iMac (aluminum) Hardware Updates for Spring 08 Speculation

[Bendy Walker]

The current iMac lineup will suit your needs if that's all you're really worried about. I know G4's running 10.4 or lower that can handle that easily and I've seen the aluminums do that and more easily. Make the switch if you really need it now and graphics aren't too much of a worry.

Well of course, I don't just want to run two applications at the same time. I want a solid, sturdy system that will last me a fair few years spec-wise. I also want it to have the power to play games. The Aluminum iMacs should be able to do that, right?

 

[takeabyteoutta]

don't just believe me

check out CNET's and other reviews. they gave the alum iMacs one of the highest ratings of the year.

 

[schreck]

April, May or June. March very unlikely.

1. No montevina till fall at the earliest. Only a 45nm Penryn update.
2. Unlikely but still possible to see a graphics update.
3. No matte option.
4, 5 & 6. No memory or HDD changes, except possibly lower prices. $1699 and $2199. Low end may not drop. Could go $1099.
7. Won't happen. 24" is the highend. 27" is possible - one day.
8. No HDMI port yet, or blu-ray.

Simply a Penryn processor, maybe a slight price drop. Really nothing worth waiting for unless you are will to wait as late as this time next year for a montevina iMac.

This seems pretty accurate to me. Here here, Roland!

 

[mac2maverick]

The Apple store is currently down. Is anyone crossing their fingers??

 

[iW00t]

The current models had outdated GPUs from the day they shipped, what are you people thinking? Of course they'll update the graphics.

Are you thinking right?

The current models had outdated GPUs from the day they shipped, what made you think the next update won't be the same?

check out CNET's and other reviews. they gave the alum iMacs one of the highest ratings of the year.

Because we all know reviews determine how successful a product is.

 

[takeabyteoutta]

success

way to miss quote me ibooot. while the iMac is ridiculously successful, I was just making the point to someone asking if it'd be a good system, that its a great machine and every computer magazine I've seen gave it great reviews.

 

[300ZX]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/3B48b Safari/419.3)

What the hell Mac games are you playing that really need more than what the iMac currently has?

 

[takeabyteoutta]

if you're that serious a gamer

why bother with an iMac? get a mac pro or stay with windows

 

[Yixian]

Isn't that an oyxmoron? If they were 'outdated' the day they were released, why should they 'of course' update them at all? 😉

Because charging what they do for the 2600 is daylight robbery? There's nothing about the form factor of the iMac that doesn't mean Apple couldn't allow people to build to order the very latest and greatest graphics cards in their iMacs, at the very least give us this option.

I can't see anyone buying a Mac Pro over an iMac on graphics alone, if you are even able to consider a Mac Pro, you go with it, everyone else cannot even dream of affording one - but they are much more likely to jump for an iMac if they are into gaming, especially boot camp gaming, if they can BtO a card that isn't completely useless today.

Don't underestimate the number of potential switchers holding back because they can't use their iMacs for sufficient bootcamp gaming, or can't upgrade the GPUs.




At the very least give us BtO Steve, SERIOUSLY -_-

 

[G-Force]

why bother with an iMac? get a mac pro or stay with windows

No? A Mac Pro is too expensive for me and a PC doesn't run OS X as nice as a Mac.

I just don't want to pay money for outdated hardware, that's ridiculous if you ask me. Although I don't game much, it's nice to have a nice mid-range GPU that's up-to-date to play a new game in the weekend.

 

[mac2maverick]

Mac Pro instead of iMac because of graphics 🙁

Quote:

Don't underestimate the number of potential switchers holding back because they can't use their iMacs for sufficient bootcamp gaming, or can't upgrade the GPUs.​

Response:

I'm seriously considering getting the Mac Pro over the iMac almost exclusively because of iMac's lousy graphics. I am likely to get the single 2.8 GHz quad core to bring the prices closer together. The Mac Pro is about the same price but without the monitor. Then I'll add $200 for the 8800GT graphics card. All this just to get a better graphics card and I'm definitely not rich.

Apple needs to get serious about graphics cards in the iMacs. From what I've read, it seems that heat build up in the iMac is a limiting factor. Does the HD 2600XT produce much more heat than the HD 2600 Pro?




At the very least give us BtO Steve, SERIOUSLY -_-[/QUOTE]

 

[tshort]

I want a desktop alternative

The Mac Pro is a bit pricey.
The iMac is nice, but not upgradable.
The Mac Mini has sucky graphics and limited performance.

What I'd like to see is a small form factor Mac along the lines of the Dell Insprion 530s or XPS 210. Something that's expandable like the Mac Pro, but priced more like an iMac... the Mac Pro Jr!

