Does the new cheaper iMac have hyperthreading?

[MartinAppleGuy]

The processor seems exactly the same as the MBA so does it have hyperthreading?

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Edit: just found it does have 4 threads. Thats not too bad then.

 

[yjchua95]

The processor seems exactly the same as the MBA so does it have hyperthreading?

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Edit: just found it does have 4 threads. Thats not too bad then.

It does. But still, one doesn't simply compare 4 threads (virtual cores) with 4 physical cores

A physical core will always be faster than a virtual core/thread (you-don't-say statement)

 

[iMacFarlane]

It's definitely managing to simultaneously maintain half a dozen threads of hate and vitriol alive in these forums. Sounds pretty hyper to me.

 

[MartinAppleGuy]

It's definitely managing to simultaneously maintain half a dozen threads of hate and vitriol alive in these forums. Sounds pretty hyper to me.

I suppose anyone who is a member of Macrumors is not in the target audience for this Mac. This iMac is for either a family who do basic tasks, someone on a budget, or someone who is happy with the MBA's performance but wants a bigger/better screen.

I would never buy with model, but I'm sticking up for it because I know what the hardware is capable of.

 

[cube]

Edit: just found it does have 4 threads. Thats not too bad then.

I would be better for it to have 2 threads but not soldered RAM.

 

[MartinAppleGuy]

I would be better for it to have 2 threads but not soldered RAM.

Apple didn't just decide to have the RAM soldered, the Haswell laptop CPU has it soldered on for power efficiency. Making RAM upgradable and replaceable would mean they would have to switch to a whole other CPU.

 

[mad3inch1na]

Apple didn't just decide to have the RAM soldered, the Haswell laptop CPU has it soldered on for power efficiency. Making RAM upgradable and replaceable would mean they would have to switch to a whole other CPU.

Technically Apple did decide to solder the RAM on, considering Intel does not provide the RAM directly. You do bring up an interesting point, because the 1.4 GHz processor may only support up to 8GB of RAM.

Matt

 

[cube]

Technically Apple did decide to solder the RAM on, considering Intel does not provide the RAM directly. You do bring up an interesting point, because the 1.4 GHz processor may only support up to 8GB of RAM.

Matt

Assuming it is the same CPU, it does support up to 16GiB.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

I suppose anyone who is a member of Macrumors is not in the target audience for this Mac. This iMac is for either a family who do basic tasks, someone on a budget, or someone who is happy with the MBA's performance but wants a bigger/better screen.

I would never buy with model, but I'm sticking up for it because I know what the hardware is capable of.

a macbook air with a terrible hard drive. So it would actually perform significantly worse than a macbook air.

 

[yjchua95]

a macbook air with a terrible hard drive. So it would actually perform significantly worse than a macbook air.

It's customizable with a 1TB Fusion Drive or 256GB SSD to bring it on par with the MacBook Air. And knowing the iMac's efficient cooling system, it'd be able to maintain higher clocks for far longer periods of time compared to the MacBook Air.

The MacBook Air would reach throttling point far quicker than the iMac.

 

[mad3inch1na]

Assuming it is the same CPU, it does support up to 16GiB.

In that case, soldering the RAM is stupid

 

[MartinAppleGuy]

Assuming it is the same CPU, it does support up to 16GiB.

How does it? Both the imac and the MacBook Airs only support upto 8gb.

 

[thekev]

How does it? Both the imac and the MacBook Airs only support upto 8gb.

He's referring to the chipset used, not what Apple offers.

 

[MartinAppleGuy]

He's referring to the chipset used, not what Apple offers.

I have just never seen a 15 watt Haswell support more than 8Gb (due to it using more energy efficient DDR3 RAM).

 

[yjchua95]

I have just never seen a 15 watt Haswell support more than 8Gb (due to it using more energy efficient DDR3 RAM).

The i5-4260U does support 16GB of RAM, according to ark.intel.com

 

[MartinAppleGuy]

The i5-4260U does support 16GB of RAM, according to ark.intel.com

Thanks. I have just never seen one support more (Apple or not Apple).

 

[mnsportsgeek]

It's customizable with a 1TB Fusion Drive or 256GB SSD to bring it on par with the MacBook Air. And knowing the iMac's efficient cooling system, it'd be able to maintain higher clocks for far longer periods of time compared to the MacBook Air.

The MacBook Air would reach throttling point far quicker than the iMac.

If you customize it with a fusion drive, you've now added $200 onto the purchase price. Not so budget friendly anymore.

Regardless of the cooling system, this iMac is not outperforming the entry level macbook air without adding hundreds of dollars in upgrades.