Apple Announces New iMacs, Mac Minis, AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule

[christian_k]

Poorly, I believe

Absolutely.
The MacBook with 9400M scores about 2100 in 3D Mark06.
The last gen iMac with Radeon 2600 Pro (or underclocked XT) scores
something like 4300.

The new entry level iMacs are surely faster than the MacBook because of higher clocked
CPUs, but will be much slower than the Radeon 2600 in gfx tasks. The new chip is
comparable to the old Radeon 2400 that was used in older entry level iMacs.

The only read advantage is that Apple uses the nvidia chips for some hw optimizations for
video playback. So the new iMacs probably play HD videos at lower cpu usage than the older models.

Christian

 

[reserves]

If you don't like the prices then DON'T BUY.

I certainly won't, I can't justify £499 for a media hub (Mac mini).

Simple economics, if no-one buys apple will have to reduce the price.

However in a world of mac fan boys/girls and consumers less informed than the forum users here Apple will still sell a ***** load of Mac minis.

 

[RKO]

If they wanted to take a large proportion of the (home) desktop market share they could. Slashing prices and increasing sales to maintain profit is an option they'll always have, it's just they'll lose the (undeserved?) premium/niche image.

What premium/niche image? This is old tech they are trying to pass off at a ridiculous price.

 

[Eidorian]

I am going to order a new mini asap. Nice specs and coupled with an Elgato tuner stick, its goodbye time for the Windows Media Center PC.

XP Media Center or Vista?

 

[gwangung]

If they wanted to take a large proportion of the (home) desktop market share they could. Slashing prices and increasing sales to maintain profit is an option they'll always have, it's just they'll lose the (undeserved?) premium/niche image.

Sure it's an option.

It's not always a GOOD option.

For one thing, slashing margins DOESN'T always translate to increased market share.

For another, people STILL haven't gotten through their heads that increased market share alone doesn't mean you're company can survive. One company can survive and maybe prosper in an industry with razor thin margins; two can't. The others will have to go with more normal margins--you know that ones that ignorant people call "fat", but are standard margins in every single other industry (what? You think there's some sort of magic in computer manufacturing that allow companies to survive on margins thinner than every other industry?)

 

[robanga]

XP Media Center or Vista?

Still running XP Media Center, version 2005

 

[mudenza]

Spec wise, the only upgrade I see is the faster ram (800 vs 1066) and the ATI 4850 option

Then why do people ask why we always complain?

 

[Eidorian]

Still running XP Media Center, version 2005

Yeah moving from that will be nice. You can't pry me from the Vista Media Center though.

 

[AlexisV]

All that needed doing was an upgrade to newer nVidia GPUs, and keep the same prices (or even lower the entry level 20").

Now there is no high end 20" and they've increased prices across the board.

Rubbish.

 

[drlunanerd]

I can't believe I'm saying this...

Should a company really lower prices to compensate for a high foreign tax?

Your question is out of context (nothing to do with tax but exchange rates), but to answer it other global companies already do adjust domestic pricing - for example the motor industry.

 

[r.j.s]

for example the motor industry.

I think that might have more to do with shipping than anything else.

 

[pakkman781]

Maybe I'm crazy, but it seems like $1399 != $1499...

 

[psouper]

Over Priced - Under Speced

Of course Macs have been over priced and under speced for years but now we can compare with regular PCs it all the more obvious. For many of us there is simply nothing to buy - I'd like to upgrade my Mac Mini 1.66 but have a budget of round £600. No point in buying the new Mini its only a tad faster. The iMac now starts at £900 plus. The Mini I have got is virtually un-upgradeable. Guess I'll get a Hackintosh.
PAhhhhhhh

 

[SteveMobs]

Nothing new design wise, that's odd.

 

[Long Time Mac]

New member here at MacRumors, though I've been visiting for years.

I've been waiting for a new Mac Mini patiently. I currently have a number of Macs, but my main computer is a 17" MacBook Pro paired with a 30" Dell.

So, this morning when I saw the new Mac Mini, I promptly bought it online. Then, a few minutes later when I realized that there was no easy way to hook-up the 30" Dell by DisplayPort, and instead have to go through a $100 adapter to go from Mini DisplayPort to Dual-link DVI (that doesn't even work properly), I cancelled the order.

Can't Apple or someone make a simple Mini DisplayPort to regular DisplayPort adapter or cable? Must Apple always create their own proprietary formats and screw things up?

Just needed to vent.

 

[cube]

Where's the xMac?

 

[jackfrost123]

Still running XP Media Center, version 2005

you gonna use boxee in that maybe?

 

[2Sticky]

I'm soooo glad I got my iMac in November, seems like a disappointing update.

 

[bmorris]

I can not believe Apple are re-releasing Time Capsule when it is a simple firmware update that has been added. Sure I understand this is good for people who haven't got a TC yet, but people like me who have one should be given the respect to get this as an update. I've asked my masters qualified electronic engineer friend if this seems like just a firmware upgrade and he agrees. TC has two antennas, one for 2.4GHz and one for 5GHz, it has been a disgrace since it's release that it hasn't been able to use both at the same time like so many others on the market, and all Apple have done here is enable it.
The mobile me integration is brilliant, but again, I pay for mobile me, why am I not getting this already??
I could be proven wrong over the next few days when a new firmware pops up on my screen and all is well, but somehow I don't think so...

i think bc of the track record for mobileMe, they will atleast offer a firmware update for the mobileMe part for the older TC. they want ppl to like mobileMe really bad.

i got a .mac account before it was cut off.
and there are def positives to the new mobileMe but of course some negs.

 

[daferrisda]

Crazy pricing

Have Apple lost the plot, have they have heard about The Credit Crunch? The price hike on the Mac Min and iMac is far to high, I was looking to upgrade to a new iMac, having second thoughts now !

 

[J the Ninja]

Where's the xMac?

It's there as the new Mac Pro Quad, it's just curiously not priced like it.

 

[fleshman03]

Still running XP Media Center, version 2005

That was my favorite flavor of XP. Actually, that was my last Windoze OS. (I'm not counting the three months in VistaHell.)

 

[VoR]

It's not always a GOOD option.

For one thing, slashing margins DOESN'T always translate to increased market share.

No, of course not, but it's easy to find examples where this does and doesn't work.

It's irrelevent to me, as an 'enthusiast' and educated consumer - I couldn't care less about their business, and they certainly won't be getting mine.
I can't justify purchasing any macs myself or to the people that ask me for advice. I appreciate the os, but don't see any value for money in their current products.

 

[fleshman03]

Your question is out of context (nothing to do with tax but exchange rates), but to answer it other global companies already do adjust domestic pricing - for example the motor industry.

I was talking about VAT. I could still be mistaken, though.

 

[SONET]

I'm beginning to wonder if Steve saw this coming and just didn't want to stick around for it. This update is disappointing at best.

Apple's business model worked during the boom, but it would have been much more prudent of them to explore a new strategy in this economy. Yes, they have money in the bank. My business does, too. But I'm not going to sit back and watch it waste away while I continue to run my business like it was 2005. A large number of people want a desktop offering that they perceive to be a good value. By all means, give it to them, or they will make their own!

2009 may just be the year of the Hackintosh.