I'm in the market soon for a new desktop too. Not a lot of chatter about updated iMacs yet. I'm kind of holding off a little to see if there is even a small tweak coming out in the next couple of months..
The iMac is still a pretty good value, especially the top end compared to the Mac Pro. I don't expect to see an iMac update before they do the Mini and the Pro. The MBA needs updated too, but I don't know if anything that is a genuine replacement is coming anytime soon at that power level. i5's across the entire iMac lineup would be nice. The top end has the i5-750 in it with an i7-860 BTO (or something like that).
It would be very interesting (if unlikely) to see them make the entire iMac lineup quad core. More likely is 2 each of the 21 and 27" varieties, i5's across the board with an i7 in the top 27" version. Maybe the top end 21" would allow for an i7 BTO as well, but I doubt it. The MacPro needs to be rebuilt with Gulftown 6 cores or switch to AMD when a magny-cours desktop variant is available. The next version of the Mac Pro really needs to be impressive or people will write tha model off completely. People already pass it up for an i7 27" iMac.
... I don't expect to see an iMac update before they do the Mini and the Pro. The MBA needs updated too...
...The next version of the Mac Pro really needs to be impressive or people will write tha model off completely. People already pass it up for an i7 27" iMac.
I don't think it's tied to the Mini at all... the Mini has always gone a loooooong time between updates. The Air may disappear completely... perhaps with next year's revision of the iPad (or sooner depending on what OS4 offers)???
The Mac Pro, while powerful, is more about extra bays, multiple drives, RAID, video card options, etc... in other words "Pro". People who "pass it up" for an iMac really had no business considering the Pro tower in the first place. If you need what the Pro offers, then an iMac just won't suffice.
But I think you're right that we won't see an iMac update until fall... perhaps a little "spec bump" to get things going for back-to-school shoppers.
The iMac is still a pretty good value, especially the top end compared to the Mac Pro. I don't expect to see an iMac update before they do the Mini and the Pro. The MBA needs updated too, but I don't know if anything that is a genuine replacement is coming anytime soon at that power level. i5's across the entire iMac lineup would be nice. The top end has the i5-750 in it with an i7-860 BTO (or something like that).
It would be very interesting (if unlikely) to see them make the entire iMac lineup quad core. More likely is 2 each of the 21 and 27" varieties, i5's across the board with an i7 in the top 27" version. Maybe the top end 21" would allow for an i7 BTO as well, but I doubt it. The MacPro needs to be rebuilt with Gulftown 6 cores or switch to AMD when a magny-cours desktop variant is available. The next version of the Mac Pro really needs to be impressive or people will write tha model off completely. People already pass it up for an i7 27" iMac.
You hit the nail on the head.
It's unlikely for the iMac to get updated until the MPs get an update. The top of the line iMac already is more powerful than the entry level MP, better cpu and perhaps better gpu. If you update the 21 " iMac to quad core nehalem cpus that just exacerbates what a poor value the current MP is.
Bottom line: Don't expect an iMac update until the MPs get updated.
I don't think it's tied to the Mini at all... the Mini has always gone a loooooong time between updates. The Air may disappear completely... perhaps with next year's revision of the iPad (or sooner depending on what OS4 offers)???
The Mac Pro, while powerful, is more about extra bays, multiple drives, RAID, video card options, etc... in other words "Pro". People who "pass it up" for an iMac really had no business considering the Pro tower in the first place. If you need what the Pro offers, then an iMac just won't suffice.
But I think you're right that we won't see an iMac update until fall... perhaps a little "spec bump" to get things going for back-to-school shoppers.
Actually a lot of the reason for the MP is for pure processing power, and the i7 iMac is pretty comparable and significantly less expensive. Not everyone needs all the expansion ports. A MP would be nice for a Logic Studio machine, but if you don't have several PCI cards that need installed, an iMac can be the way to go. As far as the Mini, they won't wait 3 years to update the Mini again. The MBA is kind of up in the air, but there are no suitable replacements for it currently, unless Apple can handle cooling the extra wattage.
Exactly my point. If you don't need the slots or drives, then you're not the Pro's target audience. For half the price you get an iMac. (or a mini)
The Pro doesn't have to be an order of magnitude more powerful. It is differentiated by it's expandability and customizability.
Actually I would argue that the iMac has traditionally been an everyman kind of desktop computer and thus the Pro should be much more powerful, as well as the expandability. If the iMac is just as powerful as the Pro, the only differentiation is the expandability and having that equal $1000 is ridiculous. Oh, and the Mini is definitely not 1/2 the price of a MP, it's actually less than 1/4 the cost.
