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2017 iMac refresh wish list [merged]

I would just like to see a new desktop from Apple ASAP with a decent GPU in it. The wait is killing me now and just pushing me towards a windows world I am still trying to avoid [love my macs !]

Why on earth do they not support and promote eGPU if they are incapable of putting a fast card into the iMac or MBP? All these compromises mean really the only computer for me is a mac pro, and there is no way on earth am I buying the current 2013 one, so have to wait until a date 'next year some time'.

All they need to do is release the eGPU enclosure and drivers for a refreshed MBP this WWDC and then it will tie into the iMac in October. Then we can have cool running machines that can access the power if / when needed.

It's a no brainer to me. Hope we get to see it.
 
all the new macs (expects 12" MB) can and will support eGPU, the current MBP are already..so the next imac and mac mini and mac pro will support also usb-c/tb3
 
fokmik said:
all the new macs (expects 12" MB) can and will support eGPU, the current MBP are already..so the next imac and mac mini and mac pro will support also usb-c/tb3
Click to expand...

yes, they do sort of but I would like official support as from what I have seen so far it is not a seamless experience. This is for business, so I am not looking for fudged solutions.
 
hmm i dont know about that, the exp is seamless with the right eGPU. you connect your eGPU, install nvidia drivers and you are ready to go
 
fokmik said:
hmm i dont know about that, the exp is seamless with the right eGPU. you connect your eGPU, install nvidia drivers and you are ready to go
Click to expand...
You answer it yourself there - pick the right eGPU, install beta drivers etc. does the 5k display work with it easily? How does this work with a 15" mbp in bootcamp btw - is that seamless too?
 
So, after doing some extensive research into when these new imacs will drop and what specs they will come with, i've come to these conclusions :

27" imac top spec model (not the reported imac pro model)

Release date - June 5 announcement WWDC, shipping by mid to end of june latest. (Report suggested iMacs went into production at the start of may)

The last time a report that imacs went into production, (03 September 15) they were released a month and a half later, (13 OCT 2015)

Plus new kabylake X desktop cpu's just released as well as amd 500 series polaris gpu's which were released april 18th- Also, ming chi kuo reported imacs would be released fisrt half of 2017 which is between jan 2017 and June 2017

•New design with Thunderbolt 3/USB TYPE C
With slimmer bezels

•New touch bar keyboard (new report as of a couple of days ago, suggested apple registered a new keyboard, as well as new computers, ahead of wwdc (would be strange for apple to release a new keyboard without a new imac)

•Intel Kaby Lake 7700K or Laby Lake X 7740K

•AMD full specced, 570/580 series clocked down to 91W by apple, losing maybe 1/5 of performance compared to currently released 500 series full desktop version GPU's,

•Full Support for iMac/MAC to iPad Pro connectivity, for using as a second screen and or for pro apps like photoshop.
would make sense for apple to unveil a new imac with new ipad pros at wwdc to show off this new connectivity feature within iOS 11 and macOS 10.13

Updates to screen technology, although minor, higher contrast ratio(HDR), and improved speakers with better dynamic range, same 5k resolution

Upgradable DDR4 RAM

Super fast PCIe SSDs, 512GB standard, (slightly faster than the current one's in the macbook book PRO)

New Space grey colour

Price increase of at least £200 just like the macbook pros.
 
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Wayne H said:
•Intel Kaby Lake 7700K or Laby Lake X 7740K
Click to expand...

I am skeptical we see Apple adopting Intel's high end desktop platform on the iMac. There basically are not any low end processor options for the entry level 27" iMac. There is also the additional heat generated. This only makes sense if Apple plans on adopting the higher core count skylake-X chips and beefs up the cooling system.

Wayne H said:
AMD full specced, 570/580 series clocked down to 91W by apple, losing maybe 1/5 of performance compared to currently released 500 series full desktop version GPU's,
Click to expand...

The current GPUs are 125 W cards. I don't see why Apple would reduce this target and also reduce performance.
 
The current GPUs are 125 W cards. I don't see why Apple would reduce this target and also reduce performance.[/QUOTE]

AMD polaris 10, DESKTOP VERSION RX580 140W @1266mhz works best at @900mhz (currently clocks at 1266mhz) by throttling it to @900mhz would mean no over Heating, so it would get sustained performance at the expense of less peak performance, also clocking it down to 900mhz would also bring it well within the the 125w from 140w to 91W

Kaby lake 7700K is 91W also.

