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3.4ghz Core i7 cpu choice in 27" iMac \ Locked or Unlocked i7-2600/k?

L

Laststop

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 7, 2011
18
0
When you upgrade to this CPU option does apple ship these with the locked multiplier core i7-2600 or the unlocked multiplier core i7-2600k

Also what are the other chips it ships with. Is the 2.7ghz core i5 the i5-2500s? It's the only 2.7ghz quad core i see. But it's a special low power version that's actually priced higher than the i5-2400 which is 3.1ghz and the next upgrade apple offers (doesn't seem like a cheaper priced chip would be an upgrade that cost extra but i5-2500s is the only SNB 2.7ghz quad core), it's before the core i7 upgrade. There is also a 3.1ghz core i5 option which im guessing is the i5-2400 since its the only 3.1ghz quad core

So the 27" imac comes with these processor choices (PLEASE correct me if im wrong)

Standard Cheapest Option: Core i5 2.7Ghz = i5-2500s???
Next upgrade option: Core i5 3.1Ghz = i5-2400???
Top upgrade option: Core i7 3.4Ghz = i7-2600 or i7-2600k

So to sum it up. What are the exact 3 processor's used in the 27" imac?
 
That's really quite a shame. Even though I'm sure there are more power constraints in an imac vs a regular pc I'm sure you'd still be able to get a minor oc stable maybe not a 5ghz oc but closer to a 4-4.2ghz oc.

Is it possible to upgrade the chip myself to an i7-2600k? Will the bios allow manipulation of the unlocked multiplier if I upgraded to the unlocked chip myself?
 
Who cares whether the CPU is unlocked? There is no way to adjust the multiplier anyway, possibly aside from fiddling with DSDT (and I am even unsure whether this is possible on a vanilla Mac). FYI: Mac does not use IBM-PC compatible BIOS.
 
leman said:
Who cares whether the CPU is unlocked? There is no way to adjust the multiplier anyway, possibly aside from fiddling with DSDT (and I am even unsure whether this is possible on a vanilla Mac). FYI: Mac does not use IBM-PC compatible BIOS.
Click to expand...

So there is no setting in the bios to adjust the multiplier anyways you are saying?

Sorry for the noob question. Buying my first mac now that im graduated from school I don't have to be forced using windows. So I'm giving mac a try. Buying a 27" imac.

PS: The extra 100 they charge to make the 6970 gpu from 1GB to 2GB memory is absurd. Reference 6970 design comes with 2GB and they are charging an extra 100 for something that comes standard in the reference design of the card. And you basically need over 1GB of memory for 2560x1440 resoultion or there can be big time bottlenecks so the 2GB version is practically required. In fact I never even heard of a 1GB version of the card. It's like something Apple did to force an extra 100 out of every 1 that is a pure profit 100.
 
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Laststop said:
So there is no setting in the bios to adjust the multiplier anyways you are saying?

Sorry for the noob question. Buying my first mac now that im graduated from school I don't have to be forced using windows. So I'm giving mac a try. Buying a 27" imac.

PS: The extra 100 they charge to make the 6970 gpu from 1GB to 2GB memory is absurd. Reference 6970 design comes with 2GB and they are charging an extra 100 for something that comes standard in the reference design of the card. And you basically need over 1GB of memory for 2560x1440 resoultion or there can be big time bottlenecks so the 2GB version is practically required. In fact I never even heard of a 1GB version of the card. It's like something Apple did to force an extra 100 out of every 1 that is a pure profit 100.
Click to expand...

There is no bios.. macs use EFI.
They are not designed to be over clocked. They run pretty hot as it is, and I don't think the are any cooling upgrade options designed for iMacs.

Also, the 6970 is a mobile card, keep that in mind. So it is not compatible to a standard desktop 6970. And 1gb is actually fine. You don't even need any where close to 2gb of video memory to run 2560x1440.... Unless you plan to game at that resolution. Even then there are very few games which NEED 2gb of memory at that res.
Inhave both a 2gb iMac and 1gb with the i7. Both run the latest games at the same resolution exactly the same. So no real reason to spend the extra money.
By the time any thing NEEDS 2gb the rest of the computer will be out dated and you will have to run at a lower res and lower settings.
 
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didn't notice it was the mobile card. Between the dirty screens and mobile gpu the imac isnt looking that great anymore. I think I'll wait for the mac pro's to get the SNB-E processor upgrade and 6970 gpu and get the base config with the single hex core cpu thats 1 step below flagship hex core cpu. Getting 2 cpu's is way overkill so a single cpu mac pro with a SNB-E hex core should be more than enough. Base model will only cost me 2200. And for all that you get plus the expandability and upgradeability i think makes this a much better buy than the imac.
 
Laststop said:
didn't notice it was the mobile card. Between the dirty screens and mobile gpu the imac isnt looking that great anymore. I think I'll wait for the mac pro's to get the SNB-E processor upgrade and 6970 gpu and get the base config with the single hex core cpu thats 1 step below flagship hex core cpu. Getting 2 cpu's is way overkill so a single cpu mac pro with a SNB-E hex core should be more than enough. Base model will only cost me 2200. And for all that you get plus the expandability and upgradeability i think makes this a much better buy than the imac.
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I cannot comment on how much the next Mac Pro will cost, but for some use cases it makes more sense than an iMac. I can't wait for it to arrive.
 
Laststop said:
didn't notice it was the mobile card. Between the dirty screens and mobile gpu the imac isnt looking that great anymore. I think I'll wait for the mac pro's to get the SNB-E processor upgrade and 6970 gpu and get the base config with the single hex core cpu thats 1 step below flagship hex core cpu. Getting 2 cpu's is way overkill so a single cpu mac pro with a SNB-E hex core should be more than enough. Base model will only cost me 2200. And for all that you get plus the expandability and upgradeability i think makes this a much better buy than the imac.
Click to expand...

They usually sell you THE flagship. At least for 6 months:) They don't sell you the 2nd tier. Ala you can get hex 3.33 but no hex 3.2. 1 year later hex 3.46 came out but Apple passed on the price margin for 1-5% performance increase. Better to pocket the price drop from 3.33 hex.
 
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