New 'Server-Grade' iMac With Next-Gen Xeon Processor Coming End of 2017

[drewyboy]

Indeed, the market has spoken, and the 2016 MBP is a big sales hit.

I'd say it's called pent up demand and they've got nothing better. But to go off of earlier reports, apple was "taken back" by how many people actually ended up buying the 2015 once the 2016 was released.

I know I'd go with a 2015 if I was in the market, but my 2012 (pre-retina) just keeps chugging along. Honestly, the last rev of an Apple product before a design shift is always the best. That's why I'll be going with the 7s over the iPhone 8, assuming both are released this fall (always go with the S release).

 

[profets]

I suspect Apple's own "surface studio" offering will come in the form of a giant iPad, but that's many years off.

Starting to make more and more sense.

While I like the thinking in this chart, I have to feel that instead of notebook and desktop we should think more mobile for the notebook portion of consumer as iPhone has really become that product. Maybe iPhone and iPad could be the two products in the consumer portion of the grid.

I do wish we see an even larger desktop style iPad in the future though.

 

[canny]

Hope they make it thick like the mid-2000s iMacs. I don't want crappy laptop components just because Jony Ive has an anorexia fetish.

 

[MacLawyer]

I'd like to see Apple return to offering a 21.5 inch model with a discrete GPU.

 

[amegicfox]

Apple may be finally seeing that all the pro audio / video / graphics / programmers have left in drove for the Surface Pro and all the other super fast and updated PCs on the market

Especially programmers they keep moving to android / windows / IOT

Apple will go out of business without 3rd party software and 3rd party apps

but it's Apple's fault:

1. they neutered root and geek tinkering on OS X
2. they neutered the Apple store
3. they neutered IOS

they basically neutered all the most important developer's tools and expect programmers to keep developing for MAC OS / IOS ?

 

[Spunkmeyer]

I'd say it's called pent up demand and they've got nothing better. But to go off of earlier reports, apple was "taken back" by how many people actually ended up buying the 2015 once the 2016 was released.

Lack of RAM was the issue of the 2016 MBP, and Apple was clearly caught off-guard by the fact it was an issue., and pretty much admitted as much at its Mac Pro briefing a few weeks ago.

 

[chfilm]

That's gonna be a tough decision to make, wether to stick with the 2013 trashcan and wait till maybe 2019, or jump on the imac this December...

 

[citysnaps]

One thing for certain is the next iMac releases (whatever they are), as well as for new MacPros, Apple will be ditching the 20 year old USB-A connectors for superior and much higher performance TB3/USB-C with prodigious I/O capability. No doubt that will get many frothed here up demanding to stay stuck in the past.

 

[NT1440]

Lack of RAM was the issue of the 2016 MBP, and Apple was clearly caught off-guard by the fact it was an issue., and pretty much admitted as much at its Mac Pro briefing a few weeks ago.

I don't understand how you can make that claim. They explained why the 16GB limitation currently stands, and the machines are still up 20% in sales.

Are you sure you're not projecting your own disappointments/limitations with that config on the MBP user base?

 

[69Mustang]

I own an architecture practice. We used to be Apple's bread-and-butter.

Dude... please stop. Just stop it. You don't have to justify yourself to some judgmental rando on the internet. stevet is not the arbiter of who's worthy of posting on this forum. Whether you like/love/hate/despise Apple matters not. Just stop replying and he'll go away. I promise.

 

[amegicfox]

in any other company if anyone fails many products they would get fired and replaced

not at Apple !

1. they failed the mac mini
2. they failed the mac pro
3. they failed the MacBook 12"
4. they failed the mac book pro

the same team is still at the helm like nothing happened

 

[dazzer21-2]

Hope they make it thick like the mid-2000s iMacs. I don't want crappy laptop components just because Jony Ive has an anorexia fetish.

Well I have both a 2015 5k iMac and a 2008 24" sitting right next to each other on my desk. And you know what? They both look as 'thin' or as 'thick' as each other because I'm not looking past the screen at what's behind it. Thin on an iMac is just pandering to 3rd person aesthetics! These things could be a cube for all I care (actually, given past reputation, maybe not) - but even the thicker 2008 model offered 'some' extra upgradability beyond RAM, albeit in a 'don't do this at home' kind of way (such as remove the optical drive for an extra SSD). Going back to this form factor would not, in my opinion, be a backward step. You can only go 'so' thin before it starts to get ridiculous and that line has been crossed already. As it is, don't they measure the thickness of a MacBook Pro in Microns these days?

