Updated Skylake 27" iMac this fall?

[garyleecn]

If its broadwell 21.5" next week. It will most likely be 27" Skylake in February, with an 8k Display perhaps. And new mouse and keyboard. They probably want to announce new mice/keyboard on stage as well

http://9to5mac.com/2015/04/06/lg-pu...ill-release-imac-8k-with-8k-screen-this-year/

8k will be 99% impossible. if apple ever puts a 8k screen on a mac, it will be a '4k' screen, everything will be simply so small... remember even the 5k iMac has only 2.5k 'resolution', if you scale it to 4k.... can't imagine how small everything would look like..

also 8k will only be available for 21.5 inch iMacs, for 27inch's it will only be "2.5x"K, like 2.5k, 5k and the next step will be 10k

 

[Xteec]

Apple went to a lot of trouble making a custom controller to ensure the 27" screen was a perfect doubling of pixels in each direction to "5k". 8k goes against that philosophy (but might practically be undetectable at normal desktop viewing distance)

 

[antman2x2]

What the hell is the point in 8k? Lets just get better internals on the 5K for now.

 

[Squirkytunkle]

What the hell is the point in 8k? Lets just get better internals on the 5K for now.

My sentiments exactly. I couldn't give a rats arse about more pixels. I sincerely hope that Apple concentrate on putting more power under the hood than packing in more potentially indiscernible pixels. Hopefully this happens before 2016!

 

[roadkill401]

From reading the 9to5Mac posting, it looks like they are using Broadwell chips. So i wonder if they did release an update to the 27 using Broadwell with a micro speed bump but non of the wishlist that everyone is throwing around that comes with Skylake, would all you people who are holding out for a refresh still jump?

ie: no Thunderbolt 3
no USB 3.1/C

 

[Xteec]

From reading the 9to5Mac posting, it looks like they are using Broadwell chips. So i wonder if they did release an update to the 27 using Broadwell with a micro speed bump but non of the wishlist that everyone is throwing around that comes with Skylake, would all you people who are holding out for a refresh still jump?

ie: no Thunderbolt 3
no USB 3.1/C

I think it's a mistake to jump without the new I/O. Through ten years of owning Macs, my regrets when deciding to wait or jump has always been I/O watersheds. Speeds are nice and all but they are nothing, when considering the longevity of a machine, compared to being stuck on the wrong side of an I/O update. That is to say, the regret of not having the latest CPU/GPU pales in comparison to being stuck on USB2 or a last gen I/O port.

If you're holding out for whatever reason the current 5K iMac is not right for you, I would recommend waiting for Skylake (if Apple even bothers with Broadwell which they seem to be skipping where possible).

 

[grifter730]

I've been following this thread for a few days now. I'm in desperate need of an upgrade, and while Skylake on the 27" would be awesome, I was already at the point where I didn't even care if there was an update or not, I just wanted to make sure I didn't purchase one right before the update came out. Now that I've been reading this forum, I'm concerned about the heating issue of the 5k iMac. I was going to upgrade everything (RAM, chip, GFX, etc.) to the best spec, so I'm wondering what you guys can tell me about the heating issue? Does it crash the computer a lot? Are there lots of people with this issue?

 

[jordanz]

I've been following this thread for a few days now. I'm in desperate need of an upgrade, and while Skylake on the 27" would be awesome, I was already at the point where I didn't even care if there was an update or not, I just wanted to make sure I didn't purchase one right before the update came out. Now that I've been reading this forum, I'm concerned about the heating issue of the 5k iMac. I was going to upgrade everything (RAM, chip, GFX, etc.) to the best spec, so I'm wondering what you guys can tell me about the heating issue? Does it crash the computer a lot? Are there lots of people with this issue?

From what I've read there are no crashes, you just get a loud fan and slower (throttled) performance while the machine tries to cool the GFX card and/or CPU down. I've also seen people say they have zero issues whatsoever: my friend edits videos in Final Cut every day and has both i7 and 295x upgrades with no complaints. Either way, this is definitely one of the reasons I've chosen to wait for a refresh before I buy!

I'm in the same boat as you -- I also read something on here about it being best if you only do one of the CPU or GFX upgrades (not both) but I really doubt the accuracy of that. Maybe someone else can chime in.

