The only regret I saw was a friend that upgraded a 12" powerbook to a 15" MBP. He regretted having a bigger computer was all.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Regret buying your mac???
- Thread starter mojopixel
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I still know hardened PC people who would never get a Mac because they can't overclock it or upgrade the components individually.
I used to be the same, except for the overclocking part - I've never seen the point in going to all that effort just for say an extra 3 FPS in a game that does a perfectly smooth 40 FPS anyway. Especially when it can reduce the machine's stability and having to watch the temperature all the time etc. Operating a machine out of spec has just never seemed like a good idea to me...
As for upgrading components individually... yeah, back when a decent computer would set you back a LOT of money, so you'd chop and change and improve and improve until you had something reasonable. Or when a year or two down the line your graphics card is feeling a bit dated, it's nice to be able to upgrade that.
But the last 2 PCs I had, the oldest one for 4 years... I've never had the need to change anything inside, perhaps because I made the right choices in the first place and didn't skimp... so I got decent components that are still blazingly fast 4 years later. No wait, I upgraded the DVD-RW in one... BFD, I can live without that. Even if I wanted to upgrade the eldest I couldn't or there'd be little point.... let's say I wanted to upgrade the graphics. It's an old AGP board and everything's PCI express now, so it's either go for some old outdated AGP card, or change the motherboard. But wait... they don't do my processor socket any more except on some dodgy Chinese knockoff board, which means a new processor... new processor means higher spec of RAM... now I need a 24-pin PSU instead of a 20-pin... then the bottleneck is the hard drive... and with all that trouble and expense I could've paid an extra 50 quid and had a brand new machine. That's when I realised I was in a suitable position to consider an all-in-one, and here it is
Even if something goes wrong, that's what Applecare is for. Now, it's not cheap by any stretch of the imagination (esp. Applecare itself... you could get a *cheap and nasty* PC for what that costs), but if you look at the technical specs of the iMac and try to build a similar PC, you pay about £100 less (or if you actually buy a LEGAL copy of Windows, about the same cost) but get a big honking tower thing. Again, BFD. If I'm going to endure a big honking tower thing, I'd rather it had something really special inside it to compensate (enter Mac Pro, probably next year!)
I used to be the same, except for the overclocking part - I've never seen the point in going to all that effort just for say an extra 3 FPS in a game that does a perfectly smooth 40 FPS anyway. Especially when it can reduce the machine's stability and having to watch the temperature all the time etc. Operating a machine out of spec has just never seemed like a good idea to me...
As for upgrading components individually... yeah, back when a decent computer would set you back a LOT of money, so you'd chop and change and improve and improve until you had something reasonable. Or when a year or two down the line your graphics card is feeling a bit dated, it's nice to be able to upgrade that.
But the last 2 PCs I had, the oldest one for 4 years... I've never had the need to change anything inside, perhaps because I made the right choices in the first place and didn't skimp... so I got decent components that are still blazingly fast 4 years later. No wait, I upgraded the DVD-RW in one... BFD, I can live without that. Even if I wanted to upgrade the eldest I couldn't or there'd be little point.... let's say I wanted to upgrade the graphics. It's an old AGP board and everything's PCI express now, so it's either go for some old outdated AGP card, or change the motherboard. But wait... they don't do my processor socket any more except on some dodgy Chinese knockoff board, which means a new processor... new processor means higher spec of RAM... now I need a 24-pin PSU instead of a 20-pin... then the bottleneck is the hard drive... and with all that trouble and expense I could've paid an extra 50 quid and had a brand new machine. That's when I realised I was in a suitable position to consider an all-in-one, and here it is
Even if something goes wrong, that's what Applecare is for. Now, it's not cheap by any stretch of the imagination (esp. Applecare itself... you could get a *cheap and nasty* PC for what that costs), but if you look at the technical specs of the iMac and try to build a similar PC, you pay about £100 less (or if you actually buy a LEGAL copy of Windows, about the same cost) but get a big honking tower thing. Again, BFD. If I'm going to endure a big honking tower thing, I'd rather it had something really special inside it to compensate (enter Mac Pro, probably next year!)
