I'm definitely waiting for the iMacs to start shipping with Leopard, but by that time, the iMacs should be about in their Mid product cycle. Will it be worth waiting until the next revision? I've heard about how the 2400XT and 2600 Pro aren't at their tip-top yet, and I don't wanna buy one and then Jan/Feb comes around and they introduce iMacs with better graphics cards. Does anyone think it will be that much of a revision to wait the extra 4 or 5 months?
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Wait Until Next iMac Update?
- Thread starter Phtosynthesis
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He's not talking about buying an iMac in October though is he!? If you wait until the next update, I doubt you'll see any major updates probably only a CPU speed bump.
Uh, what? The last iMac update was a year after the one before that. In all probability we won't see newer iMac until September '08. Just buy one now! They just came out like two months ago! If people bought like you're suggesting, Apple would only sell iMacs two months every year.
you know what if you really want it, buy it now leopard can come later... and when leopard comes why would again wait for the the next imac model ?? you can always say would it be better to wait for a better product, and it is true there will always be a better one after you bought it, but you can't keep waiting, buy it know is my advice.
Lots of pleasure assured
Lots of pleasure assured
The new iMacs are such awesome machines, I don't know why you would wait. For Leopard? Maybe, but you'll be missing out on such a great user experience in the meantime. I've had mine for 2 weeks now and every time I pass the room that it's in I just stop to admire it. You can always wait for the next update be it speed, OS, etc. If you want it, get it and believe me, you want it.
Mick
Mick
Despite what others have posted, I totally understand what you're saying. The reason the most recent update was over a year after the previous revision is because the design is completely new. That's historically consistent for Apple and their new designs. I do agree that you should buy whatever is available today if you need a computer to do work/school/etc., but if you have a computer that satisfies your needs although it needs a refresh, you shouldn't buy arbitrarily because a new version is available.
I am in the market for a new iMac, but my current G4 iMac does enough of what I want it to do to give me flexibility about when I buy. I completely agree that waiting for Leopard makes sense. Why should you pay over $100 more if you don't need it today? Whether you consider next month to be mid-product cycle for the current iMac is certainly debatable. I personally think the switch to Intel processors makes Apple's products more predictable. For example, it was only a matter of time before Apple included Santa Rosa in the iMac. In my opinion, the delay between Intel's Santa Rosa release and Apple's release of the iMac was a big indicator of the redesign.
Again, it's only my opinion, but I think the next iMac revision won't come until Mar-Apr of next year which will coincide with Intel's release of the Montevina chipset. Although Apple could drop the Penryn processor into the iMac in the first quarter of next year, I don't think that is likely because Apple typically goes at least six months between revisions (you couldn't recoup design costs with shorter release cycles unless you're design was a beige box). It's hard to say whether a new GPU will be available. Apple doesn't generally keep pace regarding graphics cards in its consumer/prosumer models. Additionally, the second revision of any product for any company tends to have fewer bugs/kinks.
So, back to your question, Phtosynthesis. If you need it today, buy it. If you don't and can't wait until Q2 08, buy it when Leopard is included. Otherwise, spend your money on something else and don't worry about it till next year.
I am in the market for a new iMac, but my current G4 iMac does enough of what I want it to do to give me flexibility about when I buy. I completely agree that waiting for Leopard makes sense. Why should you pay over $100 more if you don't need it today? Whether you consider next month to be mid-product cycle for the current iMac is certainly debatable. I personally think the switch to Intel processors makes Apple's products more predictable. For example, it was only a matter of time before Apple included Santa Rosa in the iMac. In my opinion, the delay between Intel's Santa Rosa release and Apple's release of the iMac was a big indicator of the redesign.
Again, it's only my opinion, but I think the next iMac revision won't come until Mar-Apr of next year which will coincide with Intel's release of the Montevina chipset. Although Apple could drop the Penryn processor into the iMac in the first quarter of next year, I don't think that is likely because Apple typically goes at least six months between revisions (you couldn't recoup design costs with shorter release cycles unless you're design was a beige box). It's hard to say whether a new GPU will be available. Apple doesn't generally keep pace regarding graphics cards in its consumer/prosumer models. Additionally, the second revision of any product for any company tends to have fewer bugs/kinks.
So, back to your question, Phtosynthesis. If you need it today, buy it. If you don't and can't wait until Q2 08, buy it when Leopard is included. Otherwise, spend your money on something else and don't worry about it till next year.
2nd revisions are better but Im waiting for the next OS then Ill buy. Why get stuck with a old os? my wife still uses jag but if im plopping down near two grand I want the latest greatest OS. I doubt Apple will intro new gpu's in the next year and a bump in cpu is probable so OS to me makes the most financial sense. Im also really interested in how HD movies can look on this machine? Anyways a 24" with the new cat has my name on it.
Thanks for the comments. I'm going to wait until they ship with Leopard. I don't completely need a new iMac as the G4 I have now is suitable, but if I get a new one, i'll have the new OS for free, and a machine that will last me awhile. I was going to go with the 2.0GHz 20", but now i'll just opt for the 2.4GHz 20" as it should last longer.
