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MyNameIsURL

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 9, 2015
16
8
Australia
Im wanting to purchase a new iMac 5k and I came across an article that romoured there may be a 2016 release. So Im wondering if it is worth waiting a month or so? What do you think?

:)
 

mullock87

macrumors member
May 18, 2012
43
23
There is a rumoured update to the iMac line this autumn, likely upgrades will be GPU and ThunderBolt 3 and USB-C ports. I'm in the same position as you but I'm not waiting because I won't benefit from those features.
 
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maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
Im wondering if it is worth waiting a month or so? What do you think?
How will you be using the iMac?
What apps do you use?
Do you game?


Odds are pretty good imo, that the next refresh may not be all that encompassing, partly due to the fact that the 27" iMac is already on skylake, and its replacement Kaby Lake won't be available until 2017.

Back to your question. If you can wait, then wait, but if you cannot, the current 27" iMacs are a stout machine as it stands. The 21" iMac is still on Broadwell, and they may see a greater update
 
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MyNameIsURL

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 9, 2015
16
8
Australia
How will you be using the iMac?
What apps do you use?
Do you game?

For me its all about entertainment, photography, education, and surfing the web.

So, I don't game and rarely ever edit video (videos of the family).

I run Plex, and have a qnap 12TB NAS filled with content.

From what you've indicated I might as well just go a head and buy it. Which is great because I really need a new Mac.

Thanks for the help.
 

jigzaw

macrumors 6502a
Oct 12, 2012
579
464
I'm thinking about getting one in the near future, too, but I'm inclined to wait and see what upgrades happen in the Fall. Another month or two is worth it for me to have a slightly more future-proof machine for the same price.

My uses will be primarily editing video on Avid and possibly Adobe Premiere, and I may try to get into graphics (After Effects, etc) just to learn. I know the current machine is good enough for those things, but since an update is so close I'm happy to hold out. I'm wondering if next year is when we'll see a more encompassing re-design. Truth is, I could hold out another year as my 2013 MBP is still running Avid just fine for me but I'm drooling at the thought of an iMac and second 5K monitor on my desktop instead of my current MBP and 7-year--old Samsung 26-inch LCD 1080 HDTV as a second monitor. lol. I make my living editing so having a nice home setup can easily be rationalized (and written off!).

The other issue is I have my Windows-fan computer-building brother in my ear constantly harping on me for being into Macs when he assures me far more powerful Windows machines come at way lower prices. As disappointed as I am that Apple has veered away from serving the pro community, I just don't see myself going back to Windows as OS is kind of second nature to me now. I also understand that with the top-to-bottom design and software optimization, Apple gets more with lower specs than the average frankenstein windows machine. Interesting the arguments between these two philosophies. Anyway, I digress.
 
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MyNameIsURL

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 9, 2015
16
8
Australia
I'm thinking about getting one in the near future, too, but I'm inclined to wait and see what upgrades happen in the Fall. Another month or two is worth it for me to have a slightly more future-proof machine for the same price.

My uses will be primarily editing video on Avid and possibly Adobe Premiere, and I may try to get into graphics (After Effects, etc) just to learn. I know the current machine is good enough for those things, but since an update is so close I'm happy to hold out. I'm wondering if next year is when we'll see a more encompassing re-design. Truth is, I could hold out another year as my 2013 MBP is still running Avid just fine for me but I'm drooling at the thought of an iMac and second 5K monitor on my desktop instead of my current MBP and 7-year--old Samsung 26-inch LCD 1080 HDTV as a second monitor. lol. I make my living editing so having a nice home setup can easily be rationalized (and written off!).

The other issue is I have my Windows-fan computer-building brother in my ear constantly harping on me for being into Macs when he assures me far more powerful Windows machines come at way lower prices. As disappointed as I am that Apple has veered away from serving the pro community, I just don't see myself going back to Windows as OS is kind of second nature to me now. I also understand that with the top-to-bottom design and software optimization, Apple gets more with lower specs than the average frankenstein windows machine. Interesting the arguments between these two philosophies. Anyway, I digress.

The best Windows computer I ever had was a Mac with Windows 7 on it lol

This coming week Im just going to buy it since there is no set date for release, I'll wait until the end of the week just in case Apple announces something.

I've already sold my 2012 Mac Mini i7 and I'm using my other 2014 model (1.4Ghz 4Gb), its too slow so I need something better.
 

BillyBobBongo

macrumors 68030
Jun 21, 2007
2,535
1,139
On The Interweb Thingy!
This coming week Im just going to buy it since there is no set date for release, I'll wait until the end of the week just in case Apple announces something.

I doubt that you'll hear anything until October, typically new iMacs have come out in the October and November. There have been some exceptions, but give the state of the Mac line I'd be willing to put money on October.
 
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MCAsan

macrumors 601
Jul 9, 2012
4,587
442
Atlanta
Wait until at least the end of October for the announcement of Mac refresh. Then you can decide if you want one of the latest and greatest or, get a good deal on a closeout of a 2014 or 2015 machine.
 
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maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
Buy now, and within another month or two, you may experience deep regret
Or the update isn't huge, and he's been enjoying his new iMac for a new month :D

I have no idea what Apple will do for October, people are fully expecting the newer more powerful GPUs to be used and TB3. By the OPs own words, he's not a heavy gamer, so how much will a new GPU help him? TB3 is another nice addition but only if you need to use external devices. If that's not important to the OP, then why wait?

Of course there's the idea that Apple will redesign the iMac enclosure, reducing the bevels or the "chin" of the iMac. Unlike the iPhone, Apple has been able to keep its Mac line fairly secretive, so its anyone's guess if we'll see a refresh in how it looks.
 
