Amazon lists new Power Mac G5 models for pre-order
Online retail giant Amazon.com appears to have pre-announced Apple's new Power Mac G5 systems on its website, listing three new models with speeds of up to dual 2.7GHz.
While sources had previously predicted that Apple would begin introducing new hardware on Tuesday, Apple has yet to make any official announcements. But more recent information suggests the company will now use Wednesday to roll out new CPUs, including Power Macs which go by the code-name Q87.
Nevertheless, Apple authorized reseller, Amazon.com, appears to have jumped the gun and is already listing three new Power Mac G5 models.
A low-end dual 2GHz model sports 512 MB of DDR SDRAM, a 160 GB hard drive, and a 16x Dual Layer SuperDrive (CD/DVD+RW) for $1,994.99.
The mid-range dual 2.3GHz model is listed as including 512 MB of DDR SDRAM, a 250 GB hard drive, and a 16x Dual Layer SuperDrive (CD/DVD+RW) for $2,494.99.
At the peak of the new product line is a dual 2.7GHz model packing 512 MB of DDR SDRAM, 250 GB hard drive, and a 16x Dual Layer SuperDrive (CD/DVD+RW) for $2,994.99. Sources added that this model also sports a ATI Radeon 9650 graphics card (one dual DVI one single) and a 1.35GHz frontside bus.
All three configurations will ship with Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger preloaded. They are currently available for pre-order.
Sources claim that Apple will officially announce the new Power Macs on Wednesday. They will be available for sale at retail stores beginning 6PM on Friday.
While sources had previously predicted that Apple would begin introducing new hardware on Tuesday, Apple has yet to make any official announcements. But more recent information suggests the company will now use Wednesday to roll out new CPUs, including Power Macs which go by the code-name Q87.
Nevertheless, Apple authorized reseller, Amazon.com, appears to have jumped the gun and is already listing three new Power Mac G5 models.
A low-end dual 2GHz model sports 512 MB of DDR SDRAM, a 160 GB hard drive, and a 16x Dual Layer SuperDrive (CD/DVD+RW) for $1,994.99.
The mid-range dual 2.3GHz model is listed as including 512 MB of DDR SDRAM, a 250 GB hard drive, and a 16x Dual Layer SuperDrive (CD/DVD+RW) for $2,494.99.
At the peak of the new product line is a dual 2.7GHz model packing 512 MB of DDR SDRAM, 250 GB hard drive, and a 16x Dual Layer SuperDrive (CD/DVD+RW) for $2,994.99. Sources added that this model also sports a ATI Radeon 9650 graphics card (one dual DVI one single) and a 1.35GHz frontside bus.
All three configurations will ship with Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger preloaded. They are currently available for pre-order.
Sources claim that Apple will officially announce the new Power Macs on Wednesday. They will be available for sale at retail stores beginning 6PM on Friday.
Comments
New PoweRMAC G5s !!!! YEAHHH 111!!!!
that's so weird with amazon releasing it early.... will screen grab in case it gets pulled.
16x dual layer dvd burner is sweet... there's not even media out that supports 16X dual layer dvd burning... good move apple, you get to make some money on 16x dual layer blank dvds
512mb ram standard, dual layer burners, chunky hard disks, comes with tiger, at least they're trying to get back in the game
please please please tell me GPUs are updated to a decent degree
i thought apple will be 'saving' this announcement for the tiger event on Friday?? hmm
What is up with them?
I wonder how long it will be until Apple Legal goes
Originally posted by sunilraman
actually now that i have settled down, this is actually totally not cool and a major major major f8ck up on amazon's part, unless it is part of apple's marketing strategy ??
i thought apple will be 'saving' this announcement for the tiger event on Friday?? hmm
I think Steve can be heard shouting from two states away. Amazon's probably to big to retaliate against, but I can almost image Steve changing the specs a bit just to make them wrong.
oh nvm...i forgot the picture of the "pallete" shrouded in black...hehehe
***CONFIRMED***
and as for ppl who dont like this update, dare i ask what comp ur using... macs are still the best, its not steve's fault ur running Powermac G4s at 450...GOSH!
Originally posted by D.J. Adequate
I think Steve can be heard shouting from two states away. Amazon's probably to big to retaliate against, but I can almost image Steve changing the specs a bit just to make them wrong.
dude, steve is on the phone to jeff bezos right now
what i wouldn't do to get a wiretap of that conversation... two tech heavyweights having a go at each other
i suspect there might be an opening in the Amazon.com web department soon... gonna polish up my resume
Originally posted by ineedag5pbnow
....
oh nvm...i forgot the picture of the "pallete" shrouded in black...hehehe
...
dude, that must be a real f8cking low point in the history of rumors. a bloody palette covered in black, with some green type on top saying 2.2, 2.5, etc. etc..
f8ck me, at least the iHome media centre was a mock-up attempt
a black-wrapped palette... jesus that's really getting desperate
ha ha ha who would've guessed amazon.com would be the leak that apple has to plug now
Originally posted by scotty321
This seems to indicate that there will no longer be an "entry level" single-processor G5 at the $1,499 price point, but we'll find out for sure this week.
