G5 iMac?

[x86isslow]

I just don't see why they'd put a G5 in an iMac before getting one in a PowerBook. I know it would be easier, but that doesn't make sense to put a G5 in a consumer line computer before getting it in all of the pro line. Obviously we could get at least a 1.5 in there, maybe even a little more. A 1.5 or 1.6 G4 wouldn't be much slower than a 1.6 G5 (which the iMac would almost have to be) yet it would keep the consumer line more consumer.

ever heard of phil zimbardo's prison experiment? you are an example of what it proved: people take up roles that they are given and play them out. I assume you think of yourself as somekind of Pro-User. Apple's classification of iMac at some unfortunate point in its history as consumer model has now led to people claiming that Apple should cripple a computer so Powerbook can get a rush out of being 'Pro' with special access to Apple tech.

Oh, and Apple long since made iMac something other than consumer- the top of the line now costs 2200.

 

[Savage Henry]

I have fears that G5 will not find it's way into an iMac until 8 months after the G5 Powerbook. I don't think the 90nm G5 chip is small enough to fit in the current model and be properly vented.

Nor do I think they will make a detachable head. Such an concept would be, here is an all-in-one design with a substandard screen which you may want to change at a later date.

My prediction: G4 iMac 1.5ghz, and watch the share price tumble.

 

[365]

Nor do I think they will make a detachable head. Such an concept would be, here is an all-in-one design with a substandard screen which you may want to change at a later date.

My prediction: G4 iMac 1.5ghz, and watch the share price tumble.

I'd have to respectfully disagree, I think that having a detachable screen would send one message only which would be choice and upgradeability, it would also reduce significantly Apple's iMac inventory headache, rather than the current scenario where they have to produce a 15", 17" and 20" iMac, they could simply stock a one size fits all iMac box and ship your monitor of choice seperately.

I also think if we were going to see a 1.5Ghz iMac we would have already seen it by now. Hey but I've been wrong many times, I guess we'll have to watch this space, something we've all become very adept at.

 

[tny]

I have the same doubts...look at the PM G5 and all the fans and space...what happens when putting that cpu in the iMac - it's going to be "glowing" with heat

Have you looked at the XServe form factor? 1U. With a G5. They've already made a lot of progress on the cooling issues.

I would expect a 17" iMac, a 20" iMac (both G5), and two iMac cubes with a single ADC or mini-DVI (with ADC > VGA extractor or mini-DVI/VGA connector; maybe G4, unless a very cheap 1.6 or 1.8 G5 were available), and on the cube a FireWire 800, a FireWire 400, four USB 2, ethernet, Airport Extreme, bluetooth, and priced 999/1299 (cubes), 1799/2199 (iMacs). No 15" iMac.

 

[oldpismo]

Surely if they were going to update the iMac with a G4 they would have done it at the same time they updated the eMac?

My guess would be a new form factor, with the light effect walls that were patented a couple of years ago.

https://www.macrumors.com/pages/2002/12/20021227191929.shtml

 

[aswitcher]

I'd have to respectfully disagree, I think that having a detachable screen would send one message only which would be choice and upgradeability, it would also reduce significantly Apple's iMac inventory headache, rather than the current scenario where they have to produce a 15", 17" and 20" iMac, they could simply stock a one size fits all iMac box and ship your monitor of choice seperately.

I agree this would allow them to simplify their line.

Trick woould be getting an arm that could be adjusted to handle the 17, 20, and possibly even the 23...

 

[aswitcher]

Surely if they were going to update the iMac with a G4 they would have done it at the same time they updated the eMac?

My guess would be a new form factor, with the light effect walls that were patented a couple of years ago.

https://www.macrumors.com/pages/2002/12/20021227191929.shtml

That would be pretty interesting if they managed that. I wonder though if they will go detachable/replaceable coloured hard shells like the mini ipods, much like shells you get for phones, to allow personalisation, but still leave plain white for those who like a more basic look...

 

[CmdrLaForge]

I just don't see why they'd put a G5 in an iMac before getting one in a PowerBook. I know it would be easier, but that doesn't make sense to put a G5 in a consumer line computer before getting it in all of the pro line. Obviously we could get at least a 1.5 in there, maybe even a little more. A 1.5 or 1.6 G4 wouldn't be much slower than a 1.6 G5 (which the iMac would almost have to be) yet it would keep the consumer line more consumer.

