Just an informal poll. How many of you are waiting for the new intel based macs, now that we all know they are coming out in 3-4 months. I cant make up my mind whether I should wait or not. I really need a laptop now, but then again I know that Im gonna regret buying one now. Because when they come out with the newer versions and my mac would be outdated by then.
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New intel macs.
- Thread starter ethicalhacker87
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No matter when you buy or what you buy, when it comes to computers it will be one-up'ed within a few months. This is just the way it goes. The Intel switch is big though. If you can wait, I would. If you need a laptop now then buy one now.
I am waiting but, I have no need to get a new computer at the moment.
I am waiting but, I have no need to get a new computer at the moment.
I ordered my iMac before the rumor of the early Intel iMacs came out, and honestly I would probably have waited if I'd had the information at the time - but I'm very glad that I went ahead with my order after I heard the news. No doubt that the iMac will get a significant performance boost with a dual core Yonah inside, but my previous systems were a) Windows and b) terrible, and for me the extra few months of use are going to be more than worth the tradeoff in performance.
If I was getting a laptop, however, I'd seriously consider waiting. In my (non-expert, uninformed) opinion, the Apple portable line is going to be absolutely transformed by the increased processing power and good energy conservation features available in the Intel mobile chips, and I'm almost 100% sure that my wife will end up with an Intel based powerbook under the Christmas tree next year.
I hate to suggest that someone else wait for a new Mac, when I just got my new one today (and am loving it) - but the iMac is likely going to just get a new processor, and a little faster - while the Powerbooks and iBooks are going to get a LOT faster, gain extended battery life, and enjoy the flexability of a lighter, thinner design. I am really interested to see what the engineers at Apple have come up with.
If I was getting a laptop, however, I'd seriously consider waiting. In my (non-expert, uninformed) opinion, the Apple portable line is going to be absolutely transformed by the increased processing power and good energy conservation features available in the Intel mobile chips, and I'm almost 100% sure that my wife will end up with an Intel based powerbook under the Christmas tree next year.
I hate to suggest that someone else wait for a new Mac, when I just got my new one today (and am loving it) - but the iMac is likely going to just get a new processor, and a little faster - while the Powerbooks and iBooks are going to get a LOT faster, gain extended battery life, and enjoy the flexability of a lighter, thinner design. I am really interested to see what the engineers at Apple have come up with.
I'm in the process of selling my PowerBook G4 1.67 GHz 15" (Rev C) at the moment. I'm waiting to see what happens at MWSF but I'll probably wait for the Rev B Intel PowerBook and Power Mac before I consider upgrading. I'm selling my PowerBook now though since I really don't need it with a dual G5 here.
Personally, I don't think they're coming in January. But even if they are, if you need a laptop now, go for it. The first revision will probably be buggy anyway. My first revision alum powerbook sure is.
The current iBooks are a fantastic product, and a great value. For around $1000 you can get a very nice machine. Use it for a year, sell it for $600, buy an intel.
The current iBooks are a fantastic product, and a great value. For around $1000 you can get a very nice machine. Use it for a year, sell it for $600, buy an intel.
nope, not waiting. Ordered a 15" powerbook tonight. 
I think it's interesting that you say "now that we know they are coming out in 3-4 months." We don't know that at all. That's a totally unconfirmed rumor... heck, even apple may not know when the intel-books will really be ready.
I'm not waiting because I don't need anything the switch will bring. Sure, they will be faster and probably have better battery life, but those things are good enough for me on the current 15". I had a powermac which I just sold (long story) and an ibook. I'm getting a powerbook now so that I can use my cinema display again and not have to use this 12" screen hours each day for the next few months.
And now I won't have to deal with rev. A defects, Rosetta emulation, and of course, Apple not actually having them ready when they promise.
I think it's interesting that you say "now that we know they are coming out in 3-4 months." We don't know that at all. That's a totally unconfirmed rumor... heck, even apple may not know when the intel-books will really be ready.
I'm not waiting because I don't need anything the switch will bring. Sure, they will be faster and probably have better battery life, but those things are good enough for me on the current 15". I had a powermac which I just sold (long story) and an ibook. I'm getting a powerbook now so that I can use my cinema display again and not have to use this 12" screen hours each day for the next few months.
And now I won't have to deal with rev. A defects, Rosetta emulation, and of course, Apple not actually having them ready when they promise.
It's a difficult one to call and there are several scenarios:
* PowerBook updated to Intel in January, significant performance upgrade - WORTH WAITING FOR
* PowerBook updated to Intel in January, all hype and no substance, not much of a performance/design change, NOT WORTH WAITING FOR
* PowerBook not updated in January or thereabouts, NOT WORTH WAITING FOR
It's always a stinker to buy something just before they update it to something considerably better but lets not forget that the new ones will be Rev A's and may have some initial problems (that doesn't put me off usually though), that the Intel processors may not be all they are cracked up to be, the price may go up, other new features, etc.
I'm also with the guy who says that they probably won't be updated in January or February anyway. Remember all that stuff about Tiger coming out early? In the end it was out at the end of April, not January.
