View Full Version : Buying an iMac?
JJeffburton99
2007-04-08, 15:54
Can anyone give me a estimate or something of how apple is with credit. And what kind of credit you would have to have to get a $3000 imac? Thanks
also, does apple have a email address for sales?
Can anyone give me a estimate or something of how apple is with credit. And what kind of credit you would have to have to get a $3000 imac? Thanks
also, does apple have a email address for sales?
What kind of iMac are you buying for $3000?!?!?!
:eek: :eek: :eek:
Wait wait wait. A $3,000 iMac? :eek:
Please tell me you're not buying Apple's RAM.
That said...using Apple's Juniper Visa Credit whatsit, you'd be paying $71 a month for it. I'm not sure how long that is...48 months?
turbulentfurball
2007-04-08, 17:21
Woah. I would not pay for a computer over 48 months. When you've finally finished paying for that, we'll all be raving about Mac OS X 10.6 on our 20 core iMacs :eek:
JJeffburton99
2007-04-08, 17:23
yes $3000 I'm getting the most memory and stuff on it. But it all depends on how much apple will let me spend. What does your credit have to be if you want to buy a mac for around that price from them? or will they give anyone a computer they want?
Buy the RAM and HDD upgrades from a third party site. You will save a nice chunk of money.
Just telling you the smart path to take.
JJeffburton99
2007-04-08, 17:26
but how much trouble would it be putting it into a imac?
I doubt they'll give anyone a computer. I'm sure Apple credit is much like any other department store type credit card in that you need a fairly decent credit history to be able to get it. That said, I have to agree with everyone else here, buying a computer with terms like that would almost be ludicrous. Only do it if you can pay off the computer in a few months and not by whatever terms Apple credit has.
Just telling you the smart path to take.
A thread about buying a computer on credit, and you talk about "smart paths to take"? :D ;)
JJeffburton99
2007-04-08, 17:29
I'm asking about credit because, we just bought a new truck for 40,000. We always pay stuff on time, I just want to know if I'd be able to get a decent imac from apple for video editing now, without them giving me some low amount of money I can spend. Like it doesnt have to be the best, but I dont want something thats going to be extremely slow after a few movies.
also I'm not going to pay the minimum every month, I'll pay more and more so it will be payed off sooner but, I want to computer now not in 6 months
but how much trouble would it be putting it into a imac?
From what Ive been told it's not hard at all. Ive only owned a Powerbook and a Macbook in my life and I upgraded the RAM on the PB and the RAM and HDD on the Macbook and they were very easy. There are plenty of people here who own iMac's and they could tell you about upgrading but like I said, if it's as easy as the laptops, you will be able to do it very quickly.
Also, what are you going to be using the iMac for? What type of applications?
I would have to agree with people to with the credit thing. I wouldnt pay for a computer for no longer than 2 years. I like to upgrade every 2-3 years if I can. If you really want to finance it though, I would get yourself a credit card with 0% interest for a year or so and just make the biggest payments you can and then transfer it to another 0% interest or make sure it has a low APR after the 0% period.
but how much trouble would it be putting it into a imac?
Adding more RAM is like changing batteries. It's not hard at all.
JJeffburton99
2007-04-08, 17:32
Also, what are you going to be using the iMac for? What type of applications?
photo and video editing, thats why I want to get the best and not something thats gonna crap out in a year
A thread about buying a computer on credit, and you talk about "smart paths to take"? :D ;)
:lol:
But seriously...$3,000 for an iMac? If it were me, I would spend half as much and upgrade twice as soon. A new $1,499 iMac in 2009 is going to be better than a $3,000 iMac from 2007 (really 2006).
Buying the top of the line stuff never makes sense. Especially when you're going into debt to do so.
But hey, it's his money. :rolleyes:
torifile
2007-04-08, 17:37
Jeff, you need to take a step back before you get yourself into financial trouble. Learn a thing or two about how Macs work (like they don't get "slow" after doing a couple of heavy editing sessions) and decide if an iMac is the best purchase for you. I know you'll probably discount this post but you're just going to be throwing your money away unless you get a 0% interest deal, which I doubt they have.
I would have to agree with people to with the credit thing. I wouldnt pay for a computer for no longer than 2 years. I like to upgrade every 2-3 years if I can. If you really want to finance it though, I would get yourself a credit card with 0% interest for a year or so and just make the biggest payments you can and then transfer it to another 0% interest or make sure it has a low APR after the 0% period.
Since we're talking credit here, wouldn't this do MORE damage to your credit because of the multiple accounts with very short history? WRT the computer, someone said they wouldn't pay for a computer more then two years; I'd say it really isn't smart to pay for a computer for more then 6 months, a year at the max. By then it's already obsolete and weather you want to upgrade or not, your still paying for something outdated.
JJeffburton99
2007-04-08, 17:43
so do you guys think this computer would be good for editing films that will usually a hr or so long, and for storing stuff on it?
* 512MB memory
* 160GB hard drive1
* 24x Combo drive
* Intel GMA 950 graphics
Since we're talking credit here, wouldn't this do MORE damage to your credit because of the multiple accounts with very short history? WRT the computer, someone said they wouldn't pay for a computer more then two years; I'd say it really isn't smart to pay for a computer for more then 6 months, a year at the max. By then it's already obsolete and weather you want to upgrade or not, your still paying for something outdated.
