Is it a good time to purchase an iMac?

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  StopThatBus on 22/02/2014 - 18:46

  What were the ups and downs with the macbook?

  • 

    ExpressCoffee on 22/02/2014 - 22:34

    battery is very random and has been weak after the first year which was a bit of a let down.
    Had a bit of a struggle playing 1080p videos..

    It actually is not too bad after upgrading the ram and HDD after the first 2 years!

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  StopThatBus on 22/02/2014 - 19:21

  +2

  My experience in buying macs.
  You can keep waiting for something better especially with Apple. I find that MOST of the time there is never a huge jump between updated models.. You have to buy at some stage can't keep waiting.. When I see a system that suits I jump in. Most mac's I tend to get 5-8 years out of desktops. I do like to save money by buying second hand macs 2-3 years old and save the money. Another way is to get the last of the old model when the new ones are released. Big savings.
  I picked up a 13" MacBookPro Retina at the last MBP Refresh. Got an Refurbished model from Mac online. Saved $430- 1yr warranty New battery, New Top and Bottom Case. With lion.

  I don't own an iMac But a friend is super happy with there 3 year old one.
  I do kind of like the look of the MacMini But that's a slight different ball park.

  We have a MacG5 Tower 2.8 Quad Core from 2007 running lion SSD 128gb + 3T Storage Bought second hand. $950 ish from Ebay in 2012. It's a great work horse…

  and the MBP 2.5 i5 8gb mem SSD Retina.. Which is out over priced Tablet.. I swore i'de never buy another laptop again.. But after my tablet died I decided that I needed a tablet that could run full programs not just apps.

  So to sum up I'd say jump in when you see something you like and suits, We have been happy with second hand and referbed macs.

  O and If you can GO SSD My tower Boots up in 18 seconds to operation and my MBP Boots in about 12 seconds from off.

  Good luck :)

  • 

    tonester on 22/02/2014 - 20:21

    Got an Refurbished model from Mac online.

    http://www.refurb.me :)

  • 

    ExpressCoffee on 22/02/2014 - 22:41

    Thank you for your reply mate. It was very informative.

    This is what I've come to think with Apple models but I always have that thought that if I buy one the very next one will be a game changing mac. I like the idea of getting a fairly current model as I have never really bought the run out stock for technology before as new models come out so frequently.

    I'm also a bit skeptical of buying a second hand computer. Even if you format everything is it really the exact same as buying a new one of similar specs? I've formatted before on previous windows machines and they have not come back to stock standard. Same went for my mobiles.

    SSD's are quite expensive right now I can't justify the price as Apple charge an arm and a leg for them when you build to order.

    My main gripe is that the new Mac's may have a retina display in the next lineup and I don't know if that's a big deal or not..

    You've given me a new perspective on this, thanks :)

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  [Deactivated] on 22/02/2014 - 19:37

  There is a never a good time to buy an iMac.

  On a side note if you get one, it will come on special the next day for half of what you paid.

  • 

    StopThatBus on 22/02/2014 - 20:20

    +3

    Do you have any suggestion on a computer that won't be cheaper the next day?

    • 

      scrimshaw on 22/02/2014 - 21:33

      +1

      This?

      On a serious note OP, considering that your needs are basic according to your comment

      I am a student and would use my Mac for study along with general web browsing and media use.

      Why would you need the highest end iMac with 775m if gaming / 3d rendering is not in your requirements? Could go with the lower end GPU and wouldn't notice the difference.

      • 

        ExpressCoffee on 22/02/2014 - 22:50

        Sorry, I may have not been quote exact with my uses.

        I'm studying engineering so I use Autocad a bit, and I tend to dabble with photoshop and some video editing softwares.

        And I just want something that will last me a while and maintain a fairly nimble feel. Price wise it's not too much of a jump.