Those are blocked, I'll have to pull this thread up when I get home from work
EDIT: Yeah just looked at those. The i7 with 4 cores is almost as fast as the 8 core Mac Pro. (8200+ vs 8900+) As I stated previously, the Mac Pro should command its premium due to performance (as well as other factors) and right now it just doesn't.
Those are blocked, I'll have to pull this thread up when I get home from work
EDIT: Yeah just looked at those. The i7 with 4 cores is almost as fast as the 8 core Mac Pro. (8200+ vs 8900+) As I stated previously, the Mac Pro should command its premium due to performance (as well as other factors) and right now it just doesn't.
Doesn't change the fact that the fastest Mac Pro is nearly twice as fast as the fastest iMac.
Doesn't change the fact that the fastest Mac Pro is nearly twice as fast as the fastest iMac.
Fastest i7 iMac costs $2200 ($3200 if you max RAM thru Apple). Fastest 8 core Mac Pro costs $5900, $6400 with RAM matching the iMac and $9600 if you max the RAM thru Apple. Quite the value proposition. My posts were trying to make as direct a comparison as possible, so I was limiting myself to the quad core Mac Pro and iMac. Paying nearly triple to get the fastest Mac Pro, 4 1/2 times more to have it maxed RAM as well....that's ridiculous.
Fastest i7 iMac costs $2200 ($3200 if you max RAM thru Apple). Fastest 8 core Mac Pro costs $5900, $6400 with RAM matching the iMac and $9600 if you max the RAM thru Apple. Quite the value proposition. My posts were trying to make as direct a comparison as possible, so I was limiting myself to the quad core Mac Pro and iMac. Paying nearly triple to get the fastest Mac Pro, 4 1/2 times more to have it maxed RAM as well....that's ridiculous.
You are talking about performance/dollar not performance. If I need the level of performance provided by the top-of-the-line Mac Pro, then i need a Mac Pro. An iMac will not cut it.
You are talking about performance/dollar not performance. If I need the level of performance provided by the top-of-the-line Mac Pro, then i need a Mac Pro. An iMac will not cut it.
The dual processor MPs are worth the premium if you have the type of work that benefits from such a machine.
The entry level MP, single processor, is a very poor value IMO.
This is why Apple needs another segment between mac-mini and iMac. They need something that is 2-3x the size of the mini but with respectable hardware choices, such as Core i5/i7, a mid to high-end video option and a blu-ray solution. (An upgradeable video option would be a bonus!)
Comments
It would be very interesting (if unlikely) to see them make the entire iMac lineup quad core. More likely is 2 each of the 21 and 27" varieties, i5's across the board with an i7 in the top 27" version. Maybe the top end 21" would allow for an i7 BTO as well, but I doubt it. The MacPro needs to be rebuilt with Gulftown 6 cores or switch to AMD when a magny-cours desktop variant is available. The next version of the Mac Pro really needs to be impressive or people will write tha model off completely. People already pass it up for an i7 27" iMac.
... I don't expect to see an iMac update before they do the Mini and the Pro. The MBA needs updated too...
...The next version of the Mac Pro really needs to be impressive or people will write tha model off completely. People already pass it up for an i7 27" iMac.
I don't think it's tied to the Mini at all... the Mini has always gone a loooooong time between updates. The Air may disappear completely... perhaps with next year's revision of the iPad (or sooner depending on what OS4 offers)???
The Mac Pro, while powerful, is more about extra bays, multiple drives, RAID, video card options, etc... in other words "Pro". People who "pass it up" for an iMac really had no business considering the Pro tower in the first place. If you need what the Pro offers, then an iMac just won't suffice.
But I think you're right that we won't see an iMac update until fall... perhaps a little "spec bump" to get things going for back-to-school shoppers.
The iMac is still a pretty good value, especially the top end compared to the Mac Pro. I don't expect to see an iMac update before they do the Mini and the Pro. The MBA needs updated too, but I don't know if anything that is a genuine replacement is coming anytime soon at that power level. i5's across the entire iMac lineup would be nice. The top end has the i5-750 in it with an i7-860 BTO (or something like that).
It would be very interesting (if unlikely) to see them make the entire iMac lineup quad core. More likely is 2 each of the 21 and 27" varieties, i5's across the board with an i7 in the top 27" version. Maybe the top end 21" would allow for an i7 BTO as well, but I doubt it. The MacPro needs to be rebuilt with Gulftown 6 cores or switch to AMD when a magny-cours desktop variant is available. The next version of the Mac Pro really needs to be impressive or people will write tha model off completely. People already pass it up for an i7 27" iMac.
You hit the nail on the head.
