Oh, really? Will I need a higher end iMac for Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3? I was thinking of just getting the cheapest iMac when they are updated ...
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
New NVIDIA-based iMacs Imminent? More Hints.
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Oh, really? Will I need a higher end iMac for Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3? I was thinking of just getting the cheapest iMac when they are updated ...
Yes, an nVidia chipset board can use an ATI video card just fine. You can't use CrossFire (ATI's multi-card equivalent of SLI,) but you can use a single card (even a multiple-GPU card,) just fine.
You would also lose the ability to switch between the two GPUs "on the fly". That only works between chipsets and video cards by the same company. It would theoretically be possible to switch, but it would require a reboot.
However, since all current nVidia chipset Macs are all-in-one units without a replaceable GPU, it's moot.
And a Mac Pro wouldn't use an nVidia chipset. It is possible that we could see an iMac with an nVidia chipset, and have one or more models with an optional ATI GPU, though. But I think if they keep the iMac using mobile chips, they'll just got 100% nVidia, just like the MacBooks.
Two threads against you
These two threads will disagree with you:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/656916/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/657342/
The new iMacs are coming out on March 17. How do I know this? Because I am backed into a corner and the 16th is last day I can possibly wait to get a new machine and the new ones will come out the next day. It happens every f'in' time!
These two threads will disagree with you:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/656916/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/657342/
In my opinion, two threads is good enough evidence (especially if made by separate people).
Why would you use X48 in an iMac?
Kind of hard when the benches sway heavily to ATi.
Why would you use X48 in an iMac?
Kind of hard when the benches sway heavily to ATi.
Sorry PM45....
Either way in Apples case there is no reason to use a nvidia chipset if you are going to use a non-nvidia gpu. Especially if you are using the mobile chipset. So if you are not using integrated graphics you may as well stick to Intel.
I make no guarantee past the lowest settings. I have problems with WC3 and it was the "mid" model.
I can think of one, space. Nvidia's design combines the North bridge and south bridge into a single chip.
If you had this dual graphic card design, there are 2 possible advantages:
(i) if your second card is really powerful, you might want to use 9400M for daily use and the powerful one for gaming/video processing, etc; this way your computer will run quieter (MBP gets really loud when you play games)
(ii) there's this tech from nVidia that allows to use both cards and get a bit of a performance boost. If they could use that, then say 9800 + 9400 would give yo extra few fps. That might be worth something...
(i) if your second card is really powerful, you might want to use 9400M for daily use and the powerful one for gaming/video processing, etc; this way your computer will run quieter (MBP gets really loud when you play games)
(ii) there's this tech from nVidia that allows to use both cards and get a bit of a performance boost. If they could use that, then say 9800 + 9400 would give yo extra few fps. That might be worth something...
GTX 280 M is due to launch in march/april during CEBIT.
However, it´s a misnomer as we are looking at a slightly beefed up G92 core.
It will probably yield about a 15% increase over the 9800 part which in turn is not much better than the 8800 GS. Of course, we don´t know clock speeds but it´s safe to assume that the part used will be considerably slower than the 4830.
I hope Apple find a way offer a low voltage Penryn Desktop Quad in the lineup.
Cupertino could always opt to use a slightly bigger enclosure to fit heftier cooling kit in there. I don´t like the thinner is better approach that hampers performance so much. If Apple only fit in a faster Dual Core Penryn, they won´t have made substantial CPU power strides forward in a year in the desktop segment.
However, it´s a misnomer as we are looking at a slightly beefed up G92 core.
It will probably yield about a 15% increase over the 9800 part which in turn is not much better than the 8800 GS. Of course, we don´t know clock speeds but it´s safe to assume that the part used will be considerably slower than the 4830.
I hope Apple find a way offer a low voltage Penryn Desktop Quad in the lineup.
Cupertino could always opt to use a slightly bigger enclosure to fit heftier cooling kit in there. I don´t like the thinner is better approach that hampers performance so much. If Apple only fit in a faster Dual Core Penryn, they won´t have made substantial CPU power strides forward in a year in the desktop segment.
If is was that simple...
The fact is that GeForce Boost technology just works with low-end GPUs (9200/9300/9500M or now G105/110M).
They can technically fit in a quad-core mobile Penryn, but they are likely to not do so for several reasons. This would likely also mean that Apple would not use Clarksfield in the iMacs either (Arrandale instead). Therefore, if Apple doesn't use the 65 W desktop quad-cores, then they may stay with dual-core until 2010 or later.
http://www.macbug.de/2009/02/25/imac-2009-vorstellung-anfang-marz-nachste-woche/
They claim that they have been told by "apple informants" that the new imac will be released definitely on the first tuesday in march (3th of march).
They claim that they have been told by "apple informants" that the new imac will be released definitely on the first tuesday in march (3th of march).
Both seem to coincide with each other, just like when the 9400M was announced on the same day the MB's and MBP's were announced
I'm betting my life-savings that the 3rd of March will be it.
Well, after reading this post, my hopes just raised. I´m curious about the price - these things are way too expensive in Denmark were I live.
If it's just Core 2 Duos again, I am completely underwhelmed. Maybe I will just save some extra money from now, until the next Mac Pro comes out and use the savings + tax return on the next gen Mac Pro.
If I'm not mistaken, the current high-end iMac has "High-performance NVIDIA graphics". I'm thinking that picture is referring to the current generation iMacs.
Except it says 20 and 24 inch at the top, which would indicate that both have NVIDIA graphics.
I switched to Mac 2 years ago BECAUSE of the hardware. I had purchased a new Toshiba laptop and sent it back because when it came it just felt like the same old crap I'd been using for 10 years and a friend of mine had a MacBook. I played with it for 30 minutes, asked him what the learning curve would be to master OSX and figured out what I needed to do. Yes, I was sold on the OS, but the hardware was just...different. Felt like some thought had been put into it and it was better designed. Spec-wise, yes, Dell will kick you out a laptop running 3.0ghz but it's WINDOWS. Hasn't the rule with Mac always been that even though spec is lower (processor speed etc.) that architecture/OSX made it comparably faster?
I had heard this dating back to the G4 processor--that a 1.25 G4 was like a 2.4 Pentium 4.
In any event, have fun with your Dell man; it's just like buying a Toyota/Lexus or one of GM's latest flops. Hey like it's the new Chevy... (insert cheap random name here); 15 minutes later you drive it off the lot, it's depreciated in half and will be discontinued as a model in 2 years (after there is a Pontiac, Buick and Saturn version of it with same innerds, yet different name plate); yet your Toyota/Lexus holds it's value and actually runs past 125,000 miles trouble free.