The time is ripe for a 23" iMac
I remember the 23" iMac always being a ludicrous rumour in the past. It was always too expensive, too big, too much display attached to a computer, and so forth. But I sit here in front of my 20" iMac and it doesn't seem big enough.
Consider this: the current 20" iMac is $1699, but that was before the 20" Cinema Display dropped $100 in price. Let's say that makes the next 20-inch model $1599. The 23" Cinema dropped a massive $300 down to $999. Are you following this so far?
Now consider that the least expensive Mac Pro is $2124. That's a pretty large window of opportunity for an interim model. In theory, Apple could have a lower-end Mac Pro - but I don't think they'll do that.
If anything, a 23" iMac would make more sense given Apple's philosophy and the increasing importance of HD video. It'd make a good future platform for Blu-Ray once that becomes feasible for the iMac. The 23" iMac would also make for a killer dorm room (or budget apartment dweller) PC. I could see specs like these in a Fall 2006 model:
- 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo (1066MHz bus)
- 1GB DDR2 RAM at 667MHz
- 16X Superdrive
- 320GB hard drive
- 256MB Radeon X1650 Pro graphics
That's actually not very far-fetched. I think Apple could do it for $1899. The only problem I would see is that the desktop Core 2 Duo generates more heat, which could create more noise or affect the reliability of components. It's just a lot more expensive to have mobile Core 2 chips, which probably aren't needed here.
Consider this: the current 20" iMac is $1699, but that was before the 20" Cinema Display dropped $100 in price. Let's say that makes the next 20-inch model $1599. The 23" Cinema dropped a massive $300 down to $999. Are you following this so far?
Now consider that the least expensive Mac Pro is $2124. That's a pretty large window of opportunity for an interim model. In theory, Apple could have a lower-end Mac Pro - but I don't think they'll do that.
If anything, a 23" iMac would make more sense given Apple's philosophy and the increasing importance of HD video. It'd make a good future platform for Blu-Ray once that becomes feasible for the iMac. The 23" iMac would also make for a killer dorm room (or budget apartment dweller) PC. I could see specs like these in a Fall 2006 model:
- 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo (1066MHz bus)
- 1GB DDR2 RAM at 667MHz
- 16X Superdrive
- 320GB hard drive
- 256MB Radeon X1650 Pro graphics
That's actually not very far-fetched. I think Apple could do it for $1899. The only problem I would see is that the desktop Core 2 Duo generates more heat, which could create more noise or affect the reliability of components. It's just a lot more expensive to have mobile Core 2 chips, which probably aren't needed here.
Comments
Make it happen.
--DotComCTO
I mean - you can buy a MBP and hook a 23" onto that. Or a MB for that matter.
Save yourself a few bucks and hook a Dell 24" (YES a DELL - many of us have them, way better I/O options and cheaper. They're not as pretty, granted but for the money they're hard to walk past).
At round about the price point you're wanting.
Despite all the naysayers, and notgonnahappeners, it's the obvious route for Apple;
The 17"/20" line up will get cheaper in time and they'll need a new top model.
If you have a 20"iMac rev.A, you want a better computer when you have to upgrade.
That means faster processor and larger screen.
Keep it simple.
The nice thing though, is that it will cost about the same as a fully equipped 20"iMacG5 rev.A back in 2004.
my 2 eurocent.
Don't think Apple are going to offer you what you want.
I mean - you can buy a MBP and hook a 23" onto that. Or a MB for that matter.
Save yourself a few bucks and hook a Dell 24" (YES a DELL - many of us have them, way better I/O options and cheaper. They're not as pretty, granted but for the money they're hard to walk past).
At round about the price point you're wanting.
Yes, they will.
They have to.
Because, like you said, all those smart ass bastards buy a MacBook and Dell screen, instead of a 23"iMac (with larger margins than a MacBook) or a MacBook and a 23"iMac.
Don't think Apple allows such a blasphemy.
Is this intentional planned obsolescence, to make us buy new Apple displays?
Yes, to make you buy a new Mac.
Or a television?
I like you.
Don't think Apple are going to offer you what you want.
I mean - you can buy a MBP and hook a 23" onto that. Or a MB for that matter.
Save yourself a few bucks and hook a Dell 24" (YES a DELL - many of us have them, way better I/O options and cheaper. They're not as pretty, granted but for the money they're hard to walk past).
At round about the price point you're wanting.
An MBP or an MB is still a much more expensive option - especially if you were looking for the hard drive space and graphics performance of a desktop. Also, let's not forget that the Dell 2407WFP is known to have colour banding issues. I'm not keen on going that route just to get my extra screen space.
