Who has no regrets about their "obsolete" Apple product?

[Doctor Q]

Every time Apple releases an upgraded hardware product, a flood of complaints wash over us from people who have the previous model. Apparently, their model is now "obsolete" and therefore useless. They got months (or years) of use out of it but they still regret not waiting for the new model, simply because it's better or has features they are now "missing."

What about the opposing viewpoint? People who are content with their purchases have less reason to speak up, but I'd like to hear from them.

If you have a Mac, iPod, or other Apple gizmo that is inferior to the current lineup, but you have no regrets about buying it, please tell us why.

 

[clayj]

I have a couple of older Mac minis (1.5 GHz Core Solo, 1.66 GHz Core Duo). I'm not worried about there being newer versions of these machines because they do exactly what I need them to do: Run various housekeeping applications, run iTunes for my home theatre, and serve as backups to my main machines.

 

[tersono]

A few weeks after I purchased my 17" MBP there was a speed bump to 2.6 ghz. Do I care? Hell no - the machine does exactly what I bought it for and is likely to serve me well for several years.

Frankly, any computer is going to go out of date - generally within a fairly short period of buying it. It's happened to me many times - which is, in part, why I don't care. I buy a new machine when I need it. If there's a new one at that time, great. If not, I buy it anyhow because I need it. Frequently I've tended to buy refurbs - also out of date, but at least I know that when I buy them

Reminds me of the old gag from the days when certain companies from the far east were making cheap knock-off imitations of early Macs.

Q: How do you know that your new Mac is genuine and not a fake?
A: Take it up to the roof of a tall building and throw it off. If it's out of date before it hits the parking lot, it's genuine...

 

[Queso]

12" Powerbook G4

'nuff said

 

[TEG]

I love my PowerBook G4 667(DVI). I'll get rid of it when there is absolutely nothing for me to run in OS9.

TEG

 

[Schnebar]

I have a white intel iMac which I bought right after the switch to intel. It is outdated now but I fell that I bought it at the perfect time. It also helps that my last 3 mac purchases have been on the day they came out.

 

[zelmo]

I'm still quite happy with my 15" 1.33GHz PowerBook G4. While it would be nice to have a newer laptop, this one still runs as fast as when I got it, it's paid for, and my usage doesn't make me feel like I'm suffering with old, slow technology.
Whenever I look at my PB with wistful eyes, I just break out the iKlear and polish her up. Good as new.

 

[Wild-Bill]

12" Powerbook G4

'nuff said

DITTO!

Quite possibly the best laptop they have EVER made. Mine will be with me and run until it runs no longer.

Apple's BIGGEST mistake, IMHO, is not releasing the immortalized "successor" to the 12" PB: the mysterious PB G5.

The MBA is NOT a 12" PB replacement.

 

[Xfujinon]

Absolutely love my Cubes and my Lamp.

The iMac G4 lamp is my wife's day-to-day workhorse, as I have commandeered her iBook G4 as my mobile workstation until I find a suitable replacement.

The Cube has a more interesting role; currently I use it as a music server, but it also houses my collection of guitar tablature, and with the aid of an Apple Studio 15" display, I can gain access to all of my practice music easily and quickly. I can also swivel the monitor and use it to watch my Powerpoints I make of medical and science concepts or formulas I need to learn for tests. This use works out REALLY well also so that I can study while lifting weights, riding the exercise bike, etc.

Personally, I would take those two form factors with today's technology over most other offerings. I even bought a second parts Cube so I can be sure that if something blows I have a functional spare. I really wish I was good enough at modding to take a Mac Mini and slam it into the other cube case (yes I know, it physically just fits, but I want to do crazy crap with lights and stuff).

Outdated Macs have been my workhorses for years because I could never afford new ones. My iMac C2D 2.16 is my main machine now, unless I acquire a Macbook Pro at some point.

They're only "outdated" once they are dead, at which point I purchase them for cheap and make use of them anyway.

 

[gauchogolfer]

I have a PB G4, the 1.67GHz 15"-er, and it's great. For what I need it to do, I don't feel like I'm held back at all. And, considering that only recently did the MBPs get FW800 ports back, I actually had an advantage over newer machines. The only reason I'm looking at getting a new Mac is to replace a desktop PC, and I'll probably get a Mini or iMac. For portables this PB will last me for a while yet. The battery is at 60% after ~500 loadcycles and going strong.