Right, Im just saying that is an option. That's why I also mentioned a low APR. Sometimes you can get the 0% for a year and then like 2.9% or something similar.
so do you guys think this computer would be good for editing films that will usually a hr or so long, and for storing stuff on it?
* 512MB memory
* 160GB hard drive1
* 24x Combo drive
* Intel GMA 950 graphics
You have a thing about extremes, don't you? ;)
The $999 iMac was really designed with schools and low-end users in mind. If you want to get into video editing, you'll probably want a SuperDrive (DVD burner), and you'll definitely want more RAM. Apple should really include a gigabyte of RAM with all of their computers.
For $1,199, you could get an iMac with a faster processor, more RAM standard, a dedicated graphics processor, and the handy Apple Remote. Or, for $1,499, you could get an iMac with a still faster processor, a larger screen, and a much larger hard drive.
In my opinion, the 20" iMac really is the "sweet spot" in the line-up. You can buy it refurbished and save $200, which you can use to upgrade the RAM - and have a computer almost as good as your $3,000 one for half the price.
Keep in mind that both the iMac and OS X are due for an update, so it might be wise to wait a few months, if you can.
so in the refurbish shop you can either get:
Refurbished iMac 20-inch 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SuperDrive
1GB (2x512MB) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
250GB Serial ATA hard drive
Slot-load 8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Radeon X1600 with 128MB GDDR3 memory
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Built-in iSight Camera and Apple Remote
Price: 1299
OR
Refurbished iMac 24-inch 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SuperDrive
1GB (2x512MB) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
250GB Serial ATA hard drive
Slot-load 8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT with 128MB GDDR3 memory
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Built-in iSight Camera and Apple Remote
Price: 1699
I think either of them are good enough for what you want to do with them
torifile
2007-04-08, 18:22
More RAM and a DVD burner are a must. You can do without dedicated graphics for video editing.
The $999 GMA 950-based iMac is technically good enough, but it's the low end for a reason. I'd personally either go with the $1199 17-inch iMac and immediately upgrade it to double its RAM to 2 GBs, or go with the $1499 20-incher and do the upgrade later on. In either case, I would certainly buy the RAM from a third party and install it myself. The process is very simple and does not void the warranty.
Brave Ulysses
2007-04-08, 22:39
Buy the RAM and HDD upgrades from a third party site. You will save a nice chunk of money.
Just telling you the smart path to take.
Replacing the HDD will void your warranty however and is quite difficult. It sucks. I want to upgrade my hard drive in my 24" iMac but I am not willing to void the warranty just yet.
Too many problems with the 24" iMac to risk going without a warranty.
I would certainly buy the RAM from a third party and install it myself. The process is very simple and does not void the warranty.
Umm, as far as I know, all upgrades a user does, on last gen iMac G5s and later, would void the warranty, unless you get an authorized tech to do it.
Umm, as far as I know, all upgrades a user does, on last gen iMac G5s and later, would void the warranty, unless you get an authorized tech to do it.
Um, except RAM.
Yes, you can no longer pop off the back of the iMac without voiding your warranty - however, you don't need to pop off the back of the iMac to upgrade the RAM. There's a little door on the bottom of the iMac, in between the two speakers. You just need to open the door and snap some more RAM in. Like I said - like changing batteries. :D
Um, except RAM.
Yes, you can no longer pop off the back of the iMac without voiding your warranty - however, you don't need to pop off the back of the iMac to upgrade the RAM. There's a little door on the bottom of the iMac, in between the two speakers. You just need to open the door and snap some more RAM in. Like I said - like changing batteries. :D
Intel-based iMac: Installing and replacing memory (RAM) (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303084)
Intel-based iMac: Installing and replacing memory (RAM) (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303084)
There you have it, JJeff. Totally simple, and non-warranty-voiding. Happy Mac-ing. :D
Too many problems with the 24" iMac to risk going without a warranty.
What problems are you referring to. I have a friend who is thinking about moving from windows to a 24" iMac. If there are reliability issues I would like to know about them.
I seem to recall they did some kind of interest free dealio around this time last year. I got my MBP on it, paid it off in 3 payments.
Brave Ulysses
2007-04-09, 16:52
What problems are you referring to. I have a friend who is thinking about moving from windows to a 24" iMac. If there are reliability issues I would like to know about them.
First one I got had dead pixels.... it happens so not a big deal.
The one that I have now.... backlight hum which seems to be exclusive and very popular on the 24" iMacs. Any brightness below max and the backlight hums and it gets louder the lower the brightness is. Apple has been playing ignorant on the issue and have replaced some users machines but most get an iMac back with the same hum. To me it worries me that Apple is again using cheap components in the iMac that may have long term problems (like the iMac G5 capacitors)
I'm also having severe performance problems despite 1.5GB RAM. Self-run tests have shown the hard drive to be performing well below the level it should be. It's pretty difficult to convince an Apple genius at an Apple Store that there is something wrong with a hard drive when the system boots and runs seemingly fine though.:devil:
Wow!! Thanks for the update. I'll tell my friend about these issues. Maybe a 20" is a better buy.
