O/T Apple Mac

[Dex10]

Hi all.... I know that quite often there have been threads on Macs and the time has come for me to get one.

Just one question - is this a good time to be getting one or are they due a refresh any time soon? The apple store said that they werent (but im sure they would say that anyway) and I havent been able to find out much via google.

many thanks

 

[LamieRobertson]

i'm pretty sure the MacBooks/imacs were refreshed May/June time this year and i think they do them once a year..could b wrong.bought mine July.

ps more thn happy with my macbook

 

[Bozza]

This is always the best guide for this stuff...

Mac Buyer's Guide: Know When to Buy Your Mac, iPod or iPhone

...the Macbooks and iMacs get updated in different cycles.

 

[Superphil]

You'll love it if that is what you want. As for the 'refresh' don't believe a word they tell you, I bought my iMac a 18 months ago or so, I asked them about the i5 and i7 processors, they told me there were no plans to introduce new iMacs with those processors, 3 weeks later, guess what? Apple weren't prepared to offer anything by way of an upgrade, gesture of goodwill or anything, end of the day, Apple, big corporation, and like most, they don't need to care about pissing off a few punters.

 

[blue'n'white]

There was a "refresh" as you put it aout 3 or so months ago when they upgraded them to the Lion operating software which has made a previously wonderful machine into an utterly brilliant one.
There's a few things different from an ordinary Windows PC (for one they work !), but you should be able to pick up any differences quite quickly. You can buy "Microsoft Office for Mac" so that you can still work with old files that you need so that should cover anything you still have on Windows.
I got mine just over a year ago and I certainly wouldn't go back to a PC

 

[Bozza]

You'll love it if that is what you want. As for the 'refresh' don't believe a word they tell you, I bought my iMac a 18 months ago or so, I asked them about the i5 and i7 processors, they told me there were no plans to introduce new iMacs with those processors, 3 weeks later, guess what? Apple weren't prepared to offer anything by way of an upgrade, gesture of goodwill or anything, end of the day, Apple, big corporation, and like most, they don't need to care about pissing off a few punters.

To be fair to the people working in the stores - they know as much as anyone else when it comes to Apple product refreshes, i.e. pretty much nothing. As such the MacRumors guide is about as good as you are going to get if you need to make a buy now/buy later decision.

And, even if they did, would you really expect any salesman to say "No sir, don't buy today - there'll be a better one along in 3 or 4 weeks." Such a salesman would not have a job for very long if they did.

 

[LamieRobertson]

There was a "refresh" as you put it aout 3 or so months ago when they upgraded them to the Lion operating software which has made a previously wonderful machine into an utterly brilliant one.
There's a few things different from an ordinary Windows PC (for one they work !), but you should be able to pick up any differences quite quickly. You can buy "Microsoft Office for Mac" so that you can still work with old files that you need so that should cover anything you still have on Windows.
I got mine just over a year ago and I certainly wouldn't go back to a PC

they bought machines out with upgraded processors this year as well as offering a new OS

 

[Bozza]

If you can't be bothered to click on the MacRumors link above, the advice is...

MacBook Pros - updated 7 days ago, details here: Apple Bumps MacBook Pro with Processor, Graphics, Storage Upgrades - Mac Rumors Buy now.

MacBook Airs - updated 103 days ago, details here: Apple Updates MacBook Air Line With Sandy Bridge, Thunderbolt and Backlit Keyboards - Mac Rumors Buy now.

iMacs - updated 181 days ago, details here: Apple Releases New Sandy Bridge Quad-Core iMacs with Thunderbolt - Mac Rumors DON'T buy now if you are able to wait.

 

[Superphil]

To be fair to the people working in the stores - they know as much as anyone else when it comes to Apple product refreshes, i.e. pretty much nothing. As such the MacRumors guide is about as good as you are going to get if you need to make a buy now/buy later decision.

And, even if they did, would you really expect any salesman to say "No sir, don't buy today - there'll be a better one along in 3 or 4 weeks." Such a salesman would not have a job for very long if they did.

100% agree, I was answering the question the OP asked, about asking the staff in the shop, my advice, based on experience, is not to take their word for it, like you say, they either don't know, or are duty bound not to discuss it. I was a bit cheesed off to find that Apple offer no concession whatsoever when they upgrade kit, if you buy an outgoing car model, there are normally incentives, special deals etc, shame Apple don't do something similar.

they bought machines out with upgraded processors this year as well as offering a new OS

Updated OS, and it wasn't offered, it was obligatory.

 

[LamieRobertson]

100% agree, I was answering the question the OP asked, about asking the staff in the shop, my advice, based on experience, is not to take their word for it, like you say, they either don't know, or are duty bound not to discuss it. I was a bit cheesed off to find that Apple offer no concession whatsoever when they upgrade kit, if you buy an outgoing car model, there are normally incentives, special deals etc, shame Apple don't do something similar.



Updated OS, and it wasn't offered, it was obligatory.

the upgrade...for example machines with thunderbolt came before the latest release of OS..i know because i bought one soon after

 

[Dex10]

many thanks for you input guys - really helpfull, especially those links Bozza

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

I can't remember the last time there was a refresh this close to Xmas.

 

[Tomnorthi]

Get a macbook. Even the base 13 inch one, which I am talking to you from, is really quick. I run windows, also on a separate partition on the hard drive and the difference of speed on the same machine is quite astonishing.

 

[gullshark]

Shame you can't get the Macbook anymore

It's either an Air or a Pro.

 

[willyfantastic]

If you can't be bothered to click on the MacRumors link above, the advice is...

MacBook Pros - updated 7 days ago, details here: Apple Bumps MacBook Pro with Processor, Graphics, Storage Upgrades - Mac Rumors Buy now.

MacBook Airs - updated 103 days ago, details here: Apple Updates MacBook Air Line With Sandy Bridge, Thunderbolt and Backlit Keyboards - Mac Rumors Buy now.

iMacs - updated 181 days ago, details here: Apple Releases New Sandy Bridge Quad-Core iMacs with Thunderbolt - Mac Rumors DON'T buy now if you are able to wait.

Does that apply to the UK as well? Or does it take a while longer for the 'refresh' to take effect here too?

 

[Bozza]

Does that apply to the UK as well? Or does it take a while longer for the 'refresh' to take effect here too?

Apple refreshes happen simultaneously for all countries they operate in.

The only time you might need to take care is if you buy from somewhere other than an Apple Store which may have old stock lingering about that they will be happy to pass off to people who might not know better.

If you're not bothered about being right at the edge of current Apple kit, the refurb store - http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals?afid=p219|GOUK&cid=OAS-UK-KWG-GO_UK_Refurb-UK - is a great place to buy. Often products are brand new and come with full Apple warranty.