New iMac, Mac minis expected as early as Tuesday

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Last-minute leaks of part numbers hint Apple is about to release both upgraded iMacs and Mac minis on Tuesday -- along with an emphasis on larger screens for iMacs and a likely NVIDIA-based design.



French site MacBidouille on Monday detailed new model numbers that appear to confirm AppleInsider's discovery of six new Apple products in resellers' pipelines.



Of these, four models ranging from MB417 through MB420 are described as new iMacs, but with a different system balance than today's lineup: only the first model would have a 20-inch screen, while the remaining four would have 24-inch displays.



In turn, two Mac mini models, the MB463 and MB464, would represent updated low- and high-end versions of Apple's compact desktops.



All four would be available tomorrow and ship almost immediately, according to the claim.



Additionally, Dutch site OneMoreThing -- which just earlier today provided a claimed Mac mini box shot -- now also claims to have rough details of the systems' specifications.



The iMacs would come with 2.66GHz, 2.93GHz and 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo processors, with 2GB of DDR3 memory for the base model and 4GB for the rest; they would also support up to 8GB of RAM and carry a Mini DisplayPort connector. Mac minis would have the five USB ports, FireWire 800 and Mini DisplayPort as in photos and videos from last month and would start with a 2GHz Core 2 Duo and carry either 1GB or 2GB of memory depending on the model. Hard drives would also start at a minimum 120GB but top out at 320GB.



While such late-breaking claims must always be treated with caution, the details support Apple's own unintentional leaks, which showed NVIDIA-based iMacs and Mac minis that were meant for 2008 but were ultimately pushed into early 2009.



A list of specifications based on model numbers is available below:



iMac



MB417: "Entry-level" 20-inch with 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM

MB418: "Mid-range" 24-inch with 2.66GHz or 2.93GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM

MB419: "High-end" 24-inch with 2.93GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM

MB420: "Very high-end" 24-inch with 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM



Mac mini

MB463: 2GHz Core 2 Duo, 1GB of RAM, 120GB hard drive

MB464: Unknown Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 137
    ikirikir Posts: 127member
    Can't wait! This sound as a cool update.
  • Reply 2 of 137
    steviet02steviet02 Posts: 594member
    AI is getting completely tooled when it comes to reporting breaking news....
  • Reply 3 of 137
    wobegonwobegon Posts: 764member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by steviet02 View Post


    AI is getting completely tooled when it comes to reporting breaking news....



    How so?
  • Reply 4 of 137
    hattighattig Posts: 860member
    Wow, a tiny 1GB of RAM and 120GB HD on the low end Mac Mini... better be $399, that's all I can say! I got a netbook with that for £200 4 months ago, and that has a keyboard and screen built in... we're just talking a better CPU and chipset.
  • Reply 5 of 137
    macsharkmacshark Posts: 229member
    Given that decent 24" LCD monitors (like the Dell S2409W) are selling for $250, moving more of the iMac models to 24" display size makes sense. The more interesting news would be the pricing. I expect the entry-level 20" iMac to be priced at $999 and the high-end model to be priced at $1999. It is more difficult to guess the pricing for the mid-range models, but if Apple can keep the MB418 pricing in $1299 range, we may have a winner.



    Apple also has to do something drastic about Mac Mini pricing. $499 and $599 would be more appropriate price points for the minis based on today's component prices and the economic environment.



    Oh, one last thing, how about iWork as part of the standard software bundle in addition to iLife? Apple can always make money later through upgrades...
  • Reply 6 of 137
    razorpitrazorpit Posts: 1,796member
    So what happen to all of the dual hard drive rumors we heard about before?
  • Reply 7 of 137
    macsharkmacshark Posts: 229member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hattig View Post


    Wow, a tiny 1GB of RAM and 120GB HD on the low end Mac Mini... better be $399, that's all I can say! I got a netbook with that for £200 4 months ago, and that has a keyboard and screen built in... we're just talking a better CPU and chipset.



    And better software?
  • Reply 8 of 137
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Just how is this an update?



    Current iMacs come with almost the exact same cpu frequencies.



    I hope AI have it wrong. This would be a super lame update.



    I guess the mini looks much better.
  • Reply 9 of 137
    tetzel1517tetzel1517 Posts: 204member
    Hmm... those iMac updates seem too incremental to me. Over a year later, Apple still can't fit more than a 3.06 GHz processor in there? I know the RAM and NVIDIA improvements are nothing to shake a stick at, but I can't see Apple bumping up all of that while leaving the main processor stuck where it is now. Has anything like that happened before?