Features I'd like to see:
1. Core 2 Duo processors, 2.0, 2.4, 2.8, Quad core option.
2. Superdrive or "SuperBlu" optical drive.
2. Two SATA hard disk bays, possibly 2.5" drives
3. Two PCI Express 2.0 slots, one occupied by upgradable graphics card.
4. Front I/O: FW400, 2x USB, headphones
5. Rear I/O: 1x eSATA, 1x FW400, 1x FW800, 4x USB, Analog/Optical Audio Line In, Analog/Optical Audio Line Out, 1x Gigabit Ethernet
6. Bluetooth and Airport Extreme

Along with a new set of Cinema Displays that add:
1. iSight Camera
2. USB - Speakers
3. USB - Microphone
4. 4x USB and 2x FW400
So, the speakers and Mic are USB devices, so that there are no extra cables! I used Logitech USB speakers with my PowerMac, and they were great, especially since I didn't have to shut them off!

 

[paduck]

Bearing in mind that this is rank speculation, Apple does what Apple does (I remember how surprised I was when the original iMac was announced), here's my thoughts on the next iteration iMac:

I'll go with "3. Later than March 17th."

Although the iMac has a similar foundation as the laptop line, why impact laptop sales by making it compete out the door with the iMac for parts? Apple makes lots of money on laptops, so they will be first in line. The make less money on iMacs, but iMacs drive other things (iPods/iPhones/market penetration, etc.). Also, the real key to the iMac is that it is a consumer model. "Consumer" for Apple has long had a "student" component. Think of all those kids going to college in the fall for the first time. They need a new computer. They want a hot new iMac that can fit in a dorm. Look for the iMac in the June/July timeframe so that production is really ramped up by August for all those students. They are good for 250,000 in sales, maybe more if Apple hits the crease right.

What hardware will be updated?

1. Processor - intel's 45nm...that's seems like a given. Any chance of a quad-core (montevina) option? No Montevina until 2009, the following iMac upgrade. Why confuse things or become dependent on potentially slow moving parts in the fall?

2. Graphics Card - Minor move upwards, but nothing really robust. That just isn't the Apple way. Look for solid, but not spectacular, something that we already see plenty of in the marketplace....

3. Matte screen - no, this is a consumer model. They won't burden it with too much.

4, & 5 - Apple always goes short on memory, it stays at 1GB. Look for larger hard drives, but only because they are cheaper to acquire (see the Time Capsule for a hint about that)

6. Price Drop - Would be nice to see the $999 iMac again. Maybe for a very low-end model, but now that they have abandoned 17" monitors, I am not sure I see it happening. $1099 is the new $999, just like 40 is the new 30....

7 & 8 - no other improvements. Incremental upgrade. They might even stick with the Aluminum iMac for another iteration in 2009 as well.

I desire to replace my G5 2GHz, but I think 2009 is the year for me. It still does everything I want it to and it doesn't seem slow yet, like my G3 did before it.

 

[Redge]

New Penryn CPU

• 
  20" : 2.1GHz with 3Mb L2 cache
  20" : 2.5GHz with 6Mb L2 cache
  24" : 2.5Ghz with 6Mb L2 cache
  24" : 2.8GHz with 6Mb L2 cache

There probably won't be a matte display option (sadly...). GPU could receive a minor update, nothing too massive. I don't think there will be a HDD upgrade either.

I just hope Apple will fix the damn gradient problem with a better LCD panel.

 

[Sped]

I don't understand why everyone is doubtful that Montevina will be included anytime soon. Although I think its healthy to be skeptical about Apple and the inclusion of the latest and greatest, the company included Santa Rosa in the MBP within a month of its release.

In my opinion, whether Apple includes Montevina in the next iMac depends on Apple's decision about when that release occurs. For example, if the iMac is updated between now and April, then I would agree that it's unlikely Montevina will be included until the Fall. However, if there isn't an update until Intel's release of Montevina in May, then I don't see why Apple wouldn't include that hardware package in an iMac released between May-July.

 

[Matt342]

Isn't Montevina supposed to be released in May?

Is that what Apple's waiting for?

 

[tjohanne]

Gradient problem

If the gradient problem really is a problem that needs to be, and CAN be, fixed, I don't think we need to wait for another update to see that done. If it really is a technical problem, it should surely be fixed within the current product line. If the screens are faulty, the manufacturer would do something about it as they discover it, or what? I mean, if Ford discovered that their new line of cars had a faulty gearbox, they wouldn't wait 6 months to fix it - at least I'd like to think that 😱

 

[CarlisleUnited]

In my opinion, whether Apple includes Montevina in the next iMac depends on Apple's decision about when that release occurs. For example, if the iMac is updated between now and April, then I would agree that it's unlikely Montevina will be included until the Fall. However, if there isn't an update until Intel's release of Montevina in May, then I don't see why Apple wouldn't include that hardware package in an iMac released between May-July.

