Would you buy an iMac again after owning one?

[macmee]

Can we all pretend here that we said "no I wouldn't buy it again"

well then: what mac *would you buy*?

I assume macbook if you want portability

but if you want a mac with horse power, is the iMac the only choice right now?

mac pro and mini haven't been refreshed in years now

 

[tillsbury]

Can we all pretend here that we said "no I wouldn't buy it again"

well then: what mac *would you buy*?

I assume macbook if you want portability

but if you want a mac with horse power, is the iMac the only choice right now?

mac pro and mini haven't been refreshed in years now

I agree that these are the significant options really, which is why I ended up with an iMac and a Macbook. The right combination of the two machines for two different jobs. They replaced my previous 2012 rMBP (used almost exclusively as a desktop but able to move on the odd occasion), and the reason was the retina display of the iMac. If I had nothing right now I would seriously consider the same option now that the 5k screen has been announced -- i.e. get the maxed-out rMBP15 and the 5k monitor for the desktop. It would do me fine. But eek it's now over NZ$7000 for the MBP, which is over $1000 more than the top-end MBP in 2012.

I don't understand why everyone is moaning about the new Macbook Pros. They look like superb fast machines to me.

 

[maflynn]

The thing that I keep thinking about lately, is the cost. I struggled with the decision when getting my iMac. 2,000 is a lot of money, and I feel I got value but how I see Apple moving with the MBPs, my concerns have been re-raised at this point.

I feel I have lots of years left in my 1 year old iMac so its something that I can push off till the future. Probably by then, we'll have a clearer picture what Apple is doing with the Mac line

 

[Firebrand]

You know, everybody should buy one

The thing that I keep thinking about lately, is the cost. I struggled with the decision when getting my iMac. 2,000 is a lot of money, and I feel I got value but how I see Apple moving with the MBPs, my concerns have been re-raised at this point.

I feel I have lots of years left in my 1 year old iMac so its something that I can push off till the future. Probably by then, we'll have a clearer picture what Apple is doing with the Mac line

The thing that I keep thinking about lately, is the cost. I struggled with the decision when getting my iMac. 2,000 is a lot of money, and I feel I got value but how I see Apple moving with the MBPs, my concerns have been re-raised at this point.

I feel I have lots of years left in my 1 year old iMac so its something that I can push off till the future. Probably by then, we'll have a clearer picture what Apple is doing with the Mac line

Your normal iMac replacement cycle has been 1 year only, until now??
What do you do with your iMac exactly?

 

[maflynn]

Your normal iMac replacement cycle has been 1 year only, until now??
What do you do with your iMac exactly?

Last year when I was looking to get a desktop, I struggled at decision. Ultimately I did as I hope to get 5 or more years out of it.

Sorry, if my post was awkwardly worded

 

[CmdrLaForge]

I had an iMac G5 in 2005. I was hoping for a quad core Mac mini with decent graphics but there is none. So I think I will go the iMac route again

 

[Firebrand]

Last year when I was looking to get a desktop, I struggled at decision. Ultimately I did as I hope to get 5 or more years out of it.

Sorry, if my post was awkwardly worded

Okidoki

 

[steve62388]

Yes, at this point in time I would buy another iMac. I intend to run my current one into the ground, hoping for five years plus because they are so darn expensive. My top spec mid-2012 rMBP is still operating smoothly, so that's four years already. I'm expecting something similar from my top spec late 2014 riMac.

But who knows for sure? Ask me again when I need to make a purchase decision.

 

[Booch21]

Without hesitation. I'm not in any hurry to replace my 2010 version yet, because it still works wonders on what I need from it. When the time comes, I'll be configuring the best I need for that moment and to the future. 6 years on the same machine without finding that the hardware is obsolete or that I've hit the limits of what I can do on it is something that is new for me. I usually only got 3-4 years from any PC configurations.

 

[Fishrrman]

My iMac is an old white "Intel" 24" -- the last of the white iMacs, a late-2006 model bought in 2007.
It still boots and runs ok, though I don't use it much any more.

My main Mac today is a late-2012 Mini -- great little computer.

Would I buy another iMac?
I like them, but what I -don't like- are the stories about screen burn-in (perhaps due to high heat levels inside).

When it comes time to replace the Mini, I'll probably buy another Mini, IF there is an update to the product line. It's still uncertain whether there's to be a new Mini, or not.

