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Potential iMac Update to Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt in 4-6 Weeks?

juicedropsdeuce said:
Sounds like you'd be interested in a nice Windows7 machine. Enjoy. :rolleyes:
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Why would he? Just because he wants a 24"?

Physically, compared to the 27, it's not much smaller due to the aspect ratio. The resolution on the 27 is the only real improvement.

I recall when the 21.5 and 27's came out and people were up in arms for Apple going to 16:9 displays when they had traditionally stayed with 'regular' PC resolutions.
 
One thing that will stink about the iMac update is that the GPU will most likely only get 8 PCIe lanes, as 4 of them will go to Thunderbolt. Sandy Bridge offers a max of 16 PCIe lanes. So Apple, maybe you feel like adding USB3 to the mix to use the last 4 lanes.

* yes I know the performance of a GPU doesn't drop THAT much going from x16 to x8, but still.

And toddy, a 6950 would be decent, but I don't see Apple offering it. I see the 6750 akin to the MacBook Pros going in (sadly.)

Even the 5750 in the 27" is around the same speed as the 4850. Apple just gimped the 4850 by using the GDDR3 version and only giving it 512MB /shakefist.
 
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Let me use two 27" as a dual monitor thunderbolt-connected to my mac book pro and I'll be happy !
 
Zeldain said:
What about the Mac Pro? It's way past due, would that come first, before the iMac?
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CPUs for Mac Pro (codename Romley) won't be out until Q4 2011 so we are looking at late 2011 or early 2012 update.

tsugaru said:
One thing that will stink about the iMac update is that the GPU will most likely only get 8 PCIe lanes, as 4 of them will go to Thunderbolt. Sandy Bridge offers a max of 16 PCIe lanes. So Apple, maybe you feel like adding USB3 to the mix to use the last 4 lanes.

* yes I know the performance of a GPU doesn't drop THAT much going from x16 to x8, but still.

And toddy, a 6950 would be decent, but I don't see Apple offering it. I see the 6750 akin to the MacBook Pros going in (sadly.)

Even the 5750 in the 27" is around the same speed as the 4850. Apple just gimped the 4850 by using the GDDR3 version and only giving it 512MB /shakefist.
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The ATI 5750 is actually 5850M but it is marketed as 5750 as 5850M has performance similar to desktop 5750. Since AMD changed their naming system and 69xxM is the successor of 58xxM, it is likely the the next high-end iMac will have AMD 6950M.
 
tsugaru said:
I wonder when Apple will do that again re: GPUs. Ever.
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Is it necessary these days? Back in 1999 it was still difficult days to just get video going at a good rate. These days it isn't hard to get good graphics.

What would be the use of redundant graphics? It must be a very small wedge of the market.
 
Gemütlichkeit said:
Please please please let them release Sandy Bridge for the MacBook Air :)
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actually, this is exactly what i'm waiting for. -a 13" with SB since the 13" pro came without without a display increase. :mad: I just can't justify the price on the 15" anymore.

glad to see the imacs getting a refresh, they are great machines.

probably sb, graphics update, and thunderport,,, i wouldn't expect anything too major. though just that update would be very nice.
 
There's pretty much no news in this news piece.

We know it's going to include Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt. We know it's unlikely to be re-designed and we know it's going to be between now and May.

Where's the news here?

We need specs. Some CPU and other info, at least.
 
Lesser Evets said:
Is it necessary these days? Back in 1999 it was still difficult days to just get video going at a good rate. These days it isn't hard to get good graphics.

What would be the use of redundant graphics? It must be a very small wedge of the market.
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Not everyone wants a GPU for graphics. Some want it for games. Some want it for CUDA/OpenCL. Some want it for future proofing (kind of an oxymoron with a Mac, but that's another story.)

Apple has been pushing the 'good enough' mantra on iOS users for a while now. Specs aren't the greatest, but it's good enough and the software does well. It doesn't always work that way in (real) computers. There are always customers who want/need a bit more.

And not redundant graphics. I had meant Apple should be doing the latest and greatest again regarding their GPUs, like they did way way way back when. I should have just typed it all out. I'm in a slight food induced coma now.
 
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So stoked! Aside from the iPad 2, this is what I've been saving up for for the past year. My 24'' from 2007 is still running strong but I'm hoping to have something that will for sure run Diablo III smoothly when it eventually drops.
 
Zeldain said:
2012... 18 month update cycle? Far, far too long. No way... If that's the case, for the first time in 27 years, Apple doesn't get my money.
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Have you paid any attention to the upgrade cycle since the switch to Intel for the Pro Towers?
 
MacBook rumors?

What I find extremely interesting is the LACK of rumors on the MacBook - it's the oldest Mac in the lineup and is extremely overdue for an upgrade (almost double it's normal product cycle). :confused:
 
JackieTreehorn said:
Still lovin' my 2009 iMac.... best machine I've ever owned.
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So do I ... got the 27" i5 in 2009, and am just LOVING it. Couldn't justify the i7 as few apps support hyperthreading, wonder if this is still true.

Use my beautiful machine mostly for photo editing. See no reason to update to any new iMac this time round. Found it's worth to upgrade computers every three years as the science progresses, and look already forward to upgrading end of 2012, when technology will really have changed enough since 2009 to make it all worth the new experience.

Love you Apple!
 
I own a 2010 13" MacBook Pro and I'm loving all of its wonderfulness. However in relation to my job and my study I'm doing alot of coding and graphic work, which isn't ideal on a 13".

If apple does pull their finger out of their tight, price-raping, tingling a*sehole and decide to put a good GPU with 1GB standard, in the 21,5" (Wishfull thinking?) they'll have my money.

*1,850 dollars for the low-end 21,5 is ridiculous... lame danish taxes.
 
moxxey said:
There's pretty much no news in this news piece.

We know it's going to include Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt. We know it's unlikely to be re-designed and we know it's going to be between now and May.

Where's the news here?

We need specs. Some CPU and other info, at least.
Click to expand...
You'll find out when the rest of us find out: when Apple posts the specs to the new hardware at www.apple.com.

Don't forget: this is MacRumors.com, not MacNews.com.

And if you are looking for specs from unannounced products from Apple, you are going to quickly get used to being disappointed.
 
I'll be buying 27"iMac soon!

I have been waiting for the new iMac line-up FOREVER.

This will be my first Mac in my house since an Apple IIe. I used others in school till 1993 and 1996 in college.

Now, I just gotta wait for Lion to be pre-installed on them before I buy.

I'm not going to learn two separate OS in less than 3-4 months. I will be learning from scratch since I'm crossing over from PC thanks to my iPhone 3GS which i'm upgrading to an iPhone 5 as well...
 
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