New iMac: when, where to buy?

Greetings, all. New member. First post.

I'm about to buy my first Mac, and I'm thinking the entry level iMac for $1200 would be ample for my needs (though maybe with extra RAM).

Questions, though:

- Buy now, or after Jan. 1? Are there such things as Xmas sales for iMacs as there are for PCs?

- Does anyone anticipate prices going up after Jan. 1?

- Buy directly from Apple or from another retailer?

- Is Apple going to bring out a new generation of iMacs in the next couple of months? (Say, two weeks after I buy one?)

Thanks in advance. I'm very new to the idea of switching from PCs, so there's a lot I need to catch up on.

Tinnitus said:

Greetings, all. New member. First post.

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Welcome!

I'm about to buy my first Mac, and I'm thinking the entry level iMac for $1200 would be ample for my needs (though maybe with extra RAM).

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Maybe so. How do you use your computer?

An extra GB of RAM would be recommended. However, I would buy it from a third party source rather than from Apple. A 1 GB stick can be had for $20 to $30 bucks. Save yourself some money.

- Buy now, or after Jan. 1? Are there such things as Xmas sales for iMacs as there are for PCs?

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There's no time like the present. Something new and improved is always around the bend.

Macworld Expo is Jan. 15. We will probably see some new and improved things from Apple. I don't think the iMac will see much change. A kick up in performance will probably be it (even that may not occur).

Christmas sales at the Apple Store are possible. I wouldn't count on it though. They offered $100 off iMacs on Black Friday.

- Does anyone anticipate prices going up after Jan. 1?

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Prices generally stay in the same range but with better specs than the previous models.

- Buy directly from Apple or from another retailer?

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It doesn't really matter. Authorized resellers are just as good as buying from the Apple Store (online or brick and mortar).

- Is Apple going to bring out a new generation of iMacs in the next couple of months? (Say, two weeks after I buy one?)

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The current iMac is a new design. I suspect it will be around for several years in its current form.

Thanks in advance. I'm very new to the idea of switching from PCs, so there's a lot I need to catch up on.

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You are in the right place! There is a wealth of information available with a simple search. If you can't find something, ask away.

Cherokee:

Thanks for the reply. As to your question of what I will use the iMac for, it's primarily for word processing, web browsing, playing the odd DVD, burning the odd music CD, minor photo editing with images from my digital camera. No plans to get into video editing or gaming.

If I were to go with another PC, I'd get 2G of RAM, only because experience has taught me that more than the recommended minimum is always better with PCs. But I don't know if the same applies to Macs. Maybe they're more efficient?

Best idea is to shop the refurbished off the Apple Store. Great deals and they come with a warranty. It will allow you to call if you get hung up on something till you get comfortable with the platform. Welcome to Apple and NEVER look back. Any purchase you make that is new or 1 gen old will last you about 5 years minimum. Try that with a PC.

Perfect starter. I just (2 weekends ago on Black Friday) bought the 24". Love it. I paid $1799 CDN. You will need at least 1 extra stick of memory to get happy as 1GB is not enough you will find.

Interesting kicker - the same machine as a refreshed is more money than new. Apple prices are silly. Think about the 4" from 20 to 24. Screen real estate is nice to have.

Keep checking Comp-USA if you have one. I just got mine with a 12 month payment plan w/ no interest, Apple only has a 90 day plan. After I got home I saw one of the receipts stated they have a 24 month no interest plan if you buy on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. I'm trying to get them to honor that deal. They sell 1gb memory upgrade for about $32.00. Install it yourself, they charged $30.00.