Is your iMac getting a bit long in the tooth? Is it time for an upgrade? If I were you I would hold off on buying that new iMac. According to AppleInsider, Apple has informed their resellers that inventory is low and to sell what they have. So what does this all mean? Usually when Apple does this, it means that a new product in that line is going to be released real soon. Apple generally does not keep a surplus of old inventory, so when an updated product comes out, the old version is pretty much sold out.
AppleInsider has a few tidbits of information in regards to the updated hardware. The new iMacs will have both the Intel Dual Core and Quad Core i5 and i7 processors. This is a nice upgrade from the Intel Core 2 Duo processors that Apple is currently using. Back in May Apple upgraded their MacBook Pro line to Intel Core i5 and i7 processors. It also seems that Apple might be using AMD processors in their Macs. It’s not clear if Apple is replacing the Intel processor with the AMD processor, or if it will be an option to choose. Personally, I’ve never been a big fan of AMD processors. I know back in the day you could over-clock the processor, and they were first to offer a 64-Bit processor for Windows-based computers. However, I had an AMD processor that was equivalent to a Pentium II processor, and I had more headaches with that chip than I care to explain. In any event, I think it’s too soon for Apple to switch to the AMD processor. Intel seems to be a good fit for Apple computers.
Let’s switch gears here, I want to talk about the updated USB that Apple will be using. They will be employing USB 3.0. USB 3.0 can transfer 5 Gbps of data. The current USB Hi-Speed 2.0 standard can only transfer 480 Mbps. This makes FireWire 800 look like USB 1.1 (USB 1.1 only transferred 12 Mbps). The only negative I can see is that currently there is no hardware that will support it. Personally, I think it’s great that Apple is putting this in their computers. This way when the devices start coming out, your iMac will be ready to support them.
Whenever I am thinking about upgrading my Macs, I refer to MacRumors Buyer’s Guide. It’s a great resource to see if you should hold off, or go out and buy your new Mac computer. Also, if you are thinking about selling your old iMac so that you can put some money towards your new iMac, you can check out Mac2Sell.net. Mac2Sell.net will give you a quote based on your iMacs specs. I use this site to get an idea of how much I can get for my iMac. Now, it’s not only good for iMacs, but any Mac computer will be listed on this site. If you don’t want to hassle with selling your iMac on eBay or Craig’s List, you have other options, one being Gazelle.com. At Gazelle.com you can enter in your iMac’s specifications, condition, and the items you have for your iMac. With this information they will generate a quote for your iMac that they will pay you for. This can be the simplest way to offload your iMac.
The new school year is just right around the corner, and a new iMac would make a nice addition to any dorm room. The only question is, will Apple release the new iMac in August, or will they release it in September with the new iPods? If I were to have to bet on when, I would say that they would release it in August. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Photo Credit: My New iMac Photography Workspace!
Article Via AppleInsider
