Apple Announces Lighter, Thinner iMac Models with Fusion Drive

[JoeG4]

Looking good, though I think Apple just.. really downgraded the machine. I mean REALLY downgraded it, all for making the edges thinner with no other gain whatsoever. What the hell is up with that?

* The 21.5" comes with 8GB of memory or 16GB from the factory. You cannot upgrade it (apparently)
* The SD card slot is on the back, where it will be a pain in the butt to get to
* The 680MX is only available in the CTO high end model. It's not enugh to buy the 27" high end model, you have to CTO it.. I bet it won't be available for a few weeks and I'll be (pleasantly) surprised if it DOESN'T have overheating issues long-run.

The pluses? New processors and GPUs! Overall, I think it was a nice bump.. and I want to like the thin edge, but there are some new aspects of it that really suck.

 

[cube]

I don't think it's caching exactly, that is, the drives used in a fusion drive still have device disk cache.

Seagate calls the flash "adaptive memory". It's just a cache by another name to differentiate it from the little drive RAM cache.

Of course the iMac hard drives still have their little RAM cache.

 

[AppleInTheMud]

Oh.. After my love message to Apple in my last post.

One thing I personaly miss with the new iMac is a TOUCH screen. Seems rather odd that they didnt go that way... It's almost 2013

I know not everybody wants that. But the option should be there. I'd love touch.

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* The SD card slot is on the back, where it will be a pain in the butt to get to

I have personaly been so stupid twice to put the sd card into the dvd drive... Hard getting it out again :-/ But now the drive is gone, it could have stayed there.

 

[subsonix]

Seagate calls the flash "adaptive memory". It's just a cache by another name to differentiate it from the little drive RAM cache.

Yes, but Seagate's adaptive memory concerns their device, not other companies OS, unless you need special drivers for it. So what makes you think it's the same thing, since the OS was specifically mentioned today. Since the drives have traditional cache, it doesn't seem like the OS is involved in the caching, which was your concern.

 

[Mal67]

It's funny how the sd slot ended up on the back. I'm sure that there's not too many computers out there that would have that placement.
Also interesting how the mini and the macbook got price drops in Australia but the imac went up slightly.

 

[Takeo]

Oh.. After my love message to Apple in my last post.

One thing I personaly miss with the new iMac is a TOUCH screen. Seems rather odd that they didnt go that way... It's almost 2013

I know not everybody wants that. But the option should be there. I'd love touch.

Touch makes no sense on OS X. OS X was designed for use with a keyboard and mouse. Not to mention the fact that touch really requires a different form factor. You'd want the screen laying down your your desk so you're not holding you arms up in the air all day.

 

[wafl iron]

did anyone notice the big lumpy spot on the back of the machine? its funnyhow none of the pictures show it from the side....

 

[cube]

Yes, but Seagate's adaptive memory concerns their device, not other companies OS, unless you need special drivers for it. So what makes you think it's the same thing, since the OS was specifically mentioned today.

The Fusion Drive flash is a cache, like Seagate's "adaptive memory", each with their own proprietary algorithms, I'm not expecting it to be the same.

In the Momentus XT the flash is only for reading, writes go straight to the platters. Apple's may be read/write, like the new Toshibas.

 

[drummingcraig]

Which Momentus drive has 128GB of flash?

Let's talk about OS-level support for dynamically allocating apps/data between the flash and hardware sides, too.

And you win the prize for being the 5th (or is it 6th?) person who failed to comprehend my original post. Your prize is a nice set of roll eyes. Here you go:

 

[subsonix]

The Fusion Drive flash is a cache, like Seagate's "adaptive memory", each with their own proprietary algorithms, I'm not expecting it to be the same.

In the Momentus XT the flash is only for reading, writes go straight to the platters.

I agree both of these are caches, they can not be anything else as the device knows nothing about the data. You can not say anything about the fusion drive since it's unknown at this time, if you do, you are guessing.