 

[elf69]

I use a 20" 2007 imac with 20" cinema screen as my main home computer.
It is great.

I will buy a newer model when can afford it.

Yes get beachball sometimes but think it lack of ram.

 

[Acorn]

My 2012 27 inch imac has screen burn in. It goes away and doesn't happen very often because I don't usually have the same thing on the screen that long however the problem is obviously there. Since this has been happening and my elimination of my desk workspace I don't think I would get an imac like I thought I would before. I was actually thinking of buying a windows machine next because the cost of macs has got higher than I am willing to pay. Not that I want windows over mac it just seemed to work out that way. Oh well.

 

[macmee]

My 2012 27 inch imac has screen burn in. It goes away and doesn't happen very often because I don't usually have the same thing on the screen that long however the problem is obviously there. Since this has been happening and my elimination of my desk workspace I don't think I would get an imac like I thought I would before. I was actually thinking of buying a windows machine next because the cost of macs has got higher than I am willing to pay. Not that I want windows over mac it just seemed to work out that way. Oh well.

image retention sucks, its a super common problem and I dont understand why apple markets these machines as premium when they have a such a cheap problem.

 

[maflynn]

image retention sucks, its a super common problem and I dont understand why apple markets these machines as premium when they have a such a cheap problem.

Many of us have not run into and if it was as wide spread as others have presumed there would be a lot more "noise" occurring in the consumer channel. I use the 2011 dGPU defect and the staingate (display coating flaking off) as two prime examples where two issues that were wide spread and apple was forced to act.

I've been vocal in stating that my machine is problem free, as others have as well.

 

[macmee]

Many of us have not run into and if it was as wide spread as others have presumed there would be a lot more "noise" occurring in the consumer channel. I use the 2011 dGPU defect and the staingate (display coating flaking off) as two prime examples where two issues that were wide spread and apple was forced to act.

I've been vocal in stating that my machine is problem free, as others have as well.

22% of respondents to the poll said they have image retention and there *are* quite a lot of threads and blog posts about both image retention and getting multiple displays in a row with image retention

 

[iGeek2014]

I owned the mid-2011 iMac 21.5" until just over three years ago and went for a late 2014 Mac Mini.

Have just sold that on and now own a mid-2015 iMac 27" w/Retina 5K purchased via eBay UK.

I've seen a few comments/posts about image retention so to try and stop it happening I set my display to switch off after five minutes of inactivity.

 

[maflynn]

22% of respondents to the poll said they have image retention and there *are* quite a lot of threads and blog posts about both image retention and getting multiple displays in a row with image retention

The population is too small to draw any conclusions which is my point. Apple sells millions of iMacs, yet you're saying 100% failure rate based on 22 people (out of 100). I'd also say that the numbers are skewed further because people having the issues will be naturally drawn to the thread discussing it, and those who do not, may just pass by it.

 

[macmee]

The population is too small to draw any conclusions which is my point. Apple sells millions of iMacs, yet you're saying 100% failure rate based on 22 people (out of 100). I'd also say that the numbers are skewed further because people having the issues will be naturally drawn to the thread discussing it, and those who do not, may just pass by it.

even the guy who started this thread has image retention lol

 

[maflynn]

even the guy who started this thread has image retention lol

I'm not denying its an issue, but I think its a mistake to say that the iMac is suffering from 100% failure rate, i.e., every iMac has it when there's been millions of iMacs shipped but the position being based on 22 people.

I also look at coincidental evidence, I mentioned this before, in other defects, we saw a high volume of failures to a point where it was making the technology blogs, new sites, etc and class action suits occurred and Apple instituted repair programs. The dGPU failures and staingate are two such examples.

I'm not seeing the same level of "noise" on this topic. Yes, there's a few threads here, a handful of blogs, but nothing like other product failures.

Its hard to defend a position of 100% of all iMacs have this issue when there's so many people here that don't have this problem.

Again, I feel for those folks and its awful to deal with, I'm not denying that, I definitely can empathize with their plight but should not translate into proclaiming every iMac being made is going to have this problem.

 

[MistrSynistr]

I've owned a 2013 model 27" and now a 2015 5K. I absolutely love sitting down in front of these to do my graphic design and photography work...and when my 5k gets long in the tooth I will definitely get another.

 

[macmee]

I'm not denying its an issue, but I think its a mistake to say that the iMac is suffering from 100% failure rate, i.e., every iMac has it when there's been millions of iMacs shipped but the position being based on 22 people.

