REALISTIC suggestions for new iMac 2004
What I'm asking everyone to post here in this thread:
Based on fitting in the 4+ product line-up, hitting the consumer plus (prosumer catagory) and current prices and tech trends...
What do you think could the specs be for the new iMac and what price point would be "reasonable" (not yehaa great...or what your Aunt Cheryl would buy)?
My suggestion for the average consumer:
? One processor...a G5...1.6 or 1.8 GhZ to keep costs down and choice simple.
? Upgradeable Hard Drive (20-40MB less highest PowerMac HD, 5200 RPM)
? Upgradeable graphics card (standard card be 'ok' for most folks...1 or 2 other choices for gamers and semi-pro designers).
? I/O: 2 FW400, 2 USB2, DVI, Bluetooth, Digital Audio, Airport Extreme (option), ports in front like G5 tower
? Small, visually distinctive case
As to AIO vs. 'Headless'...AIO is great IF the price basicly makes the monitor FREE. If an AIO with non-crippled features can cost between $999 and $1400, THEN AIO is fine. It must be cheap if you're going to throw out the monitor when getting a new computer.
Or
Apple can give "rebates" to ALL iMac owners on their new Mac...$50-75 for CRT iMacs, $200-$300 for LCDs....takes the sting out of the "throwing away the monitor" perspective.
Okay,
We've all read or made suggestions that fall in the wish list catagory;
G5 2.5GhZ, 6 slots, headless, detachable/wireless LCDs for $500
and the pessimistic viewpoint
G4 1.8 Ghz, Same inclosure, different color, won't ship till January
and the "I won't buy until they put ... in it".
There is a fine line between realistic (Apple can still make a profit, it's better than it is now, but NOT as good as the pro line for a price tag in the middle).
Most of the posts I've read either accept minimal is what's going to happen or expect a machine better than the pro line for eMac prices.
Based on fitting in the 4+ product line-up, hitting the consumer plus (prosumer catagory) and current prices and tech trends...
What do you think could the specs be for the new iMac and what price point would be "reasonable" (not yehaa great...or what your Aunt Cheryl would buy)?
My suggestion for the average consumer:
? One processor...a G5...1.6 or 1.8 GhZ to keep costs down and choice simple.
? Upgradeable Hard Drive (20-40MB less highest PowerMac HD, 5200 RPM)
? Upgradeable graphics card (standard card be 'ok' for most folks...1 or 2 other choices for gamers and semi-pro designers).
? I/O: 2 FW400, 2 USB2, DVI, Bluetooth, Digital Audio, Airport Extreme (option), ports in front like G5 tower
? Small, visually distinctive case
As to AIO vs. 'Headless'...AIO is great IF the price basicly makes the monitor FREE. If an AIO with non-crippled features can cost between $999 and $1400, THEN AIO is fine. It must be cheap if you're going to throw out the monitor when getting a new computer.
Or
Apple can give "rebates" to ALL iMac owners on their new Mac...$50-75 for CRT iMacs, $200-$300 for LCDs....takes the sting out of the "throwing away the monitor" perspective.
Okay,
We've all read or made suggestions that fall in the wish list catagory;
G5 2.5GhZ, 6 slots, headless, detachable/wireless LCDs for $500
and the pessimistic viewpoint
G4 1.8 Ghz, Same inclosure, different color, won't ship till January
and the "I won't buy until they put ... in it".
There is a fine line between realistic (Apple can still make a profit, it's better than it is now, but NOT as good as the pro line for a price tag in the middle).
Most of the posts I've read either accept minimal is what's going to happen or expect a machine better than the pro line for eMac prices.
Comments
Originally posted by cubist
Cheaper arm (plastic), AIO, non-upgradable video, 1.5GHz G4. Remember, the iMac is fundamentally a repackaged laptop. It is not a shrunken tower, as the Cube was. We'll see the price hit the $999 point for the 15" model. Prepare to be non-blown-away.
plastic arm? the metal isnt the expencive part of the arm, I would imagine that the guts cost far more than the polished metal cover.
Originally posted by chipz
the iMac is a consumer machine meant for persons who want a good, reliable computer - not a user who wants the latest and greatest. For them, there is the PM.
Yes, and of course the general consumer is an idiot who likes to spend way too much for an under-equipped machine? No.
Either way, the thing needs a G5. Another G4 and iMac sales will keep declining just like they have been.
-M
Originally posted by chipz
I have to agree that the new iMac will not be the machine tghat many are hoping for. Due to heat problems, I think Apple will stay with the G4 and crank it up to 1.5 GHz. They may also up the RAM to 512 MB. The HD will most likely remain at 80 GB as that's a pretty good sized HD for this computer. A Firewire 800 port wilol probably be added as well. You must remember, the iMac is a consumer machine meant for persons who want a good, reliable computer - not a user who wants the latest and greatest. For them, there is the PM.
Heat problems can be solved by using low frequency G5... I'm not sure that a 1.2GHz G5 dissipates so much heat!
My question really should have been:
What specs/features would be compelling or spur sales, while still being possible for under $1500?
