sflocal

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sflocal
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  • 27-inch iMac flash storage cannot be replaced or upgraded

    sflocalsflocal
    blastdoor said:
    sflocal said:
    The vague issues regarding upgradability of the SSD in the new iMacs is the reason why I ordered it yesterday with the 8TB option.  It will be my last Intel-based iMac and I decided to bite my lower lip and max it out so I never have to deal with it ever on that machine.

    That being said, with Thunderbolt3, it's really not that much an issue.  There are excellent external TB3 enclosures (like from OWC) that will let you install regular NVMe drives to your heart's content.  I get that it would be nicer to upgrade the internal drive, but it is what it is.
    I agree regarding the external enclosure and so I'm curious -- why did you decide to go for the 8TB option? T2 security? Or maybe just the aesthetic of no external box? 


    I wish I could give you a clear-cut answer.  Hell, the 8TB SSD is a $2,400 upgrade which is essentially the cost of another iMac and I really thought long and hard yesterday on that one option.  The reasons really are a combination of what you mentioned.

    There isn't really an elegant/clean 8TB external SSD option that would suffice for me, so perhaps there was a bit of vanity involved in having it all in one enclosure.  If there were an 8TB SSD that I could tack on to the back of my iMac, then I would consider it but most NVMe's max out at 2TB, and others uses multiple NVMe's in a RAID-0 configuration... again, not elegant.  It would not surprise me if Apple is doing exactly that on the 8TB model (2x4TB, 4x2TB, ??) but at least I have Apple's stamp-of-approval, it will work flawlessly, and avoid the potential headaches of 3rd-party vendors (and their drivers) and future MacOS compatibility. 

    If it were a 1-2TB single SSD, I probably wouldn't care, but going to 8TB given the current NVMe options, it's limited imho.

    In the end, I'm essentially future-proofing this machine as I plan on using this machine (to run x86-64 virtual machines) even after I buy the next ARM-only iMac.  

    Perhaps if/when that time comes where I don't need it, maybe the resale value will be that much better if I decide to sell it.  8TB, 128GB RAM, 10-core i9 and 5700XT might still have enough muscle even down the road I hope.
    muthuk_vanalingamroundaboutnowmariowincorundhvidcaladaniandysamoriahippowatto_cobra

  • Apple's block of Xcloud & Stadia game streaming apps is at best consumer-hostile

    sflocalsflocal
    Mike Wuerthele said:

    sflocal said:
    sflocal said:
    First remotely playing games, next it will be apps.  What’s to stop companies from creating remote (I.e. “steamed”) app stores disconnecting Apple’s control and user privacy?

    This is a very slippery slope.  I can understand Apple taking this approach.

    Like others are saying, if you don’t like it move to Android. 


    Office already exists as a web-based version. So do many, many other apps.

    From a technical and latency perspective, an app makes more sense for gameplay. This can be circumvented with Xcloud or Stadia with some kind of controller API for Safari in iOS, but I'm not expecting it.
    The web-based version is dependent on having an internet connection for it to work, whereas an app will work with or without one.  If Microsoft provided an Internet-only Office365 option, no one would use it.
    On larger screen devices, like the iPad Pro, the Office app absolutely demands an internet connection for authentication of paid status and access to all features.
    I don't use the iOS version of Office365 so I can't say how the authentication grace period works.  In apps like Adobe's creative suite, it has to ping the mothership every 30 days to make sure the license is current... that is nowhere near the same as making the case that it's identical to what Microsoft is trying to do with the game streaming.

    I can easily see companies sprouting and start creating streaming app stores that essentially removes all control from Apple, and it starts with the gateway drug that is the video game.  Microsoft could then be an App market for other developers creating apps to host on Microsoft's service that will stream to any device.  

    You may think it's the same as using a game controller to watch Netflix, I do not.  It will be interesting to see how Apple handles this, but one this is for certain... I don't trust any company other than Apple, and the apps Apple curates to make sure what I do on my device is secure from nefarious 3rd-party services.  If this model becomes the norm, hackers won't need to bother with Apple... they will simply hack the companies hosting 3rd-party streaming app services for a goldmine of data.

    While I like the idea of "streaming" a video game, the approach is more a bandaid than something revolutionary... it basically allows substandard hardware to "pretend" to be something more.  To each their own.  I suppose I'm just old-school where binaries belong on the device.  If this is the future of app services, then Apple users should be concerned.  

    I couldn't give a lesser f**k if it runs on Android.  Everyone knows that Android Security is an oxymoron so it's no surprise that Microsoft is playing that card.
    tmayaderuttermacplusplus

  • 27-inch iMac flash storage cannot be replaced or upgraded

    sflocalsflocal
    The vague issues regarding upgradability of the SSD in the new iMacs is the reason why I ordered it yesterday with the 8TB option.  It will be my last Intel-based iMac and I decided to bite my lower lip and max it out so I never have to deal with it ever on that machine.

    That being said, with Thunderbolt3, it's really not that much an issue.  There are excellent external TB3 enclosures (like from OWC) that will let you install regular NVMe drives to your heart's content.  I get that it would be nicer to upgrade the internal drive, but it is what it is.
    raulcristianlordjohnwhorfinhippowatto_cobra

  • Apple's block of Xcloud & Stadia game streaming apps is at best consumer-hostile

    sflocalsflocal
    First remotely playing games, next it will be apps.  What’s to stop companies from creating remote (I.e. “steamed”) app stores disconnecting Apple’s control and user privacy?

    This is a very slippery slope.  I can understand Apple taking this approach.

    Like others are saying, if you don’t like it move to Android. 


    tmayRayz2016williamlondonflyingdpmagman1979aderutterF_Kent_DmdriftmeyerBeatsmacplusplus

  • Apple's new 27-inch iMac sports 10th gen Intel chips, Nano Texture option

    sflocalsflocal
    tyjon31 said:
    The description of the new iMac strongly suggests that the SSD can not be upgraded by the end user. That is frankly a showstopper for me since the SSD pricing (> $1K for 4TB!!) are easily double what you can buy online. A very disappointing decision on Apple's part.
    You can buy a TB3-certified, external case for an NVMe drive for $80 from OWC.  Put whatever SSD you want in it.  A much better proposition than cracking open an iMac.  The drive will run about as fast as what Apple supplies internally.  
    avon b7macintowngregoriusmtenthousandthingsronnmacplusplusrundhvidjony0watto_cobra