Apple has announced that they are providing an iMac for educators/students for $899. My eMac is soon to be 4 years old. The time is ripe. But, this iMac has a Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory. You can bump the lower end offer up for another $300, geting among other improvements an ATI Radeon X1600 with 128MB GDDR3 memory.

What do you think, concerning Civ4? That vidoe card is the same one that comes in the new mac mini. Not fit for the next generation games, but...price is an issue.

One thing is that the iMac is upgradeable. So if I go for the lower cost iMac, I could always upgrade the video card.

You can't play any major games with an integrated video card. If you want the computer for gaming, get teh x1600.

One thing is that the iMac is upgradeable. So if I go for the lower cost iMac, I could always upgrade the video card.

I don't believe that is true. The video chip is soldered on the motherboard and is not upgradeable -- aside from buying the more expensive model. ;)

I don't believe that is true. The video chip is soldered on the motherboard and is not upgradeable -- aside from buying the more expensive model. ;)

This particular iMac, or all iMacs?

Is the PowerMac the only machine that can upgrade its video card?

Is the PowerMac the only machine that can upgrade its video card?

Yes, all the other models (laptops, Mac Mini, iMac) have chips that are part of the motherboard.

I upgraded my video card several months ago (maybe last fall? can't remember), and even with a powermac it was a big hassle. I thought they use the same things as pcs, but no.. only certain ones work; and all of it was a pain because the Apple store online didn't list or sell video cards. After visiting Circuit City, then Apple Store, then Comp USA, I finally learned all about video cards and macs. Nividea doesn't even sell mac video cards to consumers, so we can only upgrade using ATIs.

Anyway, good luck. I recommend buying the highest video card upgrade that you can afford that Apple offers for whatever model you get.

Brad, I could have sworn that the new intel iMacs were made more flexible so that people could upgrade them a bit. Maybe just ram and harddrives but still not video cards? Or do you think I just heard totally false info?

You definitely can't upgrade the video card in an iMac. It is part of the motherboard, just like the MacBook Pro's. The only special thing about the iMac is the fact that you can upgrade the CPU, which is something new from Apple.

jeez iMacs seem to be the equivalent of a bulky laptop with a big screen. they use a processor (Core duo) intended for laptops and seem to be just as (non)upgradeable. They do look quite nice though :)

You can't play any major games with an integrated video card. If you want the computer for gaming, get teh x1600.that's right!

Hmm. The Intel iMac I just purchased had an upgradable video card (ATI X1600) at the time of purchase, and I took it, going from 128MB to 256MB. I think it has to be done at the time of purchase, though. No going back after it's been built and delivered.

Furthermore, Apple announced last week that the new educational iMacs are no longer available for *individuals* to purchase. They can still be purchased by schools, though. Rumor has it, Apple was afraid the $899 iMacs would cut into the sales of the more expensive iMac models.

Gatekeeper

I'm pretty sure any individual "student" can still purchase one of the imacs at $899.

*shrug* I'm only going by what I read on the wires late last week. It's possible Apple refined its policy since then.

Heh. Anyway, I wouldn't want to get a crippled iMac like that. No way in heck. Better to drop $400 to $600 extra to get a fully empowered machine.

Gatekeeper

Hmm. The Intel iMac I just purchased had an upgradable video card (ATI X1600) at the time of purchase, and I took it, going from 128MB to 256MB. I think it has to be done at the time of purchase, though. No going back after it's been built and delivered.
That's not what people generally call "upgradable". It's a build-to-order option. Like deciding whether to get a sunroof in a new car.

I upgraded my video card several months ago (maybe last fall? can't remember), and even with a powermac it was a big hassle. I thought they use the same things as pcs, but no.. only certain ones work; and all of it was a pain because the Apple store online didn't list or sell video cards. After visiting Circuit City, then Apple Store, then Comp USA, I finally learned all about video cards and macs. Nividea doesn't even sell mac video cards to consumers, so we can only upgrade using ATIs.

Anyway, good luck. I recommend buying the highest video card upgrade that you can afford that Apple offers for whatever model you get.

