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Apple Updates iMac Lineup With Up to 8-Core 9th-Gen Intel Processors and Radeon Pro Vega Graphics Options
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A fine spec bump. I know some will complain about anything other than a full body res, but there's really no need for that with the iMac at this point for any reason other than a desire for shiny and new.
Completely shocked it's missing the T2 though.
Completely shocked it's missing the T2 though.
What I want to know is how the cooling handles the i7 and i9.
I guess we'll know when people start buying them.
I guess we'll know when people start buying them.
I have one in an AIO cooler I use for GPU rendering, motion graphics and video editing and under full load it only goes into the 60s but if iMacs can’t handle i7’s then this thing is going to throttle badly. You can’t just recycle the same cooling design
OK, its my first post here (but reading MacRumors regularly for a good "while") and frankly with this article at first I was: Finally! 
No price change! I'll get my Mac! (not fully into Mac ecosystem, but I appreciate certain things about it and running for now iOS iP7 + iPP2018, painting light in Procreate is glorious). Without nVidia rendering support I cannot switch even if I wanted too. Anyway..
Loaded local Apple site and instantly excitement evaporated turning into disbelief. Without RAM upgrade on 5K model, but with Vega card, i9 and 512 SSD it's freaking 1500$ on top of the US price when specced the same way... And Apple still offers HDD or hybrid HDD (in Apple newspeak Fusion Drive ) models?!?! Whaaaat????
I'm sticking to waiting for MacPro. If I'm to spend $$$$ USD on a Mac, it has to deliver. This is not it. Imagine boosted ~130W i9 in glued iMac with this hopeless, useless, rubbish, horrible cooling system. Plus garbage Apple TIM [tm]. Even at stock clock it'll be 100C in 30 seconds, cooling system probably can handle about 70W in total at most, it is throttling like mad even with old i5s or i7s...
Base iMacPro is superb value, but that glued AIO... bah!
But hey there is one good thing - no T2 chip. Let's finish on something positive. LOL
No price change! I'll get my Mac! (not fully into Mac ecosystem, but I appreciate certain things about it and running for now iOS iP7 + iPP2018, painting light in Procreate is glorious). Without nVidia rendering support I cannot switch even if I wanted too. Anyway..Loaded local Apple site and instantly excitement evaporated turning into disbelief. Without RAM upgrade on 5K model, but with Vega card, i9 and 512 SSD it's freaking 1500$ on top of the US price when specced the same way...
And Apple still offers HDD or hybrid HDD (in Apple newspeak Fusion Drive ) models?!?! Whaaaat????I'm sticking to waiting for MacPro. If I'm to spend $$$$ USD on a Mac, it has to deliver. This is not it. Imagine boosted ~130W i9 in glued iMac with this hopeless, useless, rubbish, horrible cooling system. Plus garbage Apple TIM [tm]. Even at stock clock it'll be 100C in 30 seconds, cooling system probably can handle about 70W in total at most, it is throttling like mad even with old i5s or i7s...
Base iMacPro is superb value, but that glued AIO... bah!
But hey there is one good thing - no T2 chip. Let's finish on something positive. LOL
I am truly shocked at these wonderful updates. 9th generation Intel, finally. I wish this would happen annually across the board.
So I'm guessing the thing next week is going to be entirely about their TV service. Must be good. Really good.
So I'm guessing the thing next week is going to be entirely about their TV service. Must be good. Really good.
I really don’t care that they didn’t do a redesign. I know lots of people want smaller bezels and to reduce the “chin”, but I think the bezels are fine and actually prefer them as they provide an eye buffer if you have it in a location where you have activity going on behind the iMac. I had a “bezel-less” monitor once and it was awful in such an environment. The chin doesn’t bother me and really the only reason to get rid of it is if they where to make it height adjustable (so those who want it lower could). Also I’m afraid a “redesign” would bastardize the ports/features I still like. I haven’t been too thrilled with the latest redesigns of the MBP, the Mac Pro and even the iPhone and iPads!
My biggest complain is that they still make non-fusion drives standard. That 5400 1TB drive is a dog and has been a dog for what 6 years now! At least make the fusion setup (even with the tiny 24mb ssd) standard on even the entry models.
My biggest complain is that they still make non-fusion drives standard. That 5400 1TB drive is a dog and has been a dog for what 6 years now! At least make the fusion setup (even with the tiny 24mb ssd) standard on even the entry models.
