Where have all the Conroes gone?
Okay, it seems to me that there is a gaping hole in the product line. It is Conroe shaped, has expansion slots and bay drives, and does not include a built-in monitor.
If Apple is only loading its stores with one Mac Pro model, and all others are BTO, are they making room for a consumer tower? It makes sense that Pro computers would generally be sold on a customizable basis, and that the retail outlets wouldn't really need a variety of stock models of those. But Apple can't really mean to stock its stores completely with iMacs, Mac Minis and iPods.
I want something more than the iMac, but something less than the Mac Pro 2x 2Ghz at $2200. Where are the Core 2 Duo towers ranging between 1000 and 2000?
I imagine this must be in the works. But since they were not announced today, when will they arrive?
If Apple is only loading its stores with one Mac Pro model, and all others are BTO, are they making room for a consumer tower? It makes sense that Pro computers would generally be sold on a customizable basis, and that the retail outlets wouldn't really need a variety of stock models of those. But Apple can't really mean to stock its stores completely with iMacs, Mac Minis and iPods.
I want something more than the iMac, but something less than the Mac Pro 2x 2Ghz at $2200. Where are the Core 2 Duo towers ranging between 1000 and 2000?
I imagine this must be in the works. But since they were not announced today, when will they arrive?
Comments
HP seems to have good supply - they have a lead time of under a week for 2.4GHz Conroe. Dell seems to have a much longer wait.
and does not include a built-in monitor.
Amen to that!
A lot of people here seem not to understand that not everybody considers the iMac to be the midrange Mac
Amen to that!
A lot of people here seem not to understand that not everybody considers the iMac to be the midrange Mac
This far that "lot of people" group includes Steve Jobs...we'll see if that changes but the original mac was a AIO machine...
Vinea
I would agree that a cheap desktop (Conroe based) is a missing piece of Apple's lineup. However, I think that Apple thinks that (ITTATT); 1) They couldn't compete in the cutthroat PC desktop segment AND still gain a 20-30 margin, and 2) a cheap desktop would erode sales of the Mac Mini, AIO iMac, and Pro towers (i. e. zero sum gain and overall lower margin, thus resulting in lowered profitability). IMHO, each segment Apple has gone after is; 1) fairly unique (Mac Mini and iMac) and fairly price competitive, 2) best of class (portables) and fairly price competitive, 3) best of class (Pro towers) and price competitive, and 4) all the aforementioned segments have a good margin.
But having said all that, I certainly hope Apple proves me wrong (but I'm not holding my breath).