The Core i7 860 outperforms the Core i7 920.
The iMac is better now at raw CPU action.
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Apple Releases Updated iMac Models With 21.5- and 27-Inch LED Screens
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The iMac is better now at raw CPU action.
This is a very nice update. Quad-core availability (i7!) is a very good thing. Video in, awesome. Too bad only on the Large (with a capital L) model. Oh, and yay for the reduced chin.
That said, I'll be sticking with the manageable-sized 21.5" unit. I'm relieved that there are halfway-decent upgrade options for the smaller unit, as opposed to the nearly-orphaned 20" model of the previous generation.
One obligatory whine: the upgraded 21.5" model costs an extra $300 for:
- 500 GB -> 1 TB HDD
- 9400M -> 4670 graphics
That is about $100 worth of upgrades for $300. Apple will be loving the gross margin on that model. I tend to think it's still worth it to get the GPU upgrade, in advance of applications that will take advantage of OpenCL. Or is it? I dunno. I hate buying something just for theoretical future benefit that I might never realize, but I've done it before (note I don't game).
Bottom line: well done, Apple, for the most part.
That said, I'll be sticking with the manageable-sized 21.5" unit. I'm relieved that there are halfway-decent upgrade options for the smaller unit, as opposed to the nearly-orphaned 20" model of the previous generation.
One obligatory whine: the upgraded 21.5" model costs an extra $300 for:
- 500 GB -> 1 TB HDD
- 9400M -> 4670 graphics
That is about $100 worth of upgrades for $300. Apple will be loving the gross margin on that model. I tend to think it's still worth it to get the GPU upgrade, in advance of applications that will take advantage of OpenCL. Or is it? I dunno. I hate buying something just for theoretical future benefit that I might never realize, but I've done it before (note I don't game).
Bottom line: well done, Apple, for the most part.
I was responding with the Logitech option because many of us WANT a wireless keyboard for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is to minimize wire clutter.
You can't make that assumption based on the clock speed. iMacs traditionally sport overclocked mobile parts. The 3.06 of last gen was just an overclocked penryn.
Yup
Any nay sayers of the quad cores in iMacs please feel free to admit you were wrong
Have to admit i wasn't expecting i7 at all...maybe i5 as the top end so kudos to them but then again they had to make bigger cases to accommodate those chips which is why they went to 27" i'm guessing...
The last gen 24 inchers were also IPS panels but not LED so LED backlight is the bigger news here
Shame no Blu-Ray to take advantage of all those HD screens and last i heard HD content from the iTunes store isn't...well true HD
Gotta say, they LOOK very nice...esthetically.
However, I'm bummed about them still starting at $1200. I can't justify the $1200 for these specs even now.
Maybe next year Apple will get my money. I still think the baseline iMac (especially considering it's price/features are only updated when it is refreshed) is overpriced at $1200. I was hoping $999.
-Eric
I think the 21.5" iMac is the first Mac that ISN'T overpriced! Its an incredible value at $1199.
The Core i7 860 outperforms the Core i7 920.
The iMac is better now at raw CPU action.
I don't think Apple will sell many quad core Mac Pro's anymore, after comparing the price for the 27" quad core iMac and the entry level Mac Pro.
Yeah theyre about $200 for BD read only. Not sure about BD-R, I think they were around $500 last time I checked (months ago).
The real question is, is the quad core worth it, don't get me wrong, i know its better but really by how much, i mean is there software that even takes advantage of it? (Mostly i use the adobe suites and music) and if not, how long will it be before there is software that takes advantage of it.
Bravo Apple!!!
This is the first time in probably 5 years that I have not been let down by a sweeping product update!!!!!
AWESOME AWESOME NEWS TODAY!!!!!
Apple has officially made the iMac a TRUE Professional Creative Design computer that will kill Mac Pro sales, at least until Adobe's Creative Suite can fully handle all 8 cores of a Mac Pro and you can see a noticeable difference in performance between the two models.
The prices are GREAT too!
A 27" iMac with 2.8GHz Quad-Core i7, 2TB HDD AND Apple Care is only $2618.00!!!! Holy crap!
Jesus... 27 M*ther F*cking inches baby!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the first time in probably 5 years that I have not been let down by a sweeping product update!!!!!
AWESOME AWESOME NEWS TODAY!!!!!
Apple has officially made the iMac a TRUE Professional Creative Design computer that will kill Mac Pro sales, at least until Adobe's Creative Suite can fully handle all 8 cores of a Mac Pro and you can see a noticeable difference in performance between the two models.
The prices are GREAT too!
A 27" iMac with 2.8GHz Quad-Core i7, 2TB HDD AND Apple Care is only $2618.00!!!! Holy crap!
Jesus... 27 M*ther F*cking inches baby!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's my point!
I know you can upgrade the Mac Pro but for less you can get a quad core iMac and slap in a Radeon HD 4850. The i5 750 is 90% the performance of the i7 920.
they updated their remote too.. hmm
http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1596/store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/cto_remote.jpg
http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1596/store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/cto_remote.jpg
Apple SUXXXX for not offering i5 option on the 21.5" !!!
27 inch = much more space = much easier to cool it down.
Think about it.
You can when the only Core i7 mobile part available anywhere near that clock speed cost $1054, and its only at 2Ghz.
It's just, here's an update that no one was expecting (27 inch with i7!?) and still people only want to mention the lack of blu-ray.
What do you make of the i5? Is it Lynnfield, or a special CPU revision for Apple?
Grr, why doesn't Apple make the normal keyboard wireless??! The wireless keyboard as it is is too cramped! How difficult can that be...?! Now I have to buy a normal keyboard
It's the same keyboard minus the number pad, etc. It's wonderful
anyone know if you can buy the NEW aluminum apple remote, separately? i couldn't find it on the apple store. it looks sweet! i saw the remote as an add-on when configuring the imac i thought, or the macbook pro. couldn't remember. i can't believe they have 2.66 quad core and even faster quad cores for the top of the line imac. thats faster than my original quad core mac pro! i have an 8-core mac pro now, which is awesome. hopefully new cinema displays will come out soon to match the 16:9 ratio of the new imacs. this is how things should be for designers! good update!