Like most problems, these aren't indicative of all 24" iMac's though. I received mine with one of the first batches back in September and have had none of those problems reported. In a diagnostic test, my hard drive did test a little lower then it should (I think there is a thread about it somewhere) but it hasn't caused any noticeable issues.
JJeffburton99
2007-04-09, 17:55
changed what I'm buying, I'm gonna get a 20" iMac with 2gb of memory, 500gb hard drive. I'll probally get it next week or the week after hopefully. Thanks for all the help. I have another question though, do I need anything special to run my comcast internet on my iMac?
Brave Ulysses
2007-04-09, 18:00
Like most problems, these aren't indicative of all 24" iMac's though. I received mine with one of the first batches back in September and have had none of those problems reported. In a diagnostic test, my hard drive did test a little lower then it should (I think there is a thread about it somewhere) but it hasn't caused any noticeable issues.
Mine had to be one of the first out of the factory as well.
I will be taking it to the Genius bar again later this week, I'll let you know how it goes.
The backlight problem is something to look into though. A ton of people have it.
The backlight problem is something to look into though. A ton of people have it.
I guess I should consider myself lucky then.
I have another question though, do I need anything special to run my comcast internet on my iMac?
You should only need an ethernet cable. However, I helped set up my friends Comcast internet in college and they had stupid proxy settings that had to be set and a phone number to call before a signal would even be sent to the house. So because it's Comcast, I'd check their "install kit," or whatever the box that comes with the modem is called.
The backlight problem is something to look into though. A ton of people have it.
But like every other product, you hear a lot more from the minority who have a problem, than from the majority who don't. I ordered my 24" the day they were announced, and I don't have any of the issues you mentioned. That doesn't mean that some people don't have a problem, but I do believe it is a small minority.
Brave Ulysses
2007-04-10, 09:41
But like every other product, you hear a lot more from the minority who have a problem, than from the majority who don't. I ordered my 24" the day they were announced, and I don't have any of the issues you mentioned. That doesn't mean that some people don't have a problem, but I do believe it is a small minority.
Having owned every revision of 20" (and now 24") iMac and following the support pages for each of them along the way, I can easily say I haven't seen as common a problem with an iMac since the iMac G5 with capacitor problems.
You are of course right, I'm sure there are many more 24" iMacs that don't buzz... but are they not using the same components? Most people seem to agree that Apple is simply using cheap power inventors and/or power supplies that struggle as voltage changes to the screen when brightness is changed. Just because yours is not doing it now, doesn't mean yours is using the same potentially faulty components.
It's just something to be aware of.
It's funny how you American folk are horrified at someone spending $3,000 on an iMac, when the 24" model costs that with Apple Care and no upgrades here in Blighty.
Anyways, I have no clue when it comes to hardware, so it was interesting when someone mentioned that you could upgrade the memory yourself. I always thought that it was some super magical rare memory that you could only buy from Apple, hence the high price. So can I buy any memory and throw it into a MacBook or iMac? Or does it have to be something specific?
Thanks for your help.
It's funny how you American folk are horrified at someone spending $3,000 on an iMac
The horrified part comes in where
1) the specs are well above the needs,
2) the upgrades are insanely overpriced and can easily be had cheaper through other means and
3) all of this gets purchased in credit (wtf).
In short, despite the realization of not being able to afford this machine at all (hence credit), JJeffburton99 initially chose to take little time in looking how to save money, and to buy a machine that amounts to pure luxury.
Granted, a thread was created asking for purchasing advice, but the entire premise just strikes me as weird. I don't mean no offense, of course.
I always thought that it was some super magical rare memory that you could only buy from Apple, hence the high price.
I'm not sure if, in the far past (70s, 80s, 90s), Apple may have used proprietary RAM at some point or another. But virtually any machine that runs OS X uses standardized, JEDEC-compiant RAM. Further, Apple gives detailed information on the exact kind of specifications your RAM sticks should or need to have.
So can I buy any memory and throw it into a MacBook or iMac? Or does it have to be something specific?
Here's a wonderful reference that answers this question. (http://developer.apple.com/documentation/HardwareDrivers/Conceptual/HWTech_RAM/Articles/RAM_implementation.html) :) Simply scroll to the section for your appropriate machines. Moreover, several vendors of RAM actually have Mac-specific sections where you can immediately see what kinds of RAM will fit your machine.
So can I buy any memory and throw it into a MacBook or iMac? Or does it have to be something specific?
Thanks for your help.
MacBook: How to install memory (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303721). There you go.
dammit chucker
JJeffburton99
2007-04-12, 18:53
thanks for the help on the positive posts and the wasted space of negative posts. I wouldnt pay 3,000 in payments, I need the computer asap. And I'd pay payments for what probaly the first 2 months then pay the rest off with 2 or 3 big payments. But again thanks for the helpful posts.
julesstoop
2007-04-12, 18:57
@Chucker,
F.y.i. Apple pretty much uses standard ram modules since the beige G3's (at least, as far as I can recall).
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