I think I'm just going to upgrade everything and hope for the best (buy the RAM separately yourself, way cheaper) - it'll be my main computer for a few years. Will definitely be getting AppleCare for peace of mind though!

 

[stradify]

From reading the 9to5Mac posting, it looks like they are using Broadwell chips. So i wonder if they did release an update to the 27 using Broadwell with a micro speed bump but non of the wishlist that everyone is throwing around that comes with Skylake, would all you people who are holding out for a refresh still jump?

ie: no Thunderbolt 3
no USB 3.1/C

Considering Dell has desktop computers for sale right now with Skylake chips, it would be strange, to say the least, if Apple used broadwell chips instead of Skylake's. If 9to5Mac is correct that they're going to use Broadwell then I agree that, unless you really need an iMac right now, you'd be best served by waiting for Skylake. I know that I'll be waiting till the Skylake chips arrive as I'm not buying into technology that's already been left in the dust.

Here's the link to the Dell: http://www.techbargains.com/deal/427815/dell-xps-8900-desktop

 

[alexxk]

From reading the 9to5Mac posting, it looks like they are using Broadwell chips. So i wonder if they did release an update to the 27 using Broadwell with a micro speed bump but non of the wishlist that everyone is throwing around that comes with Skylake, would all you people who are holding out for a refresh still jump?

ie: no Thunderbolt 3
no USB 3.1/C

I really need a new computer for my photography needs!! If its not skylake it would be a bummer for sure, but I think I would still purchase one.. Heck I thought about going PC and building my own machine.. but I love OS X and the all in one look of the iMac.

 

[acrakes]

Skylake = DDR4 RAM, faster PCI etc.
Alpine Ridge controller = Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.1/C

I believe you can have Broadwell + Alpine Ridge, so you'd get better ports but the internals would be slower than with the Skylake chipset..

But a lot of the engineering now goes into internal data speeds and heat management.. "Skylake" is a catch-all term for slightly faster processors, better integrated GPUs, 30% faster and more power-efficient RAM, and and faster internal data transmission (re: hard drives), plus some other semi-gimmicks.. Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1 are separate..

 

[Xteec]

I've been following this thread for a few days now. I'm in desperate need of an upgrade, and while Skylake on the 27" would be awesome, I was already at the point where I didn't even care if there was an update or not, I just wanted to make sure I didn't purchase one right before the update came out. Now that I've been reading this forum, I'm concerned about the heating issue of the 5k iMac. I was going to upgrade everything (RAM, chip, GFX, etc.) to the best spec, so I'm wondering what you guys can tell me about the heating issue? Does it crash the computer a lot? Are there lots of people with this issue?

The computer is smart enough to throttle power to the CPU and GPU to keep them within safe temperatures. And that's the problem with these 5K iMacs. Any type of work/gaming that needs prolonged, full power CPU/GPU usage, you will experience throttling, and hence lower than maximum performance, until the computer is cool enough to run at full speed.

I normally don't get extended warranty on my Macs, but for this one I would. At the operating temps people have been reporting, heat is likely to noticeably shorten the lifespan of this model. Only time will tell on that one.

 

[grifter730]

I also read something on here about it being best if you only do one of the CPU or GFX upgrades (not both) but I really doubt the accuracy of that. Maybe someone else can chime in.

ARRRRRrrrrggghhhh... I assumed that upgrading the CPU and RAM would help... Dunno why, that was silly of me. Urrrggghh. I'm curious to hear from someone who has a fully upgraded one.

The computer is smart enough to throttle power to the CPU and GPU to keep them within safe temperatures. And that's the problem with these 5K iMacs. Any type of work/gaming that needs prolonged, full power CPU/GPU usage, you will experience throttling, and hence lower than maximum performance, until the computer is cool enough to run at full speed.

My daily usage is something like 3 Chrome windows with 10-20 tabs each, Sketch app, Photoshop, and Spotify. Occasionally I'll have uTorrent running, or I'll need another Adobe app (e.g. Illustrator) open, and maybe Skype. I also do Google Hangout video meetings a lot for work. And then there's the auto-launched apps when I plug in my iPhone or iPad (iTunes, Photos). I guess it's safe to assume that all of that would eat a lot of power?

