27" iMac: Upgrade or Replace?

[Kat58]

This most significant improvement between the 2012 and 2017 models, as far as I can tell, is the video card.

 

2012 - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M graphics processor with 512 MB of dedicated GDDR5 memory.

 

2017 - AMD Radeon Pro 570 graphics processor with 4 GB of dedicated VRAM.

 

 

[jasonw]

15 hours ago, credit_help said:

I thought Verizon stopped locking iOS devices, at least the consumer devices.

 

Verzion might but they have their company management.   

When you goto settings it wil say

 

"This phone is supervised and managed by xyz company.  learn more about device supervision..."

 

Basically the company decides what you can and cant do and requirements like 8 or more digit passcodes.  What happens when 5 or more is met.  (wipe phone etc).  

[Kat58]

DEFINITELY go with the 3.8GHz version. Processor speed cannot be upgraded, so always go high. The 3.8 also has double the hard drive space, a better video card with 8 GB of VRAM as opposed to 4 GB.

 

DO NOT have Apple upgrade your memory. You can do this yourself and save some $, as you already know. Don't forget to remove the memory you added to your old machine and replace with the original before doing your trade-in.

[jasonw]

This ^^

[cv91915]

1 hour ago, Kat58 said:

DEFINITELY go with the 3.8GHz version. Processor speed cannot be upgraded, so always go high. The 3.8 also has double the hard drive space, a better video card with 8 GB of VRAM as opposed to 4 GB.

 

DO NOT have Apple upgrade your memory. You can do this yourself and save some $, as you already know. Don't forget to remove the memory you added to your old machine and replace with the original before doing your trade-in.

 

1 hour ago, jasonw said:

This ^^

 

I'm looking at the 3.4 GHz version because I can pick one up for $1,499 (after an additional $50 Student Deal coupon at Best Buy)

3.5 GHz is $1,949 (after coupon)

3.8 GHz is $2,249 (after coupon)

 

I got ~5.5 years out of this one, which was also the slowest processor offered when I bought it new.  If I get 5.5 years out of a new 3.4 GHz, that's $273/year.

 

For the same bang for the buck:

 

The 3.5 would have to last 7.1 years

The 3.8 would have to last 8.2 years

 

I don't need the extra 1 TB of space on the 3.8 either.  I was planning to keep the memory I bought recently and put it in the new one, but I appreciate you bringing it up.

 

Here are the specs for the ones I'm looking at for comparison.  I'm not at all inclined to spend an extra 50% for a better video card and a faster processor given the time it would take to recoup the extra cost.  I'd rather just get another new computer in 5-6 years. 

 

[IndyPoolPlayer]

20 hours ago, credit_help said:

I thought Verizon stopped locking iOS devices, at least the consumer devices.

Corporate devices purchased on a Device Enrollment Plan (DEP) are locked down. It's for remote management and control of the device. Basically if CV loses the device they can remotely brick it or if he talks smack about his boss in a text his IT department knows about it.

[Kat58]

On 9/10/2018 at 3:21 PM, cv91915 said:

Now I think the video card is dying.

 

Out of curiosity, why do you think your video card is dying?

[cv91915]

9 minutes ago, Kat58 said:

Out of curiosity, why do you think your video card is dying?

Hard to describe but the screen sort of flickered once when an email came in, and then there were pieces of all of the running applications on different parts of the screen.  The screen would change when I moved and clicked the mouse (showing more or less of one open app or another) but I couldn't actually control anything with the mouse.  Couldn't shut anything down, switch from one app to another, etc.

 

I had to restart by doing a hard shutdown (held the power button down for 10 seconds or so) and then turned the thing back on.  It's been okay since.  Could have also been a one-off memory problem that got healed with the restart... or the ever-popular COMPUTER GLITCH.

[Pam]

Is it still doing that?

