Apple releases new iMac desktops with Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs, Thunderbolt ports

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  • Reply 81 of 311
    christopher126christopher126 Posts: 4,366member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iGuessSo View Post


    Interesting that the front page at apple.com is showing.... The white iPhone 4.



    We are definitely in a different era.



    Very astute observation!
  • Reply 82 of 311
    sol77sol77 Posts: 203member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Damn_Its_Hot View Post


    Wrong - there are four slots!





    And suddenly I'm reminded of Captain Picard under interrogation.
  • Reply 83 of 311
    plokoonpmaplokoonpma Posts: 262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    I seriously doubt Portal 2 was even out when they were doing the web graphics for this iMac..



    Portal 2 was out months ago for Beta test. You are talking about Apple not a random dude with no connections.

    Then, I copied this from Apple/iMac page;



    Testing conducted by Apple in April 2011 using preproduction 21.5-inch 2.5GHz Intel Core i5–based iMac units with AMD Radeon HD 6750M and 512MB graphics memory, and shipping 21.5-inch 3.06GHz Intel Core i3–based iMac units with AMD Radeon HD 4670 and 256MB graphics memory, all configured with 4GB RAM. Portal v(4295)(400) tested using mydemo1.dem, maximum graphics quality, 8x anti-aliasing, 16x anisotropic filtering, at 1920x1080.
  • Reply 84 of 311
    christopher126christopher126 Posts: 4,366member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Sol77 View Post


    Ouch, dude. He made a sincere suggestion - he wasn't bragging or being arrogant. Isn't it true that a petition is a failure until it isn't? They accumulate numbers...and until then, they spread the word. There is no "how is your petition going?" - it either has or hasn't reached critical mass. Either way you look at it, it's a better method of persuasion than random posts. Why be so disdainful and sarcastic?



    Well said, Sol. I can get all the sarcasm and derision I want from my GF at home! I come here to get away from that.



    For the most part I like the humor, expertise and general discussion on AI. However, I really dislike the dismissive comments.



    I see 74 members logged in, and 728 guests? Perhaps there is a reason so many guests don't become members?



    Best
  • Reply 85 of 311
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NYRangers85 View Post


    Can anyone give me any tips on comparing the i5 vs i7 processors?



    I use Logic Pro a lot and need to decide if the i7 is worth the upgrade. Also, is it strange that the 15" and 17" MBPs come with i7 default and the iMacs are an additional updgrade? is there any particular reason for that?



    Anything a bit more in depth than "they're faster" would be tremendously appreciated.



    once again, any comments are greatly appreciated....any takers?
  • Reply 86 of 311
    tipootipoo Posts: 1,141member
    Is the i7 in the 15 inch MBP faster than the i5 in the 21 inch iMac? Or are the laptop/desktop chips rated differently?
  • Reply 87 of 311
    plokoonpmaplokoonpma Posts: 262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nvidia2008 View Post


    They just took an iOS game, from the looks of it. Remember iOS rules the roost now... They didn't even bother using an actual OSX game screenshot. At best even if it is an OSX game it is clearly a basic port of an iOS game.



    Don't get me wrong, I love Apple, own an etc. etc. but this is quite uncharacteristic.



    Come to think of it, look at that fence texture and the license plate. This is clearly Asphalt 6 for Mac or something like that.



    I'm pretty shocked right now. This is Apple's marketing and commitment to gaming and GPU horsepower on a Mac? An iOS game on the fastest desktop Apple makes? Playing an iOS game on a 27" with a very high-end GPU?



    The sad part is most people won't care anyways. I almost missed it myself, having been so used to seeing iPad posters and marketing graphics.



    You right, the game got ported from the mobile offerings they have (gameloft) and optimized for desktop. If you go to your app store and then to the games/racing you will find "Asphalt 6: Adrenaline" that sells for $6.99.



    I agree with many that they could use other game image that shows the graphics capabilities of the new cards. Maybe Prey or go plain with a windows game like CoDBO or BF2. Anyways many will bootcamp it.
  • Reply 88 of 311
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleStud View Post


    why? TB is infinitely better, and I imagine many peripherals (such as DSLRs and external HDDs) will come with both a TB and USB port.



    Because they may *not* come with both a TB and USB 3 port.



    If they do, you're right and its a moot point.
  • Reply 89 of 311
    firefly7475firefly7475 Posts: 1,502member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NYRangers85 View Post


    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NYRangers85 View Post


    Can anyone give me any tips on comparing the i5 vs i7 processors?



