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No Retina Display in Next-Generation iMac?

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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imac_2011-150x161.jpg


Earlier today, Instapaper developer Marco Arment published his thoughts on a potential timeline for upgrades to Apple's iMac and Mac Pro lines, initially suggesting that the need for an ultra-high resolution 5120x2880 Retina display (either inside the 27-inch iMac or as a standalone display) is likely the most significant hurdle to major updates for those lines.

With ABC News having reported in May that Apple was planning to bring Retina displays to its next-generation iMac line and suggestions of updated models potentially being right around the corner, anticipation has been high for new Retina iMacs. But shortly after publishing his speculation, Arment is now hearing that while the next iMac update will come later this year, it will not include Retina displays.
I've now heard from multiple sources that while an iMac update is indeed coming this fall, it will not have Retina displays.
Click to expand...
Arment describes some of the issues surrounding Retina displays at the size needed for the 27-inch iMac, including production yield and insufficient bandwidth, but it is unclear why Apple would wait until the fall to update the iMac if those issues will prevent Retina displays from being included in that revision. Even without a Retina display, updated iMac models could take advantage of Ivy Bridge processors, improved graphics chips, and USB 3.0, and those upgrades could be included in a new model any time now.

As we noted earlier today, vacation blackouts at a third-party technical support firm are hinting at a release of OS X Mountain Lion in late July, and it seems possible that Apple could follow last year's trend of a simultaneous hardware/software launch by introducing new Ivy Bridge iMacs and perhaps Mac minis alongside Mountain Lion. That speculation is, however, yet to be supported by any specific rumors or evidence.

Following the keynote at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this month, company representatives were initially quoted as saying that updated Mac Pro and iMac designs were due "later next year", but the company moved to clarify those remarks as applying only to the Mac Pro, suggesting that iMac updates will come ahead of that timeframe.

Article Link: No Retina Display in Next-Generation iMac?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/22/no-retina-display-in-next-generation-imac/
neiltc13

neiltc13

macrumors 68040
May 27, 2006
3,126
19
If it was anything like the MacBook Pro one, then it wouldn't be worth it anyway. OS dumbed down to the point where you can't even select the display resolution you want.
 
Verita

Verita

macrumors regular
Mar 15, 2011
214
160
Atlanta/London
I'm sorry, but do we really need a retina iMac now? I hope nobody sits close enough to distinguish individual pixels. Maybe a 20-30% pixel boost would be perfect (although scaling would be an issue), with more attention to desktop performance internals, rather than borrowing from the mobile lineup. Make my iMac fatter :eek: but make it faster!
 
smithrh

smithrh

macrumors 68030
Feb 28, 2009
2,722
1,730
Verita said:
I'm sorry, but do we really need a retina iMac now? I hope nobody sits close enough to distinguish individual pixels. Maybe a 20-30% pixel boost would be perfect (although scaling would be an issue), with more attention to desktop performance internals, rather than borrowing from the mobile lineup. Make my iMac fatter :eek: but make it faster!
Click to expand...

Agreed - "retina" across a 27" screen would be insane. I'd be happy with a pixel bump and a spec bump.
 
BuffyzDead

BuffyzDead

macrumors regular
Dec 30, 2008
225
322
Credit Card In Hand ....Lets GO !!!! Apple

Buying the moment they go live !!!

Replacing my 20" original 2006 White iMac,

with a Splendid 27", fully loaded, fully spec'd out !!!
 
C

CitizenKoehn

macrumors newbie
Jun 22, 2012
3
0
nfl46 said:
No retina, no buy for "me".
Click to expand...

Maybe sarcasm?

If you're sitting at an apporpriate distance from a 27" iMac, you can't see the pixels. Why on earth would people want a Retina display for that size of screen, unless they want to get rid of some extra money? Not to mention the increased strain on the GPU. What a waste it would be.

I'm ready for an iMac update, though! Man, I was disappointed they didn't even offer a refresh at WWDC.
 