I also look at coincidental evidence, I mentioned this before, in other defects, we saw a high volume of failures to a point where it was making the technology blogs, new sites, etc and class action suits occurred and Apple instituted repair programs. The dGPU failures and staingate are two such examples.

I'm not seeing the same level of "noise" on this topic. Yes, there's a few threads here, a handful of blogs, but nothing like other product failures.

Its hard to defend a position of 100% of all iMacs have this issue when there's so many people here that don't have this problem.

Again, I feel for those folks and its awful to deal with, I'm not denying that, I definitely can empathize with their plight but should not translate into proclaiming every iMac being made is going to have this problem.

I mean, think what you want but I can reproduce it on any 2014 iMac with an i7 and 295 GPU. I'm guessing there's a handsome percentage of people who've boughten this model which:

1. dont run the machine hard enough to break the screen fast enough to have noticed by now
2. dont use apps with dark themes enough to notice
3. will have sold and upgraded their machine by the time the problem reveals itself
4. they might not care much about the issue. It certainly bothers me quite a lot because I do a lot of photoshop and emacs with solarized dark theme

I have no idea if the severity also ranges from panel to panel, how brightness settings impact it, ambient room temperature, etc.

All I can say is that it's a black box but one that reliably produces the undesired behaviour deterministically.

 

[fathergll]

The thing that I keep thinking about lately, is the cost. I struggled with the decision when getting my iMac. 2,000 is a lot of money, and I feel I got value but how I see Apple moving with the MBPs, my concerns have been re-raised at this point.

I feel I have lots of years left in my 1 year old iMac so its something that I can push off till the future. Probably by then, we'll have a clearer picture what Apple is doing with the Mac line

I consider it more of a luxury item. Despite the cost the Retina iMacs were actually an excellent value for the money considering what the cost of an equivalent display would have been(at least when they came out in 2014). It was like getting a desktop for free. At the end of the day I hate wires and clutter so the iMac fits well in my living room.

If I were doing legit heavy work I would steer far far away from an iMac. I think iMacs work well in basic configurations but once you start adding in a 4GB Video Card and start pushing the machine hard you can cook an egg in it. You don't need a hardware engineering degree to figure out thats probably going to cause issues down the road.

 

[macmee]

I consider it more of a luxury item. Despite the cost the Retina iMacs were actually an excellent value for the money considering what the cost of an equivalent display would have been(at least when they came out in 2014). It was like getting a desktop for free. At the end of the day I hate wires and clutter so the iMac fits well in my living room.

If I were doing legit heavy work I would steer far far away from an iMac. I think iMacs work well in basic configurations but once you start adding in a 4GB Video Card and start pushing the machine hard you can cook an egg in it. You don't need a hardware engineering degree to figure out thats probably going to cause issues down the road.

That's what I thought too when I bought the iMac, that it was actually a great deal considering you're getting a 5k display with beautiful colour reproduction out of it.

But having had so many defective displays in a row here I can't help wondering if the reason it was such a "great deal" might be because the panels they used were actually pretty crappy.

 

[Sam_S]

I was thinking today how much I like my imac. Just about the only thing I dislike about it is I have no vesa mount since I bought it directly from the apple store. Its just frustrating not being able to set it up mounted on the wall and everything like I had originally planned. Just having it on the wall with no external boxes with the wires hidden. just pure bliss.

I am thinking next upgrade cycle I will opt for another imac just with vesa support. So what about everyone else. Would you buy a imac again or change to something else.

I would like to buy a new iMac next cycle and hold onto my rMBP as my surfing the web computer and for whatever I need on the go. I love working on an iMac it is so much nicer then constantly straining your neck. However I wouldn't mind buying an external display and have one super powerful MacBook Pro, but the new ones have just disappointed me. Not to mention the price that they are asking for those machines. Would much rather upgrade the iMac, hopefully they refresh them soon, my 2012 iMac is starting to slow a bit.

 

[Krevnik]

Honestly, I used Mac Pros from 2006-2013 until the iMac effectively caught up to my needs at home. There isn't a lot that I do that stresses the need for a modern 6/8/12 core system. The current crop of QC i7s are "good enough" for my photo editing needs, and my personal development projects. But it's also really the only Apple option that's a desktop in this range of CPU/GPU power.