No regrets at all. People need to realize that when you buy the hardware, the software (OS) and the company that sells it (Apple vs MS) go with the hardware. Ya follow? It's a no-brainer 
Rich
Rich
I bought my iMac just before the free Nano offer and the uptodate program for Leopard, but I did get a great price through my academic institution and I am glad that I'm not running Leopard yet - it'll be a great OS when Apple have addressed some of the issues more fully. While I could have saved cash and had a couple of benefits out of buying later, I've had longer with what is a great machine. Ultimately no regrets just a bit more money that I have to fork out in the long run.
To expand upon my above comment, a lot of the PC enthusiasts who look down on the price of Macs don't consider the software. (There are also the Joe Sixpack types who think a £150 PC from Aldi is just as good, but ignoring those)... Usually they will buy components, pirate Windows, pirate some photo, movie and DVD making software and say they're wayyyy cheaper. Er, no... just with Apple you get software (including the superb iLife suite) as part of the price. Try not being a pirate, and you'll find the price with the same software functionality included is about the same, if not more.
Just bought another one!
I got the 24" Aluminum along with 4 other guys at work. Of course MINE is the only one that seems to be having problems. That said, last night I bought the wife a new Macbook to replace her 5 year old Powerbook. The Powerbook still works just fine and has never been a problem. Same with my 5 year old iMac, still works great, much better than the new one for sure. You can get problem machines from anyone, it doesn't mean that they are all bad!
I got the 24" Aluminum along with 4 other guys at work. Of course MINE is the only one that seems to be having problems. That said, last night I bought the wife a new Macbook to replace her 5 year old Powerbook. The Powerbook still works just fine and has never been a problem. Same with my 5 year old iMac, still works great, much better than the new one for sure. You can get problem machines from anyone, it doesn't mean that they are all bad!
I have a 24" Al iMac and have no regrets at all. It's one of, if not the best computers I've ever owned. This is my first Mac and I would do it again without hesitation! I'm just waiting on my wife's PC to die so I can replace it with an iMac. I have had no freezing problems at all with this system.
My problems are not that annoying, and occurs only about three days a week. Also I don't know if the problems is the iMac or 10.5, but I think the most problems are bugs.
what???
I don't understand why anybody would put up with a faulty machine; if it doesn't work then take it back and get it sorted -
I really want to get a Mac and I will eventually when my money tree has bore it's fruit but if the machine I get has a fault then I'm going straight back to the Apple store to get it replaced -
My problems are not that annoying, and occurs only about three days a week. Also I don't know if the problems is the iMac or 10.5, but I think the most problems are bugs.
I don't understand why anybody would put up with a faulty machine; if it doesn't work then take it back and get it sorted -
I really want to get a Mac and I will eventually when my money tree has bore it's fruit but if the machine I get has a fault then I'm going straight back to the Apple store to get it replaced -
I don't want to fill the boards with negativity (as I just posted a thread about some issues I've just experienced), but I am regretting my purchase big time. I bought the new 20" iMac and right out of the box the fan is busted and the quality of the screen is terrible. I love the look of the unit and the new keyboard (though I'd rather the keys be black), but the quality seems iffy. So, yes, I regret my purchase of this, my first Apple product. It will be returned with me sadly having to give up on making the switch.
I'm a recent switcher (1 week ago) to a 24 inch 2.4 iMac. I was apprehensive because of the "freezing" and "gradient" issues I heard about. I've had no problems with my iMac. I just upgraded the ram to 3gigs and I'm for VMware fusion and an OEM copy of XP coming the mail to run the few programs I absolutely need windows for.
Why don't you just get it replaced?
Well I could, but that would only solve my fan issue. Apparently the screen issue is a sad fact of life. I may exchange it just for fun, if the store thinks it'd be worth my while. I just hate the thought of lugging that super heavy box through the mall more than I have to. I also don't think any other 20" unit will have a better screen. Who knows. Not every product can be perfect right out of the box, though I truly thought these things would be tested before being shipped out, and surely both the fan noise and screen issue would have sent red flags to their quality control department - a department I am know questioning the existence of. But enough of that. I don't want to bash a product after one experience. A lot of people seem to be happy with their iMac's, so hopefully I am in the minority.