What Apple would ideally do at the same time is offer the accessible back of the original iMac G5 with the cooling properties of the newest models. That way people could at least swap the hard drive or perform DIY repairs.
Also, those who'd say the 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo is such a "high end machine" haven't seen CPU prices. Mobile chips like the ones in the current iMac are actually quite expensive. A local shop has both Core 2 Duo models listed for pre-order; would you believe that a 2.4GHz desktop Core 2 Duo is less expensive than a 2.16GHz (and lower-performing) mobile version? If it won't melt the insides of the case or turn the CPU fan as loudly as a jet engine, the 2.4GHz chip should be in the iMac.
An MBP or an MB is still a much more expensive option - especially if you were looking for the hard drive space and graphics performance of a desktop. Also, let's not forget that the Dell 2407WFP is known to have colour banding issues. I'm not keen on going that route just to get my extra screen space.
What Apple would ideally do at the same time is offer the accessible back of the original iMac G5 with the cooling properties of the newest models. That way people could at least swap the hard drive or perform DIY repairs.
Also, those who'd say the 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo is such a "high end machine" haven't seen CPU prices. Mobile chips like the ones in the current iMac are actually quite expensive. A local shop has both Core 2 Duo models listed for pre-order; would you believe that a 2.4GHz desktop Core 2 Duo is less expensive than a 2.16GHz (and lower-performing) mobile version? If it won't melt the insides of the case or turn the CPU fan as loudly as a jet engine, the 2.4GHz chip should be in the iMac.
The 2.4 Conroe sells for $316 which, IIRC, is pretty much in line with the 2.0 Yonah when it came to market -- which went in the iMac. As Commodus stated, that same price point in the Merom would only get you a 2.0 to 2.13 chip. Not much of an increase from the current offering with no reduction in price. Doesn't seem logical to go that route.
- 2.0/2.44/2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo - 4mb L2 Cache (1066MHz fsb)
- 1GB DDR2 RAM (667MHz)
- 16X Superdrive / 2X Bluray Disk Drive
- 250Gb/320Gb Sata2 Hard Drive (7200rpm)
- 512MB GDDR3 NVIDIA GeForce 7300GT/7600GT (256mb turbocache)
Now that setup is possible.
I would expect it to perhaps come with a better card, but for a default setup, it seems reasonable.
The CPU up to 2.66Ghz simply because 23" is alot of space behind that screen, and really, if it could handle a G5 @ 20" then a Core 2 Duo @ 23" shouldn't pose much of a problem. The Core 2 Duo I think uses 3 Watts more in Performace per Watt, Apple arn't happy about it on the "Menroms" but I am not sure about the "Conroe" but I would imagine mabye a little higher, mabye 6 or 7 watts.
The ram would be punched to a 1Gb, simply because anything below would mean it wouldn't be able to take full advantage of the CPU and GPU, in cases for Video Editing or Games where atleast 1Gb is usually required, making this a good gaming system out of the box, aswell as a fairly descent video editing, perhaps with a little more ram could compete with the lowest end MacPro. So if you don't need the power of the MacPro's Quad Processing, and don't want to pay for a 20" or 23" display seperate, this would be a perfect option!
Would work good as a media center for the bedroom aswell as a (very) fast computer for doing more "serious" computing in photoshop or Final Cut HD.
Full 1080p HD video would also be a great thing, especially if they got Bluray drives. Their current drives are Sony, and Bluray is made by Sony, so I would see it to be more than likly.
As for Noise Level, wouldn't have thought it should be much higher, if any at all, the extra space will allow a higher flow of air across the motherboard, plus they could put bigger fans running at the same rpm as current ones but at the same time pushing more air, and still being even more quiet. CPU cooling though is something I don't know about in the Mac, especially for the Core 2 Duo's. The HSF they are giving for the PC are a nice size, so not exactly sure how they would do it, but I am sure Apple will come up with something.
--Other Thoughts--
Apple may release a "new" iMac design in January at MacWorld, so not sure if they would really invest money in this, but it could happen if they don't plan on changing the design in the next 5-10 months.
if they do a 23" then i'll definitely be spending the extra pennies on that.
it makes so much sense to have a 23" imac.
it'd be such a desirable computer and sell by the truck-load.
You people who keeping wanting to put these high end machines into the back of big monitors have some kind of sick fascination.
Truly. Give me the IMac with a 4" screen with corresponding lower price and I'll plug in my own 23' that has more than one use{TV console games,etc).