Core2Extreme in stores? I'll have to seriously play around with the machines (and hope they have some decent software to play on) to see whether spending the extra money on the 2.8GHz is worth it.
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New iMacs Released
- Thread starter yagran
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Although the Belgian Apple keyboards at least use a non-standard layout, so using any old keyboard will result in a lot of irritation.
glossy
Man, I was hoping to get a new mac 24", but the GLOSSY ON ALL IMACs is getting me a bit scared. Having NOT been able to asjust to my macbook (sold!) I don't know how the GLOSSY imac is going to look. Maybe glass is better, but WHY would they do this?
Man, I was hoping to get a new mac 24", but the GLOSSY ON ALL IMACs is getting me a bit scared. Having NOT been able to asjust to my macbook (sold!) I don't know how the GLOSSY imac is going to look. Maybe glass is better, but WHY would they do this?
I think it's strange that the mouse and keyboard still use white plastic while the back of the iMac appears to be matte black and the screen has a black boarder around it.
Hopefully matte black will make it to the mouse and keyboard eventually, along with the wide screen video iPod that I hope is released in September.
I also wonder what the thought was behind not doing an extended BT keyboard.
Hopefully matte black will make it to the mouse and keyboard eventually, along with the wide screen video iPod that I hope is released in September.
I also wonder what the thought was behind not doing an extended BT keyboard.
$250 for 16.7% theoretical performance. For most potential iMac buyers? No not at all.
It appears that the BTO 2.8ghz is NOT the desktop version of the Core 2 Extreme. As an earlier poster mentioned, the tell-tale sign would be a FSB speed greater than 1066mhz.
It took me awhile to find it, but on this page, at the bottom, they mention an bus speed of 800mhz.
Tricky marketing, huh?
(Can anyone confirm that I'm right on this?)
? gaming
So how bad is this card for gaming? I guess if gaming was really important I would get a quad core mac and upgrade the card. But for the price point, would I be able to play most games as a casual gamer, or would it be too slow to enjoy an occasional FPS game at reasonable settings? And, do the benchmarks posted earlier compare with games ported to mac?
So how bad is this card for gaming? I guess if gaming was really important I would get a quad core mac and upgrade the card. But for the price point, would I be able to play most games as a casual gamer, or would it be too slow to enjoy an occasional FPS game at reasonable settings? And, do the benchmarks posted earlier compare with games ported to mac?
Like the design
I actually like the design, howver being a bit disappointed with the choices being made at Apple. I really hoped for a mini-tower to be used as a home-server also it seems that the gamers are being neclected a bit. And the 1 Gb is laugheable.
I like the update to the mac mini, however, the memory expansion options for that mac are to low anyway. And what about new Cinema Displays?
Yes I can understand that Apple wants to do an update early next year (better video and more memory for the same price). However, that means we have to wait another 6 months
I actually like the design, howver being a bit disappointed with the choices being made at Apple. I really hoped for a mini-tower to be used as a home-server also it seems that the gamers are being neclected a bit. And the 1 Gb is laugheable.
I like the update to the mac mini, however, the memory expansion options for that mac are to low anyway. And what about new Cinema Displays?
Yes I can understand that Apple wants to do an update early next year (better video and more memory for the same price). However, that means we have to wait another 6 months
The question also is - does the iMac support HDCP? If it doesn't, neither Blu-ray nor HD-DVD will be able to display anything on the computer.
It doesn't suck. It's just different. There are a bunch of nay-sayers, mostly those who haven't spent any real length of time using one and hate it on principle and based on unsubstantiated fears.
There are two potential deficiencies. The "glossy" displays tend to have a richer, more vibrant quality to them that distorts true color reproduction in favor of a higher contrast, brighter, more vivid experience. This is a good thing for almost everyone, but a bad thing for graphics professionals (though no real professional would use a mid-range display in the first place).
The other downside is that viewing angles are less forgiving. This is what has led to the "smudges and glare" meme. If you're looking at a display directly, as you should because of LCD color shift and simple ergonomics, there's no problem, even in sunny rooms. If you have a point source of light over your shoulder, it can create a bright spot on your notebook. In a matte panel, this manifests as a washed-out region. In a glossy panel, it's a reflection, but confined to a smaller area.
