Latest iMac to be announced today.

Tuesday May 3, 2011:

The new iMacs will be announced today, and even though they will probably retain their screen sizes, they will have the new Sandy Bridge processors and ditch the miniDisplay ports for the new Thunderbolt port.

I have a feeling that the new quad-core iMacs will be faster than my not so old Mac Pro from 2010, bummer.

Update on Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 1:06PM by Jon Arnason

The new machine comes in four basic configurations: two 21.5-inch models with a 2.5GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 and 2.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor respectively, and two 27-inch models with a 2.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 and 3.1GHz Quad-Core Intel i5. Apple is also offering build-to-order Web-only options to bump the 21.5-inch model to a 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, and the 27-inch model to a 3.4GHz Intel Core i7; the i7 processor upgrades add $200 to the cost.

The low-end 21.5-inch model sports a 500GB hard drive and an AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 512MB of video RAM, while the more powerful 21.5-inch configuration has a 1TB hard drive and an AMD Radeon HD 6770M with 512MB of video RAM. Both versions feature a 1920 by 1080 pixel display and 4GB of memory. They retail for $1,199 and $1,499 respectively.

Both of the 27-inch models sport a 1TB hard drive, 4GB of RAM, and a 2560 by 1440 pixel display. The 2.7GHz model has an AMD Radeon HD 6770M with 512MB of video RAM, while the 3.1GHz model has an AMD Radeon HD 6970M with 1GB of video RAM. They cost $1,699 and $1,999 respectively. 

Additional build-to-order options include 2TB hard drives, an additional 256GB solid-state drive alongside the main drive, and up to 16GB of DDR3 memory. Customers can choose between a Magic Mouse or a Magic Trackpad with their order.

The fastest Core i7 iMac rated best buy

Performance site Bare Feats has compared the performance of Apple’s new Core i3, i5, and i7 27 inch iMacs and determined the high end model offers the best performance per dollar.

The report contrasts the performance benchmarks rankings of Cinebench 11 and Geekbench 2 to compare the the $1699 entry level dual core 3.2GHz Core i3 against the midrange $1999 quad core 2.8GHz Core i5 and the high end $2199 quad core 2.93GHz Core i7.

Overall, the performance scores indicate that the Core i5 offers a performance boost up to 41 percent at just 18 percent more cost, while the high end Core i7 is up to 45 percent faster than the Core i5 while being just 10 percent more. It’s also 104 percent faster than the Core i3 model while being just 29 percent more expensive.

And we haven’t compared the graphics cards and video memory yet. What about the difference in amount L3 cache, number of cores, and whether hyper-threading is possible? Shouldn’t we include that in the cost/performance equation?

There’s the “light use” argument. “I only use my iMac to read email and surf the net. Why do I need multiple cores with hyper-threading and a fast graphics card?” There is the “future proofing” argument. As the OS and apps get more sophisticated and demanding, the top model will be useful longer. There is the “resale” argument. When you sell it on Craigslist or eBay, the top model will bring in more money — possibly enough to recover the cost difference when new.

source:barefeats via appleinsider

Some of the Apple rumors came true. New iMac now and Mac Pro in August.

The new iMac line is the fastest ever with dual-core processor speeds up to 3.6 GHz, quad-core speeds up to 2.93 GHz and discrete graphics including the ATI Radeon HD 5750.

“We took the world’s best all-in-one and made it even better,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With the latest processors, high-performance graphics and signature aluminum and glass design, customers are going to love the latest iMac.”

Dual-core Intel Core i3 and Core i5, and quad-core Core i5 and Core i7 bring the best performance yet to the iMac line, Apple said. The processors feature an integrated memory controller to access the system memory directly, allowing the new iMac to take full advantage of its faster 1333 MHz memory.

New discrete ATI Radeon HD processors deliver incredibly smooth, crisp graphics for the most demanding 3D games, creative software and technical applications. iMac displays feature IPS technology to deliver images across a wide 178 degree viewing angle.

The SD card slot on the iMac now supports the SDXC format to handle the latest high-capacity storage cards. Customers of the 27-inch iMac have the option to order a 256GB solid state drive (SSD) as a primary or secondary drive. The iMac SSD supports up to 215 MB/s data transfer rates for faster startup and application launch times.

The rumors of faster firewire and USB 3.0 have not materialized though.

source:appleinsider

Next Mac Pro and iMac rumors surface again. USB 3.0?

The French site Hardmac, provided some more fuel to the rumor mill.  Apple will update its Mac Pro desktop at the end of this summer, and its all-in-one iMac a few weeks later, adding USB 3.0 and faster FireWire to both.

Apple is expected to adopt Intel’s Gulftown processor, the 32nm Core i7-980X with six cores.  Apple usually doubles the processors in its high-end workstations, so it’s possible the new Mac Pro system could have a total of 12 cores and 24 threads.

iMac construction

I would consider buying an iMac since it's performance has now exceeded the Mac Pro in it's current guise. But, I can't imagine having the hard drive fail (and it will) and needing surgical skills to remove it. Why would Apple design this thing worse than a cheap netbook or laptop, where you need to remove a single screw and slide it out.