 

[DJJAZZYJET]

Yes, lets make it thinner and lighter, because we want customers to be able to use it on their laps. Seriously Apple, making products thinner and lighter, DOES NOT make them better, especially the ones that sit on a desktop.

Airflow anyone?

 

[AppleInTheMud]

Touch makes no sense on OS X. OS X was designed for use with a keyboard and mouse. Not to mention the fact that touch really requires a different form factor. You'd want the screen laying down your your desk so you're not holding you arms up in the air all day.

Yes it does make sense. Alot in my oppinion - touch is commen now a days and LaunchPad is made for touch use. And I guess if Apple not want to kill it self, they will follow Windows and make next release of OS X a touch and desktop OS as windows 8.

There you have the choice. And thats brilliant. I stick with mac though... Just not at work.

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Yes, lets make it thinner and lighter, because we want customers to be able to use it on their laps. Seriously Apple, making products thinner and lighter, DOES NOT make them better, especially the ones that sit on a desktop.

Airflow anyone?

Have to agree eventhough I love the design. It was thin enough. Make it better instead.

 

[cube]

I agree both of these are caches, they can not be anything else as the device knows nothing about the data. You can not say anything about the fusion drive since it's unknown at this time, if you do, you are guessing.

Well, theoretically, Apple's implementation could be bad by storing the data in only one of the two sides, instead of keeping a complete volume in the hard drive.

 

[7709876]

Because Apple is not a crappy, cram-all-you-can, furnace-GPU PC maker; they are driven by design, and the iMac is by far the best desktop experience one can have...if you want a full "pro" tower, wait for the new MP/headless xMac next year.

No, they are a crappy screw the customer as much as possible and trick them into liking it PC maker.

What on earth is a "pro" tower by the way?

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"Thin is in" need I say more?

Yes

 

[jennyp]

How convenient that they've now suddenly sealed the display and shielded it from the hot hardware. The lack of shielding was the problem with the 2009-2011 iMacs displays. All the yellow screens and grey smudges were caused by the display being right next to the hot hardware.

Apple didn't want to admit there was a hardware design problem, because then they'd have to do a recall. So I'm hoping 2009-2011 iMac owners will be able to exchange their iMacs for these re-designed ones.

https://discussions.apple.com/message/20115855?ac_cid=tw123456#20115855

http://www.change.org/petitions/apple-recall-the-2009-2011-imacs

YES. I had the infamous "grey smudge" problem after only a couple of month's use. Took the iMac back to the Apple Store where they replaced the panel. But according to all the reports I can find, the problem always returns, sooner or later, until your warranty and/or AppleCare runs out.

They should exchange for the new model, but what's the betting that they will?

 

[sucramdi]

You people love to complain don't you? I love the iMac, can't wait until December to finally get one

 

[gnasher729]

No, the SSDs in hybrid discs are used exactly the way Apple is doing it now. It's not even Apple that invented this specific version of it, they are just using Intels SRT feature which has been availible on Ivy Bridge motherboards since the beginning. This feature is availible to practically all Ivy Bridge computers if you install a SSD in it.

I very much doubt they use SRT. On the iMac, Apple combines an SSD drive and a spinning hard drive. But they can leverage the exact same technology on an iPad or iPhone to combine a small amount of fast flash memory with a large amount of cheaper, slower memory, without noticable loss of speed in normal operation.

I don't care, I see it as more robust if the drive does the caching.

Actually, what Apple does isn't caching.

In any operating system, when the OS writes data, it finds some free blocks on the hard drive, writes the data to those free blocks, and records where exactly the data has been written. The Fusion Drive adds a tiny little step to this: It decides whether to use free blocks on the SSD drive, or free blocks on the hard drive. That's all it does. Just as robust as any single drive.

The other thing that Fusion Drive does is moving files from one drive to another. Again, exactly what the OS does all the time, except it happens automatically.

 

[R3k]

Though most have probably moved on, the removal of the FW800 port sucks imo, still plenty of need for this..But hey, I understand.

