An idea for a mid-range tower.

[LoganT]

I know, I know; this has been posted many times. But it seems to me that, the people who are asking for it, are asking for too much. They basically want the same expandability as a Mac Pro but cheaper. No my idea is:

Don't make it expandable.
Make it upgradeable.

1 HD Slot (If you want a bigger one, then you will have to replace your current one)
1 PCI X16 slot
1 FW800
3 USB 2.0
Intel Core 2 Duo (starts at the E6400, can go up to the E6600)
Up to 3 GB of ram (maybe 4)

So now, the people who want more expandability will be forced to buy the Mac Pro.

 

[mags631]

But it seems to me that, the people who are asking for it, are asking for too much.

I think the issue is that Apple has taken a different route with the segmentation of their products.

I'm curious how many people who have mini-towers in PC-Land have actually put anything in them after the purchase... and no, I'm not talking about the folks here...

 

[LoganT]

I think the issue is that Apple has taken a different route with the segmentation of their products.

I'm curious how many people who have mini-towers in PC-Land have actually put anything in them after the purchase... and no, I'm not talking about the folks here...

Well right now I am using an Emachines T6532. So far I've upgraded the PSU and the graphics card.

 

[zap2]

no FW 400?



also lets make it fanless and call it the Mac Pro cube

 

[zap2]

. So far I've upgraded the PSU and the graphics card.

He said "not from here"

 

[iW00t]

I hate to say this, but if you need a mid-range tower, you are after something that Apple doesn't offer.

Go check out the *illegal options*, they are illegal, but yeah they do work.

I am not advocating that you break the law and become a felon however... so just suck it up like the rest of us and buy a Mac Pro

 

[mpw]

He said "not from here"

You mean, like, alien?

 

[LoganT]

no FW 400?



also lets make it fanless and call it the Mac Pro cube

Number 1 badass.

Why FW 400? Why not FW 800?

And why not just call it the "Mac"?

 

[c.joe.go]

i actually would see the next imac to be called, the "mac". and as has been said, what is the point of this type of offering from apple?.... don't they have their markets covered?

 

[sas76]

I hate to say this, but if you need a mid-range tower, you are after something that Apple doesn't offer.

Go check out the *illegal options*, they are illegal, but yeah they do work.

I am not advocating that you break the law and become a felon however... so just suck it up like the rest of us and buy a Mac Pro

What are the illegal optoins ? just a web site will do. I don't want to get you in trouble.

 

[iW00t]

What are the illegal optoins ? just a web site will do. I don't want to get you in trouble.

Some clever people managed to make OS X run on regular PCs. Since I never figured out how to get it working I won't post any links, but you can google for it and find forums on how to make that happen.

 

[szsiddiq]

Intel Core 2 Duo (starts at the E6400, can go up to the E6600)
Up to 3 GB of ram (maybe 4)

So now, the people who want more expandability will be forced to buy the Mac Pro.

If they released a mini tower there's no reason why they'd be restricted to Core2Duos when they could easily use Core2Extremes

 

[roland.g]

I think there are two midrange tower options.

1. Get the Mac Pro and don't use all your cores.

2. Get a MacBook Pro, a 23" ACD and an external drive, plus wireless keyboard and mouse, and maybe a hub and rarely unplug, but still have portability when you want it. If you don't dual screen, especially since the high low can be annoying, close the lid.

I think I may end up going #2 depending on what WWDC, brings. Either that or a 24" iMac. I just don't like the white.

 

[szsiddiq]

I just don't like the white.

Spray paint

 

[roland.g]

Spray paint

Or Colorware. Except those things are way expensive and you can't get all the options. If I get a 24", I'm going 2.33 2GB 500GB 7600GT 256 BT MM & KB. But I have a friend at Apple so I can get a slightly better than edu discount. I just really like the sexy 23" ACD in silver. I wish they would do the iMac like that or black. But I also hear that the 24" iMac has issues with disc burning speed. Something to do with the vertical drive, though I guess that would affect all the iMacs.

I bought a Mini in Oct to get me through to Leopard and now will just upgrade at WWDC. I would love something cube size or a bit bigger. I had a G4 PowerMac for 6 1/2 years and the Mac Pros are even a bit larger, no thanks, not to mention it is way overkill for my needs. I don't know that I like the idea of all the desk clutter of a MBP, drive, screen, etc, not to mention price. That will add up. So I may just get the 24" iMac.