    I use Logic Pro a lot and need to decide if the i7 is worth the upgrade. Also, is it strange that the 15" and 17" MBPs come with i7 default and the iMacs are an additional upgrade? is there any particular reason for that?



    Anything a bit more in depth than "they're faster" would be tremendously appreciated.



    once again, any comments are greatly appreciated....any takers?



    i5 is 4 core 4 thread and i7 is 4 core 8 thread. Basically at the same Ghz the i7 is going to be about 20% quicker when you're doing a bunch of stuff at the same time or using a program that utilizes 8 threads (usually most noticeable in video/audio rendering).



    If you're on a budget IMO you're better off picking up an SSD over a CPU upgrade.



    If I had to decide between the 3.4Ghz i7 ($2199) and the 2.7Ghz i5 with 1TB HDD & 256GB SSD ($2299) I'd go with the i5 + SSD every time.







    EDIT: MBPs use the mobile version of the core i7. It's a different CPU.
  • Reply 90 of 311
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleStud View Post


    The only thing Apple listens to is their customers ringing up the cash registers. Apple doesn't do "focus groups" and customer surveys. It's why they're great.



    What an unbelievably lame comment. But I guess it has a certain machismo about it. I think that one of the things Apple is particularly good at is listening to its customers.
  • Reply 91 of 311
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Damn_Its_Hot View Post


    Wrong - there are four slots!







    Quote:
    Originally Posted by plokoonpma View Post


    Portal 2 was out months ago for Beta test. You are talking about Apple not a random dude with no connections.



    What reason does Apple have to benchmark beta software? That's nonsense.
  • Reply 92 of 311
    rob55rob55 Posts: 1,291member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Firefly7475 View Post


    If I had to decide between the 3.4Ghz i7 ($2199) and the 2.7Ghz i5 with 1TB HDD & 256GB SSD ($2299) I'd go with the i5 + SSD every time.



    Yeah, except for the 4-6 week lead time.
  • Reply 93 of 311
    flounderflounder Posts: 2,674member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hamiltonrrwatch View Post


    The keyboard option with a numeric keypad is noticeably absent. So no more wired options



    Still no matte screen, but with LED back lighting, I wonder if you could adjust the levels so that you don't notice the glare?



    You are incorrect. You can still get the wired keyboard.
  • Reply 94 of 311
    leppoleppo Posts: 66member
    So the 'M' in 'AMD Radeon HD 6750M' means it's the mobile version of the chip, correct? How does that compare these days?



    It used to be that the iMac was mostly if not entirely made up of mobile components, but it seems like they've been sneaking in desktop parts of a while.



    The mobile version of the GPU, however, even at 2GB, is the only thing making me nervous at this point. Is it gimped compared to a desktop? Or has mobile tech caught up with desktop, offering reasonably comparable performance while making accommodations to lessen heat generation?



    Any guidance here would be extremely helpful.
  • Reply 95 of 311
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by PXT View Post


    I agree. I come to AppleInsider because it is less childish than many other tech news sites, but it's still quite hard to have a grown up discussion.



    And the longer the thread the harder it gets.
  • Reply 96 of 311
    mostromostro Posts: 1member
    and the best news for me at least (and for those who live in canada), is that for the first time, they cost the same in both US and Canada...finally . I has been waiting for this since the loonie is on par (or slightly over) the american dolar.
  • Reply 97 of 311
    ssquirrelssquirrel Posts: 1,196member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iDave View Post


    And that make you happy, why?



    If there are any people who don't like shiny glassy things, it's worth noting. The fact that these people (including myself) keep harping on it means we are genuinely annoyed by the issue. We can't buy iMacs! That's annoying. We'll keep bugging you and Apple about it until something is done. Except for the reflective screen, the new iMacs seem pretty nice, but I can't use one.



    The reflective screen issue is no less annoying than continued use of C2D processors in Mac minis, no backlit keyboards in MacBook Airs, crummy integrated GPUs in 13" MacBook Pros, no numeric keypad in the wireless keyboards, no xMac, etc.



    I never said it made me happy, I just said that amounting to less than .1% of Apple's desktop installed base from last quarter and claiming to be a significant number is laughable. That's kind of indusputable. You can buy iMacs. You can buy an antiglare filter or a monitor hood if needed. You could setup your workspace properly to remove glare. There are any number of things you can do that makes the glossy display a non-issue. You can also let the Mini get upgraded to Sandy Bridge and buy a non-Apple display and call it a day.



