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Year of the retina iMac
- Thread starter Serban
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I can't imagine Apple releasing an iMac update before Broadwell, which won't be this year. Maybe we'll get a Retina iMac early next year with the Broadwell update. They could do a Haswell refresh but I think if we were getting a big update with Retina we'd have heard some rumors from the supply industry by now.
I thought intel said in May that Broadwell would ship before the end of the year. Might not happen of course.
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/05/19/intel-broadwell-holiday-season/
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/05/19/intel-broadwell-holiday-season/
Won't happen this year. That's why I just bought the high end 27inch iMac a few days ago. Also, what Seramir says, the performance will have a hit initially. Broadwell will not be much faster, but a 4K display will need a lot more power (and GPU).
I'd say 2015 and maybe even 2016. Either they need to wait until mobile GPU can handle the resolution or need to figure out how to put in a proper desktop GPU in iMac body. I am all for the latter to be honest as I hate the current state of mobile GPU units in iMac line up. Also the price of display will factor in as well. 4K display probably will drop significantly by the end of this year, but iMac 27" models will go beyond 4K and the price won't come down so easily, just as 1440p didn't while 1080p did.
From what I've deduced, the desktop chips won't be out until around December, with limited availability through Q2 2015. To me that seems most likely to result in a 2015 iMac update, but of course Apple could do what they did in 2012 and announce it at the end of the year even if it isn't ready to ship in large quantities.
I hope it's earlier than December because whether or not I get an iMac I want to wait until the new hardware is available before I buy something new. I like making a purchase right after a new release.
http://www.cnet.com/news/blogging-intels-next-gen-processor-broadwell-is-mostly-a-2015-thing/
I don't want a Retina iMac. Sounds weird? not to me
I'm guessing 90% of the people who think they want one never consider why they might need one, beyond saying the word "Retina!"
2560 looks darn good right now
Not necessarily true, we all are getting more and more used to high density displays due to advancement in mobile devices. It's not about the need, but desire for better experience. It is only natural for people to want the same level of clarity for their desktop experiences. Plus, if you regularly read in any language that isn't using the alphabets (mostly Easter Asian languages), you will greatly appreciate the difference that higher PPI displays bring to the experience.
Yeah, that is true. And soon UHD 4k will be as ubiquitous as HD is today. The Retina moniker is nearing EOL.
Welp, just pulled the plug.
I bought a 27 inch iMac.
3,5-GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost 3,9 GHz
32 GB 1600-MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 4x 8 GB
1 TB flashstorage
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M 4 GB GDDR5
I can see this happening on the top-end models only, Retina screen being a premium component and the beefier GPU needed to power it will be a pricier part as well.
Fusion drive should be standard already, those 5400 rpm mechanical drives on the 21.5-inch models are embarrassing.
4K can still get you "retina" just not in 1440p workspace. it will get you 1080p workspace.
Also looking to purchase a 27" iMac (to replace my aging Mac Pro) and just read on the Macworld UK site the Broadwell chips are finally shipping, and they're predicting new iMacs will ship in October. Hard to know if these rumors prove true or not, especially since recent reports say the chips weren't shipping until early/mid 2015.
http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/mac/imac-2014-retina-release-date-rumours-specs-3511338/
http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/mac/imac-2014-retina-release-date-rumours-specs-3511338/
won't happen until late 2015 at minimum, the 880m didn't magically doubled the performance over the 780m you know.
I doubt it will be a simple 4k because a 1080p workspace on a 27" is a huge downgrade compared to current and previous solutions from apple.
They will make it 5120 x 2880.
I doubt it will be a simple 4k because a 1080p workspace on a 27" is a huge downgrade compared to current and previous solutions from apple.
They will make it 5120 x 2880.
Interesting....I think the problem is people are reading as fact that the new chips won't ship until early/mid 2015 when that is just a rumour....
I am more optimistic that we will see a new iMac later this year and as the article says I doubt it would be true retina resolution but even the 'pixel doubled' 3,840 x 2,400 version along with broadwell, TB2 and new graphics card would be more than worth the wait....
I think as the CEO is saying this:
In a conference call about Intel's second-quarter results on 15 July, Intel's chief executive Brian Krzanich confirmed Intel’s hardware partners will have Broadwell systems on store shelves in the run up to Christmas.
It is stonger than a rumour!
all you buyers in the last couple of months, you know you will be ebaying the 2013 model at the end of the year.....
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27" is already nearly retina at the current resolution (2560x1440). There is no need to pixel double it to make it retina - unless you're not understanding exactly what ti is that enables a screen to be classed as "retina".
The formula considers distance from the screen as well as pixel size. The current 27" inch screen is 90% of the way to being retina. While pixel doubling is one way to make the transition "easy", it is not essential.
If we're going to see a "retina" iMac then it will be in the guise of a 4k display that is running in high dpi mode, or a panel with a modest increase in density over the current 2560x1440 one.
Of course, that doesn't even address the problem of how you're going to drive such a display adequately.
I'm not willing to take any hit at all in performance to get any higher resolution than the imac already has. If they can pull it off, great, otherwise, I'll take a jump in performance when it comes, and won't worry about whether they call it . . Retina, 4k or whatever.