Hands-On Impressions and Other Tidbits From Today's Releases

[Eidorian]

What we got a Mac Pro coming with a 6-Core Intel "Gulfton" well as a Dual 6-Core that can utilize 8GB and 16GB Memory modules to max 128GB plus 10-Gigabit Ethernet! Well as ATI 5870 maybe with 1GB DDR5!

We've known about Gulftown for months and Westmere is just a Nehalem die-shrink with a few new AES instructions. Westmere does have an overclocking edge though with 5 GHz being possible. Current Lynnfield and Clarksfield lines are expected to undergo an optical die shrink to 32nm with no new additional features though.

It's 2009 and the Radeon HD 5000 series is available today.

 

[LEStudios]

Well Apple can do whatever it wants because they have a license to print money. Kind of like Nintendo.

Nintendo? They need a new money stamp cause Apple took it!

Both are IPS. Probably E-IPS rather than the existing H-IPS, so lower quality, but probably nothing to be concerned about.

What?!!

So my 24" LED Cinema Display is still better?

 

[Eidorian]

Nintendo? They need a new money stamp cause Apple took it!

Picture very related.

 

[LEStudios]

We've known about Gulftown for months and Westmere is just a Nehalem die-shrink with a few new AES instructions. Westmere does have an overclocking edge though with 5 GHz being possible. Current Lynnfield and Clarksfield lines are expected to undergo an optical die shrink to 32nm with no new additional features though.

It's 2009 and the Radeon HD 5000 series is available today.

I never said any think about the MacBook Pro so would these chipset work?

Yeah, yeah I know what time it is!

 

[AppleThis&That]

So what are the dimensions (HxW) of the actual screens for 21.5 and 27 inches on these new models? Not the computer but the display area. Trying to get a good picture of how this compares to my 24 inch.

Edit: I think I saw a 21.5 inch monitor at a local tech store, so I think that's OK. Maybe a little short in height for me since I'm use to the 24. The 27 has to be the same height as the 24 but wider of course. That would be nice.

 

[LEStudios]

Oh yeah, that's going to happen soon.

MSFT market cap- $235 billion
AAPL market cap- $178 billion

I wouldn't buy Microsoft if they was on Clearance marked 75% Off!

$235 Billion. It's gonna take awhile.

Soon as the Apple Tablet released with eBooks, McGraw Hill making School Year Passes of textbooks available, and Comic eBooks after Disney purchased Marvel!
Plus their stock is trading at $204.92 a share vs Microsoft's $26.58 a share! I say 3rd Quarter next Year right after Verizon start selling the 4G iPhones!

$235 Billion. It's gonna take awhile.

When this do happen this will end in tears!

Wall mount + 27" screen + video-in = Media Center PC...

At least that is what is smells like to me.

Yeah remember puff puff pass!

wall mountable? really? who would use it on a wall?

Yeah this would end in tears!

I would. For a number of reasons.

This would end in tears!

What can I say? The iMacs were ALREADY the best desktops on Earth...these new models simply extend the lead, representing the most powerful, beautiful, technologically advanced and eco-friendly desktops in the planet.

There is simply NO COMPARISON with the rest...thank you again, Apple, for presenting us with such astounding launches...

MS IS ABSOLUTELY DEAD. AND SO IS DELL.

We need a status report on the Microsoft Stores and the Windows 7 Launch!

Yeah this would end in tears!

1. Mechanical harddrives are one of the highest failure rate items in a PC.
2. Capacity demands grow every year.
3. Technology continues to move forward, so much higher capacity hard drives are always around the corner. The solution to the capacity demand is to get a bigger newer hard disk.
4. SSD technology continues to adavance also and for some applications will be come very cost effective in the near future as prices drop.
5. The economy is bad and DIY is one way to deal with lower incomes. For the most part there is nothing difficult about hard disk upgrades or replacements for repair. That is if you can get to the drive in the first place.
6. Faster drives lead to a much more responsive Mac.
7. For the most part you get grossly over charged for a drive replacement. Well maybe that isn't right as the guy has to earn a wage. The difficulty in replacing a iMac drive often means labor is significantly more expensive than on just about any other machine made.

This is my short off the top of my head list. You should not underestimate the importance of serviceability even if you don't do the servicing yourself.

Yeah this would end in tears!

Thank you, Sir. In fact, today's iMac updates constitute a giant leap over any wannabe competition...these desktops are simply FANTASTIC. Now I need to find a reason to sell my wonderful iMac 24" and get one of these...or just buy the 27" one and give the 24" to my still-PC-using girlfriend...

You really love her that much?

I'm anticipating a full review on just the Video input of the iMac. I want to know a few things:

1)Can I have the iMac on doing things in the background while I have my macbook pro plugged in using the iMac as an external monitor?
2)Can I use it when the iMac is turned off as an external monitor?
3)Can I plug (using adapters) a PS3 or cable box?
3a)how would either of the above handle the resolution?