Brad, I could have sworn that the new intel iMacs were made more flexible so that people could upgrade them a bit. Maybe just ram and harddrives but still not video cards? Or do you think I just heard totally false info?

If you need info on Mac upgrades, go to Other World Computing. I have been using them for several years, with great success. They have the full range of Powermac upgrades.

As for video cards on new machines, my advice is get the best that you can, as it will be just barely enough in a year or two.

*shrug* I'm only going by what I read on the wires late last week. It's possible Apple refined its policy since then.

Heh. Anyway, I wouldn't want to get a crippled iMac like that. No way in heck. Better to drop $400 to $600 extra to get a fully empowered machine.

Gatekeeper

Well, Apple's regular education offer on an iMac is $1,199, includes a 160G HD and the 128MB ATI X1600 card - still a pinch.

Does anyone know when the "best" time of the year is to purchase a Mac? Any thing worthy of waiting on right now? I still 1.5 months away from making the purchase.

Well, Apple's regular education offer on an iMac is $1,199, includes a 160G HD and the 128MB ATI X1600 card - still a pinch.

Does anyone know when the "best" time of the year is to purchase a Mac? Any thing worthy of waiting on right now? I still 1.5 months away from making the purchase.

The next iMacs should have either Merom or Conroe chips. I would certainly wait to see what's coming next.

Current Intel Macs are all based on Core and Core Duo chips. These are 32 bit, and predominantly targeted at low power consumption, so they are really all laptop CPUs.

The Apple World Wide Developer Conference starts a week into August. It's widely rumoured that Steve Jobs will announce new top end Mac towers based on Woodcrest, which can be configured as multiple CPU clusters, and that there will be mid-range towers and/or iMacs based on the Conroe chip.

Woodcrest and Conroe are 64 bit chips, and aimed at server and desktop markets, they are the second generation "Core 2 Duo". Conroe can't be clustered, but will offer serious processing power as a dual core CPU chip. The Merom chip is the successor to the current laptop CPU, and is also coming soon. These are the CPUs that Apple was betting the farm on when they changed to Intel. The current Intel products are good, but they were the appetiser.

I would certainly wait for the WWDC announcements in a couple of weeks, which will reduce the prices of current product stock, and introduce new models to confuse your choices :p

I would certainly wait for the WWDC announcements in a couple of weeks, which will reduce the prices of current product stock, and introduce new models to confuse your choices :p

Thanks Alan.

Since I waited until 30 for the Good Wife, I can make it a while longer for this. It's the Good Wife that is making this possible. ;)

Just adding to what Alan said, Mermon is also a 64-bit chip, and I believe it to be used in the next iMac revision (not Conroe) due to the heat issues present in all iMac designs to date. But I don't think Apple is going to announce a new iMac at WWDC. I'd expect that more at MWSF in January.

Also expect to see the MacBook Pro transitioned over to Mermon, sometime later this year. MacBook and Mini will surely stick with the Core Duo/Solo (aka Yohan).

Honestly, after reading that recent article over at Ars Technica, I'm not sure I see Apple using Conroe at all.

JoAT

I hope they do build a Conroe-based mid-range tower. I can see the Woodcrest systems being aimed more at the professional media heavyweights who were buying quad G5s until now and want more of everything. It is likely to be a very expensive beast for private buyers. I do want an upgradable tower like my existing G4, which has lasted very well, but I don't see a need for a multiple dual-core system with lots of PCI slots and drive bays, and enough fans to power an F1 wind tunnel.

I hope they do build a Conroe-based mid-range tower. I can see the Woodcrest systems being aimed more at the professional media heavyweights who were buying quad G5s until now and want more of everything. It is likely to be a very expensive beast for private buyers. I do want an upgradable tower like my existing G4, which has lasted very well, but I don't see a need for a multiple dual-core system with lots of PCI slots and drive bays, and enough fans to power an F1 wind tunnel.Yeah, as a G4 tower owner I can see a need for it. Let's hope the bottom model retails low enough to be competitive, or, the G5 will be discounted when the Intels make their way in.

Back to the original question: the edu $899 iMac is now only available to institutions, not to individual consumers, so unfortunately, it's no longer a buying choice.