Nvidia Graphics chip causing New iMac delay?

[Razorhog]

"late summer"....then in iMacs by "early fall".....forget that!!!!!

No reason to think that iMacs will get the chip later than any other vendor. I think if anything, Apple will make sure the update happens before the fall so it won't coincide with the release of the new iPhone.

 

[Reaktor5]

No reason to think that iMacs will get the chip later than any other vendor. I think if anything, Apple will make sure the update happens before the fall so it won't coincide with the release of the new iPhone.

They have to keep quarterly sales figures evenly distributed, so this is a good point.

 

[cirus]

I know everybody is hoping for a GTX680m.
But this chip is based on a desktop card that needs a 195 watts.
The current HD6970m used is actually based on a desktop chip (The HD6850) that needs 127 watts.
thats a huge difference!
To cut down a tdp from 195 to somewhat 75w you have to make so much sacrifices in shader count and clock frequencies that it is probably better to use a lower end chip.

But the only other "Kepler" chip nVidia currently has is the GK107.
Which isn't powerful enough for a the high end iMacs.
So Apple has to wait for the GK106 which will be twice as powerful as the GK107 and has an estimated desktop tdp of 150w.

Current gtx660m and gtx670m are still based on older "Fermi" chips and probably will be replaced when the GK106 is ready

The gtx 680 uses about 195 watts, the gtx 670, with clocks of 915 mhz instead of 1006 mhz, only has a power target of 141 watts. The two have the same memory clocks. http://www.anandtech.com/show/5818/nvidia-geforce-gtx-670-review-feat-evga/17

The gtx 680m has a core clock of 720 mhz and a memory clock of 900 mhz, substantially reduced from the gtx 670. It is very likely that it fits a 100 watt thermal guideline.

 

[HurryKayne]

Some elements to try to understand.
Here are talking about defective 7970m
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuNqtYr82tw.
Some 7970 tests
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/df-hardware-radeon-7970m-alienware-m17x-r4-review
680 PRICE is $499 as listed here
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5699/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-review
while 7970 is around 200...
the other kepler gk104/28 nm is the 670 which is $399,
while the today 6970 was around 325 usd if i'm not wronging.
So...680 is 499,7970 is 200,670 is 399,
while 7970 stands in the middle between 680-670.
Seems the best choice speaking in terms of price-performances..but you never know what Cook has decided.
Speaking to me..the choice will dance around 670-7970,680 its way too pricy.
So maybe the missing delaying piece is the antiglare display?
Or just a math around Mountain Lion release?
Lets check for new Gpu in the next beta to hope for some new light on the iMaC 2012 "SAGA".
Anyone knows if monday Apple plans releasin a pre-gold beta?

 

[jmhart]

IMO this is the only acceptable explanation for the delay. The GK104 based 680M was announced quite a bit later than the 650M they are using in the Retina MBP, so it makes sense that the 2012 iMac may not be ready to hit the market just yet.

I won't be buying the 2012 iMac if they don't go 680M or 7970M, and I prefer NVidia though AMD wouldn't be a dealbreaker. I seriously hope this is what's holding it up...

 

[DeF46]

Some elements to try to understand.
Here are talking about defective 7970m
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuNqtYr82tw.
Some 7970 tests
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/df-hardware-radeon-7970m-alienware-m17x-r4-review
680 PRICE is $499 as listed here
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5699/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-review
while 7970 is around 200...
the other kepler gk104/28 nm is the 670 which is $399,
while the today 6970 was around 325 usd if i'm not wronging.
So...680 is 499,7970 is 200,670 is 399,
while 7970 stands in the middle between 680-670.
Seems the best choice speaking in terms of price-performances..but you never know what Cook has decided.
Speaking to me..the choice will dance around 670-7970,680 its way too pricy.
So maybe the missing delaying piece is the antiglare display?
Or just a math around Mountain Lion release?
Lets check for new Gpu in the next beta to hope for some new light on the iMaC 2012 "SAGA".
Anyone knows if monday Apple plans releasin a pre-gold beta?

We're talking about M for Mobility. 680M 7970M, etc.

 

[jmhart]

Speaking to me..the choice will dance around 670-7970,680 its way too pricy.

I'd be surprised if they decided to use the 670M or 675M, both of those are Fermi based (rebadges of the 5xxM series) and are much less power efficient than the Kepler based 650M, 660M, & 680M. I'd say if they can't fit the thermals and pricing of the 680M, they would be more likely to retreat all the way back to the 660M.

That said, I really doubt they would do that and continue to believe the 680M is what we'll get.

 

[HurryKayne]

We're talking about M for Mobility. 680M 7970M, etc.

you're right i misread..i saw 28 nm and ..well my bad..
so Kepler is 650-660 and 680?
Can anyone write down prices for
650
660
680
and 7970 ( and the old one related to 6890?)

Sorry

 

[Rlnplehshalo]

I think the new iMacs are also getting Nvidia graphics!
The problem is Nvidia doesn't have a "kepler" GPU for the high end 27" iMac.
Nvidia currently has 2 "kepler" GPU's the GK107 and the GK104.
The GK107 is used in the GT650m and the GK104 is used in the GTX680m
The problem is that the GTX680m is probably to power-hungry for the iMac
So Apple has to wait for the GK106, which hasn't been released yet.
The GK106 will be used for the GTX660m and will be around twice as powerful as a GT650m and would be a nice match for the new iMac.
Rumored release date is "late" summer.

Doubt it. I mean Alienware have announced that they are going to run the GTX680M in their MX17/18 models of laptops and they run on batteries. The iMac is plugged into a constant power source therefore it couldn't really be too power hungry.

 

[jmhart]

The gtx 680 uses about 195 watts, the gtx 670, with clocks of 915 mhz instead of 1006 mhz, only has a power target of 141 watts. The two have the same memory clocks. http://www.anandtech.com/show/5818/nvidia-geforce-gtx-670-review-feat-evga/17

The gtx 680m has a core clock of 720 mhz and a memory clock of 900 mhz, substantially reduced from the gtx 670. It is very likely that it fits a 100 watt thermal guideline.

By my calculations the clocks they have chosen for the 680M puts the TDP pretty much exactly at 100w, right where it needs to be for the iMac.