2012 iMac - next big date?

[theSeb]

No. OSX lives on the SSD. The Fusion Drive is the name of the hardware, not the software.

No, it's not.

 

[Razorhog]

It's basically SRT caching. You see one volume and, in theory, all of the operating system stuff, the caches, the apps, mail items and so forth are on the SSD bit. Movies, etc are on the hard drive. It seems that the base option is 128 GBs of flash and 1 TB HDD. You will probably get more if you go for the 27". They did say up to 768 GB flash and 3 TB HDD. So you can probably pick 128 GB + 1 TB, 256 GB + 2 TB, 512 GB + 3 TB, 768 GB + 3 TB, or something.

Very interesting. I could probably do with just the 768GB of flash alone...

 

[gagaliya]

So they haven't skimped out on the cards?

we wont know until the exact models are revealed, kepler and 600 series contains a whole range of cards from junk to very good.

i will be very pissed if after waiting 2 years the video card performance is worse or equal to the existing 6970m

 

[ihaveneverknown]

Jesus, Apple getting balsy. Putting a iPad Mini on screen against an Android and going at each other.

 

[captjon]

Since when thickness has been a concern in desktop computers?

That machine is going to underclock monstruously under high demand softwares.
Do you really think that cooler is going to keep that thing cool during a 3D renderization or gaming? They'll HAVE to underclock things to keep it from boiling.

Since the angle poise iMac?

 

[ihaveneverknown]

No, it's not.

Read the iMac portion of the CNet blog:

http://live.cnet.com/Event/CNETs_Apple_event_live_blog_Tuesday_October_23

 

[bankshot]

So now the options are fully known (except for BTO price/spec details).

1. New iMac 27"
   • Wait until December
   • No optical drive (hey Phil, I'm not living in the past - I use it to import CDs, but if you guys would join the present and sell lossless audio on iTunes, I'd quit buying physical discs)
   • Heat issues???
   • Fusion drive??? I'm OCD enough about my computer stuff that I'd constantly worry if it's optimizing as well as if I split things up by hand.
   • EDIT: no Firewire = more adapters for existing external drives
   
   
2. Refurb iMac 27"
   • Cheaper
   • Get it now/soon
   • Optical drive
   • Slightly slower
   • More expensive/difficult to get flash+HD?
   
   
3. New Mac mini
   • Even cheaper
   • Get it now/soon
   • No optical drive
   • Slower
   • Only 16 GB mem

I guess I'll have some time to mull it over. If the new iMac had been a strict spec bump the choice would have been clear. Instead, it's muddy.

 

[bobright]

My friend who dev's OSX said HDMI input and larger 32in. The latter obviously sounded like a stretch but HDMI in wouldve been nice.

Frankly, removing the drive yet keeping the price is rather disappointing as well.

As mentioned in a post, from the front, you wouldn't know it was "updated"...not that from a design standpoint it's a bad thing but at least from the a functionality perspective, I wouldve liked HDMI input. Hell, even make the thunderbolt allow video input

Are you saying there's no way we can hook the imac up to a LED set?

 

[KeenanKoso]

Well now that it's announced, how long till current refurbs drop in price so I can buy one?

 

[kolgax]

I know it was a longshot, but no retina, right?

 

[TrboMac]

So for that Fusion drive is one part of it SSD? Or similar?

http://9to5mac.com/2012/10/23/apple-unveils-fusion-drive-option-for-new-imacs-and-mac-minis/

I'm trying to digest all the new specs and will decide what to get (prior model/refurb) or the new one. I do tend to use the CD drive in my Window's computer, but not a whole lot. Any suggestions on a external CD/DVD drive?

 

[ihaveneverknown]

No, it's not.

OS stays on flash memory. All the software that comes pre-installed comes on flash storage. Things like media and docs stay on HDD.

You can move apps and files between the two sides of THE DRIVE to tweak performance. They're selling this as a single 'Fusion Drive'.

 

[frag2]

Are you saying there's no way we can hook the imac up to a LED set?

I mean like hookup say an XBOX or PS3 to the iMac liek the 2010 models. Pretty much the only reason I held out on the 2011s

 

[Confuzzzed]

My friend who dev's OSX said HDMI input and larger 32in. The latter obviously sounded like a stretch but HDMI in wouldve been nice.

Frankly, removing the drive yet keeping the price is rather disappointing as well.