For comparison, right now I'm running a 24" mid-2007 iMac, with Yosemite (I realize this model isn't supposed to run Yosemite), with 4GB RAM. I end up having to use my phone or iPad for Spotify, and I generally can't have everything I listed above open, especially if I have multiple files in Sketch or Photoshop.

 

[Xteec]

My daily usage is something like 3 Chrome windows with 10-20 tabs each, Sketch app, Photoshop, and Spotify. Occasionally I'll have uTorrent running, or I'll need another Adobe app (e.g. Illustrator) open, and maybe Skype. I also do Google Hangout video meetings a lot for work. And then there's the auto-launched apps when I plug in my iPhone or iPad (iTunes, Photos). I guess it's safe to assume that all of that would eat a lot of power?

For comparison, right now I'm running a 24" mid-2007 iMac, with Yosemite (I realize this model isn't supposed to run Yosemite), with 4GB RAM. I end up having to use my phone or iPad for Spotify, and I generally can't have everything I listed above open, especially if I have multiple files in Sketch or Photoshop.

That type of usage is fine for the 5K iMac as it is. Those activities mainly need a lot of RAM. CPU usage is medium to high but only for short periods of time (say less than a few hours and more bursty than sustained).

The heavy usage scenario I'm thinking of is rendering graphics/video, transcoding, gaming. Activities where everything is running full speed for 5, 10, 20+ hours.

 

[grifter730]

That type of usage is fine for the 5K iMac as it is. Those activities mainly need a lot of RAM. CPU usage is medium to high but only for short periods of time (say less than a few hours and more bursty than sustained).

The heavy usage scenario I'm thinking of is rendering graphics/video, transcoding, gaming. Activities where everything is running full speed for 5, 10, 20+ hours.

Oh okay. I was getting the fully upgraded spec because this needs to last a long time (as I said, my current iMac is mid-2007 model). I do hope it ends up being okay. Though right now I hope there's a Skylake update, but we'll see. If no updates happen, I guess I'm not much left with a choice, so I'll buy it fully upgraded and hope for the best. From what you're saying, sounds like it might be good.

 

[Xteec]

Oh okay. I was getting the fully upgraded spec because this needs to last a long time (as I said, my current iMac is mid-2007 model). I do hope it ends up being okay. Though right now I hope there's a Skylake update, but we'll see. If no updates happen, I guess I'm not much left with a choice, so I'll buy it fully upgraded and hope for the best. From what you're saying, sounds like it might be good.

Sorry I wasn't clear. When I said "as it is" I meant the current generation. Upgrades depend on your budget/longevity requirements ultimately and I make no comment on that. .

I think for your current usage scenario the current iMac will not have overheating problems.

Personally though as I mentioned in another post, the I/O speed of 10gig USB3.1 is what would make me wait.

 

[randalf72]

I've seen Skylake on Dell machines, hell I've even seen deals for Skylake motherboards and processors from the component shops.

Skylake is out there.

However AIUI these are desktop class chipsets and the iMac tends to use the laptop components for heat dissipation reasons.

I've not seen much in the way of Skylake laptops although most manufacturers have announced that they are on the way or they are just hitting shops now in serious quantities.

It's therefore pretty nailed on that Apple have the chips, possibly not enough for production purposes depending upon exactly which option they are interested in but they will certainly have them on development machines.

It's not beyond reason that if supplies of the correct chips are limited right now, they aren't far off being available on the kinds of scales required for mass production.

So there is absolutely nothing to stop Apple announcing Skylake iMacs next week even if they won't be available until the back end of the year.

That said the main issues for me aren't necessarily related to Skylake. I mean DDR4 would be nice and Target display is on my 'nice to have' list, but they aren't essential. TB3 and USB 3.1 are of more interest but to be honest they aren't deal breakers. For my data requirements TB2 is plenty fast enough and I'd prefer it to gain enough acceptance for the prices of TB hardware to fall more inline with USB.

What I really want is a GPU bump, better handling of the heat issues, 512gb SSD as standard and no change to the ability to upgrade the RAM at a later date.

If those can be met on the next RiMac then I'll pull the trigger

 

[Toydoll]

Hope someone can clear this up for me.

If I wait for a skylake iMac, will it then be possible to attach an external GPU and use the iMac only as a display (once the computer dies/gets obsolete)?
I wouldn't demand that it can use an external GPU, but i would really want it to be able to act solely as an display.