This is genius. And cheap. A 27" monitor (decent) can run upwards of $1000. for $500 extra you get a decent PC to run OS X, windows, or linux in the background while using the display for a current machine. I'm looking for a 24" monitor for my programming and occasional video editing. Looks like I may try to find a way to make $2000 before the end of the year to get one of these 27" iMacs.

Yeah looks like Apple will have another Fiscal Quarter of Record Breaking Mac sales!

and allowing turbo processing on the quad core... nearly jizzed in my pants :O

 

[LEStudios]

The target display option is very cool, but it seems a bit gimmicky for Apple.

I.e., what's the use case?

(I know, I know, there are always people that will want something, but Apple always does its best to ignore them. And I haven't heard people asking for this anyway. E.g., think about the blu-ray situation.)

Makes me wonder if Apple doesn't have something up their sleeve vis-a-vis the (presumably) forthcoming tablet?!?

By the way, the early iMacs could sort-of do target display mode because the monitor was connected to the motherboard by a standard VGA connector. I routed it through a KVM so I could use the iMac monitor with the Mac and my Windows machine.

You answered your own question with something I really didn't think of!

The future release Apple Tablet will have a Mini DisplayPort where you can connect to use this as a monitor! It could be on its stand in landscape or portrait mode! Displaying your eBooks, photos, movies or music! Or papers you typed! This will have built-in iWork '09 compatibility plus iWork.com! That's why its on a iMac possibly on ALL mac be released from this point on!

 

[Kahnyl]

Oh, and you're not done.

EDIT: This post makes no sense now. I'm guessing the mod who merged all those posts missed it.

 

[LEStudios]

This has been a banner week for Apple.

Another recoed quarter, rosy Mac sales, and now a superb round of hardware updates.

My next purchase will be the new mouse, possibly followed by Apple's tablet (hopefully) in early 2010.

In the meantime that new Macbook looks quite tempting . . .

Oh wait so the Tablet will definitely be Bluetooth to work with their New Magic Mouse also Keyboard!

I'm not too happy with the updates. I mean the iMac is great but they put in this beautiful monitor with NO blu-ray support. Buying HD movies off iTunes is not the answer.

You can download the 1080p Blu-ray rips from Torrent sites if that's your answer! I think that's why Apple don't want that overpriced licensing crap with weak copy protection in their Macs because they seen over 5,248 1080p Blu-Ray rips on torrent sites including G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Star Trek and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs! These studios will realize how stupid they really are then breaking their necks to put HD Movies in iTunes because Apple's DRM on their movies really works! One thing for sure when studios realize their folly cost them billions! This will end in tears!

Someone at Apple is mixed up. MBs (like the iMacs) should include the SD slot, but the MBPs should have an ExpressCard slot for the pros--besides the fact that many pro photographers use CF cards.

As others have noted, the lack of FW is designed to push the consumer toward the MBP.

Wow, you just figured that out!

 

[Phlac]

Can't wait til November!!!!

Remember, that's an Apple November, so think November 30th.

 

[Unprocessed1]

Remember, that's an Apple November, so think November 30th.

Remember how we were supposed to have gotten updated keyboards/mouses back in July?

I think Apple likes to tease people by holding the obvious updates as long as possible. The tablet might come in March rather than before/after the holiday season just to build up the height to unbearable levels.

 

[Phlac]

Does the new iMac come with a user-replaceable harddrive?

Why on earth would you want that?

Why on earth would you answer a question with a question?

 

[foshizzle]

What?!!

So my 24" LED Cinema Display is still better?

No.
24" < 27"
1920x1200 < 2560x1440

Does your 24" have a computer behind it?

I think what you mean is, "Is my 24" still better suited for the use I get out of it?"

 

[*LTD*]

You can download the 1080p Blu-ray rips from Torrent sites if that's your answer! I think that's why Apple don't want that overpriced licensing crap with weak copy protection in their Macs because they seen over 5,248 1080p Blu-Ray rips on torrent sites including G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Star Trek and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs! These studios will realize how stupid they really are then breaking their necks to put HD Movies in iTunes because Apple's DRM on their movies really works! One thing for sure when studios realize their folly cost them billions! This will end in tears!

Just to add to your comment . . .

A lot of those rips are pristine quality. If the uploader knows what they're doing, the ripped video will be indistinguishable from the original. And full, straight, untouched rips can also be found. They've got the video quality down pat. The thing that will often be missing is the full TrueHD audio, but you'll still get that with full rips.

The only issue is some of the massive file sizes. For instance, The Blade Runner Final Cut complete Blu Ray rip is nearly 30gb.

Of course, there's a lot of garbage floating around there, but if you know what to look for, you're golden.

 

[Grokgod]

HEat?

