Supply of Apple's 27" iMac drying up as Ivy Bridge upgrade awaits

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 78


    Ahhh, that explains it. I took my busted up old lemon of an iMac (24" 2008 model, had a month of Apple Care left) into the Apple Store a couple weeks ago for repairs(3rd time) and they gave me a brand new 27" 3.1ghz i5. I guess I won't be upgrading for a while, but an NVidia graphics chip would be nice. 

  • Reply 42 of 78
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member


    I'm not willing to downsize my resolution and work space. I'm currently on a regular 1920 x 1080 27" monitor, and if Apple came out with a 3360x2100 retina monitor, that would be terrible, because it would be intended to be used at 1680 x 1050, which is far worse than what most people currently use. Sure, things will look sharper and icons will look great, but if the effective work space shrinks, then that's not a good thing, at least in my opinion.


     


    I find it strange that Apple doesn't allow the new retina Macbook to be used at it's full resolution, if that's what somebody wants. I read about some work around, but Apple should have that option built in.

  • Reply 43 of 78
    zunxzunx Posts: 620member


    Hopefully with matte display, at least as an option (even if more expensive). It is a health and productivity issue.

  • Reply 44 of 78
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DCJ001 View Post


     


    Apple will release earnings on July 24. OS X 10.8 and new iMacs should be released a few days later, in my opinion.



     


    Mmmm... FCP X had its first anniversary last week... Most were expecting a new release... In fact Apple presented at the LA FCPUG -- but, no new version...


     


    Right now, a loaded iMac 27 is a Top (or very good) machine for FCP X (the Mac Pro has more cores and more RAM, but no Thunderbolt). 


     


    System InformationScreenSnapz001.png


     


    This is my machine (I screwed up and failed to double video RAM) and it screams.  I use Thunderbolt to attach 2 Promise Pegasus RAIDS and an Apple Cinema Display.


     


    I wonder if a new iMac 27" will add features (More RAM, CPU cores, GPU cores) to mollify high end video editors until a new Mac Pro comes out in 2013.


     


     


    Oddly, I usually run FCP X in a reduced window so I can switch among other windows on the desktop -- I prefer this to to a second monitor, as I can switch between full screen and this with a single click.  My [soon to be] 73-year-eyes are failing and a single monitor right in front of me works better than a monitor on the side.  I use a command-option-8 loupe to magnify the controls when needed!


     


    Here's my setup:


     


    Final Cut ProScreenSnapz004.png

  • Reply 45 of 78
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post


     I use a command-option-8 loupe to magnify the controls when needed!


     


     


     


     



     


    I'm not sure what a command-option-8 loupe is, but if you use a Magic Trackpad, you can just hit command and then do a two finger swipe up to magnify the entire screen, very simple and easy to use.

  • Reply 46 of 78
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    "Apple wrote:
    [" url="/t/151090/supply-of-apples-27-imac-drying-up-as-ivy-bridge-upgrade-awaits/40#post_2140416"]
    I'm not sure what a command-option-8 loupe is, but if you use a Magic Trackpad, you can just hit command and then do a two finger swipe up to magnify the entire screen, very simple and easy to use.

    Not in Mountain Lion. And it looked hideous, anyway.
  • Reply 47 of 78
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post





    Not in Mountain Lion. And it looked hideous, anyway.


    Oh, they took that away?


     


    All of my machines are still on Snow Leopard. Lion wasn't appealing enough for me, though I will probably upgrade to Mountain Lion when that comes out.


     


    Edit - Scratch that, I just realized that one of my machines, my Macbook is not compatible with Mountain Lion, so Snow Leopard for life it is!

  • Reply 48 of 78
    gatortpkgatortpk Posts: 33member
    "Apple wrote:
    [" url="/t/151090/supply-of-apples-27-imac-drying-up-as-ivy-bridge-upgrade-awaits#post_2140282"]The iMac will have to be doubled, meaning 5120 x 2880. That's exactly what Apple has done with their two existing retina devices so far.

    Actually, the Mac has more freedom in the resolution increase. Today's iMac could easily go from 2560x1440 to 2560x1600 (that's 16:9 to 16:10 like the older iMacs). Then 3200x2000 would be 16:10 or Quad the resolution of the cheap 1600x900 displays (which I never liked) to 3200x1800.

    Though, I'm only really talking about screen ratio changes that OS X has more freedom with for obvious reasons.

