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"Thou shalt NOT buy a version A!" Anyone worried about this in terms of the 27" iMac?

S

stever500

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 11, 2009
118
0
Gaithersburg, MD.
"Thou shalt NOT buy a version A!". I noticed that someone had posted this phrase on the "Buying tips" forum on Macrumors.com. I hadn't really thought of that, with everyone and myself so caught up in the "Gotta get a new 27" iMac" mode. Is there a big risk in getting "Version A" of this machine?

Is there any sound reason to wait a couple of months till it's bench tested by reviewers and the rest of us that is buying one now? I realize no one has a crystal ball here but do you foresee potential problems with being the very first ones to buy this product? Would they maybe be making changes after it's been out for 2 months based on early reviews, findings, OS changes, initial software glitches, etc? Basically, do you see a strong reason to wait a month or two if I could?

I'm a newbie so bare with me here! This has been an exciting time to switch out of my old PC to my first Apple product. This website is an invaluable tool for me, as are my car webforums, watch webforums, etc. Before web forums, I guess people just bought stuff based on what they saw in a store, what the store's employee told them about the product, consumer reports magazine, and their own intuition. If they liked what they saw, they bought it right there on the spot and hoped for the best. Maybe they had one friend that liked the computer or car, too, so they bought based on that one friend's experience. Now, we can log onto web forums like this an find a HUGE range of experiences from people all over the planet. Hundreds of people have had or have the product we're looking for and eventually buy. It's truly amazing. What a wild, wonderful world we live in.

In the old days, you'd get an owner's manual and that's it. There wasn't any other resource to rely on other than maybe a neighbor that had the same product and could come over to your house and give you a hand when they had the time. Now, you can log onto the web and find dozens of webpages and resources for answers to pretty much anything you could have. It's an awesome world we're part of. It's times like this I wish I could live to be 100+ years and still be healthy. So much to do, so many experiences to experience.

I'm merely planning on getting the basic $1699 iMac but I might wait a month to get user feedback from you guys on your arriving machines. Seems like I'm the only one here getting the stripper iMac model! I just surf, email, watch short videos, word docs, and download pics. :eek:)

Steve R
 
While I don't buy into the version a myth, this update would give me pause. Installing desktop CPU's into an iMac, unless they have done wonders with the heat management, could be a recipe for disaster. As for the other changes, I don't worry so much (however, I wish iMac HD's were easily uster replaceable).

Had this upgrade occurred in early 2009, it would have been harder for me to justify my MacPro, however.
 
You should be fine. Just make sure you buy Apple Care. I recommend it with any mac you buy. My Macbook Pro was not a version A, but it has been in for replacement of a keyboard, logic board, and top case. I would not have wanted to foot the bill for those repairs. Plus, you know your covered on anything that fails in the first three years. Worth the money. Take advantage and jump on the new technology while it is still new.
 
I am mostly worried about heat issues as people keep bringing it up, to be honest though I am just going to order one and hope for the best... BUT I am also pretty sure people will get the iMacs with the i7 in long before me and I will have a early warning to the heat issues and can cancel my order.
 
As someone who works in manufacturing, initial rev A can have issues as the workers are learning the process. So I might wait a few weeks before buying a rev A. Any major design issue would have been found early, and if there is a problem it will be fixed quickly in production. If there is an issue with your computer, it should happen in the first year and Applecare will cover it.

Like others have said, buy additional Applecare and if there is a problem it is covered.
 
I agree with the Apple Care statement. My first Mac ever was bought in June, and it was a refurb 2.53 15" MBP, technically a revision A from the previous November. I have had no problems yet, but I know I am covered with the Apple Care.

For me, it was an incredible deal. I think I paid $1499cdn for it, and it has the 512meg video card. To get that card in the next version, I think it would have cost over $2200 again, for a refurb. New is closer to $2400.
 
Are these new iMacs considered Revision "A"? It seems that there are a lot of upgrades in the latest and truly greatest of all imacs, but I wonder what criteria is used to determine that this would be an all new incarnation, a true revision "A".
 
mzd said:
i bought the first aluminum release (aug 2007) and didn't have any troubles.
Click to expand...

Yeah I can imagine there wasn't, but the problem with the new iMac's are the quad cores which are likely to produce a lot of heat which is what I'm worried about.
 
Cheese said:
Are these new iMacs considered Revision "A"? It seems that there are a lot of upgrades in the latest and truly greatest of all imacs, but I wonder what criteria is used to determine that this would be an all new incarnation, a true revision "A".
Click to expand...
I think most of us are focusing on the i5/i7 incorporation in such a slim case as cause for a new revision, as well as a caution flag. I imagine one reason they went to an aluminum back is to help dissipate heat, in addition to Jonathan Ive doing the happy dance over how it looks.
 
I'm sure Apple is well aware of heating problems, and did enough work and testing to ensure that these machines do not overheat. With these specs and prices they're aiming at a whole lot of sales during the holiday season. I can't imagine they're willing to risk a lot of unsatisfied customers due to heating problems, especially since a lot of the people buying new Macs at this time are switchers. But I agree, you can never be sure, and waiting until a few reviews have appeared can't hurt.