As mentioned in a post, from the front, you wouldn't know it was "updated"...not that from a design standpoint it's a bad thing but at least from the a functionality perspective, I wouldve liked HDMI input. Hell, even make the thunderbolt allow video input

HDMI input = TV. Not a chance. Never has been. Licensing issues

 

[ihaveneverknown]

Just an interesting point for all of you worried about RAM, but you could buy an $999 Apple Thunderbolt and $599 MacMini for $200 less than the entry level 27" iMac...

 

[Razeus]

I can't wait to order mine. The base spec is exactly what I'm looking for. I may bump to a 3TB model or double the ram depending on the Apple tax.

 

[bugbear99]

OS stays on flash memory. All the software that comes pre-installed comes on flash storage. Things like media and docs stay on HDD.

You can move apps and files between the two sides of THE DRIVE to tweak performance. They're selling this as a single 'Fusion Drive'.

is the hardware are hybrid ssd+hdd or actually two drives(ssd + hdd)?

so that we could replace it manually?

 

[frag2]

HDMI input = TV. Not a chance. Never has been. Licensing issues

No. They could've easily allowed Thunderbolt to accept it ala the old mini-DP HDMI adapters but apple software [hardware?] blocked it on Thunderbolt. The only option, and even then they are finicky, are the myriad of 150$+ Thunderbolt adapters.

 

[Incindium]

Since when thickness has been a concern in desktop computers?

That machine is going to underclock monstruously under high demand softwares.
Do you really think that cooler is going to keep that thing cool during a 3D renderization or gaming? They'll HAVE to underclock things to keep it from boiling.

The new Ivy Bridge chips are designed for ultrabooks and they are putting them into the new iMac. Designed to be low wattage and cool. Perfect for this design... you are going to have all the CPU power you need without all the heat.

The Nvidia GPU is where heat could be an issue but running the mobile Kepler GPU versions should alleviate that. I'm not that familiar with the Kepler mobile line though.

 

[ihaveneverknown]

is the hardware are hybrid ssd+hdd or actually two drives(ssd + hdd)?

so that we could replace it manually?

The way it was stated was that it is a (go figure) unibody drive that has 'two parts'. So Apple.

With some duck tape I can make a Fusion Drive...

Notwithstanding, still a snazzy idea for a off the shelf desktop.

 

[jon9091]

I guess they are keeping the crappy mouse and half a keyboard. Shame about that.

 

[davidcmc]

The new Ivy Bridge chips are appropriate for ultrabooks and they are putting them into the new iMac.

You're just agreeing with Apple ******** of "form over funtion".

Do you realize what you just said? They're using underclocked and undervolted **** in a desktop computer.

If you want portability (aka: a thin computer), you buy a laptop.
If you want performance, you buy a desktop.

So why are people so happy for buying a portable computer that doesn't leave the desk?
People are happy for buying a computer that doesn't have the performance it should have for being created as a "desktop".

This is disgusting. In one way or another, you have to sacrifice performance to make a computer as thin as this new iMac.
And people love it. Disgusting.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Since when thickness has been a concern in desktop computers?

That machine is going to underclock monstruously under high demand softwares.
Do you really think that cooler is going to keep that thing cool during a 3D renderization or gaming? They'll HAVE to underclock things to keep it from boiling.

Definitely relevant points.

 

[theSeb]

OS stays on flash memory. All the software that comes pre-installed comes on flash storage. Things like media and docs stay on HDD.

You can move apps and files between the two sides of THE DRIVE to tweak performance. They're selling this as a single 'Fusion Drive'.

That's exactly what I said a couple of posts ago. Your first post is still wrong. Fusion drive is not hardware? It is a caching algorithm.

 

[frag2]

You're just agreeing with Apple ******** of "form over funtion".

Do you realize what you just said? They're using underclocked and undervolted **** in a desktop computer.

If you want portability (aka: a thin computer), you buy a laptop.
If you want performance, you buy a desktop.

So why are people so happy for buying a portable computer that doesn't leave the desk?
People are happy for buying a computer that doesn't have the performance it should have for being created as a "desktop".

This is disgusting. In one way or another, you have to sacrifice performance to make a computer as thin as this new iMac.
And people love it. Disgusting.

This. There are some of us that held out the last refresh because it was underwhelming. In typical Apple fashion towards their desktop mainstays lately, form over function.