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Nothingfaced

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 15, 2014
79
30
So I've read my late 2009 iMac will support MacOS Sierra, and that's amazing.

Sure it is going to be a bare bones version of it, but is it going to have Siri?

I couldn't imagine Siri working well at all if it has it... just curious.

My late 2008 Macbook finally got the axe, and it needed it.
 

redheeler

macrumors G3
Oct 17, 2014
8,583
9,180
Colorado, USA
Siri is not limited to specific Mac models, even my late 2008 MacBook Air which is not officially supported will run it.

IMHO, what was amazing was keeping the minimum system requirements unchanged since Mountain Lion so even some 2007 Macs could be on the latest. That is unfortunately no longer true in Sierra, but luckily for certain 2008-2009 Macs there are workarounds.
 

Nothingfaced

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 15, 2014
79
30
I can't imagine Siri working well on a C2D machine, but out of morbid curiosity I'll install it on my iMac.

I'm about due to upgrade, but it's worked like new for 7 years, and does pretty much everything i need it to do, even though it's now ancient.
 

redheeler

macrumors G3
Oct 17, 2014
8,583
9,180
Colorado, USA
I can't imagine Siri working well on a C2D machine, but out of morbid curiosity I'll install it on my iMac.
Siri can be slow to come up on my late 2008 MacBook Air, but part of that is because it's still in beta. Remember, Siri will work fine on an iPhone 4s which is quite a bit less powerful than a Core 2 Duo Mac.
I'm about due to upgrade, but it's worked like new for 7 years, and does pretty much everything i need it to do, even though it's now ancient.
I'm glad your 2009 iMac has worked well for so long. Upgrading to a current model Retina iMac would be quite a jump though, even if you're just getting it for the Retina display.
 

KALLT

macrumors 603
Sep 23, 2008
5,380
3,415
There is nothing special about Siri that would require such processing power. It is still server-based. Only the iPhone 4 did not get Siri at the time and even then the performance argument was borderline rubbish.
 

NT1440

macrumors Pentium
May 18, 2008
15,089
22,155
There is nothing special about Siri that would require such processing power. It is still server-based. Only the iPhone 4 did not get Siri at the time and even then the performance argument was borderline rubbish.
I think at the very least the dual microphones in more modern versions would help quite a bit.
 
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Feenician

macrumors 603
Jun 13, 2016
5,313
5,100
There is nothing special about Siri that would require such processing power. It is still server-based. Only the iPhone 4 did not get Siri at the time and even then the performance argument was borderline rubbish.

5 years and someone still gets this wrong on MR at least once a day. The 4S and onward had dual mics and a special DSP that used to greatly reduce background noise,making Siri much more usable in anything but the quietest environments. That's why the 4 didn't get it.
 
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KALLT

macrumors 603
Sep 23, 2008
5,380
3,415
5 years and someone still gets this wrong on MR at least once a day. The 4S and onward had dual mics and a special DSP that used to greatly reduce background noise,making Siri much more usable in anything but the quietest environments. That's why the 4 didn't get it.

Whatever, still worked fine on jailbroken devices. The iPhone had voice control as well, so it wasn't exactly incapable without the hardware additions.

This discussion is moot anyway, it works on all Macs and that's it.
 

Nothingfaced

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 15, 2014
79
30
Seems to run Sierra fine. had a few bumps in the road.. guest login was missing, external hard drive giving me the Pinwheel of Death when I tried to play movies in iTunes, but overall its fine.

A very, very bare bones version of Sierra, but its a 7 year old machine that's supported. Kudos.

Wish the "unlock with apple watch" feature worked, but it IS a 2009 machine after all.
 
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