I'm just ranting because I want a new computer and I'm tired of waiting for Apple to release an update to the Mac Pro line.

Review: iMac 27-inch with Core i5

Electronista has reviewed the new iMac 27-inch with Core i5. 

The 27-inch iMac is already a milestone for Apple through its inclusion of a truly greater-than-HD display, but the addition of Core i5 and Core i7 processors transforms it into a near powerhouse. This is the first iMac in recent memory to come close enough to Apple’s workstations that it could replace one of them. Our review of the Core i5-equipped iMac will find out how close it comes to that goal and whether it’s a worthwhile option for any other prospective Mac desktop owner.

For the full review, hit this link.

Update on Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 11:13PM by Jon Arnason

Macworld has also just posted a full review.  Hit this link for the review.

iMac (Late 2009) benchmarks

Apple recently updated its popular iMac line of desktop computers to include larger screens, more standard memory and bigger hard drives. Three of the four new configurations—two 21.5-inch models and one 27-inch model—feature 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo processors and are available now. Macworld Lab has the 3.06GHz trio and we’ve put them to the test. (A fourth standard configuration, a 2.66GHz Intel Core i5-based 27-inch model, will be the first iMac to sport a quad-core processor. It should be available later this month.)

The new entry-level iMac has a 21.5-inch LED-backlit screen, a 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 duo processor, 4GB of 1066 DDR3 SDRAM, a 500GB hard drive, and Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics that shares up 256MB of main memory. This $1199 system replaces an early 2009 model with a 20-inch display, 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo processor, and 2GB of memory. That older model featured the same Nvidia graphics as well as the same price.

For the complete benchmarks, hit this link and go to Macworld.com

iMac line updated with 16:9 displays, quad-core Core i5 model

Apple on Tuesday announced a major update to its iMac line of desktop computers, replacing the old 20- and 24-inch models with new 21.5-inch and 27-inch models featuring a true widescreen 16x9 aspect ratio and impressive high-end features previously found only in the Mac Pro line, including the first quad-core processor ever in an iMac.

 The displays on both models are backlit by LEDs, marking the first time Apple has integrated this bright, instant-on lighting in a desktop computer. The 21.5-inch display has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, the equivalent of a 1080p HDTV, and features 90 percent of the resolution of the old 24-inch iMac model. The massive 27-inch model’s resolution is 2560x1440 pixels. Both use the IPS display technology used previously only on high-end iMacs, meaning both systems have good color fidelity and a 178-degree viewing angle without color shift.

These new models offer a new RAM ceiling of 16GB, double the maximum memory of previous models. The iMacs can now can be configured with up to 2TB of storage.

The low-end 21.5-inch iMac model, priced at $1199, features a 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and Nvidia GeForce 9400M video circuitry. A $1499 model features the same specs other than a 1TB hard drive and the Radeon HD 4670 video card. The $1699 27-inch model features the same specs as the $1499 model, but with the 27-inch display. All of those models are available immediately.

The $1999 high-end model, which won’t be available until November, brings the iMac product line to new performance heights. It’s powered by a 2.66GHz Intel Core i5 quad-core processor and features a Radeon HD 4850 video card. A configure-to-order option will swap in the Intel Core i7 chip for the Core i5.

I’ve been waiting to purchase a new iMac, and wanted an LED display and quad-core.  The wait is almost over.  Looks like the old G5 dual-core is going on ebay shortly.

source:macworld

Were Blu-ray drives pulled from new iMacs at last moment?

Blu-ray drives were pulled as an option for upcoming iMacs with little time to spare, anonymous sources claim. People described only as “close” to Apple say that Blu-ray support was originally anticipated for a near-future iMac refresh, but that it was nixed just before the computers went into production last month. Regardless, buyers would only have been able to get a Blu-ray drive as part of a custom order.
The claim may reinforce earlier rumors to the same effect. Apple CEO Steve Jobs has in the past described the Blu-ray format as a “bag of hurt;” the company may however be feeling pressure to add support, for several reasons. Aside from offering a marketing hook, the technology is now available for a number of rival Windows PCs. It is also of use for video work, watching movies and an alternate means of backup.

source:macnn

Don't buy that new iMac now.. Wait a few weeks.

Current iMac model.

A new report alleges that Apple intends to release new iMacs and MacBooks very soon — in a matter of weeks — to refresh its lineup before the holiday season.

Financial publication Barron’s said a new report from Wedge Partners claims that Apple will introduce new hardware “in the next several weeks.”

The report said that the new iMacs will sport a thinner design with smooth edges. However, the MacBook refresh is said to be “limited.”

Also on tap, according to Wedge Partners, are likely price cuts. The company sees the lower prices as a competitive alternative to Windows 7 machines. Wedge Partners predicts that Apple will sell 3 million Macs in the holiday season, riding the wave of price cuts and new products.

source:appleinsider