That one will most lakely stay the same - with a price drop - I say look for a tag of 1199 and 899 edu
Originally posted by lowbudgetfun
As long as the graphics cards have been updated. And PCI-Express would be nice too. Any word if dual core?
my guess:
dual core: not likely
better GPU: very likely
PCI-Express: not likely, PCI-X still
16X dual layer burning: this is the "major" thing already, dual core would be awesome but i don't think so...
this update, along with tiger, and final cut studio pro, will be enough to prop up the sagging powermac unit and revenue figures, and generate some activity on the apple pro end, enough till WWDC announcement maps out some clear processor strategy for the rest of the year
hmmm
Originally posted by Placebo
Wow, Apple, you guys are hopeless. They should have gone with AMD.
Because AMD has been ramping up their clock speed so much higher than IBM.
http://techreport.com/reviews/2005q2...5/index.x?pg=1
AMD has not been entirely immune to these problems, but it has sidestepped their worst effects by keeping clock speeds down. The original Opteron processor debuted two years ago today at speeds up to 2GHz. Two years later, the same processors are available at 2.6GHz?only a 600MHz increase, not much in the grand scheme.
Originally posted by Placebo
Wow, Apple, you guys are hopeless. They should have gone with AMD.
a dual-processor 2.7ghz G5 will be fast. yes, not as fast as a dual-core dual-3ghz G5
i think apple has tried to address the issue while still maintaining heavy profits (*shakes fists!! bastards!!
0. they are targeting prosumer/indie/pro-level video market for the PowerMac line now that graphic design has dried up a bit by designers defecting to PC
1. dual layer 16X burner, if true, nice edge for making a dual-layer DVD, pulling quick 8.5GB discs for backup/distribution without worrying about transporting external hard disks
2. larger hard drives, drop in price point, get to clear out older G5 stock
3. better graphics GPU (not targeted at gamers, but they would try to offer some value for money here) -- for core image, Motion, openGL 3D graphix on Mac (yes it's not workstation-quality openGL but it will work for a lot of say, general Maya and Lightwave 8 workflow, for example...)
4. enough of an interest and boost to synergise with Tiger and Final Cut Pro Studio package
5. yes, spec wise in some ways those on the cutting edge are looking at apple and going, wtf mate? but as some people have mentioned, specs are one thing, but if you are a designer/ filmmaker/ musician, you sit down in front of that dual-2.7ghz with Logic/ Photoshop/ Final Cut/ Lightwave/ etc etc etc you will most likely feel you've got your money's worth...
6. something to tempt the people that have pretty much given up on a powerBook g5 anytime this year
Originally posted by G_Warren
Surely since Amazon has just stuck the new models up on their site, Apple will just put them on the Apple store now, no? Why not? It can't be that much hassle to stick them up a day early.
yeah fair point mate, but Apple has been totally hush-hush on the PowerMac G5 updates... for Amazon to have launched before Apple, especially with special events at AppleStores for Tiger and (other new stuff) this Friday, this is a bit puzzling, really...
plus anyone buying from Apple Store the G5 2.5ghz older model for $2999 and then 1 hour later realizing the better deal on Amazon (bigger hard disk, 16x DUAL layer instead of 8x single layer, Tiger, maybe faster GPU) will be pretty pissed off...
Originally posted by ic1male
So, what's the gubbins with the 2.7 model? Is this version going to be like the 2.5 was with water-cooling? And the 2.3 version like the old 2.0 air-cooled?
what Amazon hasn't leaked is the antimatter cooling system now used on all new PowerMac G5s.
"PowerMac G5. Now classified as a Weapon Of Mass Destruction by the US Government. From $1999."
Originally posted by sunilraman
what Amazon hasn't leaked is the antimatter cooling system now used on all new PowerMac G5s.
"PowerMac G5. Now classified as a Weapon Of Mass Destruction by the US Government. From $1999."
hahahahahaha.... "Say Hello to Hans Blix's worst nightmare."
Originally posted by Placebo
Wow, Apple, you guys are hopeless. They should have gone with AMD.
Placebo. Many of us do not share your love of AMD processors. Note that AMD is at a max 2.8Ghz for their processors which means these machines are current as far as CPU speed.
Motherboard tech is another story but then AMD isn't a huge player there by choice.
I'm rather ambivalent about these upgrades. Consumers won't like them because they have to amortize over 4-5 years. However If I'm a Pro I'm not that eager to move to an unproven tech in PCI-Express(especially considering that there are adapters that can give support).
Another 6 month wait for nextgen hardware isn't going to kill anyone.