    I know the public isn't as wedded to GHz numbers as they used to be, but it's still the topline number: You still want it going up, even if only gradually.
  • Reply 10 of 137
    winterspanwinterspan Posts: 605member
    No quad-core Penryn iMac??? WTF? They've been out for 2 years now, and the newer models are EASILY within the power and heat budget of an iMac.

    This will be hilarious... The Mac Pro will have 2x Quad-core "Nehalem" Xeons which already blow away the existing quad-core "Penryn" Xeons and the iMac will be stuck with a freaking Core 2 Duo!



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tetzel1517 View Post


    Hmm... those iMac updates seem too incremental to me. Over a year later, Apple still can't fit more than a 3.06 GHz processor in there?

    ....I know the public isn't as wedded to GHz numbers as they used to be, but it's still the topline number: You still want it going up, even if only gradually.



    Thats the highest clocked C2D laptop chip.. Obviously why they should have at least the top end models using a 45-65W Core 2 Quad.
  • Reply 11 of 137
    zandroszandros Posts: 537member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by backtomac View Post


    Just how is this an update?



    Current iMacs come with almost the exact same cpu frequencies.



    I hope AI have it wrong. This would be a super lame update.



    I guess the mini looks much better.



    Anything not using graphics that were underperforming even when they were released in 2007 is an awesome update in my book.
  • Reply 12 of 137
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hattig View Post


    Wow, a tiny 1GB of RAM and 120GB HD on the low end Mac Mini... better be $399, that's all I can say! I got a netbook with that for £200 4 months ago, and that has a keyboard and screen built in... we're just talking a better CPU and chipset.



    I agree. 120 gb is pathetically lacking and a possible deal breaker for me, especially paired with 1gb of ram, which doesn't cut it. I guess $399 would be ok, but what's the point? Regarding the design, I really thought that photo/video leak was a mock-up. It's a nice looking machine no doubt, but I guess I was expecting something different after all this time.
  • Reply 13 of 137
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Zandros View Post


    Anything not using graphics that were underperforming even when they were released in 2007 is an awesome update in my book.



    Your expectations are too low then.



    Apple can do better.
  • Reply 14 of 137
    allblueallblue Posts: 393member
    Remember these are still just rumours... How does this all fit in with Snow Leopard? Better GPUs for OpenCL - check. Quad (+) core CPUs for Grand Central - er...
  • Reply 15 of 137
    nondualnondual Posts: 78member
    Do the Minis still have integrated graphics, or do they have a separate graphics card ala the G4 Minis?
  • Reply 16 of 137
    zandroszandros Posts: 537member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by backtomac View Post


    Your expectations are too low then.



    Apple can do better.



    Mini-DP, DDR3, support for 8GB memory and a faster system bus works for me too.



    As well as an effective price drop. (I hope, the exchange rates may kill me.)



    They better not drop any firewire ports though…
  • Reply 17 of 137
    drblankdrblank Posts: 3,385member
    Based on the specs for the high end iMac, the only differences that you state are as follows:



    1. faster RAM and up to 8 instead of 4GB.

    2. mini display port

    3. Updated graphics.



    I think they'll probably make the screens the LED displays, so they can be more green.



    Are you sure they aren't going to put faster processors? I think they would update the processor and maybe some other updates as well.



    in addition, didn't the Blu Ray licensing get easier? Don't you think they might offer a Blu Ray drive option if that is the case?
  • Reply 18 of 137
    mr.x.mr.x. Posts: 14member
    Hi All,



    Just letting you know that I have the Apple Part Numbers for the new iMac's and Mac Mini's being released tomorrow or in the next few days.



    If you don't recognize me, I was the one who posted this: Evidence Found - iLife, iWork, MacMini & Snow Leopard Tomorrow!



    Here are all the part numbers. I only have the specifications for the entry level iMac. I will post more details as they become more available.



    iMac's

    MB417LL/A - iMac 20" 2.66/2GB/320GB/SD/MSE/KB-USA

    MB418LL/A - K51,BETTER-USA

    MB419LL/A - K51, BEST-USA

    MB420LL/A - K51, ULTIMATE - USA



    I am not sure what that MSE means? This will be interesting. Possibly new Mighty Mouse?



    Mac Mini's

    MB463LL/A - K88 BETTER-USA

    MB464LL/A - K88 BEST- USA



    The wait begins.



    Enjoy =)
  • Reply 19 of 137
    Hi guys, I just bought the lower end of the current mac mini today - I also tried to buy a imac however the retailer said they are all back-ordered for two weeks.



    I wonder if the new mini will be better priced?
  • Reply 20 of 137
    smilingoatsmilingoat Posts: 153member
    if that is the case for the new iMac then there better be a sizable price drop, as this doesnt look like much of an improvement so far... *any improvement*
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