iMac - Don't Buy - Updates Soon?

[tromboneaholic]

A friend of mine is looking to buy the current 27 inch iMac (2017) with a 4.2GHz quad-core i7, and he asked me if I thought it was a good time to buy the machine. Since I haven't been in the market to replace my current iMac (I'm waiting to see the 2019 Mac Pro), I haven't been following the iMac update rumors.

MacRumors buying guide shows 527 days since the release of the current iMac and rates it as "Don't Buy Updates Soon."

Going into the October event, there was some speculation we might see new iMacs, but obviously that didn't pan out.

I'm thinking there won't be an update to iMac (even a silent spec bump) this year, and that a Spring event would be the next logical time for Apple to update the iMac even if it's just a spec bump.

My friend can't wait until Spring to update, so I'm leaning towards telling him to buy now if Spring will be too long a wait.

Does this make sense?

 

[Ifti]

Will a Mac Mini not be enough for his needs?
Otherwise I think you are right with your speculation RE the iMac refresh - I don't think we'll see anything until Spring now......

 

[tromboneaholic]

Will a Mac Mini not be enough for his needs?
Otherwise I think you are right with your speculation RE the iMac refresh - I don't think we'll see anything until Spring now......

Thanks for the confirmation.
We looked at the Mini, but he would use the iMac's dedicated GPU for After Effects and Premier Pro.

 

[Ifti]

Assuming he doesn't want to go the eGPU route??
You could pick up a MM with eGPU for around the same price as an iMAC, if not less, although would need your own monitor....

 

[tromboneaholic]

Assuming he doesn't want to go the eGPU route??
You could pick up a MM with eGPU for around the same price as an iMAC, if not less, although would need your own monitor....

That's definitely a consideration. I'll mention it. Thanks!

 

[ztw2002]

I think iMac is more bang for the buck. I am waiting for a redesigned/refreshed iMac too. Mac Mini plus eGPU, keyboard and mouse are way out of my budget.

 

[Jrshelby]

There are BTO options being removed which could be a sign of updates. For instance, I was going to break down and order a mid level 27” today, but stopped, as there was no longer an option for SSD drives.

 

[LiE_]

There are BTO options being removed which could be a sign of updates. For instance, I was going to break down and order a mid level 27” today, but stopped, as there was no longer an option for SSD drives.

While the Mac Mini is still new I can't see Apple refreshing the iMac sadly. As much as I want it to happen, they will wait for Mac Mini sales to slow before dropping the refresh.

 

[Ifti]

I don't like all-in-one systems, hence my reluctance to buy an iMAC, even though I was very tempted with the iMAC Pro at one point. If anything went wrong I wouldn't want to lug that huge thing across to my closest Apple store.

 

[Fishrrman]

I'm not expecting to see iMac updates until the 2nd quarter of 2019, but I could be wrong.

I'm kinda looking at it this way:
- iMac Pro was released as a sort of "stopgap" "Pro" model, until the -real- modular Mac Pro gets released (again, probably in the first half of 2019).

- With the release of the modular 2019 Mac Pro, the iMac Pro will be discontinued and replaced with a "new, more powerful iMac" (not designated as a "pro" model).

- The 2019 iMacs will not be changed significantly on the outside (the iMac Pro wasn't, and the 2018 Mini's weren't), but will be much-improved inside, with the new cooling system that the iMac Pro has and much more powerful CPU/GPU's.

So... we'll see:
1. Mac Pro released in conjunction with the 2019 iMacs.
2. 2019 iMac released
3. No more updates to iMac Pro, which will then "fade away".
... all in short order.

And of course, I could be wrong.

 

[jday7757]

I'm not expecting to see iMac updates until the 2nd quarter of 2019, but I could be wrong.

I'm kinda looking at it this way:
- iMac Pro was released as a sort of "stopgap" "Pro" model, until the -real- modular Mac Pro gets released (again, probably in the first half of 2019).

- With the release of the modular 2019 Mac Pro, the iMac Pro will be discontinued and replaced with a "new, more powerful iMac" (not designated as a "pro" model).

- The 2019 iMacs will not be changed significantly on the outside (the iMac Pro wasn't, and the 2018 Mini's weren't), but will be much-improved inside, with the new cooling system that the iMac Pro has and much more powerful CPU/GPU's.

So... we'll see:
1. Mac Pro released in conjunction with the 2019 iMacs.
2. 2019 iMac released
3. No more updates to iMac Pro, which will then "fade away".
... all in short order.

And of course, I could be wrong.

My biggest concern is that whatever updates/changes they make to the iMac, they will try to deal with the cooling issue and probably upgrade the fan system similar to that of the iMac Pro which will mean the RAM will no longe4 be user upgradable. That will add significantly to the cost by requiring those of us that need 32 GB to purchase the RAM at Apple’s ridiculous prices.

 

[BigJohno]

Did anyone notice that you can only get 512gb ssd in the imac? Seems like they took the option away for larger SSDs...

 

[LaloG]

There are BTO options being removed which could be a sign of updates. For instance, I was going to break down and order a mid level 27” today, but stopped, as there was no longer an option for SSD drives.

Same here. I’m waiting till this gets sorted out. I was about to order from BandH since they have $100 off and no taxes. Then I saw they were out of stock. Now they are back in stock but the options at the Apple website are limited so I’m waiting to see what happens.

