New iMac Unboxing Video and Teardown Photos

[CaptMike]

What kind of useless questions are these? Sure I'll have a stab at being on the opposite end then:

Does anyone use the Super Drive? No.
Does removing the Super Drive allow the iMac to be eight pounds lighter? Yes
Did Apple add any new features? Fusion Drive
Can you install more than 16GB of ram? Yes.
Does it perform better? Yes. Fusion Drive + Ivy Bridge + 1536 CUDA cores GFX + 32GB ram + less reflection on the display

Does anyone use the Super Drive? YES
Does removing the Super Drive allow the iMac to be eight pounds lighter? Yes
Did Apple add any new features? Fusion Drive
Did Apple remove features: YES
Can you install more than 16GB of ram? NO. not on 21.5"
Does it perform better? Yes.

 

[Teh Don Ditty]

The weight reduction wasn't meant for the user... it was meant for Apple. Apple shaving 8+ lbs saves them so much cash and materials.

 

[D.T.]

Price - this model is already more expensive than the previous version which does irritate. I don't mind paying more for more features, but dislike paying more for the same (or less). If the optical drive was no longer necessary, I'd want that to be reflected in the price.

While it is a price increase for the entry level 21.5" vs. the old price of $1199, that does come with an additional 500GB and 4GB of RAM for the $100 (previous model 4/500GB, this model 8/1TB).

Seems like a reasonable decent [in Apple-land at least...] bump in capacity vs. the cost (not factoring in the removal of anything else).

 

[cderry]

This doesn't work for me. I'm right-handed.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Ur comparing a retina mbp to a non retina mbp. Of course there's gonna be a difference. When u compare a Rmbp to a non retina iMac, sitting at the proper distances, it's hardly a huge difference.

It's quite a difference, actually - and it's immediately apparent.

 

[uknowimright]

I feel like people that keep bringing up that whole "Apple eliminated the floppy drive and no big deal" argument, fail to realize just how much optical media has propagated comapred to floppy disks

 

[iVoid]

Crap... looking at the newer teardown pictures, the memory is on the BACKSIDE of the logic board.

In other words, you'd probably need to take off the screen (still looks to be held in place via magnets) PLUS you'd have to pull the logic board out at least a bit to get at the backside memory.



I wonder if they were planning on a cover on the back like the 27" has then dropped that plan. If they'd just put it on the side facing the screen, it'd be real easy to replace. Of course, then the logic board woudl have to be recessed more.

Does look like a decent about of air space on the backside between the motherboard and the back, so maybe it'd be possible to pop the memory out and in

In fact, it looks like the SSD slot is on the back side too.

 

[Ayemerica]

Might have to buy the 21.5 , I miss my 2009 iMac..even though it had TONS of heating issues.

 

[Hpye]

Yeah, That is why your sig says you have a slate iPad mini! LMAO

Yeah,Thats why I returned and exchanged it with the new 4th gen ipad, but forgot to update my sig,

Thanks for reading what I owned , LMAO

 

[Hpye]

Ur comparing a retina mbp to a non retina mbp. Of course there's gonna be a difference. When u compare a Rmbp to a non retina iMac, sitting at the proper distances, it's hardly a huge difference.

But the color are washed out on non retina , any non retina display

 

[Kaibelf]

glad my mom got this for me for christmas

Can she adopt me?

 

[dyn]

The weight reduction wasn't meant for the user... it was meant for Apple. Apple shaving 8+ lbs saves them so much cash and materials.

It actually is also beneficial for the user. If you want to buy a monitor arm it always had to be the most expensive one that supports up to a 30" display. If the iMac is lighter you can get a less expensive one. It also means that the heavy duty arm is also more capable of holding it up (there is more margin). The only thing is...this isn't a very noticeable change in the new iMac. It is nice to have though.

But the color are washed out on non retina , any non retina display

Not on the iMac it is. The iMac uses an IPS panel like the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch (iirc) and the retina notebooks from Apple. It's only the non-retina notebooks that have a TN panel which has washed out colours compared to an IPS panel.

 

[macjram]

I'm not gonna lie, that was a pretty dope unboxing video.

I bought a 27" when my school year started, glad I returned it. Hopefully I'll be able to justify purchasing (and keeping) one of these new 27"

 

[sclawis300]

I love the rMBP as much as everybody else, but since desktops are typically further away, you probably can't see the pixels anyway.

that would make it a retina display.

 

[roow110]

I'm going to play the devil's advocate here and defend Apple's decisions.

"It does't need to be thinner"
It is thinner because it is more aesthetically pleasing. It doesn't need to be, but they could, and it looks better, so why not?

"It's still fat, just in the back; there is no point to the thin edge"
While the whole machine isn't 5mm thin, it appears 5mm thin from most standard viewing angles. Until you are looking to it completely from the side, it seems that thin.

"Everyone uses a SuperDrive."
People who use them think everyone does, but the truth is, most people don't anymore, and the people who do now, won't in a couple years making it a useless, outdated feature in the computer. It adds weight, power-consumption, cost, and noise, and most people don't use it. The few people who still use it, can then buy the ultra-thin plug-n-play SuperDrive from Apple or even just stop using the outdated technology altogether.

"It's absurd that they would raise the price."
Chip prices have seen a spike recently. In addition, Apple added an additional 500GB and 4GB of RAM adding cost. Finally, with inflation, Apple can't keep the Mac the same price forever, it's guaranteed to guy up some time.

"It's a desktop machine, size and weight don't matter."
There are many factors that come into play when designing a product: environmental impact, shipping, material cost etc. By reducing the size and weight, they are making it easier to transport, making it more sustainable, cheaper to ship, and cheaper to source materials for.

