And then people will say wait for the next one because you shouldn't buy rev A... And then it'll be that the processor on the one after that is worth waiting for... And so on. With that thinking, you'll never buy anything.
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To those purchasing a 2011 refresh, are you worried the one after will be a redesign?
- Thread starter Kendo
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I think in the long run, this'll be the iMac to have. It has longevity with the TB port and speed with SB processors. My current computer is a laptop - the last TiBook rev before the aluminum PowerBook came out. It's old, but still works wonderfully. I'm not sure I would have experienced such reliability from a rev A, serial number 000001.
I'm most certainly buying the new (old) iMac in late May, when the Touch promotion begins.
I'm most certainly buying the new (old) iMac in late May, when the Touch promotion begins.
Those are still the version introduced in July 2010. They have described as "New" since then.
Many in other threads have asked the same question.
Stuck???
Let's not be so dramatic. Even is there is a redesign after this refresh, do you really care? You need a computer. This upgrade promises to offer a CPU upgrade and a new I/O standard. I bought the last iMac prior to the Intel switch. I doubt your 2011 purchase will have legs for many years to come. And if this is just about aethetics...wll that's just sad.
I find that these things are very simple.
If you need a new computer now or your current one is getting sluggish then get the May 2011 model.
If you don't need a new computer now then stick with yours and wait. There will always be a new update around the corner and you could end up waiting forever.
After all the current design looks pretty good and the redesign isn't going to be radically different. After all just think of those months where you could have the SB iMac when you otherwise wouldn't
If you need a new computer now or your current one is getting sluggish then get the May 2011 model.
If you don't need a new computer now then stick with yours and wait. There will always be a new update around the corner and you could end up waiting forever.
After all the current design looks pretty good and the redesign isn't going to be radically different. After all just think of those months where you could have the SB iMac when you otherwise wouldn't
Come on, the current design is so freakin' beautiful. I don't want to downplay Apple's ingenuity when it comes to designs, but the current simplistic design is exactly that, simplistic. Minimal. Just like they say in the promotion video, there is not a single detail that shouldn't be there.
They might make a new design and it might be pretty, but I will humbly bow down if they can significantly improve the current design.
They might make a new design and it might be pretty, but I will humbly bow down if they can significantly improve the current design.
A little, but that's with any technology purchase. That is, you run the never ending game of technology being obsolete the moment it ships.
Then again, the iMac was last redesigned in 2009. It's only been a year and change since then. IF the next one is massively redesigned, there's nothing I can do about that is there? But since I needed a new computer yesterday, I do not have the luxury of worrying about what a 2012 update brings can I?
Then again, the iMac was last redesigned in 2009. It's only been a year and change since then. IF the next one is massively redesigned, there's nothing I can do about that is there? But since I needed a new computer yesterday, I do not have the luxury of worrying about what a 2012 update brings can I?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMac_(Intel-based)
Man. I just realized that this is the 3rd refresh for the Unibody iMac. The aluminum iMac (20" and 24" models) also had 3 refreshes before changing the design. The polycarbonate iMacs before those had only 2 refreshes before changing designs.
It looks like the iMacs that we buy today will only look this way for maybe 8 months before the design changes again.
Man. I just realized that this is the 3rd refresh for the Unibody iMac. The aluminum iMac (20" and 24" models) also had 3 refreshes before changing the design. The polycarbonate iMacs before those had only 2 refreshes before changing designs.
It looks like the iMacs that we buy today will only look this way for maybe 8 months before the design changes again.
Some people come from the school of thought that the last generation of a design is the best while others believe that the newest is. I worked at Apple with a guy from the former group. He thought is was best to get the kinks worked out and get the best machine of a design run rather than buy the first machine of the next only to have them update it with some cool new things each product refresh.
I bought an original rev. A G4. codename 'Sawtooth'. It has a DVD drive that could only write to DVD Type II rewritable discs that actually were in a sliding door square case like a floppy disk. The cheap DVD-Rs were 6 months later.
I had that beast for 6 years and almost pulled the trigger on a 24" iMac but didn't like the white, so I got an Intel Core Duo refurb Mini as a holdover and my waiting paid off, getting a new iMac the following August (2007) when the first Aluminum 24" iMacs came out. But like rev. A machines they had graphics card and screen freezing issues that took several updates to resolve.
One could argue that the 'pizza box' iMac has been around some time now, going from white to aluminum and that the last 'design' upgrade was nominal in form, losing the edging and going wider. It begs the question whether the next one will be more significant in terms of iOS and potential touchscreen introduction or if they have really hit a development wall that won't change until we are hooking up our iPhones/iPads direct to screen. People said the at some point our mobile devices will dock anywhere and between that and cloud services, the traditional model will finally change. Who knows.
I am going to replace my 24" rev. A iMac with a new 27" this spring/summer. However, I will wait until it ships with Lion as I think 10.7 will be a $129 and not a $29 OS upgrade. And it will be nice to get one preloaded.