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

June 2019?

 

[theluggage]

Same here. I’m waiting till this gets sorted out. I was about to order from BandH since they have $100 off and no taxes. Then I saw they were out of stock. Now they are back in stock but the options at the Apple website are limited so I’m waiting to see what happens.

Maybe running down stock before a quiet bump to 8th-gen processors or new GPUs (which probably wouldn't warrant an 'event')?

That would be good news - not a lot wrong with the current 5k design (well, not that Apple is likely to change).

 

[emulajavi]

I hope that when they release the iMacs they include the 9th-gen Intel processors that have been available since Oct 1st and not the 8th gen, which are more than a year old.

They’d better pass from the 2017 iMac with 7th-gen to the 2018 iMac with 9th-gen, and I hope they’ll release them soon. If they wait until June 2019, it will happen like in 2017: the current gen Intel processors would have been available for many months and in a month or two a new gen will be released.

 

[cyberlism]

Same here. I’m waiting till this gets sorted out. I was about to order from BandH since they have $100 off and no taxes. Then I saw they were out of stock. Now they are back in stock but the options at the Apple website are limited so I’m waiting to see what happens.

I think everything's back to normal now, no CPU upgrades of any kind *sigh

 

[LaloG]

I think everything's back to normal now, no CPU upgrades of any kind *sigh

Damn it. Must buy for me though. My wife’s laptop is dying. It keeps shutting down on her, her battery is crap, her trackpad doesn’t work and she is out of storage space. And of course it’s just old, 2011. Happy wife, happy life.

 

[WilliamG]

While the Mac Mini is still new I can't see Apple refreshing the iMac sadly. As much as I want it to happen, they will wait for Mac Mini sales to slow before dropping the refresh.

I don’t believe Mac mini sales are anything but slow right now, with their ridiculous pricing.

 

[SkiHound2]

I hope that when they release the iMacs they include the 9th-gen Intel processors that have been available since Oct 1st and not the 8th gen, which are more than a year old.

They’d better pass from the 2017 iMac with 7th-gen to the 2018 iMac with 9th-gen, and I hope they’ll release them soon. If they wait until June 2019, it will happen like in 2017: the current gen Intel processors would have been available for many months and in a month or two a new gen will be released.

I think the only 9th generation processors currently available are the k versions. So unless Apple waits a while, which they may, we'd probably see 8th generation cpus or perhaps a mix. Benchmarks I've seen indicate the 9th generation i5-9600k and i7-9700k offer very little speed increase relative to their 8th generation counterparts (only like 3-5% on things like Geekbench). The additional cores gave the 8th generation cpus a meaningful advantage compared to the 7th generation.

 

[netnothing]

I'm in a similar situation of trying to device between the new Mac mini (+RAM, LG 5K, Mouse, Keyboard) or the current 27" iMac. Right now with the configs I want, the iMac is about $150 dollars less than the Mac mini setup - mainly because the LG 5K is so expensive. Going 4K isn't an option because I really need a 27" display at 2560x1440 and want to go retina.

Guessing that any new iMac refresh will include the T2 chip, but honestly at this point I might want a machine without it, since I keep reading about BridgeOS crashes with the iMac Pro and the new mini.

I use the machine for mostly web development and light PS work. The GPU in the mini does worry me.

 

[mikehalloran]

Here's a refurb of the LG Ultrafine for $999
https://www.amazon.com/LG-UltraFine...=1542730665&sr=8-13&keywords=lg+usb-c+monitor


LG makes USB-C 4K monitors that are not sold at the Apple Store.

https://www.lg.com/us/4k-monitors

At Amazon:

27"
https://www.amazon.com/LG-27UD88-W-...d=1542730539&sr=8-3&keywords=lg+usb-c+monitor

https://www.amazon.com/LG-27UK850-W...F8&qid=1542730965&sr=8-3&keywords=lg+32UD99-W

31.5"
https://www.amazon.com/LG-31-5-LED-...d=1542730665&sr=8-9&keywords=lg+usb-c+monitor

https://www.amazon.com/LG-32UD99-W-...F8&qid=1542730901&sr=8-1&keywords=lg+32UD99-W

 

[LiE_]

How are warranties on those refurbs?

 

[netnothing]

Here's a refurb of the LG Ultrafine for $999
https://www.amazon.com/LG-UltraFine...=1542730665&sr=8-13&keywords=lg+usb-c+monitor


LG makes USB-C 4K monitors that are not sold at the Apple Store.

https://www.lg.com/us/4k-monitors

At Amazon:

27"
https://www.amazon.com/LG-27UD88-W-...d=1542730539&sr=8-3&keywords=lg+usb-c+monitor

31.5"
https://www.amazon.com/LG-31-5-LED-...d=1542730665&sr=8-9&keywords=lg+usb-c+monitor

Problem with these and the Mac mini are the reports of stuttering UI unless it's even scaling. Running a 4K at 2560x1440 has seen some bad results. Don't think I could handle 3840 x 2160 - getting too old for that

 

[mikehalloran]

How are warranties on those refurbs?

Same as new and you can buy AppleCare — if you go to the Refurb Store, you will see this.
[doublepost=1542731796][/doublepost]

Running a 4K at 2560x1440 has seen some bad results

Curious. Do you have facts to go with this? Links to actual reports would be nice.

I'm serious. If true, I need to rethink a possible purchase.