It's unlikely for the iMac to get updated until the MPs get an update. The top of the line iMac already is more powerful than the entry level MP, better cpu and perhaps better gpu. If you update the 21 " iMac to quad core nehalem cpus that just exacerbates what a poor value the current MP is.
Bottom line: Don't expect an iMac update until the MPs get updated.
I don't think it's tied to the Mini at all... the Mini has always gone a loooooong time between updates. The Air may disappear completely... perhaps with next year's revision of the iPad (or sooner depending on what OS4 offers)???
The Mac Pro, while powerful, is more about extra bays, multiple drives, RAID, video card options, etc... in other words "Pro". People who "pass it up" for an iMac really had no business considering the Pro tower in the first place. If you need what the Pro offers, then an iMac just won't suffice.
But I think you're right that we won't see an iMac update until fall... perhaps a little "spec bump" to get things going for back-to-school shoppers.
Actually a lot of the reason for the MP is for pure processing power, and the i7 iMac is pretty comparable and significantly less expensive. Not everyone needs all the expansion ports. A MP would be nice for a Logic Studio machine, but if you don't have several PCI cards that need installed, an iMac can be the way to go. As far as the Mini, they won't wait 3 years to update the Mini again. The MBA is kind of up in the air, but there are no suitable replacements for it currently, unless Apple can handle cooling the extra wattage.
...Not everyone needs all the expansion ports...
Exactly my point. If you don't need the slots or drives, then you're not the Pro's target audience. For half the price you get an iMac. (or a mini)
The Pro doesn't have to be an order of magnitude more powerful. It is differentiated by it's expandability and customizability.
Exactly my point. If you don't need the slots or drives, then you're not the Pro's target audience. For half the price you get an iMac. (or a mini)
The Pro doesn't have to be an order of magnitude more powerful. It is differentiated by it's expandability and customizability.
Actually I would argue that the iMac has traditionally been an everyman kind of desktop computer and thus the Pro should be much more powerful, as well as the expandability. If the iMac is just as powerful as the Pro, the only differentiation is the expandability and having that equal $1000 is ridiculous. Oh, and the Mini is definitely not 1/2 the price of a MP, it's actually less than 1/4 the cost.
... If the iMac is just as powerful as the Pro, the only differentiation is the expandability and having that equal $1000 is ridiculous. ...
If? I take it that you have never read Mac Geekbench scores.
EDIT: Yeah just looked at those. The i7 with 4 cores is almost as fast as the 8 core Mac Pro. (8200+ vs 8900+) As I stated previously, the Mac Pro should command its premium due to performance (as well as other factors) and right now it just doesn't.
Those are blocked, I'll have to pull this thread up when I get home from work
EDIT: Yeah just looked at those. The i7 with 4 cores is almost as fast as the 8 core Mac Pro. (8200+ vs 8900+) As I stated previously, the Mac Pro should command its premium due to performance (as well as other factors) and right now it just doesn't.
Doesn't change the fact that the fastest Mac Pro is nearly twice as fast as the fastest iMac.
Doesn't change the fact that the fastest Mac Pro is nearly twice as fast as the fastest iMac.
Fastest i7 iMac costs $2200 ($3200 if you max RAM thru Apple). Fastest 8 core Mac Pro costs $5900, $6400 with RAM matching the iMac and $9600 if you max the RAM thru Apple. Quite the value proposition. My posts were trying to make as direct a comparison as possible, so I was limiting myself to the quad core Mac Pro and iMac. Paying nearly triple to get the fastest Mac Pro, 4 1/2 times more to have it maxed RAM as well....that's ridiculous.
Fastest i7 iMac costs $2200 ($3200 if you max RAM thru Apple). Fastest 8 core Mac Pro costs $5900, $6400 with RAM matching the iMac and $9600 if you max the RAM thru Apple. Quite the value proposition. My posts were trying to make as direct a comparison as possible, so I was limiting myself to the quad core Mac Pro and iMac. Paying nearly triple to get the fastest Mac Pro, 4 1/2 times more to have it maxed RAM as well....that's ridiculous.
You are talking about performance/dollar not performance. If I need the level of performance provided by the top-of-the-line Mac Pro, then i need a Mac Pro. An iMac will not cut it.
You are talking about performance/dollar not performance. If I need the level of performance provided by the top-of-the-line Mac Pro, then i need a Mac Pro. An iMac will not cut it.
The dual processor MPs are worth the premium if you have the type of work that benefits from such a machine.
The entry level MP, single processor, is a very poor value IMO.
Core2 is nearly 4 years old!
This is why Apple needs another segment between mac-mini and iMac.
You certainly won't get any arguments in that regard on these boards heh.