Well, I can still run Final Cut on my 1.86ghz core duo
. Not the fastest thing in the world though...Core 2 is still relevant as an affordable option for general computing, but for video, it's time to move on to current platforms.
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iMac Shipments Running Low Ahead of Refresh?
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Well, I can still run Final Cut on my 1.86ghz core duo
. Not the fastest thing in the world though...Core 2 is still relevant as an affordable option for general computing, but for video, it's time to move on to current platforms.
Busy couple of months ahead for Apple then.
- August desktop refresh.
- September iPod refresh.
- October/November mobile refresh?
Yep. That's why I expect this update to be similar to the MB/MBP. Core 2 with the 320 in the lower end models. Core i5/7 in the 27" models, with the 330 as the base video.
I'm sorry to say you are thinking of Apple from before 2005. The best we can hope for is an iMac with faster FireWire.
Welcome Flatz!
First a quick tip: if you post your question in the dedicated iMac or Buying Advice forum, it'll likely get some more attention, and you won't have to sift through the rest of the posts regarding the rumor.
As to your questions: a Core 2 Duo will work... but a quad-core i5/i7 will make your video encodes go much faster, etc. Since we're apparently getting so close to a refresh, it's highly advisable to wait it out a bit longer (I'm holding out myself with a 4.5-year old iMac!
Thanks for the replies.
I'll investigate further within Buying Advice forum.
Core 2 Duo is for Celeron parts and nothing more in 2010.Well, I can still run Final Cut on my 1.86ghz core duo
Core 2 is still relevant as an affordable option for general computing, but for video, it's time to move on to current platforms.
I couldn't agree more on the height adjustment.
Couldn't help it but... Apple makes computers???
I ordered 25 20" and 5 21.5", along with 21 13" MacBooks on July 1, I keep getting emails saying delayed, delayed. Now it says it will ship on or before the 29th of July. So even the MacBooks are delayed
I can offer my opinion. I am a photographer/videographer. I use Final Cut Studio and Adobe CS5 suite. Sounds like our needs are very similar. I was comparing GeekBench results today to try to answer the same kind of questions (I know not by any means an inclusive answer but hopefully helpful data). My 2006 Mac Pro has an ATI Radeon 4870 graphics card, 4 GB of RAM, and I have about 1.5 TB of hard drive space. The GeekBench for my system came in around 5500. The average for the 8 core current Mac Pro is 11,735, whereas the current Quad Core Mac Pro is 8216. The score for the i5 (might be the i7) is 8237. I also use a an older 2.16 Core 2 Due 20" iMac which scores 2842.
I think the old iMac (2842 score) is capable and my Mac Pro (5500) is comfortable. By that I mean I kind of wait from time to time with the iMac but only wait for the Mac Pro when I'm doing a final render or video coding. I can use Motion quite fluidly and the actual editing of video is mostly in real time. Aperture hogs Memory and the graphics card but processors usually aren't strained and Photoshop is usually pretty instantaneous. In my opinion if the computer is waiting for me it is fast enough, anything more than that is overkill not being utilized. So basically with my current workload I want something as fast as my Mac Pro.
So in short I've decided that the iMac and the Mac Pro (current models) are both luxury (more than what I'm comfortable with and slightly overkill that will be used with really intense things from time to time). The question comes down to do I want things internal or external - like hard drives, blu-ray drives, etc. and how much do I want to spend.
I'm definitely waiting for a refresh in hopes that a 2 TB drive option is cheaper, that the overall configuration is cheaper, and the graphics card update to the 5800 line. It's not really about the processor now as it is the video card and amount of RAM.
My dream configuration is a 27" iMac i5 (or i7) with 4-8 GB RAM stock and another 4-8 GB RAM 3rd party, 2 TB HD, ATI Radeon 5870 graphics card for about $2,500 ($2,000 would be nice).
Given what the current iMacs are configured as I don't think this is out of the realm of possibility. The big thing that keeps me away from the Mac Pro is for a similar configuration I calculate it will be somewhere between $1,200 and $2,200 more depending on if you get the 24" display or the 30" display. It is just way more money.
So answering your questions:
1 - I think the 27" with a graphics update is good enough.
2 - I think the quad core is worth it.
3 - I'd wait for an update.
4 - I doubt prices will be more - I'd guess about the same or maybe a bit less.
A long winded answer but hopefully it helps you in your decision.
Height adjustment is one reason I don't own an iMac. I've never understood why it is so difficult to even find a monitor that has it.
I wish I had Photoshop, or Photoshop skills. I can just visualize an iPad on an iMac stand.
True... part of the reason I've held out so long with my old iMac is that they keep sticking Core 2's in the base models, the performance increase is just so minimal compare to putting in another two cores.
Of course, there's a good chance I'll be using a celeron for a budget htpc box, but that's for another use entirely.
Woo! I know what I'll be picking up around Xmas time. I'm hoping the memory speed isn't increased. I just picked up a Mini as a stopgap and shoved 8GB into it. I'd love to be able to put the 2GB back in the Mini when I sell it and do a quick DIY upgrade of the iMac to 12GB.
Please oh please!
Dual HDD for backup redundancy/mirror
Discrete GPU to match the price (and make it a gaming machine) HD 5870 or GTX 480 [mobile version of course]
Thinner design! (Where would they put everything?)
USB 3.0/FireW3200
Supported video in/ In my dreams HDMI in for PS3/360
i5 for base, Itty Bitty clock speed bump on i7
and a bucket for my drool...
Dual HDD for backup redundancy/mirror
Discrete GPU to match the price (and make it a gaming machine) HD 5870 or GTX 480 [mobile version of course]
Thinner design! (Where would they put everything?)
USB 3.0/FireW3200
Supported video in/ In my dreams HDMI in for PS3/360
i5 for base, Itty Bitty clock speed bump on i7
and a bucket for my drool...
Even the iMac uses SO-DIMMs. There are just 4 slots now.
That's definitely more GPU work than anything else.True... part of the reason I've held out so long with my old iMac is that they keep sticking Core 2's in the base models, the performance increase is just so minimal compare to putting in another two cores.
Of course, there's a good chance I'll be using a celeron for a budget htpc box, but that's for another use entirely.
Ugh! Don't remind of the days long past! When the upgradeable Mac tower started at a whopping $1299!
I agree. Final Cut Pro, like many other NLEs don't take much to run them. It's in the rendering that the processor really counts and Core 2 Duo was great when we were coming from Core Duo and PPC chips . . . back in 2006.
Don't worry too much. 4 GB DIMM/SO-DIMM are hard to find under ~$130 a stick.
I remember getting DDR2-800 for $10-20 per 2 GB stick. It's all about the RAM slots. There's a wall getting beyond 4 GB of total system RAM unless you really want to pay for it. It has been this way since late 2007.
Depends on which i5.
iMac Core 2 Duo is 65 W and most Clarkdale Core i5's are 73 W including GPU (one is 87 W). Lynnfield Core i5 is 82/95 W so that'll be confined to 27".
As for the release date, if we're seeing an update in the next month, I think a 5800 series GPU is the best possible one we'll see. If it won't be until September/October (Hardmac rumor), there might be a chance for AMD's upcoming GPU refresh.
AMD isn't selling hope on waiting for Southern Islands. The biggest trend this year is the GF104 but that's only due to the price point.
The Southern Island parts scheduled for this year are just HD 55xx/56xx replacements with Fusion being part of the line up as well.
The iMac could be updated before the Mac Pro?
<sobbing>
16 1/2 months without an update or a price drop
<sobbing>
16 1/2 months without an update or a price drop