I have a completly different opinion about that. In the end what counts for Apple are sales figures. Someone who needs a portable will get the Powerbook either way if a G5 iMac is available or not. But the current iMac sales have dropped significantly. Apple must do something here.

Getting a G5 iMac out is absolutly the right decision, get it out now ! It will use the same 970 processor thats currently used in the G5 PowerMac, so no yield issue here at IBM. I guess whats holding them is more the fact that currently no new PowerMacs are out.

Cheers

 

[365]

I agree this would allow them to simplify their line.

Trick woould be getting an arm that could be adjusted to handle the 17, 20, and possibly even the 23...

Yeah but I think that this would be a relatively simple task, it would have already been done in the PC world but for Apple, elegance of design will dictate whether it is ever brought to market.

 

[aswitcher]

Yeah but I think that this would be a relatively simple task, it would have already been done in the PC world but for Apple, elegance of design will dictate whether it is ever brought to market.

Maybe, but I just look at the 20" being ~10kg over the 17" and think they need to do it better than that next time. I imagine the base will have to be broader to accomodate these larger screens without going nutz on the ballast

 

[Savage Henry]

I agree this would allow them to simplify their line.

Trick woould be getting an arm that could be adjusted to handle the 17, 20, and possibly even the 23...

Certainly you and 365 may be onto something, as the all-in-one is a rather out of date concept that was good back in 98, but rather showing it's age as a tired idea.

But I really just can't see Apple abandoning that idea for a couple more years. I'd love to see a new form iMac (though I love my current one) if it meant better kit. But I still don't think the G5 will be involved in the next release, and hence neither will a screen-based form change. It's the pessimist in me.

However, if they actually do blow my socks, hat and any other loose apparel off with a new form iMac G5, then you'd struggle to keep my credit card in my wallet.

 

[macFanDave]

They need to do this to

differentiate the iMac from the eMac. The differences between the two machines internally is so minute that the consumer decision to spend the extra $500 or so comes down to whether you like the floating screen that much better than the good ol' CRT iMac form.

Of course, with the eMac they've screwed up the nice 2x2 matrix (but they were willing to do that for the Cube), but I don't believe that the answer to the confused, mish-mosh of products that were available in the late 90's is an absolutely rigid matrix.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I agree this would allow them to simplify their line.

Trick woould be getting an arm that could be adjusted to handle the 17, 20, and possibly even the 23...

I highly doubt Apple will try to put a 23" LCD on the iMac anytime soon. I also don't see the 15" iMac going away in the next update (what's all this nonsense about 15" screens being too costly to produce? After all, Apple needs them for the PowerBooks). In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Apple decides to put the faster G4s in the iMacs for the next revision and holds off on G5 processors until the revision after that (unless cooling and other issues have been sorted out - in that case, go ahead and put a G5 in there).

 

[Mr. Anderson]

In terms of heat - run a 90 nm G5 below 2 GHz and it will be cooler.

A 1.6/1.8 G5 in an iMac would be fantastic - I really don't see them getting a 3.0 GHz G5 in an iMac anytime soon....

D

 

[the_mole1314]

I heard that only the top modle will have a G5 in it, the 17" high end and the 20". And also from what I hear, don't expect 2.0ghz iMacs, instead the iMacs will get 1.6ghz procs.

 

[dongmin]

bring back the cube

The move to G5 doesn't excite me that much. It just means that Apple is positioning the iMac as a high-end all-in-one, for the same target market as the now defunct Cube. I just don't see Apple selling a whole of these. They might as well bring back the Cube--I think it's a more boutique-y design than the current lampstand design.

You can argue that the eMac does well enough in the true consumer, all-in-one market. But the design of it is quite stale; it's basically unchanged from when the iMac was first launched in 1998. It's time for something to shake up the industry again, time to introduce another radical new design in the consumer market. The flat-panel iMac doesn't do it for me, and I doubt it's done much for Apple's bottom line after the initial launch.

