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Next Apple iMacs with "Striking New Industrial Design"?
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Really? Could he be right? If so, I definitely won't wait until late May, June that's for sure...I want one now, but I can still manage waiting a bit longer.
And the Merom is the exact same as the Conroe short of the thermal output. Check the benchmarks out between Merom and Woodcrest. If you're sticking with single threaded applications you see nearly equivalent performance. How is a SO-DIMM different then a full sized DIMM other then form factor? The 945G chipset is also used for desktops as well.
Let's ignore the obvious cost increase for components designed for lower heat output.
As Eidorian correctly pointed out, there is no difference in the components you speak of. The graphics chip, like the CPU, uses the same core as any desktop card of the same kind, and SO-DIMMs are merely a packaging for standard DRAM chips. Show us the performance penalty of the iMac over the desktop versions of the same hardware.
That may well be the case, but the iMac's X1600 128VRAM graphics are now looking pretty poor for a desktop with a non-upgradable, closed-off architecture. Even some brand-name PC laptops selling at prices similar to the iMac have better graphics these days.
This doesn't make the iMac a poor computer, & Apple's monopoly with OS X virtually ensures that all Macs will always be viable, regardless of the deficiencies in some of their specs...but those graphics seriously need updating now.
Edit: ie. Apple's monopoly of hardware with OS X.
Name a non-gaming laptop with a substantially better video card then on derived from X1300/X1600 equivalent series. The upgrade to 256 MB is there and the 7600GT is also available for the 24" model.
How about the Acer Aspire 5683, C2D, with NVIDIA GeForce Go7600 256 VRAM, currently selling at ebuyer for £857, which is only £58 more than the 17" iMac. This is a PC laptop I'm talking about.
BTW, I'm not trying to diss iMacs here, & I still think that they're good all-round computers. What I'm saying is that for a desktop computer their graphics leave something, if not much, to be desired.
Quite a big difference in price here in the US for that laptop. Can you find something like that stateside?
Note: Something SUBSTANTIALLY better then the X1600/7600.
Make that 2...oh pleeeeeeeeeeze!
This is what Apple is all about....or should be.
Amazing!
Laptops, no. However, when talking about desktops, which is the slot the iMac has been positioned, you can literally get a desktop with similar specs as the 20" iMac with a Geforce 7950GT for the same price. The iMac's integrated nature and tasteful design are worth a lot to more than a few people. On the same token the lower mid range graphics and lack of expansion can also be a deal breaker (as can be the Mac Pro's workstation price) to a lot of people.
Thanks & obviously my example doesn't hold up on the US side. Your post, however, inadvertently touches upon one of the common reasons why Americans & Britons sometimes misunderstand each other when discussing these issues.
You guys currently buy your 17" iMacs from the Apple Store for $1,199; I think that's a truly excellent deal. Hell, at those prices I'm not sure I could even hold out for the expected iMac updates! A conversion into UK £'s is £610. The same iMac from the UK Apple Store costs Britons £799. If I was buying at your prices I'd pay £189 less, ie. $371 less...a significant difference. The difference is even greater on more expensive Macs.
From a Mac-buying perspective, I certainly wish I was over there (the US) rather than over here! - This kind of thinking probably makes me out to be a right cheapskate, but being a student I have my excuses. (LOL).
While the imac was updated in sept, it wasn't a major update. A little slimmer. It definitley is due for some drastic plastic surgery....
I have never moved on from my g4 lamp because I love its design so much better. The chin on the current gen is kind of awkward to say the very least.
I say get rid of the chin, even if it means sacrificing the built in speakers!
I am betting the next design will see the demise of included speakers unless they go back to external ones like the lamp had.
I can't speak for everyone, but I think most people interested in decent sound use a third party set of speakers anyway. For me the clear lamp speakers were ditched for creature speakers.
While I am excited at the prospect of a new imac, I want a real desk top from Apple! The mini is just not worth it's money to me. The Pro is just way too expensive. I'd love something along the lines of the old G4 tower that can be upgraded but at a better consumer price point. With the i-mac, how much of it's retail is actually due to the included display?
I understand Apple simplifying their product lines, but their line up is a little naked.
I have never moved on from my g4 lamp because I love its design so much better. The chin on the current gen is kind of awkward to say the very least.
I say get rid of the chin, even if it means sacrificing the built in speakers!
I am betting the next design will see the demise of included speakers unless they go back to external ones like the lamp had.
I can't speak for everyone, but I think most people interested in decent sound use a third party set of speakers anyway. For me the clear lamp speakers were ditched for creature speakers.
While I am excited at the prospect of a new imac, I want a real desk top from Apple! The mini is just not worth it's money to me. The Pro is just way too expensive. I'd love something along the lines of the old G4 tower that can be upgraded but at a better consumer price point. With the i-mac, how much of it's retail is actually due to the included display?
I understand Apple simplifying their product lines, but their line up is a little naked.
Im not sure which format apple is supporting. But I would pay extra to get a Blu-Ray Burner in my next iMac. Even at the price premium... I hate buying technology and knowing its out of date already.
You're going to have to pay a lot extra. The Panasonic UJ-215 is in the only game in town when it comes to slot loading Blu-Ray burners and it weighs in at about a grand. The performance in DVD and CD writing is similar to the UJ845. I wouldn't expect to see this in Macbook Pros though, at least the 15" models. Apple went with a 9.5" superslim designed for a subnotebook to make them just a little bit lighter.
I know that Apple likes to keep things close to the vest, to keep folks interested and generated hype - but I really wish they've give us something substantial.