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  cuteseal on 22/02/2014 - 22:19

  +1

  Like you pointed out, the iMac is mid-cycle.
  http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#iMac

  The current iMac has been out 151 days; the previous iMac lasted 298 days, and the one before that 577 days before being superseded.
  Going by the above you'd probably be waiting at least another 150 days (5 months) for the next model.

  It's up to you I guess whether you can wait another 6 months.

  I've owned 2 iMacs - both are great and have lasted well. Like any computer, it flies when brand new and slows down over time (although it could also be perception as well, and also every update keeps adding features and bloat to the OS and programs).

  For me I reckon it's less important to get the latest and greatest when it comes to desktops. Unlike MacBooks which get thinner and lighter, better Retina display, SSD drives, etc. - new iMac models just bring spec bumps. Well ok, the last iMac made it thinner… whoopeee. It's not like you're lugging it around campus every day.

  Have you considered buying a second hand one on gumtree? Especially towards the end of the semester/year, a lot of international students need to urgently sell their gear as they go back to their home countries. A lot of recent models can be got for quite reasonable prices.

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  ExpressCoffee on 22/02/2014 - 22:54

  By the time my bday comes around it may make it will be 3-4 months till a new one comes out.. but maybe not :/

  I plan to upgrade the ram on it later if it's getting slower. But that's the thing, I swear they just get slower over time and there's no proper 'fix' for it. That's why I don't want to opt for a second hand one.

  But a very valid point, I am not going to be lugging it around at all really, so I shouldn't worry too much.

  Thank you for your reply.

  • 

    cuteseal on 22/02/2014 - 22:59

    But that's the thing, I swear they just get slower over time and there's no proper 'fix' for it.

    Tell me about it… probably a format/reinstall will fix it but can't be bothered…

    Although like you said, a few minor upgrades can give your equipment a new lease of life. RAM will definitely help, as will a SSD hard drive. And both are a relatively inexpensive these days.

    • 

      ExpressCoffee on 23/02/2014 - 00:36

      -1

      I just wish the HDD's were easily replaceable like the RAM. I don't want to pay an exorbitant price for a small SSD that won't cope with my music and movies.

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  RichardRides on 23/02/2014 - 07:25

  As a student you should be able to access the student price … bit of a saving.

  http://www.apple.com/au/education/

  And Apple will also give you a $100 gift card if you buy now.

  http://store.apple.com/au/browse/campaigns/back_to_school

  So I reckon you treat yourself to an early birthday present! Buy the iMac now.

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  verio on 23/02/2014 - 08:47

  If I were you I would wait for the next iMac to come out. There is a fair chance that Apple will increase the amount of SSD in Fusion Drive from 128GB to 256GB, something that might be very substantial in terms of experience.

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  [Deactivated] on 23/02/2014 - 22:13

  Why MAC ? do you need it for something like … video or photo editing or you have special software available there ?

  You can get a Linux for much cheaper and do the same things with it.

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  Tnetennba on 24/02/2014 - 00:13

  +1

  The specifications you get are sub-par compared to building your own. Last I checked, the parts they put in the iMacs are just laptop (or close to laptop) parts to avoid having big fans/etc.

  I'm almost positive you could get a ridiculous setup for the same price if you look up building a pc (or getting someone else to build it for you, even).

  Of course I don't really care, get what you want ^^

  • 

    ExpressCoffee on 25/02/2014 - 12:34

    I'm well aware I can buy an awesome PC for cheaper but I prefer the Apple platform and design It has served me well and I would like to stick to it.

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  Jackson on 24/02/2014 - 02:08

  Can I say "no"?

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  fruit on 24/02/2014 - 12:34

  +1

  28 Degrees card offers price protection, that will give you peace of mind.

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  Gish on 24/02/2014 - 13:23

  +1

  Not sure if it's posted but I'd check this:
  http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/

  This site shows the trend of new product releases and incorporates rumors of new devices during design phase.

  • 

    tonester on 25/02/2014 - 16:35

    I checked the mac buyers guide but I am in the 'amber' period which is sort of in the middle.

    :)