 

[7on]

Myself personally think the new form factor change might be to make the iMac more look like a cinema LCD, but maybe a little thicker and different casing. they could almost take the powerbook mobo and stick it behind an Apple display to help consolidate the product line. It'd be nifty, though I've seen PC companies do it.

The reason Apple doesn't make a headless consumer model is because with the all-in-one, Apple sells you the monitor too.

 

[ts1973]

I think there will be a G5 i-mac soon, in a completely new design because of the heat issues involved.

I also quietly hope for a cube-like design with seperate screens (in addition to the imac linup), to keep prices down to a consumer level (and you can use whatever screen you like).

 

[Mr. Anderson]

I heard that only the top modle will have a G5 in it, the 17" high end and the 20". And also from what I hear, don't expect 2.0ghz iMacs, instead the iMacs will get 1.6ghz procs.

and what is your source?

reliable or just something in passing...

D

 

[PPC970FX]

Cube?

Plz I need a G5 Cube.

And if the imac will be updated before the G5 will be updated, the best Imac will be faster then the SP 1,6Ghz G5?

But I think that Apple will soon drop most of its desktop PC, and mostly have Ibook, Powerbook, (ebook? and cubebook?? hehe).

 

[FriarTuck]

The sheer invebtivness of the iMac saved Apple from closure

I can just imagine Steve Jobs yelling into the speakerphone,

What is wrong with you people? We need invebtivness, and we need it now!!!

 

[mpopkin]

Yeah it does make sense, because the imac has been struggling recently and Apple cannot wait 1+ years to put a g5 into it while waiting for the mobile Powerpc g5 to be ready, supposedly this new imac is a total redesign as well and will be an awesome machine, it would make sense for it to be and it will probably be lower priced than it is now

I just don't see why they'd put a G5 in an iMac before getting one in a PowerBook. I know it would be easier, but that doesn't make sense to put a G5 in a consumer line computer before getting it in all of the pro line. Obviously we could get at least a 1.5 in there, maybe even a little more. A 1.5 or 1.6 G4 wouldn't be much slower than a 1.6 G5 (which the iMac would almost have to be) yet it would keep the consumer line more consumer.

 

[jayscheuerle]

Brilliant!!

Let's take an overpriced niche machine that hasn't lived up to the sales of its predicessor and make it MORE overpriced, thereby SHRINKING its niche!!

Pure genious!! Maybe they can even find a way to jerk up the starting price of the low-end model to $2000!!

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

I doubt very much that we wont see a new G5 imac, Apple has to have at least 1 line of hot selling desk tops and right now not one of them are making much of a splash when it comes to sales. They need a big hit and another G4 machine will do nothing. Slow computers dont make for sales. They need a G5 imac and they needed it last year. This crap about waiting for powerbook before imac makes no sense at all when it comes to selling machines.
Performance wise G4 machines can not hang with the AMD's or Intels. this has been fact for 2-3 years now and apple knows it has to correct this if its going to ask high dollar. my guess is we will see a 1.6 1.8 and a 2.0 G5 imac and il buy the 2.0 Imac G5

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I doubt very much that we wont see a new G5 imac, Apple has to have at least 1 line of hot selling desk tops and right now not one of them are making much of a splash when it comes to sales. They need a big hit and another G4 machine will do nothing. Slow computers dont make for sales. They need a G5 imac and they needed it last year. This crap about waiting for powerbook before imac makes no sense at all when it comes to selling machines.
Performance wise G4 machines can not hang with the AMD's or Intels. this has been fact for 2-3 years now and apple knows it has to correct this if its going to ask high dollar. my guess is we will see a 1.6 1.8 and a 2.0 G5 imac and il buy the 2.0 Imac G5

I don't think the G5 iMac will get a 2.0 GHz G5 unless the PowerMac line doesn't have a 2.0 GHz processor (everything's above 2 GHz) or 2GHz is the low end. My prediction for G5 iMacs depends on what Apple decides to do with the new PowerPC G4s. If Apple uses them in an iMac revision, then the revision after that will definitely see 2.0 GHz G5s. However, if Apple elects to skip over the new G4s and put G5 processors in the next iMac, they will most likely top out at 1.8 GHz.