One more question, I won't have enough money to get AppleCare with it when I do purchase it, but I plan on getting it eventually, so whats the deadline to get AppleCare after purchasing a Mac? I know it has complementary one year and 90-day phone support, so i'm hoping I won't need it for awhile after getting the iMac, but I could be wrong.
One more question, I won't have enough money to get AppleCare with it when I do purchase it, but I plan on getting it eventually, so whats the deadline to get AppleCare after purchasing a Mac? I know it has complementary one year and 90-day phone support, so i'm hoping I won't need it for awhile after getting the iMac, but I could be wrong.
One year after purchase is the deadline. If you value phone support, then you need to purchase it within 90 days, otherwise phone support will restart when you purchase Applecare.
Phone support isn't that big of a deal to me, but I will probably end up getting it within 90-days.
Well, just to add my 2¢, I'm going to buy mine as soon as 10.5.1 comes pre-installed. I want to get it with Leopard, but I'd like to give them a chance to iron out the bugs first. They'll probably release an OS update after it's been out for a month or two. By then, maybe there will be a hardware upgrade too, maybe not, but I think most of the hardware/software bugs will be gone and I should have a stable machine.
And, to those who say "Don't wait, buy it now and enjoy it" I say that's fine if you can afford to upgrade your hardware every couple of years (and it seems like a lot of you can, good for you), but not all of us have that luxury so this purchase is going to have to last a long time.
I just want to give them a little time to get the new stuff right and working well together.
And, to those who say "Don't wait, buy it now and enjoy it" I say that's fine if you can afford to upgrade your hardware every couple of years (and it seems like a lot of you can, good for you), but not all of us have that luxury so this purchase is going to have to last a long time.
I just want to give them a little time to get the new stuff right and working well together.
2nd revisions are better but Im waiting for the next OS then Ill buy. Why get stuck with a old os? my wife still uses jag but if im plopping down near two grand I want the latest greatest OS. I doubt Apple will intro new gpu's in the next year and a bump in cpu is probable so OS to me makes the most financial sense. Im also really interested in how HD movies can look on this machine? Anyways a 24" with the new cat has my name on it.
I debated waiting for Leopard too, but I figure that with the final revision to Tiger coming out soon it is an accredited OS and I can take comfort in knowing that virtually all the bugs are going to be worked out. Being in college I can buy Leopard for a decent price and will upgrade when I need something newer than the iMac I am getting from FedEx today, to get excited for again! That's the way I look at it, I'm getting an awesome computer today, and then when Leopard comes out later this month and I buy it, it will feel like having a new computer all over again (so to speak) with new stuff to learn and check out.
First post
Hi there, first post for me. Last week I ordered my first Mac (I'm leaving the dark side of windoze and Dell). I'm now waiting patiently for the iMac 2,8 Ghz, 500 GB. I'm getting it with 1GB of Ram and I have ordered an extra 2GB from Crucial, which was cheaper then buying the iMac with 2GB of Ram from Apple.
The reason why I ordered it with Tiger is because Apple sent me an 1200 Norwegian Kroner discount offer for anything over 12,000 Kroner. Since the OS costs about 1299 NOK, and having browsed these boards for almost a year, I believe Tiger is about as stable as it possibly can be. And although I've been waiting for Leopard, when this offer appeared in my inbox I thought why wait anymore? The upgrade is almost the same price as what Leopard will cost when it comes out. I can then wait for a couple of months until an even more bug free version of the new OS is out and I get to use my Mac a few weeks earlier than planned
I guess most users of the Apple Online store allow Apple to send them offers. Since I bought my first iPod a couple of years ago I've had some great Apple offers appear in my inbox. I can honestly recommend them.
Can't wait to join the fold. My confirmation e-mail says that I should be receiving my machine on the 12th.
Hi there, first post for me. Last week I ordered my first Mac (I'm leaving the dark side of windoze and Dell). I'm now waiting patiently for the iMac 2,8 Ghz, 500 GB. I'm getting it with 1GB of Ram and I have ordered an extra 2GB from Crucial, which was cheaper then buying the iMac with 2GB of Ram from Apple.
The reason why I ordered it with Tiger is because Apple sent me an 1200 Norwegian Kroner discount offer for anything over 12,000 Kroner. Since the OS costs about 1299 NOK, and having browsed these boards for almost a year, I believe Tiger is about as stable as it possibly can be. And although I've been waiting for Leopard, when this offer appeared in my inbox I thought why wait anymore? The upgrade is almost the same price as what Leopard will cost when it comes out. I can then wait for a couple of months until an even more bug free version of the new OS is out and I get to use my Mac a few weeks earlier than planned
I guess most users of the Apple Online store allow Apple to send them offers. Since I bought my first iPod a couple of years ago I've had some great Apple offers appear in my inbox. I can honestly recommend them.
Can't wait to join the fold. My confirmation e-mail says that I should be receiving my machine on the 12th.