[Kat58]

WARNING... this is Gross. I thought my Sony all-in-one that I purchased ~2005 was finally a goner a few months back. It was a display model for ~40% off at Circuit City. I had to replace the HD once, no other hardware issues in all this time. Well... last night it actually booted up, but froze after 5 minutes and wouldn't restart. I had assumed it just finally fried, due to age, but this seemed more like an over-heating issue. I have always vacuumed the outside vents but never attempted to open her up because she's a b!tch, not just a regular 'box'. Determined to see what was going on in there, the disassembly began. This thing has 4 black outer covers (not including the bottom where the power supply is housed) and 4 metal inner covers. All must be removed. UGH. And here it is... cigarette tar and dust... GROSS!!!  Phase 1

 

Before 

 

After - 150 Q-tips later (and multiple cleaning solutions) 

 

The heatsink is next. It looks like 2 pieces of cinnamon toast.

Edited September 15, 2018 by Kat58

[Pam]

gross.  one more reason people shouldn't smoke.

[cv91915]

6 hours ago, Pam said:

Is it still doing that?

No.  Happened once.

[credit_help]

gross.  one more reason people shouldn't smoke.

Wonder how bad the lung x-ray images look.

[jasonw]

Animal dander really does a number on fans also.  Your desktop if you put it on the floor is a giant vacuum cleaner running however long you leave your pc on.  In my case 24/7.  Those fans are horrible and I dont smoke. but yeah..

[Kat58]

On 9/15/2018 at 10:11 PM, credit_help said:

On 9/15/2018 at 2:24 PM, Pam said:

gross.  one more reason people shouldn't smoke.

Wonder how bad the lung x-ray images look.

X-rays cause cancer!

2 hours ago, jasonw said:

Animal dander really does a number on fans also.  Your desktop if you put it on the floor is a giant vacuum cleaner running however long you leave your pc on.  In my case 24/7.  Those fans are horrible and I dont smoke. but yeah..

 

PC cleaned, reassembled and operational again. Yea! I did a good job! lol

 

I replaced the CMOS battery (CR2032), only because it's 13 years old. Most PC's only require this for correct time/date, but it's a Sony, so...

[jasonw]

Good to go for another 5-10 years

[cv91915]

I can pick this up for $1,549 / free shipping / no tax or silly CA recycling fees.

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1342558-REG/apple_mne92ll_a_27_imac_with_retina.html

 

I was hoping for a price drop > $50 after the new iMacs were announced, but here we are.

[cv91915]

8 minutes ago, cv91915 said:

I can pick this up for $1,549 / free shipping / no tax or silly CA recycling fees.

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1342558-REG/apple_mne92ll_a_27_imac_with_retina.html

 

I was hoping for a price drop > $50 after the new iMacs were announced, but here we are.

Which leads me to my question.

 

I'm trying to decide on the best way to get the old one to our other house, which is in the other half of the US.  I still have the original box and packing materials inside.

 

What are the chances the computer will survive if I repack it in the original box, and check it (no charge) with the airline next time I fly?

 

Even with the risk of damage I'm tempted to do this, since the computer itself has almost no monetary value.

 

 

Edited March 25, 2019 by cv91915

[credit_help]

Which leads me to my question.
 
I'm trying to decide on the best way to get the old one to our other house, which is in the other half of the US.  I still have the original box and packing materials inside.
 
What are the chances the computer will survive if I repack it in the original box, and check it (no charge) with the airline next time I fly?
 
Even with the risk of damage I'm tempted to do this, since the computer itself has almost no monetary value.
 

I used the original boxes for monitors and computers for transporting on air and moving cubes. They survived.
Do you have the original padding?

[Kat58]

4 hours ago, credit_help said:

Do you have the original padding?

 

*snickers*

 

[credit_help]

*snickers*

 

:-) You prefer Snickers over KitKat?

 

 

[cv91915]

4 hours ago, credit_help said:

 

I used the original boxes for monitors and computers for transporting on air and moving cubes. They survived.
Do you have the original padding?

 

I can pack it up exactly the way I received it when it was new.

[credit_help]

I can pack it up exactly the way I received it when it was new.

Your iMac will very likely survive the flight(s). You could also ship it via UPS ground.

[cv91915]

7 minutes ago, credit_help said:

Your iMac will very likely survive the flight(s). You could also ship it via UPS ground.

UPS Ground looks like $54.06 with my corporate discounts.

 

I thought it would be more.

 

[thinking]

[cv91915]

3 minutes ago, cv91915 said:

UPS Ground looks like $54.06 with my corporate discounts.

 

I thought it would be more.

 

[thinking]

With declared value = $500.  Which is high.