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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Desktops > iMac, buy now or wait

iMac, buy now or wait
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carterx
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Sep 15, 2008, 01:39 AM
 
I'm fighting with myself if I should go ahead right now and buy a new 24" imac right now, or wait. According to the MacRumors Buyer's Guide the imac is in mid cycle. If going by the average days in release before an update, the iMac is looking like another 3 months.

This being said, I may wait or may not. I have looked and have not heard of any new rumors about iMac. I know the Mac Mini, Tower, & Laptops are soon to be updated.

Anyways, just check'n to see if anyone knows of any rumors I don't.
     
P
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Sep 15, 2008, 09:22 AM
 
Rumors say it will be updated before Christmas - Oct 14th seems to be the current date to watch - but that the update will be comparatively minor. 8GB max RAM, DDR3 possible and likely a GPU update, but no word on how large that GPU update will be. Personally I'm hoping a Radeon 38x0 or similar, but you truly never know with Apple.
     
mduell
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Sep 15, 2008, 09:15 PM
 
I don't expect an update until next year... it's not going to be big, aside from doubling the memory ceiling.
     
Simon
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Sep 16, 2008, 03:42 AM
 
To me it looks like the iMac will be updated at MWSF in January. With the current CPU clock options and since Apple already increased the FSB clock to Cantiga's level with the last iMac update, they're in no big hurry to switch it over to Cantiga. The remaining advantage will be the 8GB RAM ceiling. Of course you can also expect somewhat better GPUs and increased CPU performance (on average <20% though).

If you don't need a computer you can always wait - but that waiting game can also go on forever. You shouldn't wait for the sake of waiting. You should wait for a certain feature or required level of performance. If you know now that you will need the 8 GB RAM ceiling, you should probably wait. If you know now that a 3.06 GHz Penryn and a 8800GS is insufficient for what you do, you should also wait (or consider a MP for that matter). Otherwise however, I'd go ahead and get it right now. It is definitely a solid system that offers very good performance and specs at a decent price point.
     
carterx  (op)
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Sep 16, 2008, 03:46 AM
 
Thanks for the comments guys.
As today was the last day for students to get a hold of a free iPod touch with a computer purchase and as I'm soon finished with the college I worked for, so took advantage.

Got the 24" 3.06ghz iMac with the iPod touch.
     
Simon
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Sep 16, 2008, 03:52 AM
 
Good for you!
     
slider
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Oct 15, 2008, 03:09 PM
 
So here I am again, wondering about iMac updates. I had previously held out until this past summer revision. At that time I was under the impression that this update was a minor one as a major update was expected this fall; that seemed what was generally believed at the time.

This time around I am trying to figure out if my Parents should purchase an iMac to replace their eMac, which they had planned to give to my 10 yo nephew for Christmas, as I believed we would see a more significant iMac update this fall.

There doesn't seem to be any rumors regarding an iMac update and the buyer's guide over at MR is saying the iMac is "neutral", so I'm guessing it might not happen until Macworld in January. Anybody have some insight on this?
     
mduell
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Oct 15, 2008, 09:28 PM
 
February is my guess; expected specs in sig.
     
Eug
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Oct 15, 2008, 09:42 PM
 
iMac 1Q09 (Cantiga, 2.53-3.06Ghz Penryn [quad possible], 8GB RAM)
I note the MacBook Pro is listed as supporting up to 4 GB RAM in 2 slots, like the iMac. I suspect the future iMac will be able to support 8 GB, but I'm not 100% sure. I betcha they'll list only up to 4 GB in the specs.

Although 4 GB would be adequate for me, 8 GB would be ideal. With 4 GB, I'd have to pay more attention to what I load. With 8 GB, I can be much more liberal with the apps loaded. As it is, I'll have 4 GB just in my white MacBook, which isn't even my primary machine. I don't really need that much in the MacBook, but RAM is just so darn cheap for it I couldn't resist.
     