 

[roland.g]

I know people say it won't happen b/c too many business won't allow them, but with the iSight gone, I'd like to see the ACDs updated with built in iSights like the iMacs and notebooks before I get one.

 

[sas76]

I'm curious how many people who have mini-towers in PC-Land have actually put anything in them after the purchase... and no, I'm not talking about the folks here...[/QUOTE]



My first mac was a G3 power mac, I still have it and only ever upgraded the ram. ( I now own an ibook ) I will wait for leopard and buy an iMac or mini and in a few years upgrade to another Mac and so on.........

But I am sure there are plenty of people who would like to be able to upgrade there computers or just as important to me newer bigger monitors/TV's. But I supose apple TV is addressing this point.

 

[LoganT]

If they released a mini tower there's no reason why they'd be restricted to Core2Duos when they could easily use Core2Extremes

Well they could solder the chip in, so you can't upgrade that.

 

[4JNA]

way cool Jr.

i like the idea, and they could use the old IBM naming trick and call it a...

MacJr. for the masses, limited but not crippled, and comes with a 'fun' keyboard.

now if it only came with micro channel architecture...

 

[dongmin]

i actually would see the next imac to be called, the "mac". and as has been said, what is the point of this type of offering from apple?.... don't they have their markets covered?

1. You should be able to upgrade your graphics card in a system under $1000.

2. You should be able to run your boot partition off a decent-sized 7200 rpm hard drive and not rely on a notebook drive.

3. And you should be able to match your system with whatever LCD you want.

The iMac fails in #3 and partly #1. The Mini fails in #1 and #2. These aren't grand ambitions. These options should be available in a consumer-grade machine. A re-introduced Cube (or slab) would meet all these requirements, given that it's under $1000. Really, it's not that much of a reach from what they already have: just make the Mini wider to allow room for a 3.5" HD and discrete, upgradable graphics card. $800-$1000 should be the price range, pushing the Mini to the $500-700 price range.

 

[IrishMac]

I think Apple is making a mistake by not providing a mini tower. I have a 3+ year old 2ghz G5 at work. It will need replacing at the end of the year. I know for a fact that if I asked my boss to get a MacPro he would take one look at the price tag and scream. Thats even with a University purchase price (edu discount and minus VAT as well). And why would he react like this? Because we can get special price Core2 Duo Dells for about £600-800 (usually with a screen as well). I'm a web designer so a tower is an ideal rig. I need to have dual screens, ram/hard drive upgrade abilities. The iMac doesn't really cut it. I have a 24" iMac at home and while its nice to do design work on, having a 2nd display next to it is clunky. I have two 17" NEC's at work and they sit fine on the desk. And work would never order an iMac as they'd see it as just a toy computer.

Surely Apple can come up with a Dimension/Optiplex like mini tower that fits nicely between the iMac and the MacPro?

 

[gkarris]

He said "not from here"

Then, how would we know?

I got 2 Compaq Presario's dirt cheap on closeout. One I use as a server and I added a 2nd hard drive and a second DVD RW drive.

The other I use for light gaming and flight sims and added a PCI-E graphics card.

I added more memory to both.

Don't get me started, I would love to have a minitower Mac with iMac specs (integrated Intel graphics with a graphics card slot...)

Where is it? (and the widescreen iPod too...)

 

[theheyes]

Believe me, I'd jump for joy if they offered something like this, but I cant see it happening. At least not for a while.

What I'm (realistically) hoping for when the new iMac design comes out is a) easy DIY upgrades for the RAM/HD and b) a decent graphics card option in the 24" model. And by decent I mean a top-end mainstream card. The x1600 and the 7600 dont cut it.

At the moment its either a compromise (iMac) or overkill (Pro). And theres _NO_WAY_ I'm paying for a Pro. Dont get me wrong, I think OS X is great, but I have my limits.

 

[iDave]

If Apple offered a mini tower for around $1000, their Mac Pro sales would drop by 90%. That's why they're not doing it.

But I want one too.

 

[LoganT]

If they released a mini tower there's no reason why they'd be restricted to Core2Duos when they could easily use Core2Extremes

They should solder the chips so you can't change it.