new intel iMac observations
Here are a couple of observations of a new Imac (Intel Version)
I migrated from a Mac Mini, which I ran off a firewire drive. I let the iMac read all my settings
and applications off a direct firewire link to the external drive (no Mac needed). This took about 45 minutes.
One thing I should have done is remove the version of Front Row I had installed on the mini...
it came across and Front Row does not work on the iMac because of it. I have no idea how to fix this without
a full reinstall...bummer. And the downloadable version at apple.com wants an iSight G5 iMac....
I also noticed that 512mb of memory makes this thing not much faster than my Mini with 1gb Ram at a lot of
tasks. I have more beachballs than I ever had on the Mini. I'll install a gig more and see what happens.
I ran Onyx and some things sped up. Permissions were goofy on something after the carryover from the mini.
I miss my USB Overdrive.... no mouse button support and i refuse to use that cruddy mickey mouse.
iTunes wouldn't let me copy any videos to my iPod..had to reboot 3 times then it worked. ??? go figure.
but in all I like it more than the mini. super quiet, lots of potential.
I migrated from a Mac Mini, which I ran off a firewire drive. I let the iMac read all my settings
and applications off a direct firewire link to the external drive (no Mac needed). This took about 45 minutes.
One thing I should have done is remove the version of Front Row I had installed on the mini...
it came across and Front Row does not work on the iMac because of it. I have no idea how to fix this without
a full reinstall...bummer. And the downloadable version at apple.com wants an iSight G5 iMac....
I also noticed that 512mb of memory makes this thing not much faster than my Mini with 1gb Ram at a lot of
tasks. I have more beachballs than I ever had on the Mini. I'll install a gig more and see what happens.
I ran Onyx and some things sped up. Permissions were goofy on something after the carryover from the mini.
I miss my USB Overdrive.... no mouse button support and i refuse to use that cruddy mickey mouse.
iTunes wouldn't let me copy any videos to my iPod..had to reboot 3 times then it worked. ??? go figure.
but in all I like it more than the mini. super quiet, lots of potential.
Comments
As far as speed, RAM is important, and you'll definitely feel a big increase by adding an extra gig.
Off topic, and not mouse driver or RAM related, but check out LaunchBar at http://www.obdev.at/products/launchbar/
It's already a universal binary, and I couldn't live without it. It lets you launch any application with just your keyboard, as well as do some neat things like control iTunes without using a mouse, while it's in the background!
Originally posted by Robin Hood
I am pretty certain I read somewhere that a universal binary version of USB Overdrive is in the works, and will be available very soon (will run natively on both PPC and Intel Mac's).
Yep. I am running it now (beta version for testing) -- works great on my iMac DC. Check their site tomorrow.
until then, call it 'fireball' for the beachball you get all the time...
Originally posted by sandau
One thing I should have done is remove the version of Front Row I had installed on the mini...
it came across and Front Row does not work on the iMac because of it. I have no idea how to fix this without
a full reinstall...bummer. And the downloadable version at apple.com wants an iSight G5 iMac....
One thing that might be worth trying out: on my Intel iMac, I found a "FrontRow.pkg" file located at /Library/Receipts. I opened it and it claimed to be an installer for FrontRow. Try it out, see if it works... Something tells me it won't work, but, ah well.
Originally posted by percy
One thing that might be worth trying out: on my Intel iMac, I found a "FrontRow.pkg" file located at /Library/Receipts. I opened it and it claimed to be an installer for FrontRow. Try it out, see if it works... Something tells me it won't work, but, ah well.
Originally posted by sandau
the number one app i think that is needed is Firefox. talk about a slow beast on the new intel iMacs, especially coming out of sleep. that one isn't due for universal binary until March/April...
until then, call it 'fireball' for the beachball you get all the time...
Yup. I wonder when it will be for Camino. Until then the only other browser besides Safari that is Universal is Shiira which also uses the WebKit renderer. I've moved from using Firefox to Safari with Camino as my second-hand. Although for designing pages Firefox + Web Developer extension can't be beat.
Also USB Overdrive was updated today and is now universal.
On the other hand, converting a 20 min video to ipod format took 10 minutes, which was impossible on the mini....
Kind of mixed on this thing....definitely need more ram, it feels very disabled...
I can achieve up to 26 software instrument tracks in my revision A 1.8ghz iMac before it simply can't run anymore in Garageband. (it has 1.2GB of RAM)
I tried a similar test on a 20" 2.0ghz core duo iMac (it had 1GB of RAM) at the Apple Store here in Emeryville, CA. The limit Garageband gave me for software tracks was 64 - which the Core Duo was able to handle without any problems. I think it could've handled even more. The whole time the interface was churning away just fine. Couldn't say that about my iMac.