About the Apple Care, isn't it true that you can still buy that within the first year of your purchase? And does this (or the default 1 year) cover pixel problems? A few years back when I bought my last TFT screen a few dead or 'lazy' pixels where still considered 'normal', is that still true nowadays? Thing is.. I'm not going to buy a 27" iMac that looks so cool and costs quite a bit, having to find out it has a few dead pixels and not being able to get it replaced.
 
I'm not worried. I bought a revision "A" unibody and had no problems. As others have pointed out buy applecare.
 
Interesting thread. I certainly planned on getting Apple Care but my slight worry was jumping on the bandwagon immediately and getting the very first iMac 27" that came out. I think I might wait for some reviews anyway just to be sure. I'm not chomping on the bit quite as much, now that they are out and the drama is over as I was the last few weeks. Maybe when I see one and actually use the new mouse with it at the Apple Store, THEN I'll want to walk away with it, that very day.:cool:
 
I have had better luck with the Version A MBP than with my previous MBP. Little Story:
I purchased a MBP in August 2007, and by September of 2008 I had to have the following things done to it:
1.) Shipped with a bad HDD - Replaced by Apple
2.) Shipped with 2 pixels out on the LED display - Replaced by Apple
3.) Battery magically died one day - Replaced by Apple
4.) Optical Drive started scratching media - sent in twice (during the school semester mind you) and they could never figure out why it was doing that.

After all of this, I told them I wanted to get a new unit, I had 4 different issues all within just a little over a year. (Had Applecare) They issued a RMA for me, and I waited until the last day I could send my laptop back to them. It just so happened that they had just announced the Unibody MBP's, and I told them that is what I wanted.

Long story short, 0 issued with Unibody, right off the production line. Very satisfied. Apple has the engineering ability to make sure that a new product is going to work how it should, from day 1. Of course there are always going to be manufacturing issues, but coming from me, I couldn't be happier.
 
When the macbook's were first introduced, the rev A's were plagued with problems. More recently when the macbook air's were introduced they were also plagued with problems such as a core shutting down due to heat.

I would definitely stay away from a new product. however these imac's aren't new, just refreshed. They're less susceptible to rev A problems since there casing and technology is proven. Keyword being less.

I agree with Applecare. Get it even cheaper on ebay or amazon.
 
ahhahah I wish I had Apple Care! My school gave me my macbook. Uhm, question, Can I get Apple Care even though I am not the one who bought my macbook, and don't have a receipt? Applecare is a good thing. My sister in law has 4 kids, and they knocked her macbook air off her bed last week and thet (AC) are replacing the hinge and keyboard free. Well as part of the insurance coverage. I want something like that..
 
phatcat said:
When the macbook's were first introduced, the rev A's were plagued with problems. More recently when the macbook air's were introduced they were also plagued with problems such as a core shutting down due to heat.

I would definitely stay away from a new product. however these imac's aren't new, just refreshed. They're less susceptible to rev A problems since there casing and technology is proven. Keyword being less.

I agree with Applecare. Get it even cheaper on ebay or amazon.
Click to expand...

Yes, they're refreshed, but with totally new technology galore. Wouldn't that make them fairly likely that the first 2-3 months of shipments could potentially have problems that Apple could work out in time? I could wait for a while, if need be... but I am anxious to get one to replace my slow Dell. Or, maybe I'll wait 4-5 months and get a refurb 27" for $1499 on the Apple Website :eek:). Just kidding - that's not much of a savings over the $1599 I can get it for now with the edu disct.

Also, you said to get AppleCare on Ebay, yet there's been a long running post NOT to buy it there? I wouldn't buy it from anyone but Apple in the first place, but how much cheaper could Amazon provide it anyway. It's "only" $119 for the iMac with the educational discount I can get. That's pretty cheap for 3 years with free phone help too.

Cheers,
Steve R
 
Jason Beck said:
ahhahah I wish I had Apple Care! My school gave me my macbook. Uhm, question, Can I get Apple Care even though I am not the one who bought my macbook, and don't have a receipt? Applecare is a good thing. My sister in law has 4 kids, and they knocked her macbook air off her bed last week and thet (AC) are replacing the hinge and keyboard free. Well as part of the insurance coverage. I want something like that..
Click to expand...

That damage is not covered by the Apple Care Protection Plan (ACPP), which is alluded to in this topic.

The repair of the damage you mentioned was most like be paid by some kind of private insurance your sister in law or some other family member has.

The ACPP only covers problems and failures due to manufacturing and other causes not caused by some third party not afflicted to Apple.
 
With regards to the comment about buying AppleCare on eBay, or vs. Apple. There is a long thread out there about not buying from anyone except Apple.

Obviously, people have different experiences. I happened to purchase my Apple Care from eBay, and instead of paying $399cdn from Apple (uMBP) I paid about $187cdn. It registered just fine.

Thankfully, I haven't had to use it, and hopefully I never will.
 
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