A

Aidan5806

macrumors 6502
Feb 20, 2012
312
0
I'm kinda split on whether it would be worth it to have a retina display on an iMac or not. On one hand, 5120x2880 (14,745,600 pixels) is an insane resolution in any device and could be very expensive and maybe a small bit overkill (not really, I'm all for going all out). On the other hand the reality is that for professional users, the ability to consume less than a quarter of the display with a pixel perfect, 1080p, project viewer in FCX (or multiple 1080p streams), or display pixel perfect professional resolution photos in aperture is very, very enticing.
 
nfl46

nfl46

macrumors G3
Oct 5, 2008
8,350
8,704
CitizenKoehn said:
Maybe sarcasm?

If you're sitting at an apporpriate distance from a 27" iMac, you can't see the pixels. Why on earth would people want a Retina display for that size of screen, unless they want to get rid of some extra money? Not to mention the increased strain on the GPU. What a waste it would be.

I'm ready for an iMac update, though! Man, I was disappointed they didn't even offer a refresh at WWDC.
Click to expand...

Correct. It was sarcasm.
 
D

dlowings

macrumors member
Jan 23, 2011
50
0
I honestly dont feel the need for one.. If I had to pick between that display and a quad core i7 I would go with way more horse power.. I use it as a work station...
 
J

JohnDoe98

macrumors 68020
May 1, 2009
2,488
99
CitizenKoehn said:
Maybe sarcasm?

If you're sitting at an apporpriate distance from a 27" iMac, you can't see the pixels. Why on earth would people want a Retina display for that size of screen, unless they want to get rid of some extra money? Not to mention the increased strain on the GPU. What a waste it would be.

I'm ready for an iMac update, though! Man, I was disappointed they didn't even offer a refresh at WWDC.
Click to expand...

People were saying the same about the Retina MacBook pro, claiming retina is ok on ios devices but useless on larger screens. Having my Retina MacBook Pro now, I can assure you the leap here is as big, if not bigger, than the leap we saw on iOS. A Retima iMacs would look amazing.
 
CarlHeanerd

CarlHeanerd

macrumors member
Jun 29, 2008
92
0
Adams County, PA
We're surprised by this? There is no mobile GPU right now that can power 2x the current pixels of the iMac without taking a serious performance hit or risk overheating.

The current retina MBP is an experiment, so we'll see what tech develops from it in the next two years.
 
yanksrock100

yanksrock100

macrumors 6502a
Oct 30, 2010
673
245
San Diego
This is a bummer. Retina is awesome, check out the 15 inch Retina if you haven't seen it already. I hope Apple surprises us this fall with maybe a 13 inch retina, or a new iMac refresh. Retina would be insane (in a good way) on a 21/27 inch screen.
 
Fraaaa

Fraaaa

macrumors 65816
Mar 22, 2010
1,081
0
London, UK
Retina MBP 15" is the only retina will have this, and probably next year. Then will start to apply to 13". iMacs will join the party very late.
 
H

Hakone

macrumors 6502a
Oct 5, 2011
509
4
Southern California
I may not need a retina in a 27" screen, but a higher density resolution option than what's available already would be welcomed (by me).

Since the rumored iPhone 5 looks like a darker metal/aluminum, I'd think it would be cool to have that same shade of grey as an option for the next iMac.
 
P

portishead

macrumors 65816
Apr 4, 2007
1,114
2
los angeles
Sorry but the Retina Macbook Pro is the best Apple product to date. I used to love the Air, but I can't even use it now. This display is awesome.
 
S

Skulls

macrumors newbie
Jun 22, 2012
18
0
Compared to my crappy 27" 1980x1920 TN, current iMac @ 2560 is retina to me all the way. All i'm waiting is better graphic chip(hopefully nvidia) and next gen cpu.
Why would anyone need more than 2560?
 
D

Droid13

macrumors 6502
Jul 22, 2009
293
100
United Kingdom
As someone who has been saved up and is ready to purchase a 27" iMac, I am not interested in Retina as such - it is overkill and not really necessary. I just don't like the idea of buying an older model if a new one is round the corner.

For me, the things I would like to see are better colour reproduction, current generation processors, current generation graphics and current generation inputs.

I may wait until the baseline OS in the systems is 10.8.3 or thereabouts, depending on how Mountain Lion is received.
 
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