The way apple and intel have been working together recently I would be surprised if apple don't get first dibs on the montevina processors when they come out with the iMac being the platform to get them. Maybe may?

 

[takeabyteoutta]

Bearing in mind that this is rank speculation, Apple does what Apple does (I remember how surprised I was when the original iMac was announced), here's my thoughts on the next iteration iMac:

I'll go with "3. Later than March 17th."

Although the iMac has a similar foundation as the laptop line, why impact laptop sales by making it compete out the door with the iMac for parts? Apple makes lots of money on laptops, so they will be first in line. The make less money on iMacs, but iMacs drive other things (iPods/iPhones/market penetration, etc.). Also, the real key to the iMac is that it is a consumer model. "Consumer" for Apple has long had a "student" component. Think of all those kids going to college in the fall for the first time. They need a new computer. They want a hot new iMac that can fit in a dorm. Look for the iMac in the June/July timeframe so that production is really ramped up by August for all those students. They are good for 250,000 in sales, maybe more if Apple hits the crease right.

College students get labtops aka the macbook/pro. Desktops haven't been "hot" options in college student life since 94. iMac's are secondary in the college student lineup. They're aimed at households and education (aka computer labs in high schools)

 

[Eric Lewis]

i want a 3.0ghz

 

[MacClassic]

montevina

Jobs had better skip the pointless Penryn update and wait for Montevina. The bus jumps to 1066Mhz from 800 and we'll have DDR3 RAM. If they update to Penryn now, we'll get barely measurable performance gains 😡 and have to wait even longer for a REAL jump in chip specs. The only benefit to the current Penryn will probably be a decrease in heat production inside the skinny-for-no-reason enclosure. I'd glady add a 1/2" to the iMac's shell to get a real desktop chip in there which would lower the price even more. I love how Apple goes from laptop chips straight to Xeon servers completely skipping over Intel's desktop offerings.

Enough of my rant- this is a Jobs' world so in the mean time, I'll wait for Montevina before I get my 24". I think I'll just go ahead and the get a 500GB Time Capsule for now since I doubt the price will drop anytime soon and I need a new WiFi router.

 

[takeabyteoutta]

sounds right

Jobs had better skip the pointless Penryn update and wait for Montevina. The bus jumps to 1066Mhz from 800 and we'll have DDR3 RAM. If they update to Penryn now, we'll get barely measurable performance gains 😡 and have to wait even longer for a REAL jump in chip specs. The only benefit to the current Penryn will probably be a decrease in heat production inside the skinny-for-no-reason enclosure. I'd glady add a 1/2" to the iMac's shell to get a real desktop chip in there which would lower the price even more. I love how Apple goes from laptop chips straight to Xeon servers completely skipping over Intel's desktop offerings.

Enough of my rant- this is a Jobs' world so in the mean time, I'll wait for Montevina before I get my 24". I think I'll just go ahead and the get a 500GB Time Capsule for now since I doubt the price will drop anytime soon and I need a new WiFi router.

This is probably what Apple is thinking... so does this mean apple and montevina launch together in May? does this mean new iMacs appearing in april or later?

 

[Yixian]

This is probably what Apple is thinking... so does this mean apple and montevina launch together in May? does this mean new iMacs appearing in april or later?

I hope so 🙁

 

[Ryanb1281]

Jobs had better skip the pointless Penryn update and wait for Montevina. The bus jumps to 1066Mhz from 800 and we'll have DDR3 RAM. If they update to Penryn now, we'll get barely measurable performance gains 😡 and have to wait even longer for a REAL jump in chip specs.

I don't see why they would wait when they could just drop in the Penryns now. Santa Rosa came out in May and the iMac didn't get it until August. Some of that delay may have been the dramatic redesign of the chasis, but it shows that Apple doesn't shove the latest platform in the moment it becomes available. If Apple waits until Montevina, they'll be nearing 1 year between iMac updates - meaning Apple would fall behind competitor offerings at a time when the market is slowing. That just doesn't make sense.

I think we see a minor Penryn boost in the next 2 months, and then we get Montevina in August in time for back-to-school shopping.

 

[Peafreen]

iMac 24" 2.8 ghz

With all this discussion about the iMac should I cancel the 24" 2.8 ghz I just ordered? Yikes after reading all this stuff why would anyone purchase an iMac? Actually, I would have gotten the MacPro but it was too expensive. (I've had good luck with my G5 tower except for the spinup noise that drives me crazy and the G4 before that which my son is still using) I'm hoping I don't get an iMac lemon. I've had very good luck with all of my Mac purchases and I've owned a lot of macs over the years. Will someone please give me some encouragement? 😕