    If the iMac were to use 3200x1800 resolution, I suppose it could do Retina for a 1600x900 sized desktop (too small) and do scaling for larger desktops, but I think people would rather just use the full 3200x1800 (or 3200x2000; 16:10 ratio) than any HiDPI resolutions. So the iMac will have to have at least 1.5 times the linear resolution or 3840x2160 (Quad Full HD) and scale using that resolution.

    But ideally, 5120x2880 would be best so it can be Retina at 2560x1440 desktop space, and then perhaps do scaling to even higher desktop spaces if the GPU can handle it! Remember, for it to do a 3200x1800 desktop on a 5120x2880 resolution, it would have to double the screen resolution to 6400x3600 and scale down to the native 5120x2880 display. (Much like the current Retina MacBook Pro doubles a 1920x1200 desktop to 3840x2400 then scales it down to the native 2880x1800 display)

    My iMac is set at 3200x1800 with SwitchResX4 right now, and the desktop area is very nice, and it's readable, but the native resolution is still only 2560x1440, so it doesn't look as smooth. But a 3200x1800 sized desktop with a 5120x2880 display would look very nice indeed. I'm sure a desktop GPU can handle 6400x3200 scaling, but not 7680x4320 (Quad Full HD Retina Desktop – 3840x2160, with 16 times Full HD actual resolution) and scale that down to the native 5120x2880 display.
  • Reply 49 of 78
    gatortpkgatortpk Posts: 33member
    "Apple wrote:
    [" url="/t/151090/supply-of-apples-27-imac-drying-up-as-ivy-bridge-upgrade-awaits/40#post_2140424"]Oh, they took that away?

    All of my machines are still on Snow Leopard. Lion wasn't appealing enough for me, though I will probably upgrade to Mountain Lion when that comes out.

    Edit - Scratch that, I just realized that one of my machines, my Macbook is not compatible with Mountain Lion, so Snow Leopard for life it is!

    My old MacBook Pro is not compatible with Mountain Lion, but it can run Lion. It has been for the past year just fine. I would upgrade your MacBook to Lion, especially since it's been out for almost a year now. Snow Leopard is solid, but it is really looking old, and soon you'll need at least Lion to do a lot, not to mention todays iCloud.
  • Reply 50 of 78
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


     


    I'm not sure what a command-option-8 loupe is, but if you use a Magic Trackpad, you can just hit command and then do a two finger swipe up to magnify the entire screen, very simple and easy to use.



     


    Yeah, that is useful too!


     


    But, sometimes I just want to zoom in a small area of the screen, say for a small control.  If you zoom the entire screen, you need to pan around to see everything -- this way you see everything and magnify what you want:


     


    Below are my settings on latest Lion release. You can see the magnifying loupe in the lower right corner (it follows the cursor).  For some reason, the loupe doesn't zoom on the settings window capture with SnapzPro.  Though, if you look at my prior post you can see the loupe in the left center of the screen.


     


    System PreferencesScreenSnapz002.png

  • Reply 51 of 78
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member

    Right now, a loaded iMac 27 is a Top (or very good) machine for FCP X (the Mac Pro has more cores and more RAM, but no Thunderbolt). 

    I screwed up and failed to double video RAM
    • I don't miss Thunderbolt on my MP; it has HDD bays and PCI slots anyway.
    • Would the 2GB video ram make a noticeable difference?
    • CIA (Congrats in advance)
      "Apple wrote:
      [" url="/t/151090/supply-of-apples-27-imac-drying-up-as-ivy-bridge-upgrade-awaits/40#post_2140416"]
      I'm not sure what a command-option-8 loupe is, but if you use a Magic Trackpad, you can just hit command and then do a two finger swipe up to magnify the entire screen, very simple and easy to use.

      I use Ctrl + 1-finger-up-swipe-on-MagicMouse to zoom in. Actually, I don't, because it is hideous indeed.
      Not in Mountain Lion. And it looked hideous, anyway.
  • Reply 52 of 78
    Very glad I made someone laugh with my very first post on this forum. I hope it happens again. Cheers!
  • Reply 53 of 78
    cory bauercory bauer Posts: 1,286member


    So, if iMac supplies are drying up, there's no way the updated model won't arrive until October like always-wrong Digitimes claimed earlier this week, right?

  • Reply 54 of 78
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    cory bauer wrote: »
    So, if iMac supplies are drying up, there's no way the updated model won't arrive until October like always-wrong Digitimes claimed earlier this week, right?