But this current refresh, could represent the peak of this design, with a more significant change coming next year. Then you just have to decide, would you rather be a bleeding edge guinea or enjoy the finest of this generation. Me: I'm due. And if wholly new iMacs come out next year, I'll either succumb and sell to upgrade, or keep mine 3-5 and wait for that design to mature.
I bought an original rev. A G4. codename 'Sawtooth'. It has a DVD drive that could only write to DVD Type II rewritable discs that actually were in a sliding door square case like a floppy disk. The cheap DVD-Rs were 6 months later.
I had that beast for 6 years and almost pulled the trigger on a 24" iMac but didn't like the white, so I got an Intel Core Duo refurb Mini as a holdover and my waiting paid off, getting a new iMac the following August (2007) when the first Aluminum 24" iMacs came out. But like rev. A machines they had graphics card and screen freezing issues that took several updates to resolve.
One could argue that the 'pizza box' iMac has been around some time now, going from white to aluminum and that the last 'design' upgrade was nominal in form, losing the edging and going wider. It begs the question whether the next one will be more significant in terms of iOS and potential touchscreen introduction or if they have really hit a development wall that won't change until we are hooking up our iPhones/iPads direct to screen. People said the at some point our mobile devices will dock anywhere and between that and cloud services, the traditional model will finally change. Who knows.
I am going to replace my 24" rev. A iMac with a new 27" this spring/summer. However, I will wait until it ships with Lion as I think 10.7 will be a $129 and not a $29 OS upgrade. And it will be nice to get one preloaded.
But this current refresh, could represent the peak of this design, with a more significant change coming next year. Then you just have to decide, would you rather be a bleeding edge guinea or enjoy the finest of this generation. Me: I'm due. And if wholly new iMacs come out next year, I'll either succumb and sell to upgrade, or keep mine 3-5 and wait for that design to mature.
Yeaa .. no more thinking, I'm buying 2011 iMac, and so should you. Don't wait for another refresh, which if 
not lying, will be a total redesign.
While it sounds good, it keep its own drawback, new design means new problem etc. You'll end up sorry when you get the new redesigned iMac just to face with new overheating, screen issue, failing hardware and so on.
So, for me, it's better to be at the peak of old design rather than at the beginning of new design. Because it means the old design has been so good that get bored and decide to jump in the new one
And anyway, what's the benefit of total redesign for you? Do you think today's iMac is totally ugly? Because to me they're pure sexy and beauty .. why bother with new design? You wait for iMac 2012, I'll enjoy my 2011 iMac and buy another one in maybe 2014 or 2015 and get better iMac than you have. It's always looping
not lying, will be a total redesign.While it sounds good, it keep its own drawback, new design means new problem etc. You'll end up sorry when you get the new redesigned iMac just to face with new overheating, screen issue, failing hardware and so on.
So, for me, it's better to be at the peak of old design rather than at the beginning of new design. Because it means the old design has been so good that
get bored and decide to jump in the new oneAnd anyway, what's the benefit of total redesign for you? Do you think today's iMac is totally ugly? Because to me they're pure sexy and beauty .. why bother with new design? You wait for iMac 2012, I'll enjoy my 2011 iMac and buy another one in maybe 2014 or 2015 and get better iMac than you have. It's always looping
Apple always does a redesign that blows you away. But here's the thing. Apple also has a horrible habbit of screwing the pooch with the first gen redesigns.
Remember the yellow tinge iMacs? Remember the new MBAs that kept having gpu issues until an update, etc, etc, etc.
Get the 2011 iMac. Admire the new 2012 redesign. Pick up the perfected 2012 Q4 (or 2013).
Remember the yellow tinge iMacs? Remember the new MBAs that kept having gpu issues until an update, etc, etc, etc.
Get the 2011 iMac. Admire the new 2012 redesign. Pick up the perfected 2012 Q4 (or 2013).
Not at all, for the same reason I don't worry about potential new car models computers begin to lose value at the time of purchase, and I try to avoid replacing items that rapidly depreciate in value simply because the new ones are a status symbol.
I don't need the latest and greatest ... UNLESS I have a true need for a computer. Then I buy a very good machine from what's available and use it until it no longer suits my needs. It might begin losing value immediately, but given my computing demands, I expect this iMac to retains its worth (to me) for several years.
I'm upgrading a 2003 iLamp G4 with this refresh. So, no, I won't care one bit if the next iteration is a redesign. I care only about how the machine I have suits my needs. If it does that, there will be no envy or regret on my part during subsequent refreshes.
That said, I did hold off buying in winter because of this refresh, and I'm postponing even further for Lion and ed-store summer incentives.
I don't need the latest and greatest ... UNLESS I have a true need for a computer. Then I buy a very good machine from what's available and use it until it no longer suits my needs. It might begin losing value immediately, but given my computing demands, I expect this iMac to retains its worth (to me) for several years.
I'm upgrading a 2003 iLamp G4 with this refresh. So, no, I won't care one bit if the next iteration is a redesign. I care only about how the machine I have suits my needs. If it does that, there will be no envy or regret on my part during subsequent refreshes.
That said, I did hold off buying in winter because of this refresh, and I'm postponing even further for Lion and ed-store summer incentives.
"A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."
Antoine de Saint-Exupery