If you need now then buy, but if you can wait (and be prepared to wait up to a year) then don't buy. You just don't want the situation where they are delayed and you end up not buying for a long time because you're sure the switch is imminent but it doesn't happen for whatever reasons.
* PowerBook updated to Intel in January, significant performance upgrade - WORTH WAITING FOR
* PowerBook updated to Intel in January, all hype and no substance, not much of a performance/design change, NOT WORTH WAITING FOR
* PowerBook not updated in January or thereabouts, NOT WORTH WAITING FOR
It's always a stinker to buy something just before they update it to something considerably better but lets not forget that the new ones will be Rev A's and may have some initial problems (that doesn't put me off usually though), that the Intel processors may not be all they are cracked up to be, the price may go up, other new features, etc.
I'm also with the guy who says that they probably won't be updated in January or February anyway. Remember all that stuff about Tiger coming out early? In the end it was out at the end of April, not January.
If you need now then buy, but if you can wait (and be prepared to wait up to a year) then don't buy. You just don't want the situation where they are delayed and you end up not buying for a long time because you're sure the switch is imminent but it doesn't happen for whatever reasons.
I ordered a new iMac and used it for 5 days and then the rumours came out about Intel in January so I returned the iMac and got a refund (luckily I'm in the UK and here we can return anything no questions asked in first 14 days).
I was completely happy with the iMac but the more I thought about it the more I was sure it's resell value would drop dramitically as soon as Intel hits. Like most of my machines I would only have kept it for a year and sold it to get the best model available then. However, regardless of what anyone says if in a years time ALL Apple machines are Intels then will anyone really want a second-hand PPC? I think most people will see it as obsolete... I mean at that point Apple won't even be making those types of machine anymore. I can imagine a prospective buyer checking whether it is supported, realising that Apple don't use that type of CPU in a single one of their new machines and then thinking no way... not going near that.
Now I know that in reality it MAY be the case that PPC chips are fully supported for the next 5 years. I'm just not prepared to take the risk on what people will perceive the resell value of these machines in a year's time.
Another reason is that although Apple say it's easy to make fat binaries and in most cases it probably is, there are a couple of areas where it might not be. Firstly, I don't see ALL games being compiled for both Intel and PPC. Converting a game from Windows Intel machines to Apple Intel machines is relatively easy. Converting a game from Intel to PPC is far less easy. Therefore, in say a year or so when the majority of Apple machines are Intel will every game company really be bothered to do the conversion? At some point every developer will decide no it's not worth the effort to make a PPC version. For developers of small apps that might be a long way off but for games and perhaps to some extent large video, photography apps that time is probably nearer.
And one final reason is that dual-booting will be sweet. Or running an emulated Windows inside OS X will be sweet as it'll actually be fast and useable. I imagine down the line booting up Windows on a Mac when it's needed will be seen as the norm. At that point selling a machine that can't do that... well people will just say "What... a Mac that can't run Windows!?"
So basically, I'm not buying another PPC Apple machine. I'll wait until Intel even if they don't come out in January.
Please note that all this is just my opinion. I'm a massive Apple fan and love their machines and think their current PPC offerings are fantastic. I just don't want to lose out when I resell the machines like I eventually do with every Mac I have.
I was completely happy with the iMac but the more I thought about it the more I was sure it's resell value would drop dramitically as soon as Intel hits. Like most of my machines I would only have kept it for a year and sold it to get the best model available then. However, regardless of what anyone says if in a years time ALL Apple machines are Intels then will anyone really want a second-hand PPC? I think most people will see it as obsolete... I mean at that point Apple won't even be making those types of machine anymore. I can imagine a prospective buyer checking whether it is supported, realising that Apple don't use that type of CPU in a single one of their new machines and then thinking no way... not going near that.
Now I know that in reality it MAY be the case that PPC chips are fully supported for the next 5 years. I'm just not prepared to take the risk on what people will perceive the resell value of these machines in a year's time.
Another reason is that although Apple say it's easy to make fat binaries and in most cases it probably is, there are a couple of areas where it might not be. Firstly, I don't see ALL games being compiled for both Intel and PPC. Converting a game from Windows Intel machines to Apple Intel machines is relatively easy. Converting a game from Intel to PPC is far less easy. Therefore, in say a year or so when the majority of Apple machines are Intel will every game company really be bothered to do the conversion? At some point every developer will decide no it's not worth the effort to make a PPC version. For developers of small apps that might be a long way off but for games and perhaps to some extent large video, photography apps that time is probably nearer.
And one final reason is that dual-booting will be sweet. Or running an emulated Windows inside OS X will be sweet as it'll actually be fast and useable. I imagine down the line booting up Windows on a Mac when it's needed will be seen as the norm. At that point selling a machine that can't do that... well people will just say "What... a Mac that can't run Windows!?"
So basically, I'm not buying another PPC Apple machine. I'll wait until Intel even if they don't come out in January.
Please note that all this is just my opinion. I'm a massive Apple fan and love their machines and think their current PPC offerings are fantastic. I just don't want to lose out when I resell the machines like I eventually do with every Mac I have.
