Next-gen iMac to include new cooling module?
A new family of iMacs due early next year may include a more sophisticated cooling system, hints the latest reports from sources close to the company's Taiwanese manufacturing facilities.
Backtracking on its report from last week, the Chinese-language Economic Daily News now claims that it's Foxconn, not Quanta, who has secured a contract with the Mac maker to manufacturer its new all-in-one desktops.
In a report published Monday, the paper also identified Foxconn Group's Foxconn Precision Components and Catcher Technology as the duo that will be responsible for stamping out the iMac's new "magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis."
Interestingly, the paper also reported that Foxconn Precision Components and Auras Technology would team to supply "the PC's cooling module." Further details were not provided, and therefore its unclear if the report indicates a change to the iMac's traditional fan-based cooling system.
DigiTimes, another publication situated near Apple's manufacturing facilities, recently cited sources who said Apple and rival PC makers HP, Acer and Dell had each agreed to use a new family of quad-core desktop chips from Intel in systems due early in 2009, though the report did not identify which Apple systems were bound to receive the parts.
The chips -- the Core 2 Quad Q8200 (2.33GHz/4MB L2), Core 2 Quad Q9400 (2.66GHz/6MB L2), and Core 2 Quad Q9550 (2.83GHz/12MB L2) -- are low-power desktop chips operating at 65W compared to the 55W of the current iMacs' mobile processors. Therefore, a decision by Apple to employ the chips inside the iMac line could signal a need for modifications to the computer's cooling methods.
In any case, it's believed that quad-core chips are bound to turn up in the iMac line around the same time that Apple begins priming Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard for release. The next-generation operating system will ship with Grand Central technology designed to leverage Macs with an increasing number of processor cores.
Last week, DigiTimes' report on the trio of new quad-core chips was partially verified when Engadget revealed that the Voodoo-designed HP Firebird PC 803 iMac-shaped gaming machine would marry a NVIDIA nForce 760i SLI chipset, dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800S cards, and the aforementioned Core 2 Quad Q9550 chip.
Assuming DigiTimes' report plays out in regards to Apple, it would signal either a new desktop class system on its way from the Cupertino-based company or significant architectural change for the iMac line. The family of 20- and 24-inch desktops have long shared an internal makeup similar to the Mac maker's notebook lines, running on the same family of mobile chips.
According to the Economic Daily News, Apple has placed orders for approximately 800,000 new iMacs per quarter starting in mid-January. And while many of the system's specifications remain a bit of a mystery, one certainty appears to be a move towards NVIDIA chipsets.
Backtracking on its report from last week, the Chinese-language Economic Daily News now claims that it's Foxconn, not Quanta, who has secured a contract with the Mac maker to manufacturer its new all-in-one desktops.
In a report published Monday, the paper also identified Foxconn Group's Foxconn Precision Components and Catcher Technology as the duo that will be responsible for stamping out the iMac's new "magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis."
Interestingly, the paper also reported that Foxconn Precision Components and Auras Technology would team to supply "the PC's cooling module." Further details were not provided, and therefore its unclear if the report indicates a change to the iMac's traditional fan-based cooling system.
DigiTimes, another publication situated near Apple's manufacturing facilities, recently cited sources who said Apple and rival PC makers HP, Acer and Dell had each agreed to use a new family of quad-core desktop chips from Intel in systems due early in 2009, though the report did not identify which Apple systems were bound to receive the parts.
The chips -- the Core 2 Quad Q8200 (2.33GHz/4MB L2), Core 2 Quad Q9400 (2.66GHz/6MB L2), and Core 2 Quad Q9550 (2.83GHz/12MB L2) -- are low-power desktop chips operating at 65W compared to the 55W of the current iMacs' mobile processors. Therefore, a decision by Apple to employ the chips inside the iMac line could signal a need for modifications to the computer's cooling methods.
In any case, it's believed that quad-core chips are bound to turn up in the iMac line around the same time that Apple begins priming Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard for release. The next-generation operating system will ship with Grand Central technology designed to leverage Macs with an increasing number of processor cores.
Last week, DigiTimes' report on the trio of new quad-core chips was partially verified when Engadget revealed that the Voodoo-designed HP Firebird PC 803 iMac-shaped gaming machine would marry a NVIDIA nForce 760i SLI chipset, dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800S cards, and the aforementioned Core 2 Quad Q9550 chip.
Assuming DigiTimes' report plays out in regards to Apple, it would signal either a new desktop class system on its way from the Cupertino-based company or significant architectural change for the iMac line. The family of 20- and 24-inch desktops have long shared an internal makeup similar to the Mac maker's notebook lines, running on the same family of mobile chips.
According to the Economic Daily News, Apple has placed orders for approximately 800,000 new iMacs per quarter starting in mid-January. And while many of the system's specifications remain a bit of a mystery, one certainty appears to be a move towards NVIDIA chipsets.
Comments
It would be great if Apple can devise a cooling system that requires no internal air-flow thus eliminating dust buildup.
That would be interesting. A heat pipe could transfer the heat to the outer shell. The entire shell could be the heat sink and that might be enough surface area to cool it. I am not sure they would go for it if it requires having external fins.
That would be interesting. The entire chassis could be the heat sink and that might be enough surface area to cool it.
The whole back of the chassis would have to be one huge, ribbed heatsink, and even that probably wouldn't be enough to keep it all cool enough. Even the smallest amount of airflow from the slowest and quietest of fans makes a huge difference to temps.