{rip iee1394}

 

[faroZ06]

Epic fail.

It's not a new design, it's just thinner. There's no optical drive, which kills it for me. When I use Windows on Bootcamp it means having to have an external optical drive on my desk to load certain programs or play DVD or BD movies in my collection, thus defeating the purpose of having an all-in-one machine. Another external device to add to my modem, external HDD, speakers, etc.

No optical drive

No new stand design

No retina display

No upgradability

No touch screen

No exterior design change (e.g. same chin)

No difference in available sizes

This is essentially little more than a spec bump with a thinner screen. I don't need a thinner screen. The only possible appealing feature is the 75% less reflective AG coating.

FAIL.

You wanted a touch screen and a different design? If they did what you wanted, I'd consider that a "FAIL". Get an external DVD drive if you really want it. I have 2 DVD+RW drives in my Mac Pro, and I almost never use them.

The thinner design is annoying, though. It just makes it run hotter and makes it tough to open. It's basically a laptop that you can't move at this point.

 

[cube]

I agree both of these are caches, they can not be anything else as the device knows nothing about the data. You can not say anything about the fusion drive since it's unknown at this time, if you do, you are guessing.

The Fusion Drive is a cache, watch the keynote.

The only thing is that it might not be backed up by the hard drive.

 

[7709876]

I like the USB 3 and I could give a rats #@$ about gaming... go get an xbox.

I couldn't give a rats #@$

I could give a rats #@$ doesn't actually mean what you are trying to convey.

The following video will explain why...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om7O0MFkmpw

 

[subsonix]

Well, theoretically, Apple's implementation could be bad by storing the data in only one of the two sides, instead of keeping a complete volume in the hard drive.

I expect both devices to be presented as one volume. Of course it can be bad, logically, but by the same token it can also be good.

All I am saying is that there are potential advantages by using the knowledge the OS have about the files and filesystem that is unknown to the disk. That would go beyond a normal cache.

 

[faroZ06]

yeah,entry level... Compared to a 2009 nehalem mp this thing chews it a new ****! Why do you always say such optimistic things man? Usb 3 is faster than fw anything, and hybrid drives as options etc. Oh well... I better get a mac pro and be an "power user" then. I know people and myself included who do phenomenal content on a macbook... Why is this "entry level?" guess you have to go back to school and learn how to utilize resources. Nice machines... I like the usb 3 and i could give a rats #@$ about gaming... Go get an xbox.

USB 3 < FW800

This text is here just so USB and FW don't get de-capitalized by the anti-spam thing.

 

[azentropy]

Typical Apple. A couple steps forward and a couple of steps back. However on this iMac the major step forward don't interest me (thinner) as much as the steps back (loss of ODD, loss of upgradability, price rising) do.

 

[steve333]

Oh WOW.
Oh Whoopee.
Be still my pounding heart.

A thinner desktop machine that is only viewed from the front with the thickness invisible and completely irrelevant.

A thinner desktop machine without the essential optical drive that is still a necessary component. Didn't Apple notice Bluray happening?

Oh WOW.
Oh Whoopee.
Be still my pounding heart. I am ecstatic...

Bring back Steve. Apple has lost its way again.

Actually Steve would have done the exact same thing. I was hoping Cook would change that nonsense and give the customer more bang for the buck instead of using form at the expense of function.
Still, the Mini is held back from being what it could be and a 5400rpm hard drive in the smaller imac and still in the Mini is ludicrous, as is removing the discrete graphics card from the high end Mini.
Oh well, I'll hold onto my money until Apple stops being such arrogant douches and give us something worth buying.

Two reasons.

1. They're less expensive than the 7200rpm drives
2. Most people don't actually *care* how fast their HDD is. Faster drives are available for those who *do*.

Newsflash-Everyone appreciates a faster computer.
Newsflash-No one appreciates a newer computer utilizing slower components than before.