The glossy panels become difficult to see at oblique angles because of reflections. This is either a good thing (for privacy) or a bad thing (for people who hate light). Smudges are a non-starter. They're equally visible on either type of display when turned off, but the contrast is reversed (fingerprints are shiny on matte panels and dull on glossy panels).
However, if you're working outside, the glossy panels have better "sunny day" visibility. They're also brighter and richer, not to mention more durable and easier to clean. They're not for everyone, though.
Bluetooth Keyboard and Apple TV
Maybe this theory's been mentioned... but here it is.
The new wireless Apple Keyboard could also be used with the Apple TV. Currently, the Apple TV does not have built in bluetooth; however, during the Q&A session, the Apple Exec's alluded to some type of new update or new information coming for the Apple TV. This update could include built in bluetooth that would allow for connection of the wireless Apple Keyboard.
Think about it. The keyboard doesn't have a numeric keypad because you wouldn't really need it for the Apple TV. Steve himself mentioned that people like to use the keyboard just have sitting on their lap - just as you would if you had it connected to the Apple TV. Having a keyboard would extend the functionally of the Apple TV well beyond that of the current remote.
This reminds me of "WebTV" crap that MS tried to put out several years ago, but I could see it being something Apple could really improve.
Anyways, feel free to insert your "but it wouldn't work because _____" comments, it's cool. Just a quick theory that popped into my head.
Maybe this theory's been mentioned... but here it is.
The new wireless Apple Keyboard could also be used with the Apple TV. Currently, the Apple TV does not have built in bluetooth; however, during the Q&A session, the Apple Exec's alluded to some type of new update or new information coming for the Apple TV. This update could include built in bluetooth that would allow for connection of the wireless Apple Keyboard.
Think about it. The keyboard doesn't have a numeric keypad because you wouldn't really need it for the Apple TV. Steve himself mentioned that people like to use the keyboard just have sitting on their lap - just as you would if you had it connected to the Apple TV. Having a keyboard would extend the functionally of the Apple TV well beyond that of the current remote.
This reminds me of "WebTV" crap that MS tried to put out several years ago, but I could see it being something Apple could really improve.
Anyways, feel free to insert your "but it wouldn't work because _____" comments, it's cool. Just a quick theory that popped into my head.
The new chip really isn't all that bad.
While Tom's Hardware only lists the 2600 XT, rather than the pro, it does give a good guide to performace. It should be on par or slightly below the the MBP offering, and if it continues to use an MXM style system, a graphics dump in the future would be a distinct possibility.
http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=858&model2=855&chart=308
Trusted reviews don't seem to think its all doom n' gloom but I'd wait for THG to test the 2600pro for a more conclusive result.
http://www.trustedreviews.com/graph...ATI-Radeon-HD-2600-XT-2600-Pro-and-2400-XT/p7
While Tom's Hardware only lists the 2600 XT, rather than the pro, it does give a good guide to performace. It should be on par or slightly below the the MBP offering, and if it continues to use an MXM style system, a graphics dump in the future would be a distinct possibility.
http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=858&model2=855&chart=308
Trusted reviews don't seem to think its all doom n' gloom but I'd wait for THG to test the 2600pro for a more conclusive result.
http://www.trustedreviews.com/graph...ATI-Radeon-HD-2600-XT-2600-Pro-and-2400-XT/p7
call me a whiner but I'm not sure about the black border (a-la MBP) around the screen...
I do like the new dimensions although!
I do like the new dimensions although!
Has anyone else noticed that the memory bus speed (667mhz) no longer matches the processors fsb (800mhz), which theoretically will cause a slight backlog, due to the memory being slower... Seems like a stupid oversight on apples part
I think we can summarize this upgrade as a usual iMac upgrade:
New iMac: COOL!
Looks gr8!
Good CPU specs.
Good price.
Teh suckxors GRFX.