That would be interesting. A heat pipe could transfer the heat to the outer shell. The entire shell could be the heat sink and that might be enough surface area to cool it. I am not sure they would go for it if it requires having external fins.
Exactly! Like the Mac Mini would have the top surface as the actual heat sink linked directly the processor and video chips beneath. No liquid flow would be necessary since the Mini's upper surface is large enough. I would assume there might be some heating problems if the device is used on its side.
Exactly! Like the Mac Mini would have the top surface as the actual heat sink linked directly the processor and video chips beneath. No liquid flow would be necessary since the Mini's upper surface is large enough. I would assume there might be some heating problems if the device is used on its side.
The heatsink to keep the mac mini cool would have to be considerably larger than just the top of the case, so the whole chassis would have to grow considerably, probably with large find sticking out of the sides.
The whole back of the chassis would have to be one huge, ribbed heatsink, and even that probably wouldn't be enough to keep it all cool enough. Even the smallest amount of airflow from the slowest and quietest of fans makes a huge difference to temps.
I'm not sure I even believe this report.
In the first place, despite what you hear from a few rabid types that have had some problems there is no widespread "cooling problem" with the current iMacs. Secondly, Apple always goes for passive cooling systems where possible and a basic but very intelligently monitored and controlled fan system where it can't do the former.
Unless this is a brand new *passive* cooling system of some type we can't imagine, I don't see Apple putting in anything else. A complicated cooling system is just something that takes up more space and is another part to (possibly) break.
The heatsink to keep the mac mini cool would have to be considerably larger than just the top of the case, so the whole chassis would have to grow considerably, probably with large find sticking out of the sides.
Sorry but I'm gonna have to disagree with that. The surface of the mini is large compared to the heat the processor releases. I think Apple did not take that route because heat dissipation could not be controlled. Also the DVD drive sits above the mobo and therefore a vertical link to the surface was not possible.
in there. I don't need a silent computer just a quiet one.
If they really are going to a new advanced cooling device than I can't see Apple putting anything other than Quad-Core CPUs in at least their high end 24" model and possibly the high end 20". Keep the low end iMac at a Core 2 Duo and lower the price to under $1,000.
Speaking of lowering prices...another thing I'd like to see is for Apple to lower the price of the iMac in general. Apple needs to do something to get people through these tough times ahead. They've made their money and now its time to give back to its customers. I hope its no so bigheaded that they will think people will buy the Mac regardless of the price in any economy. Eventually it will bit them in the ass. It actually did once with the G4 Cube. Price was its major downfall and what I think led to its demise.
And that is not to say the current configuration is working flawlessly - I have one iMac 24" in office which was used to develop high complexity Adobe Flash applications and at one point it seemed that the guy had managed to burn it because the smell was awful and it started hanging up at random.
I reinstalled OS X and it kind of helped, but still not sure if it's ok.
Sorry but I'm gonna have to disagree with that. The surface of the mini is large compared to the heat the processor releases. I think Apple did not take that route because heat dissipation could not be controlled. Also the DVD drive sits above the mobo and therefore a vertical link to the surface was not possible.
I don't think you quite appreciate how large a surface area you need for passive cooling, and given the Mac Mini's tiny size, the top panel alone would not be sufficient. Plus any passive heatsink needs to be on the side of the device for convection purposes.
Personally, keeping the same form factor seems myopic when one can scaled the volume a bit more, in combination with a new heat transfer system to move a lot of heat quickly out of the system while keeping it the noise to a minimum.
At any rate, I'd use this new cooling system solution on a mid-tower and future Core i7 systems when looking to make boards with more than 2 multicore CPUs clusters than just for the iMac.
What Id really like to see is Apple combine AppleTV with the MacMini. Now you have a Mac running Mac OS X, an AppleTV, a DVR, a DVD Player, etc all in one device. Plus it makes it so you wouldn't need to go out and purchase a display as you'd just use your flat screen TV. I think it would make the $599 price point viable. Current MacMini isn't worth $599 IMO, hence its crap sales it generates.
Copy & Paste, 4MP camera with flash, 32GB storage, MMS, OLED display on the iPhone that's all I want.
I know you've been here a while and you're a long time contributor to this forum etc., but this is an outrageous, stupid, off-topic troll of a post. It's not only completely off-topic, it's a pointless negative rant as well. Try to behave like an adult.
That would be interesting. A heat pipe could transfer the heat to the outer shell. The entire shell could be the heat sink and that might be enough surface area to cool it. I am not sure they would go for it if it requires having external fins.
I'm not sure its possible to run a Q9550 in a iMac. I have one running in my gaming system right now and with an extended size case and a massive heatsink/fan it get about 50c with no load and as high as 74c gaming. I just don't see anyway the iMac design could keep this chip cool.
Also didn't Apple try the transfer to the outer shell theory way back with the Apple 2?
In any case I do not see the Q9550 making into an iMac. I just don't believe they can keep the chip under the recommended temp of 71.4 c.
I just literally bought my new imac (my first ever mac - and I love it).... I got the 2.66ghz L2 6mb cache 256mb video card, 2GB RAM for $1600...
Now i see that a new imac is coming with the new processor..... does this mean I should return it and wait?
Will I be able to install the latest OS??? Thanks, sorry I am new.