"Apple sacrificed power for size."
The new iMac got the standard spec bump. It didn't get any groundbreaking upgrades but it never does. Stop complaining, they did what they always do.

The major complaint I do have about it is they have made it less user-upgradable and harder to repair. This is purely intended to make more money and hurts the users. While I can understand fusing the display to the glass to reduce glare, making other hardware difficult to replace is unnecessary and a bad road for apple to go down.

 

[jshulman10]

i wonder how crazy that oddly shaped box has made Apple employees and shippers. Was that necessary Apple? Face palm.

 

[cgc]

I love the rMBP as much as everybody else, but since desktops are typically further away, you probably can't see the pixels anyway. What I am more interested is the quality of the display and reduced reflections. A 21" retina would likely be cost prohibitive.

Unless the pixels make a noticeable difference in clarity I'd prefer to not bog the GPU down pushing inconsequential pixels. Looks like a winner but sizing is weird...I'd like something between the 21- and 27-inch iMac models.

 

[lilo777]

While it is a price increase for the entry level 21.5" vs. the old price of $1199, that does come with an additional 500GB and 4GB of RAM for the $100 (previous model 4/500GB, this model 8/1TB).

Seems like a reasonable decent [in Apple-land at least...] bump in capacity vs. the cost (not factoring in the removal of anything else).

You ignore the fact that most component prices fall every year. The modest increases that you mentioned do not warrant any price increase. With drop in price of LCD panels, RAM, SSD, HD etc. new iMacs should have dropped the prices too (like PCs do).

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"It's absurd that they would raise the price."
Chip prices have seen a spike recently. In addition, Apple added an additional 500GB and 4GB of RAM adding cost. Finally, with inflation, Apple can't keep the Mac the same price forever, it's guaranteed to guy up some time.

Which chips got more expensive compared to a year ago? Name one.

 

[erzhik]

So this is why they were so hesitant in showing it from the side during the unveil. It's not as thin as they made it out to be.

It's a great piece of hardware. Just make it a touchscreen and put Win8 on this baby.

 

[Djlild7hina]

Whoa! didn't notice they changed the box too hehe. Pretty quick unboxing video but nice.

 

[flopticalcube]

Excellent to have teardown already. So if you don't mind pulling the glass and removing the logic board, RAM is upgradeable.

CORRECTION: Logic board may not have to be pulled if you can get to the RAM slots.

 

[dearlaserworks]

The major complaint I do have about it is they have made it less user-upgradable and harder to repair. This is purely intended to make more money and hurts the users. While I can understand fusing the display to the glass to reduce glare, making other hardware difficult to replace is unnecessary and a bad road for apple to go down.

Looks easier to repair, for Apple, and less scary to upgrade on your own than the last revision. In a day or so we'll find out just how easy or hard upgrades will be.

 

[portishead]

Inform me, then. Instead of going from HDD to SSD, Fusion drive goes through the SSD and then on the hard drive.

I know that the SSD and HDD have combined storage space. Intel SSD Caching: 64GB SSD + 1TB = 1TB total; Fusion: 128GB + 1TB = 1.128 TB.

plz read here: http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/10/more-on-fusion-drive-how-it-works-and-how-to-roll-your-own/

 

[Beanoir]

not true, it is retina, the rmbp screen is so much better than my non retina mbp and it is obvious

Not true either.

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The major complaint I do have about it is they have made it less user-upgradable and harder to repair. This is purely intended to make more money and hurts the users. While I can understand fusing the display to the glass to reduce glare, making other hardware difficult to replace is unnecessary and a bad road for apple to go down.

The reason is not connected with money making, it's connected with size. Apple are so obsessed with making things smaller and smaller that they need to remove more and more. The removal of little doors, hinges, screws catches and slots etc to allow users to upgrade certain parts take up room. By directly soldering these parts to the boards means far less parts are needed and space is saved.

I don't mind it in my MBA, but with a desktop I expect to be able to upgrade the parts I want. I won't be buying an iMac again I don't think, it's just space saving for the consumer market, it's no longer a suitable option for the pro-sumer who contrary to your opinion do use optical drives still (a lot) and do want to upgrade RAM etc etc.

Apple are losing the professional market gradually, but I think they know that, and perhaps thats not where the money is for them anymore, thats just business I guess.

 

[Hpye]

Not true either.

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Not true either.

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The reason is not connected with money making, it's connected with size. Apple are so obsessed with making things smaller and smaller that they need to remove more and more. The removal of little doors, hinges, screws catches and slots etc to allow users to upgrade certain parts take up room. By directly soldering these parts to the boards means far less parts are needed and space is saved.

I don't mind it in my MBA, but with a desktop I expect to be able to upgrade the parts I want. I won't be buying an iMac again I don't think, it's just space saving for the consumer market, it's no longer a suitable option for the pro-sumer who contrary to your opinion do use optical drives still (a lot) and do want to upgrade RAM etc etc.

Apple are losing the professional market gradually, but I think they know that, and perhaps thats not where the money is for them anymore, thats just business I guess.

what do you mean not true either, retina is not better than non retina?

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It actually is also beneficial for the user. If you want to buy a monitor arm it always had to be the most expensive one that supports up to a 30" display. If the iMac is lighter you can get a less expensive one. It also means that the heavy duty arm is also more capable of holding it up (there is more margin). The only thing is...this isn't a very noticeable change in the new iMac. It is nice to have though.


Not on the iMac it is. The iMac uses an IPS panel like the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch (iirc) and the retina notebooks from Apple. It's only the non-retina notebooks that have a TN panel which has washed out colours compared to an IPS panel.

so why is the color on the imac in my school library is washed out.