As always, Apple hates the 3D gamer. Even after announcements like Cider gaming port, EA making games, id software, Boot Camp, et al, Apple refuses to let the über-consumer Mac be used as a superb gaming computer!
WHY?
Getting a 24" 2.8 GHz 4 GB RAM iMac must be such a super, super cool computer! Quite an investment, but, hey... let's have some fun with it for years!
Until, DirectX10 games come out.... or in a year or 2 some gr8 new Mac games come out....
Your super cool, über gr8, expensive "all-in-one consumer Mac" can't cut it.
Remember, you're running @ 1920 x 1200.
Come on Apple, just give us the dang 2600 XT at the very least.
A Radeon 2900 card would have been sweet, but we knew Steve wouldn't ever permit a good card in an iMac.
Don't get me wrong.
I love this iMac! Superb for everything else!
It's just that I would never buy it. Apple has won: I'll be getting the next Mac Pro with decent grfx card.
New iMac: COOL!
Looks gr8!
Good CPU specs.
Good price.
Teh suckxors GRFX.
As always, Apple hates the 3D gamer. Even after announcements like Cider gaming port, EA making games, id software, Boot Camp, et al, Apple refuses to let the über-consumer Mac be used as a superb gaming computer!
WHY?
Getting a 24" 2.8 GHz 4 GB RAM iMac must be such a super, super cool computer! Quite an investment, but, hey... let's have some fun with it for years!
Until, DirectX10 games come out.... or in a year or 2 some gr8 new Mac games come out....
Your super cool, über gr8, expensive "all-in-one consumer Mac" can't cut it.
Remember, you're running @ 1920 x 1200.
Come on Apple, just give us the dang 2600 XT at the very least.
A Radeon 2900 card would have been sweet, but we knew Steve wouldn't ever permit a good card in an iMac.
Don't get me wrong.
I love this iMac! Superb for everything else!
It's just that I would never buy it. Apple has won: I'll be getting the next Mac Pro with decent grfx card.
The reference gpu supports it, so unless Apple are using cutom hardware (either on the chip itself, or on the card, possibly for packaging reasons) it should be only a soft/firmware update or two away.
Can I use it as a monitor?
Can I hook up a laptop to it yet and use it as a monitor? If not...WHY THE HELL NOT? If so, ignore what follows.
If I'm buying a 24" iMac I better be able to dock something else there and use the screen.
This is almost as bad as DRM. You can only use this display with only one particular computer (the one inside it).
I do realize that laptops have displays too that you can't hook anything else up to but nobody would want to either. This is a 24" display....come on!!!
Can I hook up a laptop to it yet and use it as a monitor? If not...WHY THE HELL NOT? If so, ignore what follows.
If I'm buying a 24" iMac I better be able to dock something else there and use the screen.
This is almost as bad as DRM. You can only use this display with only one particular computer (the one inside it).
I do realize that laptops have displays too that you can't hook anything else up to but nobody would want to either. This is a 24" display....come on!!!
Give me a break. So if someone likes the new designs, they are all of a sudden 'fanboys'?
What does that make people who don't like it and spend their time complaining about it?
Anandtech has a nice overview of the cards:
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3023
Not good at all. But they do produce much less heat. Looking at how thin the imac is, I can see why these were picked. But if you read the whole article, you will notice that Nivida gets bad marks as well. Although their cards are better. Also maybe they will run better when DX10 games come out (doubt it) but time will tell.
The MacBook Pro (Santa Rosa versions) have the same RAM even though it's for an 800MHz FSB. Nothing new.
I was a little disappointed too - I presume that their thinking was that a bluetooth model was more likely to be portable. Hence, chop off the number pad to save space. I will probably get the wireless anyway, though, since 1) I rarely use the number pad, 2) I hate wires and 3) I want to conserve desk space.
But I can understand how others might not like it. Maybe they will offer a full-featured bluetooth model down the line, sort of like how the Mighty Mouse was wired for awhile, and only the single-click mouse had bluetooth.
I love every single change to the iMac, except the glossy screen. I would tell anyone who can look past that to buy one.