I'm sorry for you, honestly, but your sadly not thinking straight. You say because of a faulty fan and a not so perfect screen you will not be making the "switch" now? Dude, you left Windows for a reason, obviously you can't deal with it anymore or you wouldn't be looking in the Macintosh direction.
So if Windows is still great then your Mac purchase was unnecessary.
I would've kept getting an exchange until I got one satisfactory before just saying, "Well, I got a faulty fan and I won't be making the switch". Doesn't sound like you are very serious about switching.
Most people buy faulty products and just exchange it.
Sorry if my post is not patronizing but it looks like Windows is for you.
yes and no..... yes because I got a macbook core duo and I could've gotten an imac with a bigger hardrive for the same price and it wouldve had a c2D instead of a CD but no in the sense that now I am so glad because of the mobility of a macbook so in short no not at all.
A little torn.
2007 was the switch year for me. I bought my first eMac at a silent auction at my work. I also picked up a titanium iBook with a broken screen. I figured "what the heck, I wanted to see what all the Mac hype was about". Once I got everything home and started to poke around and find out what features that OS X had over windows xp and these machines were technically "old", I just couldn't believe it. This old stuff was working better than anything that I had that was relatively new. I upgraded the eMac with more RAM and an airport extreme card, and the iBook got to use my 17" LCD that I was using with my Dell laptop that seemed to fall in the useless category... So once I was hooked, the new iMacs came out and I knew that I had to have one of those! After some saving and selling the Dell laptop, I was ready for the purchase (which I made 7 days ago). I bought the 24" 2.4Ghz iMac from the Salem, NH store.. It was a 2 hour drive, but well worth it because I had never been in an Apple store before. By the end of my personalized shopping experience, I had dropped about $2800 on the iMac, iTV, Final Cut Express, Applecare, .mac acct, Printer, and Airport Extreme. Very excited to have all of this.... BUT.... I did notice (after reading several posts) that there is a definite yellowing of the screen on the right side. I don't know if I would have noticed it otherwise because I am not a graphics professional and proficient in noticing the differences in color. However, I was able to discern the color difference when moving an active window from the left to the right. So, like I said, I am a little torn about my experience. Disappointed to think that this is the "best" that I am going to get... maybe take my chances and take it back to get one that might be a "freezer"... Anywho... I do, and can say with heartfelt honesty that what I have experienced with Apple and the software has far surpassed any expectations that I've ever had in the windows world. I look at my computer now with the thought of "What can I do, or what do I want to do with this wonderful machine" as opposed to checking google for registry tweaks that can make my windows machine appear faster, or do something that Apple has been doing for a while. I am in the process of trying to win over the rest of my family I am definitely converted and hope that this is just a blip for me and my experiences with Apple. I look forward to the day that I can drop the ca$h for a MacPro built to order the way that I want. Hey, what can I say, I'm a guy... I like bigger, faster
2007 was the switch year for me. I bought my first eMac at a silent auction at my work. I also picked up a titanium iBook with a broken screen. I figured "what the heck, I wanted to see what all the Mac hype was about". Once I got everything home and started to poke around and find out what features that OS X had over windows xp and these machines were technically "old", I just couldn't believe it. This old stuff was working better than anything that I had that was relatively new. I upgraded the eMac with more RAM and an airport extreme card, and the iBook got to use my 17" LCD that I was using with my Dell laptop that seemed to fall in the useless category... So once I was hooked, the new iMacs came out and I knew that I had to have one of those! After some saving and selling the Dell laptop, I was ready for the purchase (which I made 7 days ago). I bought the 24" 2.4Ghz iMac from the Salem, NH store.. It was a 2 hour drive, but well worth it because I had never been in an Apple store before. By the end of my personalized shopping experience, I had dropped about $2800 on the iMac, iTV, Final Cut Express, Applecare, .mac acct, Printer, and Airport Extreme. Very excited to have all of this.... BUT.... I did notice (after reading several posts) that there is a definite yellowing of the screen on the right side. I don't know if I would have noticed it otherwise because I am not a graphics professional and proficient in noticing the differences in color. However, I was able to discern the color difference when moving an active window from the left to the right. So, like I said, I am a little torn about my experience. Disappointed to think that this is the "best" that I am going to get... maybe take my chances and take it back to get one that might be a "freezer"... Anywho... I do, and can say with heartfelt honesty that what I have experienced with Apple and the software has far surpassed any expectations that I've ever had in the windows world. I look at my computer now with the thought of "What can I do, or what do I want to do with this wonderful machine" as opposed to checking google for registry tweaks that can make my windows machine appear faster, or do something that Apple has been doing for a while. I am in the process of trying to win over the rest of my family