I'm looking to buy my first Mac in over 10 years and it would be nice to know if I should buy now or hold off for a few months for something "new and improved."
I'm looking to buy my first Mac in over 10 years and it would be nice to know if I should buy now or hold off for a few months for something "new and improved."
Well, I've decided to buy now. And so I just did, today. Ordered the 20" 2.16 GHz iMac, with upgraded 2 GB Ram and 256MB video card. Can't wait to get it!
Hi,
First post on this forum so hi to all...
Just wanted to add to the growing voices who would like to know what is happening with the iMac. I have been a PC user for 25 years but I've decided that I want a Mac and I want it now! I've started programming in Ruby on Rails and the Mac seems to be the machine to have for this purpose. This has definitely been a catalyst. My PC hardware needs replaced from the ground up too so now is the ideal time to buy a Mac.
I came within literally minutes of buying an iMac 20" 2.16GHz when I found the various stories about the new iMac which ultimately led me to this site. I really do wish that Apple would give us some sort of hint so that I can decide whether to wait or not. I don't mind waiting until June when hopefully Leopard will be available but I'll be a bit miffed if we get into July or August and I'm still wondering whether to buy a Mac or not. The risk then will be that I might be tempted to just upgrade my PC and stick to Linux which is what I've been running full-time for several years now.
There must be loads of PC users who would like to make the switch to a Mac due to the debacle that is MS Vista so Apple have a gold-clad opportunity to increase market share if they play this right. Come on Steve, give us a clue!
Craig.
First post on this forum so hi to all...
Just wanted to add to the growing voices who would like to know what is happening with the iMac. I have been a PC user for 25 years but I've decided that I want a Mac and I want it now! I've started programming in Ruby on Rails and the Mac seems to be the machine to have for this purpose. This has definitely been a catalyst. My PC hardware needs replaced from the ground up too so now is the ideal time to buy a Mac.
I came within literally minutes of buying an iMac 20" 2.16GHz when I found the various stories about the new iMac which ultimately led me to this site. I really do wish that Apple would give us some sort of hint so that I can decide whether to wait or not. I don't mind waiting until June when hopefully Leopard will be available but I'll be a bit miffed if we get into July or August and I'm still wondering whether to buy a Mac or not. The risk then will be that I might be tempted to just upgrade my PC and stick to Linux which is what I've been running full-time for several years now.
There must be loads of PC users who would like to make the switch to a Mac due to the debacle that is MS Vista so Apple have a gold-clad opportunity to increase market share if they play this right. Come on Steve, give us a clue!
Craig.
As I've posted a couple of times here at Macrumors, I think that OS X 10.5 is going to include the functionality where you won't need a keyboard or mouse, a la iPhone, of course you can still use them if you want to.
To implement this sort of functionality Macs will need mutli-touch sensitive screens and a makeover to allow the larger screen display models to be tilited / angled and locked in position. For me - this is the "new industrial design".
Oh - and I think if this were to happen - it kind of allows a person to be released from sitting at a chair to use their Mac.
Tilting / angling may also impact the location of cable connectors for power, USB, Firewire, speaker, microphone and ethernet and modem ports.
So quite some revamped form and functionality factors.
Then again, I've been wrong many, many times before.
To implement this sort of functionality Macs will need mutli-touch sensitive screens and a makeover to allow the larger screen display models to be tilited / angled and locked in position. For me - this is the "new industrial design".
Oh - and I think if this were to happen - it kind of allows a person to be released from sitting at a chair to use their Mac.
Tilting / angling may also impact the location of cable connectors for power, USB, Firewire, speaker, microphone and ethernet and modem ports.
So quite some revamped form and functionality factors.
Then again, I've been wrong many, many times before.
This does look very cool, but how can you hide it from your boss when surfing adult sites ?
Apple has pledged BluRay support.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_corporations_supporting_Blu-ray
No support for HD-DVD (as of now).
How about having a mouse that has accelerometers and you tilt it it i certain directions for certain commands eg next track or pause or volume up or down. or use hot corners to control itunes.
I think your design will actually be really close to what they do. Apple is revolutionary on their designs, but they also don't jump off on to the deep end and completely change things, well that is unless they haven't broken in to the market or drastically need something to start a fire... i.e. iMac, iPod, iPhone...
Since the iMac has its place already I think it'll just be a refinement. Unless 2008 is the time for apple to shine... Oh man... would I have to take out some bigger student loans...
Sales Assistants on the inside track
Do you really think that anyone working in a retail store has any idea what is actually going on in Cupertino ? The rep you were speaking to I am sure will be a on a percentage of what you buy - and if you walk out of the store without a nice shiny Apple computer you have wasted his time.
My own view on the update will be a "evolution" rather than "revolution". Expecting a big change in the screen DPI together with much greater support for HD.
Would like to think that a screenless device would arrive between the mini and the pro - but I think it would just cannibalise the Pro market while not pulling enough people from the mini.
Given Apple has just pinned its flag to the
TV mast are they still looking to move the mac from the study/den/office into the front room ?
Do you really think that anyone working in a retail store has any idea what is actually going on in Cupertino ? The rep you were speaking to I am sure will be a on a percentage of what you buy - and if you walk out of the store without a nice shiny Apple computer you have wasted his time.
My own view on the update will be a "evolution" rather than "revolution". Expecting a big change in the screen DPI together with much greater support for HD.
Would like to think that a screenless device would arrive between the mini and the pro - but I think it would just cannibalise the Pro market while not pulling enough people from the mini.
Given Apple has just pinned its flag to the
TV mast are they still looking to move the mac from the study/den/office into the front room ?