    We'll hear "drying up" rumors sometimes months in advance of launches.
  • Reply 55 of 78
    jbach67jbach67 Posts: 27member


    So tired of the dueling retinal calculations that appear with each successive iMac update rumor.   To me, seeing is believing.   Having compared the current iMac with the retinal mbp, I'm indifferent to whether they have the option soon or next year. And most sites and apps aren't really ready for that future just yet anyway.   Unless there are some compelling reasons for the extra cost that are more stunning than I've seen so far, I can pass.   But I understand that many would like to go there sooner. 


     


    That said, I am interested in whether a spec upgrade option appears sooner (i.e. late this month) or as late as October (earlier rumor).   And why so late.  In the Spring, the rumors said June for iMacs, and that seemed late.    One possible reason is the availability of the Gforce 680;  supplies were constrained for the latter in June, but they seem to be out there now.   The desktop ivy bridges have been around since late April.   So it is a matter of selling out the current inventory (as suggested by this rumor thread) during back to school and ramping enough enough production of new ones.   Why not late July/early August for that?  Another, less likely reason to wait till October is to release a retinal option (and I certainly hope we are talking about an option or the kind of dual track MBP).   

  • Reply 56 of 78
    winterwinter Posts: 1,238member
    Something must be on the way because Apple closed above 600 dollars a share today for the first time in several weeks.
  • Reply 57 of 78

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Winter View Post



    Something must be on the way because Apple closed above 600 dollars a share today for the first time in several weeks.


     


    While it's axiomatic that stock prices go up when more people buy the stock, and not because of any ascribed cause, it's also true that Reuters, Bloomberg, and WSJ all had stories on the 7-inch-diagonal iPad mini.  The forthcoming Google mini-pad was extremely well reviewed but will have limited distribution compared to what we now expect of Apple & if the mini-pad sector takes off according to expectations, there's some feeling Apple will manufacture a shutout.


     


     


     


    The iMac falls into the non-mobile market, which as only DogCowabunga knows ;-) is now a relatively minuscule fraction of Apple's device families, but since Apple is still Apple, they will take the requisite amount of care in the user experience. Who wants to buy a new computer, only to update the operation system to something different, even if the  difference is only slight? (and ML is not slight).  If I remember correctly, something similar happened with Lion and an Air update not so very long ago.  


     


     


     


    Inventory management and back-to-school are 'not nothing', but I'd look on the other side of the equation to see when things are going to happen: when the chips are available, are there enough panels, can the graphic engine drive the humongous higher density display, and how quickly can a million of them be made available to a hungry world, which includes me.  Although it's quite true that in the past supply dry-up reports have trickled in (though 'trickled in' is probably not the best term to describe 'drying up') for months before an update, I'm still looking for an announcement in the week or two before the July 24 earnings.   Disclaimer:  I know nothing. 

  • Reply 58 of 78
    drdazdrdaz Posts: 9member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


    I'm not willing to downsize my resolution and work space. I'm currently on a regular 1920 x 1080 27" monitor, and if Apple came out with a 3360x2100 retina monitor, that would be terrible, because it would be intended to be used at 1680 x 1050, which is far worse than what most people currently use. 



     


    Not necessarily.


     


    The GUI objects that need the higher resolution can be made to use it. If you look at the video editing tools Apple have released for the Retina Macs, the video areas use the full resolution (and thus gain the real-estate the doubled resolution provides), while the GUI widgets (buttons, text etc) are effectively double the size so that they are still easy to click on.


     


    What Apple seem to be doing here is leaving the use of the newly found screen real-estate up to the developers. Which is just a smart thing to do imho.


     


    So, what I guess I'm trying to say is that you probably shouldn't count Apples GUI designers and their hardware engineers out so quickly on this one. They have a habit of doing a decent job ;-)

  • Reply 59 of 78
    dobbydobby Posts: 797member


    I wonder if they will bring out a imac/tv hybrid? 42" imac would be great to combine as a tv.

  • Reply 60 of 78
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    dobby wrote: »
    I wonder if they will bring out a imac/tv hybrid? 42" imac would be great to combine as a tv.

    It wouldn't work unless it was very high resolution and even then, it wouldn't be a retina display at normal computer distances. It also looks ridiculous:

    338

    I think it will be 27" for the foreseeable future. It would be good if they could make the 27" more affordable too. There's only $200 between the $1499 21.5" and $1699 27" (same spec otherwise) and there is $300 between the entry 21.5" and $1499 model. It should follow that they could put the entry spec into a $1399 27".

    Cutting the optical drive would bring the 27" model down by another $100 so the entry 27" can be $1299. Given that the entry 21.5" now is $1199, they might as well just drop the 21.5" model altogether and that way they can save money by shipping the same display in every model.
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