I have been waiting for a iMac a long, long time now and my fingers are getting really close to the "buy" button. I can however wait a few more months if it's worth it. The few percent better CPU and latest USB isn't anything I really care about...


But oh, well... To be honest, I haven't even decided if I want 21" or 27". I'll probably go with 21" since I'm afraid that 27" would be to big.
So yeah, sign me up for a 24"



Edit: And while they're at it. Please design it so that it can run cool and nice. Is there anyone here that, honestly, would care if it was 1-3 cm thicker?
I know I wouldn't.

 

[OurDarkness]

If Apple announces new riMacs with Skylake with availability within the year, I will wait.

An ideal machine for me would be:

1. riMac with new IntelSkylake processors
2. A better AMD/NVidia GPU, optimized regarding heat issues
3. 512 SSD as standard (otherwise I am upgrading to one)
4. 16 GB DDR4 (otherwise I am upgrading to 16GB, if it comes with 8GB as standard)

 

[randalf72]

If Apple announces new riMacs with Skylake with availability within the year, I will wait.

An ideal machine for me would be:

1. riMac with new IntelSkylake processors
2. A better AMD/NVidia GPU, optimized regarding heat issues
3. 512 SSD as standard (otherwise I am upgrading to one)
4. 16 GB DDR4 (otherwise I am upgrading to 16GB, if it comes with 8GB as standard)

My concern is that right now the price of SSDs has gone through the floor. If 512gb is the new floor then the upgrade cost to 1tb is likely to represent more value than is currently the case as it will be one step up rather than two steps as is the current status.

And as I am sure you are aware, the cost of upgrading memory is significantly cheaper should you approach vendors other than Apple (unless you're after a 21")

 

[OurDarkness]

And as I am sure you are aware, the cost of upgrading memory is significantly cheaper should you approach vendors other than Apple (unless you're after a 21")

Yes, I am perfectly aware of that.. it will all depend on what they will give us when they announce the new models

 

[EnesM]

IMO it would be a huge mistake by Apple not to go for Skylake now, even if it's vaporware. After all, it wouldn't be the first time they've announced products that had no availability whatsoever, in fact, they do that very often, so why not go for Skylake then?

At least we'll know it's there and we can preorder and wait!

P.S. Especially when Asus and Dell have already announced their Skylake products!

 

[bmodi]

"Everyone" is now using Skylake for their products. Microsoft is using them, HP, Dell, Lenovo, Thosiba, Acer......you get Laptops and desktop PC's..........

Would be really disappointing if only Apple would not use them......i cannot imagine that.......

 

[AlifTheUnseen]

I've seen Skylake on Dell machines, hell I've even seen deals for Skylake motherboards and processors from the component shops.

Skylake is out there.

However AIUI these are desktop class chipsets and the iMac tends to use the laptop components for heat dissipation reasons.

<snip>

IMHO, this is correct for GPU and harddisks, but not for the CPU… the last few iMac generations usually had the flagship desktop CPU inside… i.e. the current RiMac max CPU is the i7-4790K (http://ark.intel.com/products/80807/Intel-Core-i7-4790K-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-4_40-GHz ).

The Skylake flagship CPU has been launched 1 month ago or so, it's 'available': i7-6700K (http://ark.intel.com/products/88195/Intel-Core-i7-6700K-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-4_20-GHz ).

It would be another sad indicator of Apple's core rot if they updated their 2-year-old 21" iMac with a Broadwell processor that actually is also close to 2 years old (not accounting for Intels manufacturing problem). That said, I think the Haswell i7-4790K is a very decent cpu… what we need is not necessarily a better cpu, but better GPU, cooling, i/o, ssd as standard etc…

edit: i7-6700K, not i7-6300K...

 

[Sirmausalot]

From reading the 9to5Mac posting, it looks like they are using Broadwell chips. So i wonder if they did release an update to the 27 using Broadwell with a micro speed bump but non of the wishlist that everyone is throwing around that comes with Skylake, would all you people who are holding out for a refresh still jump?

ie: no Thunderbolt 3
no USB 3.1/C

There is no Broadwell that gives a micro-speedbump to the Haswell 4.0?