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AlexGraphicD

Suspended
Oct 26, 2015
368
309
New York
Or the update isn't huge, and he's been enjoying his new iMac for a new month :D

I have no idea what Apple will do for October, people are fully expecting the newer more powerful GPUs to be used and TB3. By the OPs own words, he's not a heavy gamer, so how much will a new GPU help him? TB3 is another nice addition but only if you need to use external devices. If that's not important to the OP, then why wait?

Of course there's the idea that Apple will redesign the iMac enclosure, reducing the bevels or the "chin" of the iMac. Unlike the iPhone, Apple has been able to keep its Mac line fairly secretive, so its anyone's guess if we'll see a refresh in how it looks.

I agree on the gpu update. There is no reason to wait if you are in a hurry and need an iMac right now. The current line will do just fine.

What is keeping me from buying now is the god awful thick bezels, I would prefer if they were thinner to non existend. And if a possible redesign is better than the current one then I'll wait for the update.
 
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MyNameIsURL

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 9, 2015
16
8
Australia
After thinking about this wonderful dilemma, I must admit its a great problem to have making decisions about buying a new iMac, I'm going to wait. Since I'm still learning about MacOS and different Apps some of the possible changes to the iMac range this year may be relevant to me next year or the year after. I just don't want to get to late October (or later) only to regret having purchased a 2015 model now. So I'm just going to put up with this slow mac mini and the awesome iPad pro 9.7 I have until then.
 

MCAsan

macrumors 601
Jul 9, 2012
4,587
442
Atlanta
While the current line might be technically just fine today.......it will be cheaper after the release of the next generation. A cost savings of hundreds for a machine could be worth the wait. That is a plain old financial decision.
 
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MyNameIsURL

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 9, 2015
16
8
Australia
While the current line might be technically just fine today.......it will be cheaper after the release of the next generation. A cost savings of hundreds for a machine could be worth the wait. That is a plain old financial decision.


There is that benefit as well.
 

MyNameIsURL

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 9, 2015
16
8
Australia
Or the update isn't huge, and he's been enjoying his new iMac for a new month :D

I have no idea what Apple will do for October, people are fully expecting the newer more powerful GPUs to be used and TB3. By the OPs own words, he's not a heavy gamer, so how much will a new GPU help him? TB3 is another nice addition but only if you need to use external devices. If that's not important to the OP, then why wait?

Of course there's the idea that Apple will redesign the iMac enclosure, reducing the bevels or the "chin" of the iMac. Unlike the iPhone, Apple has been able to keep its Mac line fairly secretive, so its anyone's guess if we'll see a refresh in how it looks.

Waiting with bated breath.

Can't wait. I check the rumors each day lol
 

MyNameIsURL

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 9, 2015
16
8
Australia
I've been waiting forever.

As soon as that suckers out, I'm clicking 'buy' !

I think an aesthetic redesign is likely, no need to say it isn't.

While I like it, the same design has been used since 2012. That is quite a long time.

I like the current design but I'm very interested to see if there will be a redesign. I just wish they'd hurry up haha

I won't be happy until I'm looking at that beautiful screen :)
 

Taz Mangus

macrumors 604
Mar 10, 2011
7,815
3,504
I've been waiting forever.

As soon as that suckers out, I'm clicking 'buy' !

I think an aesthetic redesign is likely, no need to say it isn't.

While I like it, the same design has been used since 2012. That is quite a long time.

I think the Apple designs hold up over time very nicely. Getting a new refresh will certainly be nice. Maybe Apple will get rid of the chin this time and give the iMac the look of the outgoing monitor, a more screen to screen look with a very small inner border.
 
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Icaras

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2008
6,344
3,394
I like the current design but I'm very interested to see if there will be a redesign. I just wish they'd hurry up haha

I won't be happy until I'm looking at that beautiful screen :)

Yes. I really suggest waiting. We're talking about 2-3 weeks here for the new model. Latest, November.

Hang in there. I'm waiting too. It won't be long now.
 

Taz Mangus

macrumors 604
Mar 10, 2011
7,815
3,504
I like the current design but I'm very interested to see if there will be a redesign. I just wish they'd hurry up haha

I won't be happy until I'm looking at that beautiful screen :)

I getting pretty anxious for the new models to come out. I have Apple gift cards just waiting to be used.:D
 

loekf

macrumors 6502a
Mar 23, 2015
838
579
Nijmegen, The Netherlands
This topic pops up every year.

If you need one now, buy one now.

About possible improvements:
- USB-C, wouldn't be surprised if Apple drops the four USB 3.0 ports and two TB ports for one or two type-C ports, which are both TB 3.0 or USB 3.1.
- For hooking up hard drives, there's no need for TB 3.0, unless you do lots of heavy duty video editing. External 3.5" drives for TB might give you 200-300 MB/s, via USB 3.0 you get 150-200 MB/s (read speed). All RAID0.
- Unless you need an external 4K monitor no need for USB-C or TB 3.0.
- New generations of Intel CPUs are marginally faster (5-10% ?)
- Yes GPUs are faster. However, if you don't play games don't see a real benefit.
- Biggest gain these days comes from SSDs. As long as Apple is still selling iMacs with HDDs, it will cost you extra money no matter whether it's a new or old gen.
- Last year, they improved the gamut of the display. No real use for me.
- More standard RAM ? Don't think they will include more than 8 GB.

My personal preferences if they do a refresh:

- Make the bezel (border around the display) smaller
- 256 GB flash by default
- 3 x USB type-C connectors with TB 3.0, USB 3.1 and display port support.
- Mouse with touch-ID sensor to allow for unlock & ApplePay.
 
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