This is not about average customer but rather, low-end but loyal Apple customers and there are a lot of them. Apple needs to enter the market with at least one competitively priced, lower performing model and this is the only way they can do it. They do the same thing with all iOS devices too by including the low storage capacity model. This is Apple's only all-in-one desktop so they cannot afford to neglect the +1 million customers who just want this computer on their desk to check email and nothing more. If someone doesn't know to spend the extra $100 on Fusion, they probably won't know or care about the speed difference anyway.
So base processor specs are same as for new mac mini - just with additional 8 core options in the 27inch version.
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Maybe they will do the same with the Mac product line as they did with the iPads? It could make sense to introduce another iMac Pro device with updated design so there is a more distinct difference between consumer and pro line. Wait for an iMac Air or something like that. Display only iMac. Thin like... well huge 8K 120“ big big thin thin. To enjoy their new media content. And we call it Apple TV Theater. Let’s start some rumors!!
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Well they don't place spinners in the macbooks and they sell better than the imacs. Look, face it, it's time spinners went the way of floppy drives and cd players. You would have thought Apple would be taking the lead on this.
The average customer has no idea what a 5400rpm drive or a SSD, but they can DEFINITELY notice the difference.
What is so stupid is that a baseline MBA from 2010 (!!) has a faster drive than a 2019 iMac.
Given that the 1TB fusion drive only has a 24GB SSD (which covers the OS and apps), ANYTHING stored on the 2019 iMac will be dog slow to open.
(In contrast, I have mine with 500GB SSD, and this thing is FAST)
What is so stupid is that a baseline MBA from 2010 (!!) has a faster drive than a 2019 iMac.
Given that the 1TB fusion drive only has a 24GB SSD (which covers the OS and apps), ANYTHING stored on the 2019 iMac will be dog slow to open.
(In contrast, I have mine with 500GB SSD, and this thing is FAST)
I'm generally in favour of at least doing spec bumps while waiting for actual new designs, but given Apple doesn't tend to do that this is worrying really.
The iMac desperately needs a rethink as a product. It's an expensive, premium machine, and it doesn't feel like it in the slightest.
The iMac desperately needs a rethink as a product. It's an expensive, premium machine, and it doesn't feel like it in the slightest.
As much as I love new designs, this is correct, they really don't need to do a redesign. What would they gain from it? The current iMac is perfectly functional, iconic, and sells well enough. People want it on their desk. A redesign would only be needed for a major hardware shift, or to get the market's attention. It could even backfire, like with the Mac Pro. Aside from that, desktop computers aren't "sexy" anymore, and the market doesn't care.
Other companies like Microsoft have been experimenting with flashy new designs because either they're new to hardware and need the spotlight, or they've historically been known for ugly hardware.
Oh, and the 5400 RPM drive is just wtf territory. Did they accidentally order too many of them at one point?
Dang, would love that 8 core instead of my 4 core 27 inch.
But man, I wonder what how the heat from the most expensive BTO processor will be handled in that enclosure.
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Up to 8 cores, BTO!
But man, I wonder what how the heat from the most expensive BTO processor will be handled in that enclosure.
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Excellent, besides the 6-cores, not much improvement from my current iMac
I’ll wait for the 2021 redesign.
Up to 8 cores, BTO!
OK so Apple only still uses the 5400 HDD in order to milk their most loyal fans? LoL
What were you expecting from an iMac spec update? Is there some pressing feature that hasn’t been implemented yet? Honest question.
Why should their stationary computers (Mac Pro, iMacs, Mac Mini) have a smaller footprint? Like seriously, it makes no sense. You hold it in your hand often? You take it to Starbucks often?
If Apple listens on people like you, my next iMac will have either more fan noise, or throttle quicker. That’s something I can stand in a ultraportable laptop, but DEFINITELY not in an iMac.
The wireless side is a bit disappointing. Sure, WiFi 6 isn't really out yet, but the lack of Bluetooth 5 support a bummer.
And disappointed they've done nothing to modernise the look n' feel of it. The bezels are huge compared to any monitor you'll find out there. Nothing really compelling me to upgrade.
And disappointed they've done nothing to modernise the look n' feel of it. The bezels are huge compared to any monitor you'll find out there. Nothing really compelling me to upgrade.
Apple insists on offering joke storage sizes for its base products. It is the same with iPhones. I get they want to upsell people, but they position and price their devices as a premium product. It would be like a luxury car brand not including a backup camera on its base model when even the cheapest car comes with one.
Stop right there, this excuse should only be used when taking about the removal of the Headphone Jack.