Will the next generation of iMacs feature Haswell Chips??

[tanker5]

So here we are - Mid-October, 2012. It's been over 500 days since the last iMac update. It's also about 6 months away from Intel's release of their 4th generation core processors (Haswell processors). Intel has already been demonstrating working Haswell systems on display at various keynote events.

Will Apple decide to release a new totally re-designed iMac with processors that have already been available for 6 months now? At this point, I don't think so. Apple recognizes that there is not much of a speed bump or performance upgrade between Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge processors, at least not enough of a speed or performance bump for the common iMac user to notice.

Sandy Bridge processors and Ivy Bridge processors both use the same CPU socket (LGA 1155). This similarity would have made it very simple for Apple to update the iMac line with Ivy Bridge processors because they can most likely use the exact same logic boards and components.

Haswell chips, on the other hand, will use a new CPU socket (LGA 1150). The idea that Apple would decide to completely re-design their internal iMac components for a new generation Ivy Bridge iMac now just doesn't make sense to me. They would have to re-design all the components again for a Haswell iMac. I believe that if Apple wanted to release an Ivy Bridge iMac they would have already and it would look exactly like the current generation iMacs.

My prediction is that there Apple will be amongst the first computer makers - if not the first to sell Haswell systems. These new iMacs will be a major re-design. Screen sizes will stay the same, but resolution will increase. the 21.5" iMac will have a 2560 x 1440 resolution (the same as the current 27" iMac) and the 27" iMac will offer a 2880 x 1800 display. There will be no optical drive, and all flash storage. Also, the new iMacs will be the first generation to support 802.11ac.

It's been over 500 days. I think another 200 days or so will be well worth the wait.

 

[Sjhonny]

quoting Anandtech (week old architecture): " Intel detailed quite a bit about an architecture that wouldn't be shipping for another 9 months ". And that's a pretty optimistic prediction, since AMD has nothing in the pipeline that'll beat the performance line-up of Ivy Bridge.

A mobo that supports the full scala of Ivy Bridge's new features will need a severe redesign. USB 3.0, PCI.X 3.0 are the most important once.

Usually Apple releases a redesign with minor internal differences (same chipset, same CPUs, sane GPUs), only in a different form factor.

I'm guessing the reason why Apple waited was the GPU. Both AMD & nVidia have only recently released there full line-up for the radeon 7xxx(m) serie & geforce 6xx(m) serie.

 

[comatory]

Don't think that if Apple waited for new iMac to have Haswell chop that it'd be available in April 2013. It's just a roadmap and Intel tends to be 2-3 months late on their schedule regularly.
Also, they release mobile chips first and desktop comes 1-3 months later (the more "powerful" CPU the later it comes, for example Xeons).
So if you do the math, desktop CPUs for any new gen iMac would be probably available slightly under a year from now on.

I find it hard to believe that Apple would delay iMacs for another 12 months. Unless it's that great thing for "Pro's" that Cook promised in July.

 

[davidgnomo]

Nope ...

 

[TRAV9614]

I think they will do a minor update this year with ivy bridge, USB 3, and new graphics. Then I think next year when has well comes out they will do a totally redesigned iMac possibly with retina displays, but I really don't think that apple will take out the optical drive in the iMac. It makes no sense there are still plenty of people that need the Optical drive on a daily basis in a desktop.

 

[cirus]

I never get why everyone thinks that apple delays their products due to a mobo change or redesigned internals. Asus, Gigabyte, AsRock, MSI, design dozens of motherboards and it does not take them months. OEM laptops have different motherboards and it does not take them two months to roll out (and completely different internal layouts). Besides, if a company as big as apple finds the task of designing a single motherboard for imac (or two) difficult then that is seriously pathetic.

Note: Yes lots of OEM's do design crappy laptops but they are crappy mainly for overall build quality reasons and not because of motherboard problems. I think apple's motherboards are not any better than any other motherboards out there.

"A severe redesign?" USB 3.0 is chipset/cpu so they really aren't doing anything there. You are forgetting that other laptop makers (Im going to compare the imac to a laptop because of the form factor and the fact that it uses non standard components --not ATX mobos) have had these features for much longer on their products.

"Apple waited because of the gpu" Please, the macbook pro uses nvidia gpus obviously there is no problem there.

Seriously If you think apple has any problem designing internal components (ignoring design changes due to heat problems--making it thinner and lighter) you are deluding yourself.

 

[NewbieCanada]

but I really don't think that apple will take out the optical drive in the iMac. It makes no sense there are still plenty of people that need the Optical drive on a daily basis in a desktop.

Let's say that (to use round, easy numbers) Apple sells 100 iMacs a year and the optical drive costs Apple $10 per unit.

They remove the drive from the next generation, but still charge the same price. So they've saved $1,000 in costs over a year.

But some people still need optical drives. Let's say it's 30%. So that's 300 people who will buy an external drive at $30-80. Let's say half of them go for Apple's $80 Superdrive. So 150 x $80 = $12,000 in revenue.

$13,000 in combined revenue and savings on 100 computers. Apply it to real sales figures and the money is substantial.

(Same logic applies to things like removing the Ethernet and Firewire ports from the MacBook Pro retina line)

Mind you, I'm not saying they'll remove it. Just offering a scenario. I personally have no need for a drive at all, but I do need one for burning discs for other people.

 

[edry.hilario]

So here we are - Mid-October, 2012. It's been over 500 days since the last iMac update. It's also about 6 months away from Intel's release of their 4th generation core processors (Haswell processors). Intel has already been demonstrating working Haswell systems on display at various keynote events.

Will Apple decide to release a new totally re-designed iMac with processors that have already been available for 6 months now? At this point, I don't think so. Apple recognizes that there is not much of a speed bump or performance upgrade between Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge processors, at least not enough of a speed or performance bump for the common iMac user to notice.

Sandy Bridge processors and Ivy Bridge processors both use the same CPU socket (LGA 1155). This similarity would have made it very simple for Apple to update the iMac line with Ivy Bridge processors because they can most likely use the exact same logic boards and components.

Haswell chips, on the other hand, will use a new CPU socket (LGA 1150). The idea that Apple would decide to completely re-design their internal iMac components for a new generation Ivy Bridge iMac now just doesn't make sense to me. They would have to re-design all the components again for a Haswell iMac. I believe that if Apple wanted to release an Ivy Bridge iMac they would have already and it would look exactly like the current generation iMacs.

My prediction is that there Apple will be amongst the first computer makers - if not the first to sell Haswell systems. These new iMacs will be a major re-design. Screen sizes will stay the same, but resolution will increase. the 21.5" iMac will have a 2560 x 1440 resolution (the same as the current 27" iMac) and the 27" iMac will offer a 2880 x 1800 display. There will be no optical drive, and all flash storage. Also, the new iMacs will be the first generation to support 802.11ac.

It's been over 500 days. I think another 200 days or so will be well worth the wait.

 

[TwoBytes]

So will the haswell imac in 2013 help with heat issues being so thin?