    The Mini upgrade will happen sometime in the near future, they're putting SAndy Bridge into the systems that sell best first. Maybe the ULV chips weren't available in large enough numbers for Apple to want to re-do the Mini earlier. Who knows. The xMac has been talked about since the Cube and is not happening. If you want numeric keypads on a wireless keyboard, there are any number of aftermarket options available. Apple doesn't include them b/c most people don't use them. I can agree w/you about the IGPU on the 13" MBP and the lack of backlighting on the MBA, but the MBA had poor battery life w/the last refresh as it is, the extra lighting would have probably impacted it even more. Apple isn't willing to reduce the battery life on the 13" MBP (and add extra heat to the mix as well) to have a discrete GPU. Every model from Apple will not suit everyone.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NYRangers85 View Post


    Can anyone give me any tips on comparing the i5 vs i7 processors?



    I use Logic Pro a lot and need to decide if the i7 is worth the upgrade. Also, is it strange that the 15" and 17" MBPs come with i7 default and the iMacs are an additional updgrade? is there any particular reason for that?



    The i5s don't have hyper threading turned on and the i7s do, so w/hyper threading, you are effectively doubling your core count. Something like Logic will benefit from more cores and the i& upgrade would be worth your money most likely. Also the reason why the i7 is a BTO option for the iMacs is that the i5 is more than enough computer for what most people are doing. You know, email, browsing, a few games. If you're doing heavy amounts of video or audio work, the extra cores (and beefing up RAM of course) will always be helpful.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tipoo View Post


    Is the i7 in the 15 inch MBP faster than the i5 in the 21 inch iMac? Or are the laptop/desktop chips rated differently?



    The i7 has 4 cores and 4 virtual cores and is rated at 300MHz less speed. The i5 only has 4 cores. The i7 will still smoke the i5 in any software situation where the program can make use of all cores, like video conversion





    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_b...ile_processors has all the statistical info on the various sandy bridge models. Scroll up from this link to get the desktop info.
  • Reply 98 of 311
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Firefly7475 View Post


    i5 is 4 core 4 thread and i7 is 4 core 8 thread. Basically at the same Ghz the i7 is going to be about 20% quicker when you're doing a bunch of stuff at the same time or using a program that utilizes 8 threads (usually most noticeable in video/audio rendering).



    If you're on a budget IMO you're better off picking up an SSD over a CPU upgrade.



    If I had to decide between the 3.4Ghz i7 ($2199) and the 2.7Ghz i5 with 1TB HDD & 256GB SSD ($2299) I'd go with the i5 + SSD every time.







    EDIT: MBPs use the mobile version of the core i7. It's a different CPU.



    many many thanks! I agree, for my purposes, it sounds like i'll be fine with the i5, I'm not a power user of Logic
  • Reply 99 of 311
    mynameisjoemynameisjoe Posts: 170member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BenRoethig View Post


    yes, but the second thunderbolt isn't there for its latent display port capability.



    Actually given how few thunderbolt accessories there currently are, that's one of the few things the second port is good for. In the future, I'm confident it will have lots of uses, but right now there isn't much you can use it for.
  • Reply 100 of 311
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ascii View Post


    Very similar to the MBP upgrade. Faster GPU, graphics and ports but nothing much else...

    A performance upgrade basically.



    Yeah and??? It is a winning physical design that sells like crazy. So of course it's just going to be under the hood stuff



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aplnub View Post


    No USB 3 and two Thunderbolts ports...



    Thunderbolt is, by their claims, faster and it is something they don't have to license.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hamiltonrrwatch View Post


    The keyboard option with a numeric keypad is noticeably absent. So no more wired options



    It was that way last go around as well.



    Quote:

    Still no matte screen, but with LED back lighting, I wonder if you could adjust the levels so that you don't notice the glare?





    Where you place it in a room can also do wonders for the glare issue.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 4miler View Post


    No matte antiglare screens on the new iMacs. If you need matte screens, there's something you can do - add your voice to 1,300+ petitions at http://macmatte.wordpress.com



    Good luck with that. Apple is selling their machines like crazy. Until a major group like the studios come out and say that they would love to use iMacs for their Final Cut etc but they have to have matte screens, no amount of names on an easy to forge and pad online petition is going to do squat. The TV fanboys learned this when their petitions don't bring back their precious ratings failure shows.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jerseymac View Post


    Why is it that it costs $199.00 to have Aperture preinstalled when you can buy it from the App store for $79.99??



    Easy, to discourage you from doing it. They want you to use the store. They make the same money with less labor on their side if you use the store. I'm actually surprised that they still have the preinstall in there at all.
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