"
" imac external display probelm"
"Ordered An imac and i will probably regret it wont i."
"24" iMac producing loud static 'fuzz' sound from speakers"
" Screen Problems (24" iMac) From Which Production Plant?"
"iMac Concerns"
"Sloooow iMac!"
"24 inch iMac sound problem?"
Click to expand...

Yes it is worth it
 
Chandler,

I am a totally brand new Apple user and I went ahead and jumped right in, in buying a 24" 2.8 iMac. Never touched an Apple in over 20 yrs. Macintosh was the first one, way back then.

But I bought my iMac at the Apple Store online and it came all the way from Shanghai, China. I thought for sure something would be broken along the way, but it came in one piece, and two boxes.

I think if you go to an Apple Store and ask all the questions you have, surely they will calm your nerves about buying an iMac.

I will never go back to using a PC although I still have it on my other desk. The iMac is simply a marvelous machine.

As for problems...I haven't had any so far. NOT unlike the PC having all sorts of problems pop up, lol.

You won't regret buying the iMac at all!
 
Chandler Adaway said:
I personally didn't think I would ever ask myself this, but ever since I have been dead set on buying a 24in iMac, I'm seeing all of these awful threads...
Click to expand...
If you want it, get it.

Just to reiterate, since you already know this, on MacRumors you will hear from those who post here and have problems. There are many satisfied users around the world who do not post here nor have problems with their new Apple computers. What you are seeing are the complainers if you will.

Regardless of whom you purchase a new computer from be it Apple, Dell, HP, Sony, etc., in most cases you will get a good working computer. But on occasion, they will ship one with problems. It happens.

Bottom line, don't let the negative comments here keep you from getting what you want.
 
Well if you want to really get a taste of the iMac's durability, listen to this. I went to the Apple Store near where I live, and I was deciding on an iMac or a MacBook. I ended up with the MacBook, since I'm in high school and need a portable computer. But at the store, there were alot of these little kids playing star wars with the iMac and when I looked at it, there were just fingerprint smudges, and no scratches or cracks or anything that can't be wiped off. it's very durable and very reliable. My long since stolen iBook G4 was the same thing. Alot of ppl reported all these defects but mine was perfectly fine (hardware wise) with just scratches from everyday use. But the iMac is aluminum, so no scratches. Relax, every product no matter how good or bad it is has defects, but Apple has 14-day no questions asked return (Apple stores only) so just go out and buy an iMac. Once you push the power button, all your regrets will fade away. :)
 
I look at it this way, and it makes me feel a bit better about seeing all these threads about broken computers, etc, etc...

The real world problems with iMacs are just like peoples' grammar here on the forums. For each person that posts with their horrendous grammar and spelling on the forums, there are thousands of "real world" people speaking perfectly normal and proper English.

It's the same way with computers (Apple computers, at least)... for each person on here posting things like "OmG wTf minez c0mpu73r is teh sux0rz", there are a ton of people using them outside of these forums who are having a trouble-free, happy computing experience.

Just my "unique" way of looking at things. :p
 
cloudnine said:
I look at it this way, and it makes me feel a bit better about seeing all these threads about broken computers, etc, etc...

The real world problems with iMacs are just like peoples' grammar here on the forums. For each person that posts with their horrendous grammar and spelling on the forums, there are thousands of "real world" people speaking perfectly normal and proper English.

It's the same way with computers (Apple computers, at least)... for each person on here posting things like "OmG wTf minez c0mpu73r is teh sux0rz", there are a ton of people using them outside of these forums who are having trouble-free, happy computing experience.

Just my "unique" way of looking at things. :p
Click to expand...

You are cracking me up! :D
 
SnowLeopard2008 said:
Well if you want to really get a taste of the iMac's durability, listen to this. I went to the Apple Store near where I live, and I was deciding on an iMac or a MacBook. I ended up with the MacBook, since I'm in high school and need a portable computer. But at the store, there were alot of these little kids playing star wars with the iMac and when I looked at it, there were just fingerprint smudges, and no scratches or cracks or anything that can't be wiped off. it's very durable and very reliable. My long since stolen iBook G4 was the same thing. Alot of ppl reported all these defects but mine was perfectly fine (hardware wise) with just scratches from everyday use. But the iMac is aluminum, so no scratches. Relax, every product no matter how good or bad it is has defects, but Apple has 14-day no questions asked return (Apple stores only) so just go out and buy an iMac. Once you push the power button, all your regrets will fade away. :)
Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, and I'm not asking this to be condescending or anything... just genuinely curious... you wrote "I'm in high school and need a portable computer." Where does the need for portability come into play? I'm curious as to whether or not high schools nowadays actually permit/require students to have laptops in class for one reason or another.

If for no other reason, I ask so that I can feel overwhelmingly old :p hehe :)
 
Thanks

I literally sighed in relief when I read these messages.

It's good to hear some satisfied customers out there. :rolleyes:


Makes me even more excited to dip into the Mac world.. :D

Thanks again.


OH, and cloudnine..
I CRACKED up reading your post.

Thanks for the analogy. :p
 
if you want to make yourself feel better...

look at any random PC-based forum dealing with technical problems. your head will spin. :apple:
 
I've had my iMac since June 6th. Granted, it was flawless out of the box, but then I made a decision to abanson Vista over a year ago, and I would have stuck with it even through problems.

Never had a problem with an older LC2, LC475, Powerbook 150 or Mac Plus. Are there problems with Macs? Sure, and don't ;et anyone tell you different. But I'd be willing to bet that they are a hell of a lot less than on Win XP/Vista systems.

People who have problems are always going to be more vocal; and just as likely people who are vocally 'pro' might be called fan boys. All I know is that I am recommending Macs to my friends, and my next computer will be a Mac, as will my girlfriend's next computer (she just doesn't know it yet).

Tom
 
I loved my iMac 24" for the year I had it, but I subsequently outgrew it and am now treading water with a MacBook Pro before moving to a Mac Pro.
 
I would second many of these posts

I have been a Macintosh user for sixteen years; my first Mac was an SE I usd to lay out my HS paper on. Since then, I have owned so many I stopped counting.

Only two had problems: an iBook G3 I bought for an ungrateful gf that had the video/logic board problem, which Apple promptly fixed, and an iMac G4 which showed up with the AirPort antenna not connected. One problem was due to faulty hardware, and one was a complete fluke.

I currently own a second generation Al iMac and it is a simply wonderful machine, with absolutely no problems. I also have a workhorse MacBook which I take all over the country and run shows from, which has never let me down.

Having said that, I normally tell friends to be cautious about first generation models, since they are more likely to have problems, and even then, Apple and their affiliated service centers are very good about making things right.

So pretty please, with sugar on top: buy the effen iMac already.
 
Its well worth it for me. being a pc user and switching to this iMac has changed a lot of things.

its perfect, except a little screen bleed, the left side of my screen is a little lighter then the right. nothing major though it doesnt bug me all i do is surf the web, download stuff here and there. basic stuff
 
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