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For the Uninitiated, What Does the Penryn Chip Bring to the iMac?

R

rayward

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 13, 2007
1,697
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Houston, TX
I have been waiting for the much-anticipated iMac update before buying. Now, it seems that the update isn't expected to be much more than adding the Penryn chip, without much of an improvement in chip speed, graphics card, RAM, HDD or price.

I would appreciate some illumination on what the Penryn brings, and whether it's worth waiting for as opposed to buying a refurb now while they're getting an additional discount.

Thanks.
 
Penryn

1. SSE4.1 instructions for media applications that are optimized for them
2. Cooler processors since it's based on the 45nm process vs. the previous 65nm one
3. 6 MB cache in higher end processors vs. 4 MB

I'd like to say higher clock speeds as well but you won't see those until the Montevina platform. The maximum is still going to be 2.8 GHz.
 
Eidorian said:
Penryn

1. SSE4.1 instructions for media applications that are optimized for them
2. Cooler processors since it's based on the 45nm process vs. the previous 65nm one
3. 6 MB cache in higher end processors vs. 4 MB

I'd like to say higher clock speeds as well but you won't see those until the Montevina platform.
Click to expand...

Thanks. So it'll be a fraction quicker and run a little cooler (sucking less juice, presumably). Correct?
 
rayward said:
Thanks. So it'll be a fraction quicker and run a little cooler (sucking less juice, presumably). Correct?
Click to expand...
The gains moving to the new processors can easily be offset by the money saved on a refurbished Mac.

I don't feel any need to upgrade my MacBook from November.
 
well hopefully the next iMac refresh will include a matte screen option, like the new MacBook Pro does.... (if you order it from the Apple store, you will see it has a matte or glossy option)

that's really what i've been waiting for (i can't use a glossy screen).
 
jeffereyj said:
well hopefully the next iMac refresh will include a matte screen option, like the new MacBook Pro does.... (if you order it from the Apple store, you will see it has a matte or glossy option)

that's really what i've been waiting for (i can't use a glossy screen).
Click to expand...

mbp's have always had that option.

The iMac will NEVER have a matte option, ANYWHERE in the near future, the glossy is part of the design
 
jeffereyj said:
well hopefully the next iMac refresh will include a matte screen option, like the new MacBook Pro does.... (if you order it from the Apple store, you will see it has a matte or glossy option)

that's really what i've been waiting for (i can't use a glossy screen).
Click to expand...

I agree, as much as I love my first foray into Apple, and having dodged the glossy screen bullet--- it does have me thinking, as far as getting a 'next' iMac eventually.

I will not get an iMac with a glossy screen. Period. I dislike them that much. (yes, I use my iMac for photography) I use the Alu macs at the school labs all the time (24 in) and I find myself constantly thinking "I can't believe they consciously designed these with gloss..." every time I'm editing a photo, with a large area of blacks.

So I'm certainly hoping the next iMac (I'm talking a true update, beyond the Alu) will have matte, at least as an option.

But that's quite far away, and I won't be needing to worry about that for at least a few years. I love my baby!
 
Eidorian said:
The gains moving to the new processors can easily be offset by the money saved on a refurbished Mac.

I don't feel any need to upgrade my MacBook from November.
Click to expand...

My question is whether it is worth waiting for Montevina. I can get a refurbished 24" 2.8MHz, or wait six months to see if there is a major update (and pay more?). My Mac Mini is horribly slow, but I want something that can do basic photo and video editing, that will be able to last for 3-5 years of OS and software improvements. Ideally, I would like an iMac that can double as a HD cable monitor ;) Thanks for any guidance. :)
 
avatars said:
My question is whether it is worth waiting for Montevina. I can get a refurbished 24" 2.8MHz, or wait six months to see if there is a major update (and pay more?). My Mac Mini is horribly slow, but I want something that can do basic photo and video editing, that will be able to last for 3-5 years of OS and software improvements. Ideally, I would like an iMac that can double as a HD cable monitor ;) Thanks for any guidance. :)
Click to expand...

I run on a 24", 2.4C2D & process 10megapixle photo's in Aperture & have a Panasonic hdc-sd9 on order that I know will run smooth. The camera & camcorder I know I'm keeping for at least 3 years. Yeah, Montevina will be faster but my biggest concern is storage not speed at this point.
 
Mac Addict said:
I run on a 24", 2.4C2D & process 10megapixle photo's in Aperture & have a Panasonic hdc-sd9 on order that I know will run smooth. The camera & camcorder I know I'm keeping for at least 3 years. Yeah, Montevina will be faster but my biggest concern is storage not speed at this point.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Any storing a large volume of photos and songs will not be an issue? My Mini sometimes even struggles if I have too many tabs open in Firefox... :(
 
avatars said:
My question is whether it is worth waiting for Montevina. I can get a refurbished 24" 2.8MHz, or wait six months to see if there is a major update (and pay more?). My Mac Mini is horribly slow, but I want something that can do basic photo and video editing, that will be able to last for 3-5 years of OS and software improvements. Ideally, I would like an iMac that can double as a HD cable monitor ;) Thanks for any guidance. :)
Click to expand...

Good god, i hope not!!!!
 
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