My thoughts on the new design

[ctdonath]

Originally Posted by CapnJackGig

It's not about hating the new design, it's about the idiocy of creating this design to the detriment of things like bluray/DVD drives. Show me one person that was whining about the last iMac being too thick and I'll show you a fool.

[shrug] Why make it thick? ODD aside, the innards have shrunk to the point that little more than a bulge on a thin screen is necessary.

wasn't going to do Bluray. Period. "Bag of hurt" - and that from someone on the Bluray board[1]. By now, an ODD must support Bluray, or be dropped altogether - as happened with iPod, iPad, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini (with the ODD on Mac Pro languishing into oblivion). Once the ODD is removed, there's no reason for the iMac to be that thick. Take off a layer or two from the display, compact the innards, optimize for heat exchange and airflow, use optimally viable panels, try a new welding method, and you get something that doesn't need to be any more than 5mm at the edges + an "aw, it's a Mac Mini in the oven".

What shall we say of someone who whines that it's too thin without offering any suggestions for what should occupy that space?

[1] - "“Apple is pleased to join the Blu-ray Disc Association board as part of our efforts to drive consumer adoption of HD,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO." 2005 @

[4tune8chance]

Originally Posted by 53x12

Can you put your hand behind the new model where the power cord goes in. Is it noticeably warm there?

Hot air being expelled, prevents the frame heating up. Like I said the computer itself is much cooler, getting the warm air out is the function of the fan. If the warm air is getting away efficiently, that is reflected in the remainder of the computer being cool.

[Lankyman]

Originally Posted by 4tune8chance

Hardly. Put you hand on the top of the older model, it's noticeably warm, the new is way cooler.
I always thought the older screens a bit too glossy.
As for the quietness, I must admit that I have no direct comparison, but compared to my old PC..............

Warm you say? not with our climate in the UK. It could also be the case that the components are situated in different places e.g. the PSU is placed at the top corner in the 2011 iMac so bound to feel warm in that area. I have never heard any sort of noise from my 2011 iMac either and it's really quiet when compared to our microwave oven.

[4tune8chance]

Originally Posted by Lankyman

Warm you say? not with our climate in the UK. It could also be the case that the components are situated in different places e.g. the PSU is placed at the top corner in the 2011 iMac so bound to feel warm in that area. I have never heard any sort of noise from my 2011 iMac either and it's really quiet when compared to our microwave oven.

If you live in a cooler environment, it makes no difference to the amount of heat being generated, only how fast that heat will be dissipated into the room.

[53x12]

Originally Posted by 4tune8chance

Hot air being expelled, prevents the frame heating up. Like I said the computer itself is much cooler, getting the warm air out is the function of the fan. If the warm air is getting away efficiently, that is reflected in the remainder of the computer being cool.

My iMac stays fairly cool internally even when under load. Would be interesting to see real numbers between the two designs rather than anecdotal evidence/opinions. I'm skeptical there will be too large of a difference if any at all.

[MacFoodPoisoner]

Originally Posted by ctdonath

[shrug] Why make it thick? ODD aside, the innards have shrunk to the point that little more than a bulge on a thin screen is necessary.

wasn't going to do Bluray. Period. "Bag of hurt" - and that from someone on the Bluray board[1]. By now, an ODD must support Bluray, or be dropped altogether - as happened with iPod, iPad, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini (with the ODD on Mac Pro languishing into oblivion). Once the ODD is removed, there's no reason for the iMac to be that thick. Take off a layer or two from the display, compact the innards, optimize for heat exchange and airflow, use optimally viable panels, try a new welding method, and you get something that doesn't need to be any more than 5mm at the edges + an "aw, it's a Mac Mini in the oven".

What shall we say of someone who whines that it's too thin without offering any suggestions for what should occupy that space?

[1] - "“Apple is pleased to join the Blu-ray Disc Association board as part of our efforts to drive consumer adoption of HD,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO." 2005 @

How about desktop components for a desktop computer occupying that space? How about a proper ergonomic stand occupying that space? How about dual standard port drive configurations instead of apple's custom blade ssd's occupying that space? Buddy, if apple could make a $ out of blue rays and they didn't have itunes we 'd have blue rays there before anyone else and you 'd be singing a different tune. It's like that saying that goes if exon could own the sun we 'd have had solar energy 20 years ago. If fat mac was making more money for apple instead of anorexic mac, they'd be pumping out one whale of a mac after another from foxconn..

In any case no one's really complaining that the imac has become thinner, we are complaining that it's become thinner WHILE ALSO losing easier upgradability options, getting slower drives, not gaining in ergonomics, having the screen glued up, getting an sd card slot at the most inconvenient position and using speakers with worse base that the ones on the kindle fire hd tablet.

The problem isn't thin itself, the problem is thin whilst most everything that was good with the imac, or that could be better goes to ****.

[Lankyman]

Originally Posted by MacFoodPoisoner

How about desktop components for a desktop computer occupying that space? How about a proper ergonomic stand occupying that space? How about dual standard port drive configurations instead of apple's custom blade ssd's occupying that space? Buddy, if apple could make a $ out of blue rays and they didn't have itunes we 'd have blue rays there before anyone else and you 'd be singing a different tune. It's like that saying that goes if exon could own the sun we 'd have had solar energy 20 years ago. If fat mac was making more money for apple instead of anorexic mac, they'd be pumping out one whale of a mac after another from foxconn..

In any case no one's really complaining that the imac has become thinner, we are complaining that it's become thinner WHILE ALSO losing easier upgradability options, getting slower drives, not gaining in ergonomics, having the screen glued up, getting an sd card slot at the most inconvenient position and using speakers with worse base that the ones on the kindle fire hd tablet.

The problem isn't thin itself, the problem is thin whilst most everything that was good with the imac, or that could be better goes to ****.

The above post just about nails it - good response, well done.