So I'd say at least in Garageband this new computer is 2x as fast.....
Ok, after the reboot, this thing is fast again. What's killing the memory (I think) is Firefox / Rosetta.
iTunes opened faster than it could bounce in the dock -same with Safari.
Garageband loaded about as fast as my Mini.... so speed on this is a memory issue, most definitely. I'd say 512mb is not enough for this with Rosetta.
Originally posted by ouroboros
Regarding performance:
I can achieve up to 26 software instrument tracks in my revision A 1.8ghz iMac before it simply can't run anymore in Garageband. (it has 1.2GB of RAM)
I tried a similar test on a 20" 2.0ghz core duo iMac (it had 1GB of RAM) at the Apple Store here in Emeryville, CA. The limit Garageband gave me for software tracks was 64 - which the Core Duo was able to handle without any problems. I think it could've handled even more. The whole time the interface was churning away just fine. Couldn't say that about my iMac.
So I'd say at least in Garageband this new computer is 2x as fast.....
Hey, ouroboros, I think we test drove the same machine. I was in the Emeryville store last Saturday, putting the 20" on display through its paces.
I had multiple (I think about 7) track garage band playing with three 720p movies running, Safari, Key Note, and I was actively working with IPhoto and the installed library, and everything was butter. The floor model has a gig of ram installed.
Originally posted by addabox
Hey, ouroboros, I think we test drove the same machine. I was in the Emeryville store last Saturday, putting the 20" on display through its paces.
I had multiple (I think about 7) track garage band playing with three 720p movies running, Safari, Key Note, and I was actively working with IPhoto and the installed library, and everything was butter. The floor model has a gig of ram installed.
Wow small world. I was VERY impressed with the iMac. The fact that this is a laptop chip means that it will be very quiet in a studio. I can only imagine what the performance will be with other chips down the line in the powermac!
Originally posted by sandau
ok, got my 1gb stick of ram from micron/crucial. this is a completely different machine with 1.5gb ram. its a shame apple puts 512mb stock.
Really. It's one thing to limit stock memory when putting in more wouldn't make that much difference for "most people".
But it seems clear that with these first Intel Macs just going from 512mb to a gig makes a huge difference.
Now why would Apple take the risk of compromising people's all important first impression of a critical new machine to save whatever the extra 512mb costs them-- I'm guessing around $20?
Unless they figure playing with the one in the store is going to be people's first impression, but then what about the negative word of mouth when folks get the boxed one home and it seems sluggish?
Originally posted by addabox
Really. It's one thing to limit stock memory when putting in more wouldn't make that much difference for "most people".
But it seems clear that with these first Intel Macs just going from 512mb to a gig makes a huge difference.
Now why would Apple take the risk of compromising people's all important first impression of a critical new machine to save whatever the extra 512mb costs them-- I'm guessing around $20?
Unless they figure playing with the one in the store [is[/i] going to be people's first impression, but then what about the negative word of mouth when folks get the boxed one home and it seems sluggish?
I have the 2 GHz G5, and when I used the intel one in my Apple store I was surprised as to how underwhelming most things were. Start up and running all the apps was fine but it didn't feel fast. Then I found out it only had 512, I have 1.5 at home. They should thorw a gig in to make people's first impression better. They probably just haven't gotten around to it.
Originally posted by sandau
ok, got my 1gb stick of ram from micron/crucial. this is a completely different machine with 1.5gb ram. its a shame apple puts 512mb stock.
I have to agree. Now that I have 1.5GB of RAM it feels like a Mac again?not like Windows or something worse. With only 512MB RAM it was really sluggish?even for a Mac. Now things are very fast and I'm not regretting my purchase at all.
But I am also concerned about the first impressions of people who try to use the Intel iMac with only 512MB RAM?
Originally posted by john.outwater
I have the 2 GHz G5, and when I used the intel one in my Apple store I was surprised as to how underwhelming most things were. Start up and running all the apps was fine but it didn't feel fast. Then I found out it only had 512, I have 1.5 at home. They should thorw a gig in to make people's first impression better. They probably just haven't gotten around to it.
I would have thought that the order would have gone out to all Apple stores that all display Intel iMacs must have at least a gig of ram installed.
Not doing so is just dumb. You risk making a measurable negative impact on your sales just because somebody couldn't take 5 minutes to toss in a stick?