I think you missed my points.
I whole heartedly agree. If the iMac is updated now, it will be a still be core2duo, or maybe a core2quad (not likely), and that is basically no improvement over the current model. It is old tech and an old architecture. While core2 is still a great architecture, there is no doubt Core i7 is the way forward, but a mobile version will not be released until the later part of 2009.
Apple does have the option of intels new small form factor chip but even so it won't be a huge performance increase over what is in the machine now for single thread performance.
I do reject the idea that the current i7 processors are impossible. Yeah the chip is hot when runned at max speed but that doesn't mean underclocking a bit isn't possible. Even if they don't do that one has to remember that the chip also has most of the North bridge on board so when looking at power you are really competeing against two chips on older motherboards. So effectively you have something less than 100 watts going to the CPU. That really isn't that bad, the trick is in removing the combined wattage which really isn't a problem these days. Apple has choices that range from heat pipes to carbon fiber technology. Plus there is nothing to keep them from making a high end i7 model and a quad or dual Core 2 model for the low end.
iMacs use mobile processors, so no i7 for this release, and unless there is a major change, why would you be upgrading?
Apple did use mobile processors and they also use to use desktop processors. Dwelling on what was in a machine in the past will not help to predict the future. Unless Apple comes out with an XMac ( a low cost desktop box ) they almost have to put in an i7. They need to do that to fill the performance gap. Also they need to go i7 to get Quick Path now for external GPUs. I just can't see intels up coming processors with built in GPUs as meeting Apples need.
By the way I'd like to be wrong about Intels built in GPUs in future processors but let's face it intel GPUs are barely passable and they haven't committed to having them capable of running OpenCL code.
The same thing happens every time a new machine is due, people sit here and speculate and build up in their mind a massive machine that will never see the light of day, and when reality hits, we all feel ripped off. Apple can never live up to expectations of the fanboi's. Until there is an i7 mobile processor, don't get excited about and iMac upgrade.
This is exactly the type of negative thinking that I was trying to highlight earlier. If we as a community don't put Apple on notice to do better then how do you expect to be able to buy the hardware that you expect? It is not just the processor in the new iMac but also things like Firewire, USB ports and the like.
Maybe you don't think people should speak up about things like Firewire and simply accept that Apple is free to jerk their chain when ever they feel. I don't personally fit into that group as I feel we should be free to express what we want in a machine Apple builds.
I am holding out for new Mac Pros later this year, likely to be May / June at the earliest, and I wouldn't be surprised they hold off and release the new Mac Pros along side Snow Leopard.
Probably a few weeks after Intel gets the chipset out for them. The one thing about the Pro that bothers me is the constant whinning that it needs an update. To that I just ask to what! It will get updated when Intel has the chip sets to make a difference in the machine.
This is a far cry from the Mini where the apparent optimal chips already exist. If there is one machine at Apple that makes me wonder what the help is up it is the Mini as it should have been upgraded early this year. It is the only Apple machine with a clear upgrade path based on common public info.
If you want to get excited about an upgrade, 10.6 Snow Leopard is what you should be looking forward too. This will certainly make your current iMac run a heap faster. New finder (i am in heaven) and slimmer apps, and highly optimised code. That is an upgrade worth having.
Well that is what Apple is telling us but you will have to believe it when you see it. I know there is a lot of potential for improvement as the current implementation of Leopard is sluggish but I'm not convinced that Apple has the chops to pull off a significant upgrade. Yeah that sounds pretty bad but I've not been to impressed with the combo of Objective C and Aqua.
I'm certain some of the coming features will be worth having. In fact if they can do two things for me I'd lay out the money for SL today. The first item is to fix WiFi on early 2008 MBP and the second is to GPU accelerated video playback on the same machines. Everything else would be gravy.
Dave