 

[fistful]

I'm still generally content with my 15" 1.33GHz PB G4. I do plan on getting a MBP with the next update but I'm not in any rush. I've recently started doing more intensive work with my machine which has started to show it's limitations but if it weren't for that I imagine I'd use it until it died.

Initially I regretted not adding the backlite keyboard option but I got over it pretty quick.

 

[saxman]

I'm doing just fine with my 12" Powerbook (1.33GHz) and 3g iPod with the touch sensitive buttons

 

[Cooknn]

Still lovin' my Power Mac G5 Dual 2GHz

 

[mduser63]

Another 12" PowerBook owner here. I love the thing. It fell off the back of my car and got a little dented, the sleep light stopped working (before it fell) and the fabric around the disc slot came off, and the (replaced in the recall) battery has horrible life (this is a widespread problem judging by the Apple Discussions), but I still love it. I'm very seriously considering buying a new bottom case and a third-party replacement battery since doing those two things would make it as good as new.

 

[ravenvii]

Got a 15" MBP with 2.2 GHz Core 2 Duo.

Got it a few weeks after it was released back in June or so. Very happy with it. No remorse. Updates will come, it's inevitable. Technology doesn't freeze the moment you buy a machine, despite what many here seems to think.

 

[twoodcc]

i have a macbook pro and mac pro, and both are "obsolete".

the only regret i ever had about the mbp is that it have been nice to have a smaller screen, for carrying it to school and all. other than that, both machines have been, and are still serving me well. they are both over 1 year old.

 

[zap2]

My iBook G4


That baby is still rocking it!

And despite my wanting to sell it, I'm having trouble since the MacBook and MacBook Air are wider...

 

[Nermal]

My second-generation MBP still works well, although with Leopard it's slower than it was new with Tiger. It's not unbearably slow, and with any luck 10.5.2 will restore the "Tiger speed"

Regardless, I expect this computer to keep me going for plenty of time yet. My iPod, on the other hand, has just been obsoleted thanks to me ordering a shiny new 32 GB Touch just half an hour ago

 

[FJ218700]

all my G4's are rocking Leopard great. No regrets here about them being out of date. Some tasks are painstakingly slow at times, but until the last one dies, or until they are no longer supported, I won't buy amn Intel machine.

 

[GSMiller]

I love my C2D white iMac. Would I trade it for a 20" aluminum one? Heck no.

 

[harcosparky]

Ya know it's funny.

I wanted Macs for my kids, and did not want to spend a lot of $$$$$$.

I bought two obsolete Macs for them, and we all could not be happier.

In fact I am in the market for more obsolete Mac gear .... like maybe a late model G4 iMac.

They love their obsolete G4 Powermacs.

In my opinion, anyone who get upset because an upgraded model of what they own comes out has psychological issues!

 

[iMpathetic]

Can you say 128k? Haha, no, I really am trying to set up my blue and white G3 as a server. I use a 400MHz Grape DVD iMac for iTunes blasting.

 

[GoCubsGo]

For me if the device is performing the way I need it to then I see no reason to get all up in arms about new versions. My PB rev D does what I need it to but after 3 years I believe it is time for a new machine. It was my intent to not upgrade or add to the family until after I finished grad school and then most likely sometime around my birthday. One is done, the other is coming so I will buy whatever is available when I am ready.

 

[kretzy]

I still love my 15'' 1.67 G4 PowerBook. It's nearly 3 years old, I bought it just after the line had been updated. For the most part it still does everything I need it to but it has a few small issues - a dead RAM slot, flicker when the screen is moved and the 'fury' bit at the entrance of the optical drive is coming off - nothing that I can't live with. I've never once regretted purchasing it. I intend to keep it until the next MacBook revision which should come in the next few months.

I also bought an iPod Touch just after Christmas before the price drop and new apps (and now the bigger model)...that's life I guess. That still doesn't make me regret the purchase in any way, the Touch is amazing and will serve me well until the iPhone comes out here.

 

[sushi]

I am still in the G4 world!
- PM933. Main desktop computer. 6 years old
- PB15. Main laptop computer. 4 years old.
- iPod Nano 2G black (8GB). Main iPod.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. These products keep working fine and doing what I need to do.

Meanwhile I save up my funds so that when they finally quit working, or no longer serve my needs, I have the cash to purchase replacements.