How long to wait?

How long to wait? (Blu-ray)

Blu-ray

Hi y'all sorry that this is my first post I don't have much to add as I'm not a mac owner (yet).

I've decided to buy a new iMac (20") but as they don't have a Blu-Ray drive yet (and from what I've read you can not upgrade the optical drive) I have decided too wait until they do so (now that they have the ATI GPU that specializes in decoding HD seemed like a good idea) , is this unreasonable, how long is it likely to take?

Also what other advantages / disadvantages will i have by waiting say 6 months or even a year? Vram, HDD, Cost, DDR3 etc?

How often does Apple update GPU / CPU and pricing?

Thanks I'l definetly appreciate any responses.

You will have to wait, probably for long , long time. What makes you think that Apple will go blueray. Not to much hi hopes for blueray, will never be what the CD/DVD it was for the market.To pay $20 for a blank blueray?!?!?!?!
Buy a iMac and enjoy it. In 2 years you will smile for your hesitation.
Good luck!

agiamiu said:

You will have to wait, probably for long , long time. What makes you think that Apple will go blueray. Not to much hi hopes for blueray, will never be what the CD/DVD it was for the market.To pay $20 for a blank blueray?!?!?!?!
Buy a iMac and enjoy it. In 2 years you will smile for your hesitation.
Good luck!

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Blu-ray is the next gen winner, HD-DVD conceded the format war about a week ago. If you remember blank DVD media was just as expensive when it first came out. Give it time and the price will drop to be competitive with DVD.

Now to answer the OP's question. In my opinion the iMac will go through 2 revisions before Blu-ray is added. There should be a update forthcoming in the next few weeks to support the updated intel processors but there is nothing wrong with the current generation. If you need a new computer now buy now, if you can wait then wait. This may not help but it is the best advice I can give. I just bought a new iMac about a week ago knowing a update would be coming out soon, but, because I needed a new computer for my wife, and I knew the update would likely be minor I went ahead and bought it.

They could try doing something like a hybrid Blu-Ray/DVD-R drive, similar to the DVD/CD-R drives that we had a little while ago.

Kash said:

They could try doing something like a hybrid Blu-Ray/DVD-R drive, similar to the DVD/CD-R drives that we had a little while ago.

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Good point Kash I didn't take that into consideration. A combo drive wouldn't really be a selling point for me though. I guess it really depends on what you would be using the drive for. I would only want blu ray on a computer for its storage capacity for burning back ups.

Cheers for the responses. Yeah it's the Blu-ray rom - DVD/CD burner I may be prepared to wait for, a blu-ray burner would seem to be to be expensive / too far away in my opinion. Acer is already selling Blu-ray rom's - DVD/CD burner's with there PC desktops and laptops with very little premium (actually cheaper than some other companies equivelents with just DVD writers.)

What exactly do you mean barbarnette when you say "iMac will go through 2 revisions before Blu-ray is added." what sort of time frame would that be?

I have a PC at the moment i'm reasonably happy with just want to sell it before the price depreciates too much. I think now that HD DVD has folded Apple will be under a little pressure to make an announcement about Blu-ray.

Like I said i do have a PC at the moment so am in no big rush. Are there any other technologies that might be adopted by iMac in the near future?

andre_macd said:

What exactly do you mean barbarnette when you say "iMac will go through 2 revisions before Blu-ray is added." what sort of time frame would that be?

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The iMac should be getting ready for an update soon, within the next month or so. I would say about 6 months to a year before the next revison with blu-ray. It may be added as a build to order option sooner though. Especially if Kash is right about the blu-ray/dvd combo drive. You just really never know with Apple. If you are happy with your PC stick with it until you think you are ready to upgrade. Don't base your decision on what you might be able to sell your PC for now vs selling in a few months. Base it on your needs and what you will be using the computer for.

You realize adding a blu-ray drive would drastically increase the price right guys?

Montie Da Champ said:

You realize adding a blu-ray drive would drastically increase the price right guys?

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Adding it now would, yes, but not in 6 months to a year. This is the main reason I think apple will wait to even offer it.

Montie Da Champ said:

You realize adding a blu-ray drive would drastically increase the price right guys?

Click to expand...

Blu-ray roms are being sold on Acer laptops with almost no premium (price above competitions laptops with equivalent specs and CD/DVD burners.)

Acer Aspire AS5520G-602G32Bi Notebook

2 GB DDR-667
320GB HDD 5400
Nvidia 512 VRAM
Blu-Ray DVD ROM + Supermulti Drive DVD Writer
http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/47cf2c1200a7fcbe273fc0a87f3306e3/Product/View/XC4740

$ 2199 NZ ($1764 US)

HP Pavilion dv6748TX Notebook

2 GB DDR-667
250GB HDD 5400
Nvidia 256 VRAM
LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD±RW with Double Layer Support

http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/47cf2c1200a7fcbe273fc0a87f3306e3/Product/View/XC4725

$1999 NZ ($1603 US)

Heres a Pioneer Blu-ray rom/DVD writer desktop drive for $149.99 US

http://www.nowdirect.com/exec/partInfo/part_detail.tsb?prcpart=PIOBDC-202BK

I didn't realize how affordable they had become until searched either.

Blu-ray writers are more expensive with the cheapest desktop one i could find was $349.99 US http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2665668&Sku=L12-1126&SRCCODE=PRICEGRABBER&CMP=OTC-PRICEGRABBER and have a very big premium in PC laptops.

I would be suprised if i don't see Blu-ray roms in iMac's in a year (with little change in price), i think i'l wait 6 months and see if Apple has made an anouncement then look over buying an iMac again.

I wanna mac sooo much just gotta try and execute a little self restraint, staying with the PC for a while for me i think :-S