Simon
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Oct 16, 2008, 03:16 AM
 
Originally Posted by slider View Post
There doesn't seem to be any rumors regarding an iMac update and the buyer's guide over at MR is saying the iMac is "neutral", so I'm guessing it might not happen until Macworld in January. Anybody have some insight on this?
In all likelihood the iMac will be updated at MWSF in Jan 2009. By that time sufficient XE Penryns will be available (including quads). The MP is usually not a topic at MWSF and besides the new 17" MBP the iMac will be the hardware event at the show. I wouldn't be surprised if the iMac doesn't ship right away though.

There's a chance Apple will use the NVIDIA platform again for the entire chipset. I think however, for technical and business reasons, it's even more likely they'll actually go with Cantiga. Apart from the choice of GPU that won't have a large influence though (1066 MHz FSB in any case).

I do expect an 8 GB RAM ceiling. And I do expect the 3.06 GHz X9100 and/or the 2.53 GHz QX9300 (that's the quad) to be BTO options on the 24" iMac. I expect FW400 to be dropped in favor of a single FW800 port. MDP is a given.

I also expect the gap between the 20" and the 24" iMac to grow as Apple prepares the the 20" to be a more bare-bones entry-level model and the 24" to take over the main iMac market. Although I'd like to see it, I'd say we're not quite ready to see the 30" iMac this time around.
( Last edited by Simon; Oct 16, 2008 at 03:49 AM. )
     
mduell
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Oct 16, 2008, 02:23 PM
 
Originally Posted by Eug View Post
I note the MacBook Pro is listed as supporting up to 4 GB RAM in 2 slots, like the iMac. I suspect the future iMac will be able to support 8 GB, but I'm not 100% sure. I betcha they'll list only up to 4 GB in the specs.

Although 4 GB would be adequate for me, 8 GB would be ideal. With 4 GB, I'd have to pay more attention to what I load. With 8 GB, I can be much more liberal with the apps loaded. As it is, I'll have 4 GB just in my white MacBook, which isn't even my primary machine. I don't really need that much in the MacBook, but RAM is just so darn cheap for it I couldn't resist.
I expect the next iMac to use Intel PM45, which supports 8GB RAM, rather than nVidia 9400M G, which supports 4GB RAM.
     
Simon
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Oct 16, 2008, 05:11 PM
 
Regardless of the chipset, Apple can reduce the RAM limit in firmware as they have already done several times in the past.

I'm all but convinced they wouldn't limit an early 2009 iMac to 4 GB.
     
slider
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Oct 17, 2008, 06:55 PM
 
AppleInsider believes Apple will update the iMac within the next 4 weeks in time for the holiday season.
     
gooser
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Oct 17, 2008, 10:11 PM
 
if you want firewire---buy now.

i have no inside information, just seems the way things are going.
imac g3 600
imac g4 800 superdrive
ibook 466
     
carterx  (op)
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Oct 18, 2008, 11:25 AM
 
Running 4GB in the new iMac myself and works for me.

Not to start pushing around on here, but figured I'd mention in this forum, but if any are looking for Apple certified memory, I sell Life Time memory for Apple computers at a very good cost.
     
P
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Oct 18, 2008, 11:45 AM
 
Originally Posted by gooser View Post
if you want firewire---buy now.

i have no inside information, just seems the way things are going.
Based on the teardown, space on the motherboard seems to have been the leading reason for cutting Firewire from the MB. There is more space on the motherboard of a 20" or 24" iMac, even if the powersupply is internal and the HD is a full size 3.5".
     
p.a.h.
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Oct 18, 2008, 01:26 PM
 
Glad you got a machine and an ipod.

My 2 cents:
The wait or buy game is OK if you already have a
machine that you can work on, but if your loosing
an opportunity to work, learn, or practice...PULL THE TRIGGER.

Better to have and do, than wait and regret.

We'll all be outdated and ooing and ahhing over the next best
thing within a year anyway.
     
grover432
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Oct 21, 2008, 05:14 PM
 
Wait!!!! New iMacs will be coming soon. BUT, if you don't have a computer and need one now, as p.a.h. posted, just go out an dbuy one now. It's not like the new iMac is going to render the current iMac obsolete.

Even my G5 2.1 iMac does most things fast enough for my purposes. However if I had known about the impending change to Intel, I'd have waited. I don't think there will be as dramatic a channge in this update.
     
   
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