Apple's naming convention is both generic and specific. The prefix "Power" can mean compute power as well as PowerPC. If Apple believes they have established a well known brand name with the trademarks PowerMac and PowerBook, I suspect they will continue to use those names. These machines are higher-end power machines, so the name is still apt. However, there will be a need to differentiate between the old and new processor types, so it is quite possible that a suitable suffix might be added such as "x86" (Apple may choose a more clever suffix than this), but Apple will not use the word Intel in its own brand name.Lacero said:I'll most likely buy the 2nd revision Intel Power Mac when it comes out. I'm also hoping they will be dual dual-core intel chips, otherwise I'll be very disappointed. I'm also anticipating what name Apple will call these new machines.
One of the questions that should be considered is: What are you planning to use the Mac for? Is it something that requires AltiVec (currently) to get any seed out of the application? If so, how long before the application has a unversal binary available?ethicalhacker87 said:
Maybe if you listed what you would be running on the Mac, you could get a better answer.
Anik said:
Surely the same point twice
I'll probably wait for the Rev B also. My Rev B dual 2.0GHz G5 is still going strong, but I know that come this time next year I will be looking enviously at the Apple Store.
If Apple accelerates the transition to Intel, your point becomes more valid. If developers likewise accelerate their conversion to native binaries, your point again becomes more valid. But these are still 'ifs' and that is why I prefer to wait for a clearer outlook from Apple at MWSF.maverick808 said:
ksz said:
I agree, *if* the transition to Intel is delayed so that in a year's time there are no or only one or two Apple Intel machines then you'd probably still get good resell price for a PPC you buy today. However, it seems far more likely that the transition will start in January and if that happens then by end of summer 2006 I would expect most of the other machines to have moved across too.
I think all of what I've said can be summed up by "I don't think there are good odds on getting a decent resell price on any PPC Macs you buy from now on."
Since the upgrade is so close (hopefully), i think it would be wise to wait and see how well the new machines are received. True, the first versions might have minor bugs; but honestly everyone....a 20 - 25% thinner powerbook!!! I simply cannnot buy one now, knowing that potentially a much much cooler one is coming out so soon.
Well I personally plan to wait. I'm using a iBook G3 now, and while I really want a new machine I can at least wait until MWSF. If they don't reveal anything there, I'll prob just pick up a 15" PB off of ebay. I'm not really worried about any APPS, cause I almost exclusively use Apple software. But for me one big sticking point will be if software such as the i'Life suite doesn't shift to intel right away, I won't be happy with x86 Tiger, but rosetta iPhoto. I would expect iTunes to be x86 ready since its availible for windows now.
toomuchstereo said:
iLife 06 will be universal binary, at the WWDC demo Steve demonstrated it running natively on Intel. All Apple apps will be universal binaries when the Intel Macs launch. It's 3rd party software that will probably take a little while.
Rumors notwithstanding, I think the decision should depend on many factors, primary being whether you need a Mac now or you can wait. Secondary but about as important is the type of applications you depend on. For instance, although Adobe applications run pretty well under Rosetta emulation, they won't perform as well as native G4/G5. I think we can assume that most, if not all, of Apple's own applications available in universal binary as soon as Macs with Intel CPU ship.
And finally, your decision shuld depend on which model you crave. Both iMac and PowerMac are relatively state-of-the-art, whereas PowerBook is really showing its age. PowerBook should receive fairly dramatic update. (iBook and Mac mini lie somewhere in between.)
And finally, your decision shuld depend on which model you crave. Both iMac and PowerMac are relatively state-of-the-art, whereas PowerBook is really showing its age. PowerBook should receive fairly dramatic update. (iBook and Mac mini lie somewhere in between.)
I have a different buying pattern than Maveric808. I keep my computers as long as possible and don´t really think too much about resale value.
People often advice to wait; say, it´s only until January.
January can turn into February, then it´s March before you actually recieve your computer.
You are looking at 4 months without one. That´s 4 months you could be productive on your new Mac.
Instead you will be hanging out on MR waiting for every new rumor, beeing dissapointed time and time again
I say buy when you need, you´ll have many happy months infront of you before an Intel comes out if you get one now
PS You probably will spend the time at MR even if you get the Mac now, it tends to be addictive
People often advice to wait; say, it´s only until January.
January can turn into February, then it´s March before you actually recieve your computer.
You are looking at 4 months without one. That´s 4 months you could be productive on your new Mac.
Instead you will be hanging out on MR waiting for every new rumor, beeing dissapointed time and time again
I say buy when you need, you´ll have many happy months infront of you before an Intel comes out if you get one now
PS You probably will spend the time at MR even if you get the Mac now, it tends to be addictive
yoak said:
Hmmm, I wouldn't say I'm harming myself by deciding not to buy right now. I have a 1.5GHz 15" PowerBook I use as my main machine. I also have a 12" iBook, a very old 800Mhz PowerBook, a Sony Vaio laptop and 2 desktop PCs. It's not like the lack of a new iMac is leaving me with nothing to work on.