I am definitely converted and hope that this is just a blip for me and my experiences with Apple. I look forward to the day that I can drop the ca$h for a MacPro built to order the way that I want. Hey, what can I say, I'm a guy... I like bigger, faster 
Hahaha. Yes, I know it doesn't sound like I am very serious and I guess I'm not (in general). This would be my first mac, and actually my first truly new computer (every other one has been a rebuilt hand-me-down). I play the waiting game year after year after year. I finally buy one, and it's a dud (yes, I know this can happen with anything one buys). But surely you can appreciate my lack of Apple spirit at present. While I can't say that Windows is either the operating system of choice for me or not, it doesn't bother me, as I don't do a whole lot that's all that involved and have never really had a problem with it - no crashes to really ever report. But, I do want an Apple computer, as I am wanting to try something new and I like a lot of the programs included. I like the look of the iMac and Leopard looks interesting.
On the PC side of things it's mess for me too, I should note. I don't think Vista is for me (from what I've read and so forth) and every new PC comes with Vista. This brings me back to wanting a mac. So, I need a new computer, but with the nasty screens of the 20" iMac, the underpowered, overpriced mini, and the too big for me 24" iMac - I am left with few options. I have more options on the PC side of things, but I really wanted to go in a new direction - seriously or not.
What makes my computer buying situation even more prickly is that the computer I am using now has become virtually unusable over the past couple of months (if I told you what I had to do to it each time it's turned on just to use it for basic stuff, you'd laugh - it even has a hard time with Flash videos!).
So yes, I am wanting to make the switch, but am frustrated with my lack of options. I really like the new iMac a lot and am majorly bummed that it isn't all I had hoped it to be. The mini is right up my alley, but is just too limiting and overpriced. But, I'll exchange my iMac tomorrow for new one. If it's a dud too, then I'll wash my hands of Apple for the time being. I'm not going to keep exchanging iMac's left and right until I get one that's like the one I should have gotten originally - like the one advertised. That's just not right or acceptable.
Whew. Okay, that's all I'll post on this, as now I'm venturing away from the topic at hand. My apologies for blabbering on for so long and repeating myself a bit too much perhaps.
take it back?
Please tell me you are going to exchange your Mac for one that works properly. If everybody who got a faulty Mac took it back for an exchange then maybe Apple would step on the gas in terms of finding a remedy for this. Just a thought.
Please tell me you are going to exchange your Mac for one that works properly. If everybody who got a faulty Mac took it back for an exchange then maybe Apple would step on the gas in terms of finding a remedy for this. Just a thought.
Please tell me you are going to exchange your Mac for one that works properly. If everybody who got a faulty Mac took it back for an exchange then maybe Apple would step on the gas in terms of finding a remedy for this. Just a thought.
I agree with mojopixel. Apple clearly have an issue with this. My iMac is currently being fixed at the Apple store. Even though I have noticed some good screens in various stores, there was one amusing moment when I took mine into the store. When I was explaining what was wrong I pointed out the same yellowing on one of the demonstration models in the store, although not as bad as mine. This was just one of the problems, the backlight bleeding was the worst problem.
Apple have ALWAYS been famous for the quality of their screens and graphics. I certainly believe that if you have invested good money in a top quality machine, then that is what you should get, especially from a company like Apple that prides itself on both its hardware and software.
Like mojopixel says, the more people who point out the problem and refuse to accept anything less than standard Apple quality, the quicker Apple will be to fix it.
For myself, I came to the decision that I was not prepaired to sit working in front of a screen I was not happy with for the next 3 or 4 years.