Long time Apple Macintosh user here. My first Mac was the original Mac 128 bought within 100 days of it’s initial release in 1984. It eventually led me into a career as a technical writer where I worked on many software releases that supported Macs, CPU chips (68k, PPC, etc.) and software developer systems for Apple (CodeWarrior) and Nokia (Carbide.c++). I described my job as “informing people how to use our developer tools to write the software used by everyone on the supported products (Macs, cell phones, etc.).
It’s been 3+ years since my last Mac purchase and yet I’m sitting on my money and waiting for the right release for me. I want/need a new iMac just because I want an update. After 30+ years of working on pre-release software and hardware I can say without a qualm that I like new things. Unfortunately, Apple is playing hard-to-get and releasing products that while interesting and beautiful they aren’t what I’m looking for as my newest machines. Besides the iMac I own a several other machines including a MacBook Air, an iPad, an iPhone, and a Kangeroo PC (my only non-Mac machine purchased simply to run Civ III). The MacBook Air is also ready for an update as well but isn’t the highest need right now.
I was hoping they’d release a new iMac last fall so I could replace my aging 27-in 2013 model (3.5GHz i7, 16GB DDR3 RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX-780M). It still works like a champ and is my core machine for my writing needs, but its showing its age now. Not when writing as it spends more time waiting for me to type something than anything else but because it limits my gaming possibilities. Modern games continuously push the graphics envelop and while my iMac runs most of them fine it’s at a reduced frame rate using lowered video configurations. Not unsuitable, just annoying.
Instead of releasing new faster iMacs they released MacBook Pros with a new Touch Bar feature on the high-end models. An interesting feature but not something that calls to me. I wanted, no I desired the latest and greatest Intel processor which didn’t happen with these particular machines. So I passed. It wasn’t a new iMac and it didn’t have the right CPU to make me replace my MacBook Air either.
I was severely disappointed.
Months later a rumor surfaces of possible new releases in March. My hopes were raised again, only to be crushed when on March 28 slightly updated iPads and watch bands were released. A week later there’s the surprise announcement the Mac Pro will be updated sometime after 2017 but I’m not really interested in that model. A decade ago I’d have been highly desirous of such a high-end machine, but now its overkill for my needs. However, they did mention new iMac Pros were in development and should arrive later this year so hope springs again.
I’m still waiting with money in hand.