The biggest complaints I've read on the boards about the iMac:
? Price: Too expensive for the old specs and what consumer market it was aimed at
? Poor Graphics CardNon upgradeable graphics card (bad for gaming0
? Non-reuseable monitor: Can't use monitor when getting a new computer/wasted expense.
What ways would you guys suggest to address these issues?
Heat issues aside, Apple will NOT improve iMac sales unless the new iMacs have a G5 or Dual G4 OR drop prices drasticly.
Why would an iMac need Firewire 800?
The more appropriate question is "why wouldn'tan iMac need FW800?"
Computers are purchased to meet the needs for years beyond their purchase. FW components are available today so there is no reason why an Apple homegrown tech isn't taken advantage of.
The iMac needs
1. Upgadable graphics
2. Seperate monitor
3. Lower prices
We need 2 out of the 3 Apple. Take your pick.
I would love to see iMacs come with an iSight or a built in iSight. This would be a cool extra and would help to increase the number of people out there with whom one can video conference. Aplle has pushed the adoption of many technologies. Tiger is going to improve on iChat AV, what we need is more computers out their that are ready for it. I think more people will use it if they come with the computer, rather than going out and buying the thing.
I know, probably won't happen.
I would bet the farm apple will in now way release a 1.5ghz g4. If they were going to they would have MONTHS ago. Obviously it isn't that hard to throw in a 1.5g4 if they can fit it into a laptop. Judging by the heat problems and WWDC, apple has put a lot of time and effort into the g5 iMac... I don't believe they will let that go.
My prediction ... realistically.
low end
------------------
1.6ghz g5
nVIDIA 5200 64mb
80gb drive (ata 7200)
1 fw 400 / 1 fw800
4 usb 2.0
17" LCD BUILT-IN
------------------
$1,599.99
(why 1.6? because they discontinued the powermac and still have a sufficient supply of these procs). This was reported on a few months ago. I'm too lazy to find url. Also the difference between a 1.5ghz g4 (WITH NO L3 CACHE!!!) and a 1.6ghz g5 is exponentialy different. Paying for anything less would sting very bad in sales right now.
high end
------------------
1.8ghz g5
ati 9600 64mb
120gb drive (ata 7200)
1 fw 400 / 1 fw800
4 usb 2.0
20" LCD BUILT-IN
------------------
$1,999.99
I have heard rumors apple plans on dropping the 15" lcd's... if this isn't true then we'll see another 1.6 for 1299. I don't feel prices on LCDs have dropped enough in the last year for them to be able to manufacture an LCD AIO that much cheaper. Time will tell.
CPU: G5 - because if it's only a G4, Apple would have already released the specs and started taking pre-orders.
# of CPUs: Single processor - Heat and cost. no brainer.
Clockspeed: 1.5 - because it needs to be faster than the current iMac but slower than PowerMacs. It should match the clockspeed of Powerbooks.
LCD: 17" and 20" - Apple wants 16:9 on all monitors. A 15" 16:9 will be pointless.
Ports: Same as current iMac except some should be in front of machine. Maybe optical audio out.
Hard drive: SATA 120GB and above
CD drive: Superdrive
Keyboard/Mouse: Standard WIRED mouse - unless they found a way to use troubleshooting keystrokes with the wireless keyboard but that would mean new boot ROM.
GPU: The fastest mobile GPU available at the time.
Wifi and bluetooth, iSight etc: Optional. Apple doesn't want to make the iMac any more expensive than it is.
Originally posted by The One to Rescue
Heat problems can be solved by using low frequency G5... I'm not sure that a 1.2GHz G5 dissipates so much heat!
Yes, except that a 1,4 ghz G4 will perform better (except for FP) than a 1,2 G5.
I expect G5 at 1,6 and 1,8. Heat is an issue, if you consider noise, otherwise you have only to put a huge fan like in PC.
Originally posted by Powerdoc
Yes, except that a 1,4 ghz G4 will perform better (except for FP) than a 1,2 G5.
I expect G5 at 1,6 and 1,8. Heat is an issue, if you consider noise, otherwise you have only to put a huge fan like in PC.
With a 600MHz FSB, a 1.2GHz G5 can be something quite nice IMO, that would be a nice chip for the low-end. Then 1.5 and 1.8 on the mid-end and high-end.
Originally posted by BeigeUser
LCD: Apple wants 16:9 on all monitors.
Unfortunately! Apple should use standard ratio modells to bring the cost down.
According to sales reports the sony vaio w sells extremely well, to the point that they can hardly keep it in stock.
Personally I like the look of the imac right now compared to the vaio w
Originally posted by emig647
You think they'll go with the more expensive SATA?? How come? What advantage does it offer in the iMac?
Flexibility of position and better airflow. The SATA cable is quite a bit smaller and potentially longer than the old parallel cables.
If you look back to when the original Powermac G3s were released in November 1997 you will notice clock speeds of 233/266Mhz in the desktop version . Within 10 months the original iMac was released with a clock speed of 233Mhz. Now, if you ask me, it stands to reason if they could release a machine then that was as powerful as the bottom line Powermac then, they can do it now. They even have the added difference of dual CPUs in the Power Macs now
The only question is - do they match the original line up (making the new iMac a 1.6Ghz G5) or the current line up (making it a juicy 1.8Ghz)
Just an idea