The higher end chip for the iMac are speced at 135 tdp.

Thats quite a bit hotter than the 45TDP my iMac currently puts out unless I am mistaken.

ntel Core i7-975 Extreme 3.33GHz 4 / 8 3.60GHz 130W $999
Intel Core i7 965 Extreme 3.20GHz 4 / 8 3.46GHz 130W $999
Intel Core i7 940 2.93GHz 4 / 8 3.20GHz 130W $562
Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz 4 / 8 2.93GHz 130W $284
Intel Core i7 870 2.93GHz 4 / 8 3.60GHz 95W $562
Intel Core i7 860 2.80GHz 4 / 8 3.46GHz 95W $284
Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz 4 / 4 3.20GHz 95W $196

That seems rather HOT to me, and torn down, there seems to be about 3 fans in there with a major heat sink.

The question remains, will this beauty be way too hot to handle, with much fan noise?

Two things that I never want in a computer, excess heat and Fan noise!
My current 24" is wonderful, the sweet spot of heat, noise and performance.
But the new 27" power monger is such a tease.

ANyone one out here have one yet to speak of true experience with fan noise and heat issues?

 

[Eidorian]

The higher end chip for the iMac are speced at 135 tdp.

Thats quite a bit hotter than the 45TDP my iMac currently puts out unless I am mistaken.

ntel Core i7-975 Extreme 3.33GHz 4 / 8 3.60GHz 130W $999
Intel Core i7 965 Extreme 3.20GHz 4 / 8 3.46GHz 130W $999
Intel Core i7 940 2.93GHz 4 / 8 3.20GHz 130W $562
Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz 4 / 8 2.93GHz 130W $284
Intel Core i7 870 2.93GHz 4 / 8 3.60GHz 95W $562
Intel Core i7 860 2.80GHz 4 / 8 3.46GHz 95W $284
Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz 4 / 4 3.20GHz 95W $196

That seems rather HOT to me, and torn down, there seems to be about 3 fans in there with a major heat sink.

The question remains, will this beauty be way too hot to handle, with much fan noise?

Two things that I never want in a computer, excess heat and Fan noise!
My current 24" is wonderful, the sweet spot of heat, noise and performance.
But the new 27" power monger is such a tease.

ANyone one out here have one yet to speak of true experience with fan noise and heat issues?

The iMac is using Lynnfield so that's 95W standard and 82W under the better binning of the S series.

 

[Shanpdx]

The iMac is using Lynnfield so that's 95W standard and 82W under the better binning of the S series.

are you saying 27" high end iMac might be using i5-750s instead of i5 -750?

any price difference between these two?

on the other note 3.06Ghz/3.33Ghz are 65watts standard desktop version. there is not a quad core with 65watts available on LGA775 except the S models which are expensive for apple liking - starting like minimum $200.

 

[Shanpdx]

Intel Core i7 860 2.80GHz 4 / 8 3.46GHz 95W $284
Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz 4 / 4 3.20GHz 95W $196

these are the two chips used in High end 27" iMac, 32nm Core i3/i5 will bring down the TDP further down to 73 watts in Q1 2010. But Core i3 are still dual cores and Core i5 are quad cores.

 

[Eidorian]

are you saying iMac might be using i5-750s instead of i5 -750?

any price difference between these two?

The i5 750S is at $259 and the i7 860S is at $337. No word yet on if Apple got early pick at the S Series but given the delay until November I have a feeling they are using the lower voltage components.

 

[Shanpdx]

$63 and $53 preimum for i5 S version against normal i5. we will know once high end iMac with i5 got tear down

i3 - 73watts
i5- 82watts

Core i3/i5 Q1 2010, TDP also including the GPU TDP right? if integrated Graphics disabled, it could be lower?

 

[Eidorian]

$63 and $53 preimum for i5 S version against normal i5. we will know once high end iMac with i5 got tear down

i3 - 73watts
i5- 82watts

Core i3/i5 Q1 2010, TDP also including the GPU TDP right? if integrated Graphics disabled, it could be lower?

It will be lower with the disabled IGP but there won't be any nVidia solution unless it is a dedicated GPU.

 

[Shanpdx]

ok got it! integrated graphics should be dead in all the macs!!! may be thats the only good thing came out of Intel and nVidia fight.

Hope apple uses dedicated graphics not the one with intel graphics.

 

[Shanpdx]

The i5 750S is at $259 and the i7 860S is at $337. No word yet on if Apple got early pick at the S Series but given the delay until November I have a feeling they are using the lower voltage components.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_future_Intel_microprocessors#Core_i3

when i read carefully again, the turbo mode in Core i5 750s (turbo 2.93Ghz) lower than one in currently in the Core i5 iMac (turbo 3.20Ghz)

so it might be just a regular Core i5 (with out the S). Same applies to Core i7 860.

So once the machines are out we can see how this manages the heat, thermal and power.