Conroe or Merom? (iMac)

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
On the boards someone said they think that there wont be a redesign of the iMacs till they have 64 bit processors, but arent merom and conroe 64bit? Or am I wrong?
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacsRbetterthanPC


    On the boards someone said they think that there wont be a redesign of the iMacs till they have 64 bit processors, but arent merom and conroe 64bit? Or am I wrong?



    Merom and Conroe are both 64 bit processors. I vote CONROE. I hve ranted about this for the last 48 hrs. I know benroethig wants to strangle me over this.
  • Reply 2 of 32
    So is Merom Core 2 Duo and Conroe Core 2 Duo Extreme
  • Reply 3 of 32
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacsRbetterthanPC


    So is Merom Core 2 Duo and Conroe Core 2 Duo Extreme



    Both are core 2 duo. Merom is t--- while conroe is e---- . Products will be sold as core 2 duo t---(merom) or core 2duo e---(conroe). Merom is the mobile chip with clock speeds up to 2.3 ghz. FSB is 667Mhz. Conroe has clock speeds up to 2.9 ghz with a 1000Mhz FSB. Conroe is the desktop chip.



    See Anand Article comparing Yonah to Merom. It's pretty thorough.

    http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets...oc.aspx?i=2808
  • Reply 4 of 32
    dotcomctodotcomcto Posts: 130member
    I'm thinking Apple will upgrade the iMac to Conroe, but I haven't settled on whether they'll go with the 2MB L2 cache or 4MB.



    Just my guess.



    --DotComCTO
  • Reply 5 of 32
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DotComCTO


    I'm thinking Apple will upgrade the iMac to Conroe, but I haven't settled on whether they'll go with the 2MB L2 cache or 4MB.



    Just my guess.



    --DotComCTO



    My guess is the 4 MB version as it comes on the the faster chips. It really wouldn't make sense to replace a 2.0 GHZ Core Duo with a 2.0 GHZ Core 2 Duo chip. My guess is the high-end iMac (I'm not saying 20" in case Apple makes it larger or does a one size, multiple CPU options like the Mac Pro) will get the 2.4 GHZ Conroe with the 4MB L2 cache. The 2.6 seems like overkill for the iMac, but then again who knows. My original argument was based on the idea that the 2.6 and 2.9 Conroe chips would be in low level Mac Pros, but since the Pro's are all Woodcrests, the field is really wide open. But I digress, I think the 2.4 GHZ Conroe will find it's way into the iMac sometime between now and September 12.
  • Reply 6 of 32
    i hope so. i think its time for an update on those. im ready for the switch. in my mind ive switched to mac, i just need to own one. thats the thing. im very much a mac person, but i use a PC which stinks, but im just waiting for the upgrade and i will be official.
  • Reply 7 of 32
    I believe there will be an update in the next month and a half and I hope it's Conroe. I wouldn't doubt the possibility of a merom update, though.



    I am currently overseas until September 28th and I will be purchasing a new iMac at that time (with or w/o an update). I also hope there might be a few more options with an upgrade such as: better vid card, wireless mm/keyboard (almost certain), and maybe color change or size change. Any more configuration choices would be a bonus and none are garaunteed.



    The current iMac is great and an update would be sweet. I hope it's sooner than later so I might be able to get a refurbished one.



    Here's to hoping...

    8)
  • Reply 8 of 32
    irchsirchs Posts: 86member
    When any kind of update happens, I will be buying mine Definitely the upper range one, 20" or more if they have it.



    Jan
  • Reply 9 of 32
    I'm thinking it should be Conroe instead of Merom, but you never know. I'm also wondering whether Apple would go for a 2MB L2 cache or 4MB?



    --DotComCTO
  • Reply 10 of 32
    mjteixmjteix Posts: 563member
    Conroe has 2MB L2 for the 1.86 and 2.13GHz models.

    Merom has 2MB L2 for the 1.66 and 1.83GHz models.

    Not only I think that the iMac should receive an upgrade soon, it also needs a speedbump.

    I hope for:

    - at least 2.13/2.40GHz for Conroe-based iMacs,

    or

    - at least 2.00/2.16GHz for Merom-based iMacs.

    The easier would be Merom-based iMacs, Apple wouldn't need a new motherboard, Merom is pin-compatible with Yonah, so a firmware update is all they need.

    Conroe-based iMacs will need a new motherboard, but we could have more bang for the buck: faster chips and faster FSB (1066 vs 667). My concern about Conroe, is the cooling, current Intel-based iMacs are silent, but the G5 iMac is sometimes noisy, I don't like that. TDP for Conroe is 65W vs 35W for Merom, so especially on the 17" model it may be a problem...
  • Reply 11 of 32
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mjteix


    Conroe has 2MB L2 for the 1.86 and 2.13GHz models.

    Merom has 2MB L2 for the 1.66 and 1.83GHz models.

    Not only I think that the iMac should receive an upgrade soon, it also needs a speedbump.

    I hope for:

    - at least 2.13/2.40GHz for Conroe-based iMacs,

    or

    - at least 2.00/2.16GHz for Merom-based iMacs.

