What About Macs On The Expo?

Anything other than the Mac mini and the Mac Pro aren't in the running for a MWSF upgrade.

Apart from internal components (RAM, HDD, Graphics Cards) there isn't anything from Intel to upgrade the iMac/MacBook/MacBook Pro to. The next release of something major from Intel is the Santa Rosa chipset which offers additional functionality to the current Core 2 Duo processor. There aren't any faster C2D processors in the pipeline until later next year with Penryn's 45nm shrink of the Core 2 Duo processor.

Most of the stuff Intel has coming is the low power versions of their current processors.

The Mac mini could go Core 2 Duo and the Mac Pro could see the addition of a quad-core processor as an optional upgrade (giving us 8-core Macs) but they're the sole remaining upgrade possibilities.

That's why I think MacWorld is going to be an all singing, all dancing iPod/iLife/"iTV" show with a big preview of Leopard to be released in March (announced two weeks before shipping). The Leopard release in March will most likely be book ended by updates to the rest of the Mac line allowing the mini to lag behind the bleeding edge as it has always done.

IEatApples said:

Well, RAM, HDD & Graphics Cards is basically what I'm hoping for.
I want to see the NVIDIA 7600 GT in the 20" iMac, at least as an option.

I am buying an iMac in January regardless though.

...any chance we'll see some small enhancement?

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It is possible there may be redesign of the iMac externally, but I think this will be tied along with a processor upgrade of some sort so maybe not in January then. You might see a redesigned iMac when Santa Rosa comes in.

David

Yeah I also want the 7600GT in the 20" iMac
I'm waiting for Macworld '07 to buy my mac but I really hope that they are gonna replace the X1600 with the 7600GT.
Right now the graphic card is the only thing that is making me wait to buy a Mac.

I think an x1600 is kinda outdated in 2007, so who knows?

Maybe there will be the ultra thin 12" Macbook Pro released as well.

IEatApples said:

Am I the only one who feels like there's (almost) no talk about Mac hardware upgrades at the expo?

I want to know how likely it is to see an upgraded iMac at the expo. And more importantly: What kind of upgrades can we expect?

Where are the rumors? All I see is iPod & iPhone (and I'll probably buy both ), but what about the machines?

P.S.: I hope you guys don't kill me for asking.

Mitra.

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Hopefully we'll see a display with built-in isight or something of the like.

IEatApples said:

Do you mean like the screen is the iSight? If so...

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No, he means a screen with a built in iSight - embed an iSight into the upper bezel of the Cinema Display like the iMacs/MacBook/MacBook Pro.

Revamped ACD displays with contrast controls would be great too.

IEatApples said:

Do you mean like the screen is the iSight? If so...

The iMac is a super buy at the moment, and my brother just bought the 20" with 2GB RAM, and the 256MB ATI Radeon X1600.
It's a fast machine.
So, the only thing is that the X1600 isn't really "all that" for gaming, and I'm intending to play Heroes of Might and Magic 5 on it.

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Reading some of the posts has kind of put me down about using my iMac at all for any games. I've never owned one and haven't used one in about 15 years. I was hoping that the 24'' imac can at least handle world of warcraft and maybe sims2 and (hopefully) getting counterstrike working on it...somehow

IEatApples said:

Am I the only one who feels like there's (almost) no talk about Mac hardware upgrades at the expo?

I want to know how likely it is to see an upgraded iMac at the expo. And more importantly: What kind of upgrades can we expect?

Where are the rumors? All I see is iPod & iPhone (and I'll probably buy both ), but what about the machines?

P.S.: I hope you guys don't kill me for asking.

Mitra.

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The imac!? Are you kidding me? Dude what about the mini? The imac was just updated, forget about it, its not gonna happen. The next update will be to the mini. No doubt about it.

phillipjfry said:

Reading some of the posts has kind of put me down about using my iMac at all for any games. I've never owned one and haven't used one in about 15 years. I was hoping that the 24'' imac can at least handle world of warcraft and maybe sims2 and (hopefully) getting counterstrike working on it...somehow

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My wife plays Sims 2 on our iMac with the 7600 and it runs perfectly on the highest settings. Alot of games run well on this machine. I love it

Would a Mac Pro update include new graphics cards? I'm debating between a Mac Pro and a 24" iMac...

I just ordered a Refurb 20" iMac C2D today. 128MB VRAM with the x1600. I'm not going to be using it for gaming that much, but I may: Does anyone know how Call of Duty 2 runs on the iMac I'm buying? I hope I haven't made a mistake.

CaptainCaveMann said:

The imac!? Are you kidding me? Dude what about the mini? The imac was just updated, forget about it, its not gonna happen. The next update will be to the mini. No doubt about it.

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Actually, the mini and the iMac were both last updated around the same time (late August/early September), and the minis are typically updated every 7 months or so, so apart from the lack of Core 2 Duo (hardly a pressing need in what has always been the underperformer of the line), there is no more reason to expect a mini update than an iMac one.

I anticipate 8-core Mac Pros, at least *announced* at MWSF if not available immediately; and I hope for, but have little reason to expect, a Cinema Display update which would include built-in iSight and perhaps an IR receiver. Moving the 23" to 24" and incorporating touch screen technology would be nice as too as long as I'm dreaming

new cinema displays please!!!! one cheap enough to complement a mac mini

Chundles said:

That's why I think MacWorld is going to be an all singing, all dancing iPod/iLife/"iTV" show with a big preview of Leopard to be released in March (announced two weeks before shipping). The Leopard release in March will most likely be book ended by updates to the rest of the Mac line allowing the mini to lag behind the bleeding edge as it has always done.

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Don't forget iWork 07 and the addition of "Numbers" (or whatever the spreadsheet is going to be called)...

That combined with the new iLife, iTV, and Leopard preview would be more than enough to fill the dance card for MacWorld.

I am gessing that we are going to see the Mini go Core 2 Duo about the time Leopard ships (March-April?) to that all Macs will be "64-bit ready".

My WAG on an Octo Mac Pro is Feb-March (get the eager bevers who are champing at the bit to buy the Octo - then hit them up for a Leopard upgrade a few weeks later)

With the Intel transition out of the way and "2nd Generation" versions of all the products out I suspect we will then see "redesigned" versions rolling out from the middle of 2007 thru 2008 - plus some "new stuff" that is going to hook into those "top secret" features in Leopard.

Perhaps they can design a MacBook Pro with a decent size keyboard on it so I would buy one

G5 MacBook Pro next Tuesday?

I'm sure I've heard that every model will have a user replaceable HD for Leopard so a redesigned Mini, iMac and MBP look to be in the running.

cheers for the link IEatApples,

I think it was last year when SJ said something along the lines of 'but its macworld, so lets talk mac's' .. we've gotta see some mac action this year too I reckon!