I'm slowly growing open to the idea of an iMac after much discussion with a friend about getting a "real" computer. The Mac mini is good but the iMac certainly has more horsepower including discrete graphics and our constant back and forth has sort of opened my mind.
The iMac is a fantastic computer for a certain class of users. However iMac and horsepower really don't go together. Even if you get a model with discreet GPU support, that GPU will not be high-performance model. Further, with SkyLake, there is a very good possibility that discreet GPU's will disappear in the iMac. Your friend may very well be behind the times when it comes to what future machines will look like.
This brings up another issue with respect to new machines, I've yet to hear about an announcement from Apple about a show, invitations and such. We are closing in on the usual 2 week window for press invites.
He says (and I reluctantly agree with him on this) that the mini is getting weaker and weaker and that Apple rather than even put in a decent core i5 (even a dual core) like I feel is in my 2011 model will instead put in a Core M processor which I feel is trash. Thus what he feels is I should step up my game if I am going to remain an Apple fan to something with Iris Pro in it.
He hates Apple so in the thick of things he feels I should "get a real PC" but if I'm going to stick with Apple, get away from the mini and move on up a bit since my finances don't call for a Mac Pro and I don't really need it what I do on it.
He says (and I reluctantly agree with him on this) that the mini is getting weaker and weaker and that Apple rather than even put in a decent core i5 (even a dual core) like I feel is in my 2011 model will instead put in a Core M processor which I feel is trash.
Well he can think that but frankly he knows nothing and as such I wouldn't dismiss the Mini based on fantasy. The time to dismiss the Mini is when Apple ships the Mini with a Core M. I honestly don't think that will happen as the Mini needs to remain low cost with reasonable performance. As for the machine getting weaker there are many ways to measure the strength of a machine and in this case Apple made a point to select chips that significantly boosted GPU performance which is very important to most users.
Thus what he feels is I should step up my game if I am going to remain an Apple fan to something with Iris Pro in it.
That doesn't sound like advice based on reasoned thinking. Iris Pro is very good but it isn't suitable for everybody.
He hates Apple so in the thick of things he feels I should "get a real PC" but if I'm going to stick with Apple,
If he is talking like that he has no credibility what so ever!!!!!! Mac OS is UNIX at its core and that right there means it has the operating capability at one time reserved for mainframe and Mini computers. More so as shipped Mac OS is far more complete than anything MicroSoft has shipped recently.
get away from the mini and move on up a bit since my finances don't call for a Mac Pro and I don't really need it what I do on it.
So I guess later this year intel NUC with skylake will have HDMI 2.0, DP 1.4 will support at least 2 4K monitors..
DP will daisy chain another 4K monitor at 60hz(?).
I don't think iGPU can't be hardcore gamer. But it will be great for stock trader who don't need external GPU to support more than 2 4K monitors.
NUC will be cheap and great for that. I hope Mac mini update the skylake this year as well(HDMI 2.0).
This year is too early for DP 1.4, but the standards have shifted pretty fast in the last year or so. DP 1.2 was finalized in 2009, yet many of its features were barely used until the second half of 2013.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Adrayven
Apple only did a CPU refresh.. That has nothing to do with Laptop updates (form-factor changes, etc).
Apple has done CPU refresh's at beginning of the year and then full Macbook (GPU/Form factor changes, screen, etc) updates at end of the year multiple times now.
So, the fact that Apple 'updated' CPU only really means nothing..
The 13" made a switch from Haswell to Broadwell. That typically carries a longer refresh, but they have been more willing to do things like that with the 13" compared to the 15". The 15" got a new discrete gpu. That's very unusual for anything short term. I could see a form factor change on the next major refresh.
Comments
The iMac is a fantastic computer for a certain class of users. However iMac and horsepower really don't go together. Even if you get a model with discreet GPU support, that GPU will not be high-performance model. Further, with SkyLake, there is a very good possibility that discreet GPU's will disappear in the iMac. Your friend may very well be behind the times when it comes to what future machines will look like.
This brings up another issue with respect to new machines, I've yet to hear about an announcement from Apple about a show, invitations and such. We are closing in on the usual 2 week window for press invites.
He hates Apple so in the thick of things he feels I should "get a real PC" but if I'm going to stick with Apple, get away from the mini and move on up a bit since my finances don't call for a Mac Pro and I don't really need it what I do on it.
This is good..
So I guess later this year intel NUC with skylake will have HDMI 2.0, DP 1.4 will support at least 2 4K monitors..
DP will daisy chain another 4K monitor at 60hz(?).
I don't think iGPU can't be hardcore gamer. But it will be great for stock trader who don't need external GPU to support more than 2 4K monitors.
NUC will be cheap and great for that. I hope Mac mini update the skylake this year as well(HDMI 2.0).
This year is too early for DP 1.4, but the standards have shifted pretty fast in the last year or so. DP 1.2 was finalized in 2009, yet many of its features were barely used until the second half of 2013.
Quote:
Apple only did a CPU refresh.. That has nothing to do with Laptop updates (form-factor changes, etc).
Apple has done CPU refresh's at beginning of the year and then full Macbook (GPU/Form factor changes, screen, etc) updates at end of the year multiple times now.
So, the fact that Apple 'updated' CPU only really means nothing..
The 13" made a switch from Haswell to Broadwell. That typically carries a longer refresh, but they have been more willing to do things like that with the 13" compared to the 15". The 15" got a new discrete gpu. That's very unusual for anything short term. I could see a form factor change on the next major refresh.