Is it already time to think about replacing your iMac?
Maybe.
The iMac design was being finalized about three years ago - a 233 MHz G3, 32 MB of RAM, 2 MB of video memory, CD-ROM, a 4 GB hard drive, 10/100 ethernet, infrared connectivity, a 33.6k modem, and a couple of those new USB ports in a swoopy new case. At least that's how Steve Jobs announced the iMac in May 1998. And that's almost exactly what arrived on August 15, 1998. All they changed was the modem, going to 56k instead.
At the time, the fastest model Apple had was the beige Power Mac G3 with a 300 MHz processor. It also came with 32 MB of RAM, 2 MB of video RAM, CD-ROM, a 4 GB hard drive, and 10/100 ethernet. The iMac provided three-quarters the power, almost all the features, and a $1,299 price.
I don't consider the slightly smaller size, lighter weight, easier access to memory sockets, or new colors compelling reasons to upgrade. They are all nice features, but they are not nice enough to justify replacing your old iMac.
Compared with the 4 GB hard drive in the original iMac, the 10 GB and larger drives in the 2001 iMacs might be tempting. It's fairly inexpensive (say $150 or so) to drop a 20-30 GB replacement hard drive into an older iMac, but you may not be technically inclined. And not only are today's hard drives larger, they're also faster. That alone could be a compelling reason to upgrade instead of keeping your old iMac. Or it could be a small factor in your decision.
Today's iMacs, like last year's, have ATI 128 video, which is quite a bit better than the RAGE II used on early iMacs. With more video memory and faster video hardware, serious gamers might consider that a compelling reason to replace the old iMac. Or it could just be a small factor in your upgrade decision.
Most of today's iMacs and last year's iMacs have FireWire, something not available on early iMacs. FireWire lets you connect digital camcorders and digitally edit your movies with iMovie. It also lets you connect faster CD-RW drives, very fast and/or portable external hard drives, and other peripherals. FireWire might be a compelling reason to buy a newer iMac. Or it could be just one feature to weigh in the balance.
Today's iMacs have CD-RW drives. Last year's models had DVD. Either could be a compelling reason to replace your old iMac, especially if you want to burn your own CDs. Or CD-RW and DVD could just be one factor you consider in deciding whether to stick with your 233 Bondi iMac or 266 MHz fruity flavored iMac.
Today's iMacs work with AirPort, a marvelous wireless networking technology. If you have a PowerBook or iBook, you can set up an AirPort-equipped iMac as a base station and share your Internet connection with your portable. If you already have an AirPort base station, you can put an iMac anywhere in the house or a small office without the need to run ethernet cables. This could be a compelling reason to buy a newer iMac, especially with the regular AirPort base station selling for $300. Or it could be a feature that means nothing to you.
But mostly what you gain with the new iMacs is speed. My rule of thumb with processor upgrades is a 50% gain in performance. Below that, it may not be worth the cost of the upgrade and the time invested in installation. If you have one of the early iMacs, you don't want to replace a 233 MHz model with anything less than 350 MHz, or the 266 with anything slower than 400 MHz.
In fact, to really see a significant improvement, you want to at least double processor speed. That gets us away from the entry-level iMac to the 500 MHz version.
There are other good reasons for going to the 500 MHz iMac at $300 more than the 400 MHz model. You get CD-RW instead of plain old CD-ROM, a 20 GB hard drive instead of 10 GB, and 25% more horsepower. That seems to be the sweet spot in the iMac lineup.
I can't answer the upgrade question for you. Sure, 233 MHz might sound slow, but if it's fast enough for you, CPU speed alone isn't a good reason to upgrade. You have to look at the whole package. And if CPU speed is the only thing you want, you might want to look at a processor upgrade, not a whole computer replacement.
If you are dissatisfied with your old iMac (which is worth $400-600 on eBay these days!), a 500 MHz model with CD-RW could be worth the investment, especially if you have a DV camcorder.
It's your call. Macs tend to have a long life span. Your iMac will continue plugging along for years, and even a 233 MHz G3 with 128 MB of memory will let you run Mac OS X.
Whether you stick with your current iMac or upgrade, it's your budget, your needs, and you convenience that counts. But looking at the cost of external CD burners and the worth of a used iMac on eBay, it's almost worth upgrading for the CD-RW drive if that's a feature you'd use regularly.
The iMac, which was a very good value in 1998, is an even better one in 2001. Maybe it is time to consider your needs and look at the new models.