    The easier would be Merom-based iMacs, Apple wouldn't need a new motherboard, Merom is pin-compatible with Yonah, so a firmware update is all they need.

    Conroe-based iMacs will need a new motherboard, but we could have more bang for the buck: faster chips and faster FSB (1066 vs 667). My concern about Conroe, is the cooling, current Intel-based iMacs are silent, but the G5 iMac is sometimes noisy, I don't like that. TDP for Conroe is 65W vs 35W for Merom, so especially on the 17" model it may be a problem...



    Ok, this is what I think is going to happen:



    Given the reports that Apple might be putting Merom in both the MBP and MB next month, and taken into account the 17" EDU iMac, I believe there will no longer be a consumer 17" iMac. The base model, perhaps the only model, will then be 20". This leaves the door open for a 23" iMac but I'm not going to speculate here. Given the recient "one standard option and everything else is BTO" on the Mac Pro, I think the "standard option" iMac will be the 2.13 Conroe. There will be a BTO with the 2.4 Conroe as well (unless there is a 23" iMac then there will be no CPU BTO and the 2.4 will find it's way into the 23").



    On the notebook side I see the 2.33 Merom (I think that's the max speed) going in both models of the MBP and the 2.13 and 1.86 Merom's in the MacBooks.



    I highly doubt the Merom chip will be in both notebooks and the iMac. I've read all the heating concerns with the Conroe and I think they're all bunk, especially with making the base model 20" and a possible expantion to 23".



    My 2 cents.
  • Reply 12 of 32
    ok i might sound totally off, but is Core 2 Duo mean two duo-core processors. Basically a quad? I might be totally off.
  • Reply 13 of 32
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    No, the '2' in 'Core 2 Duo' just stands for second-generation. It doesn't denote the amount of cores.
  • Reply 14 of 32
    o ok. i see. could there ever be a quad in an iMac or is that too much?
  • Reply 15 of 32
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    Perhaps as early as some time next year.
  • Reply 16 of 32
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    This goes all the way back to my Mac Pro prediction, and my reasoning is still the same.



    Server/Workstation = Woodcrest



    Desktops = Conroe



    Mobile = Merom



    Intel said it. That's how they are to be considered.
  • Reply 17 of 32
    "Given the reports that Apple might be putting Merom in both the MBP and MB next month, and taken into account the 17" EDU iMac, I believe there will no longer be a consumer 17" iMac."





    I understand this is an opinion a lot of people have. And as much as I would like to believe it a thought just occured...



    Why would apple cut the 17" option to consumers who do not qualify for an education iMac or let alone don't want the reduced options. IMO I think this would lose a lot of business for apple unless they released another product to go between the mini and iMac that offered a 17" screen.



    For the AVERAGE user (those not browsing this site)I think 17" is a preferred size (IMO). I for one will be getting a 20" or possibly larger if they offer it by my purchasing time frame.



    I just think with as many people that are switching to macs to use a better computer and not necessarilly for all the fun and creative apps a 17" (or something close to it) is a very necessary size for apple to keep offering.



    I respect everyone's opinion and I'm not saying they won't axe the 17" model but I personally think there is a good chance they will keep it.
  • Reply 18 of 32
    I think they'll use Merom. It's a straight-up drop in replacement. I don't see why they wouldn't.
  • Reply 19 of 32
    @homenow@homenow Posts: 998member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by theapplegenius


    I think they'll use Merom. It's a straight-up drop in replacement. I don't see why they wouldn't.



    Becouse the Morem will be in the "Books" and it would be wise for Apple to spread their product line over the 3 chip lines offered by Intel so that if there are supply problems in one chip line their entire computer line is not affected. If the Morem was in the iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook and eventually the Mini and there is a problem that comes up with that chip which is not the Conroe than Apple is screwed with all their consumer computers.
  • Reply 20 of 32
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by @homenow


    Becouse the Morem will be in the "Books" and it would be wise for Apple to spread their product line over the 3 chip lines offered by Intel so that if there are supply problems in one chip line their entire computer line is not affected. If the Morem was in the iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook and eventually the Mini and there is a problem that comes up with that chip which is not the Conroe than Apple is screwed with all their consumer computers.



    Yeah, exactly. And I don't think it would make sense for Apple to ignore the C2D desktop chip completly. A iMac with a 2.33 Merom wouldn't stack up well against a Dell desktop with a 2.4 Conroe.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dunebug38


    For the AVERAGE user (those not browsing this site)I think 17" is a preferred size (IMO). I for one will be getting a 20" or possibly larger if they offer it by my purchasing time frame.



    This is a valid argument. I can only say two things to counter it. The first is that dropping the 17" option would put some diferentation between the EDU and the consumer versions (besides the internals -- people would be able to tell the difference right away). The other being that as the general monitor size continues to increase, the perception is that "bigger is better." I think that if you can offer a product with a large screen for a decient price, a consumer will see it as a good deal rather then, "man that thing is too big for me."
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