Specs and value are two completely different things. Specs are objective while value is subjective. I think it is sound that more and more people can focus on value rather than specs. However value is quite different for different people.
To be frank, most people does not know what specs their computer has. The only visible "spec" that everyone is interested in is the size of storage and perhaps SSD vs HDD. Often choices are made by higher level differentiators like is Mac or PC, laptop or desktop, large and small screens, ugly or beautiful, cheap and expensive.
A vanishing few like us here keep track of processors, GHz, version of thunderbolt, screen tech, ECC RAM, motherboards version, AMD, Intel, ARM, RDNA1&2 and chose the computer based on that.
Even among us here we cannot agree on the optimal computer, which is totally fine because we have different values. The only think we almost agree on that is that a redesigned iMac should be released tomorrow or even better two weeks ago.
They can.
But custom
I'm so desperate that even if Apple gives us only a spec bump with T2 chip I'm gonna buy it. It doesn't look "that" bad after all.
The 2019 was a 'lazy' update...but it wasn't 'bad'. It's an 'ok' computer. It wasn't pushing the frontier of refinement or design or bringing the iMac Pro innovations to the masses.
I almost bought the £3560 iMac 8 core with Vega 48. But I balked at having to pay for all the extras, ram, ssd, gpu (which was the most egregious to me.) To me, if the iMac Pro had been about that price 'then' I may have gone for it.
I just get irked that on a mostly £2k computer, Apple are offering a 580. It's a low end part. It's poor value on a machine costing that much. If they'd offer the Vega as standard (it's not included in any of the tiers... you have to BTO everything at every pricing tier...) I'd have gone for it.
So, I'm of the opinion...if they give us the update we should have had last year (specs wise...) then I'll probably buy, design or not. I'm not that fussed about the T2 chip.
But we should be having a design revision by now. But it seems like we're going to have to wait another year for that. *shakes head.
It doesn't look 'bad.' But it's like saying customers don't care about these things (and we do). We know when stuff gets old, on cars, clothes and computers.
And iMac only has itself to blame. It introduced the iMac buying public to?
Computer fashion.
Apple and the iMac can't have it both ways.
Azrael.
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On the topic of being skeptical; While I won't lose hope (won't hold my breath either) and hope we get a release soon, what will everyone do if they do not release a new iMac until WWDC? I'm in somewhat desperate need of a desktop Mac and don't think I'll be able to hold out until 2021. Worst case scenario for me would be to buy a 2019 after WWDC and then have Apple release a small/big refresh in the fall.
There's no way I can hold out until the next year.
The good thing about waiting for the early June or WWDC update is that this 'substantial' spec boost will bring more value to the dated iMac line.
That has two knock on effects.
Older models will take the price beating, both iMac and iMac Pro.
The newer model will offer more spec value for the price (unless Apple raise prices
)
So the Mac customer will have more value propositions.
Azrael.