One other point is that the 2016 macbook pro uses the desktop GPU RX460 just binned and clocked down from 75W to 35W, and re labelled radeon 460 pro, one would think apple would also use this logic to the imac,

Stacc said:
I am skeptical we see Apple adopting Intel's high end desktop platform on the iMac. There basically are not any low end processor options for the entry level 27" iMac. There is also the additional heat generated. This only makes sense if Apple plans on adopting the higher core count skylake-X chips and beefs up the cooling system.

Agreed. Apple will probably go with Kaby Lake 7700K i did say either Kaby Lake 7700K or 7400K :)
Click to expand...
 
Stacc said:
I am skeptical we see Apple adopting Intel's high end desktop platform on the iMac. There basically are not any low end processor options for the entry level 27" iMac. There is also the additional heat generated. This only makes sense if Apple plans on adopting the higher core count skylake-X chips and beefs up the cooling system.
Click to expand...

7700K has a 91W TDP like the current 6700K so it would be fine. I agree the 7740K is unlikely due to it's 112W TDP - especially if it clocks the same as the 7700K as rumored.
 
Wayne H said:
AMD polaris 10, DESKTOP VERSION RX580 140W @1266mhz works best at @900mhz (currently clocks at 1266mhz) by throttling it to @900mhz would mean no over Heating, so it would get sustained performance at the expense of less peak performance, also clocking it down to 900mhz would also bring it well within the the 125w from 140w to 91W
Click to expand...

Its likely by binning and reduced voltages Apple and AMD could fit Polaris 10 at its default clocks of 1266 Mhz into roughly a 125 W envelope. AMD already accomplishes this with the Polaris 10 based Radeon Pro WX 7100. Limiting it to 900 Mhz would result in only a 10% increase in performance over the m395X.
 
I would like them to take inspiration from the Surface Studio. If it is another regular imac with a faster processor, then it will be disappointing. However it seems these days Apple is the laggard of the industry. Remind me of Lexus - selling naturally aspirated engines when everyone else is offering Turbos with more HP.

This might be forgivable were it not for the fact that MacOS seems to crash a lot more than it did 5 years ago.
 
What's good with the surface Studio? It's way overrated and overpriced.
I don't want no touch screen on my iMac.
 
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CWallace said:
Preferably the inspiration to not adopt a touchscreen nor switching to a lower performance laptop CPU from the current desktop CPUs. :)
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Exactly. When I investigate the studio more there were so many compromises against what I could get in an iMac, it put me off. The mobile CPU, outdated GPU, no way to upgrade to full SSD without pulling it apart etc.
The screen is a bonus to me and useful, but each to their own. Maybe an option to have touch / stylus or not would be the better solution.

Saying the above, if MS released a Studio with desktop CPU, a current decent Nvidia GPU and full SSD then I would be extremely tempted to buy it.

Also further to the posts above, where does it say anywhere that iMacs are in production? There is no evidence of this except for the machine numbers.
 
Wayne H said:
Plus new kabylake X desktop cpu's just released as well as amd 500 series polaris gpu's which were released april 18th- Also, ming chi kuo reported imacs would be released fisrt half of 2017 which is between jan 2017 and June 2017

•Intel Kaby Lake 7700K or Laby Lake X 7740K -
Click to expand...
I highly doubt we will see X299 Intel CPUs in the iMac. Bigger TDP, which the iMac already struggles with.

Everything else though, I agree with 100%! Very good write up.
 
I'd love to see iMacs going true SSD for good.
No more Fusion and 5400rpm drives.
Surely Apple can secure cheap 2TB SSDs. :)
 
CWallace said:
So what does "expired" mean in context to the Dutch Apple Store? In that you can't order an iMac for delivery after June 7th? Cause I just configured a BTO 27" in the US store and it shows delivery as June 8th-10th.
Click to expand...

It means the first possible delivery date is June 7th. Google literal translation lacks a bit
 
Its clear today Apple will not update the imacs. Every other rumored hardware now has June 6-7 deliverd time ,from the 12" Mb and Mbpris to the 12.9" ipad pro
 
the future of iMac seems bright
The 2018 iMac revision apparently uses more glass and a dark black finish. It would also re-introduce the glowing Apple logo as a micro-LED panel.
 
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