 

[A MacBook lover]

Creative people tend to be critical, and that includes being willing to consider Apple meriting criticism when appropriate. These people saying "just wait for a new Mac Pro" are living in a fantasy land. Businesses make decisions based on need, not slavery to a particular brand. Apple used to make the best gear but is now behind the curve in some markets. Recognizing and accepting that is what adults do.

When you're on the eve of the biggest Iphone release since...the original Iphone, in addition to transitioning everything to a brand new campus - expect some resources to get diverted and some things to get delayed. It would be naive to think that Apple does not recognize that some of its products are falling behind. Even more naive to suggest Apple won't address it.

 

[NT1440]

in any other company if anyone fails many products they would get fired and replaced

not at Apple !
3. they failed the MacBook 12"
4. they failed the mac book pro

the same team is still at the helm like nothing happened

Cut out the two irrelevant ones. I'd like some elaboration on how these are failures....

 

[Jago]

• server-grade
• has a humongous undetachable monitor

Pick 1. Don't embarrass yourself.

 

[dazzer21-2]

...expect some resources to get diverted and some things to get delayed.

If this wasn't the world's largest company we're talking about with hundreds, thousands of people dedicated to working within specialised teams to create these products, rather than the sole trader whose job it is to get a day's work done AND make these transitions at the same time, I'd be inclined to agree - maybe. But we're not. Apple easily have the resources - they screwed up.

 

[NT1440]

Well I have both a 2015 5k iMac and a 2008 24" sitting right next to each other on my desk. And you know what? They both look as 'thin' or as 'thick' as each other because I'm not looking past the screen at what's behind it. Thin on an iMac is just pandering to 3rd person aesthetics! These things could be a cube for all I care (actually, given past reputation, maybe not) - but even the thicker 2008 model offered 'some' extra upgradability beyond RAM, albeit in a 'don't do this at home' kind of way (such as remove the optical drive for an extra SSD). Going back to this form factor would not, in my opinion, be a backward step. You can only go 'so' thin before it starts to get ridiculous and that line has been crossed already. As it is, don't they measure the thickness of a MacBook Pro in Microns these days?

I have a good feeling that the "Pro" level iMacs will take the "thick" iMac form factor, use the space savings from the massive advancements they've made in logic board miniaturization, and use the extra space to allow cooling of higher end components.

They've done a ton of research on creating cooling channels in their gear so I think even with the "fat" iMac shape they'll have options that simply wouldn't have worked in the form factor years ago.

 

[BB8]

I want an iMac with better graphics. The only thing a Xeon/ECC really adds to the computer is $$$ on the price tag.

 

[lwells1441]

Why would this do this when they could just use the AMD Ryzen 1700 and lower the price?!?! What a silly move.

 

[NT1440]

• server-grade
• has a humongous undetachable monitor

Pick 1. Don't embarrass yourself.

Are people honestly bitching that Apple will be using components that will be rated for longer term use than their consumer models? Any idiot can figure out that's what they mean by "Server grade".

 

[diipii]

Of course! This is just Apples attempt to minimise fleeing customers until the next Mac Pro is available. I suppose this will be the first and last time Apple offers an iMac model thats supposed for "pros". But it will still be an iMac, just with better or higher upgradable specs. If you want a Mac Pro you have to wait for it.

No you don't have to wait at all. My Mac Pro 5.1 top spec is an impressive machine that looks like a pro and operates like one too. You can keep your "thin" I like metal, and lots of it and space to get in there and swap things around whenever I want. Note the "I". Pro machines are all about the "I" not Cook and Ive telling us what we want and making it sound like they are doing us a favour while they gouge us with the price. If it wasn't for the OS and all my software I would be off to Windows like a shot.

 

[vpndev]

According to Tuesday's report, the high end iMac will feature Intel's as-yet-unreleased Xeon E3-1285 v6 processor, options for 16 to 64GB error-correcting ECC RAM, ...

Xeon is the only way to get ECC RAM (for Intel) but it's a big expense just for that.

 

[RickInHouston]

Server CPU vs Desktop CPU. It's just not such a big deal anymore. Really. It's not.

I'm sure apple will spin it as magical with a hefty premium for it. Maybe apple is doing it because the server cpu refreshes are quite a bit less often.?.

I would rather buy a desktop with a desktop CPU in it, myself.

 

[M.PaulCezanne]

A xeon iMac? This strikes me as another poorly thought out loss-leader type of headline grabber that's typical of the current administration. It feels like another "this ought to shut 'em up" offering.

 

[diipii]

Ridiculous, iMacs haven't been upgradable for years, other than ram.

Wait for the Mac Pro and then start complaining about the price of the modular system.

If it's an Apple machine we will have lots to complain about, then we will whizz off and buy Windows leaving the fan-boys to their dreams.