iMac 2016 upgrade?

[ehmr]

Nah, the iMac is already really modern looking, far more than other gross (in my opinion), plastic machine out there. I'm open to any improvement but to say the iMac isn't modern looking is, in my opinion, simply not correct.

Yes it is. I did not say the current iMac looks old, or out of date. I said that slimmer bezels would make it look even more up to date as this is a new "feature" we are seeing more and more of in new laptops, monitors and TVs. As some people have pointed out (in this forum) earlier, the current design has not changed for a while and if the next version will only bring a GPU update as a major feature, perhaps they will slim down the design as well as a bonus. Like the rest of you, I have absolutely no idea, I'm just speculating

 

[johngordon]

If I could provide you with the answer to that question then Apple would be employing me not Jonny Ive.

Cop out!

You don't need to be Ive to have an opinion.

Other than reduce the bezel or chin there's not much else to change that would improve the design.

 

[Lankyman]

Cop out!

You don't need to be Ive to have an opinion.

Other than reduce the bezel or chin there's not much else to change that would improve the design.

Exactly, which is why Apple need a clean sheet of paper and start again. What is the alternative, that the iMac never moves forward (apart from speed bumps) so we still have the same design in a hundred years from now?

It's looking tired and dated and it's no longer consumer friendly with its sealed nature. It wouldn't be all bad if they at least offered them with cutting edge internals but they don't even tick the box in that department either. How many owners are now running one with an external SSD with wires and cables trailing all over - pretty poor way to have to run your system if you're being honest about it.

Still, look on the bright side - there'll be plenty of posters defending Apple's policies so it can't be all bad.

 

[johngordon]

Exactly, which is why Apple need a clean sheet of paper and start again. What is the alternative, that the iMac never moves forward (apart from speed bumps) so we still have the same design in a hundred years from now?

It's looking tired and dated and it's no longer consumer friendly with its sealed nature. It wouldn't be all bad if they at least offered them with cutting edge internals but they don't even tick the box in that department either. How many owners are now running one with an external SSD with wires and cables trailing all over - pretty poor way to have to run your system if you're being honest about it.

Still, look on the bright side - there'll be plenty of posters defending Apple's policies so it can't be all bad.

So do you have an opinion about how the design could be changed to make it look any better or not?

You seem to have said more about the internals, but not so much about the design itself.

I don't think it looks tired and dated at all - compared to what exactly?

I think the iMac design has evolved virtually as much as it practically can, and don't see a whole lot of scope, or need, for any radical new design.

 

[Cape Dave]

Here is an idea... Give us the same retina 27 inch screen. Flat or curved, our choice. Slimmer, cleaner, less bezel as it would not have internals. THEN give us a mac mini that is powerful enough to drive it properly and run up to three of them.

I will be expecting a call from Apple soon as it is obvious I am a genius.

 

[varian55zx]

Here is an idea... Give us the same retina 27 inch screen. Flat or curved, our choice. Slimmer, cleaner, less bezel as it would not have internals. THEN give us a mac mini that is powerful enough to drive it properly and run up to three of them.

I will be expecting a call from Apple soon as it is obvious I am a genius.

What puzzles me is the current Cinema Display, or whatever it is called now. I like Cinema Display.

That thing is obviously nice, but it's thick. If you look at it next to a 27 inch iMac, thing looks much thicker. It still looks great, but I wouldn't be surprised if the next one is closer to the shape of the iMac.

I mean, how the hell is the display actually thicker when it's ONLY a screen.

 

[Cape Dave]

What puzzles me is the current Cinema Display, or whatever it is called now. I like Cinema Display.

That thing is obviously nice, but it's thick. If you look at it next to a 27 inch iMac, thing looks much thicker. It still looks great, but I wouldn't be surprised if the next one is closer to the shape of the iMac.

I mean, how the hell is the display actually thicker when it's ONLY a screen.

The cinema display is considered old technology at this time. Thick and grainy.

 

[MistrSynistr]

The Cinema Display is bizarre for the simple fact it's like $949 for a monitor. Not even a 4 or 5k one at that.

Those things should be like $300 by now.

 

[Cape Dave]

The Cinema Display is bizarre for the simple fact it's like $949 for a monitor. Not even a 4 or 5k one at that.

Those things should be like $300 by now.

So true. Pathetic, really, considering the type of company Apple professes to be, forward thinking, etc.

 

[Lankyman]

So do you have an opinion about how the design could be changed to make it look any better or not?

You seem to have said more about the internals, but not so much about the design itself.

I don't think it looks tired and dated at all - compared to what exactly?

I think the iMac design has evolved virtually as much as it practically can, and don't see a whole lot of scope, or need, for any radical new design.

Well firstly we all have our own view when it comes to aesthetics. However, you say it yourself, the present iMac has evolved as much as it can. That is why the whole concept requires looking at again, to do something completely different (as Monty Python used to say). I'm no designer so wouldn't really know where to start, but I do know 'looking tired' when I see it.
[doublepost=1457794993][/doublepost]

So true. Pathetic, really, considering the type of company Apple professes to be, forward thinking, etc.

It is forward thinking - well in relation to emptying your wallet that is.

 

[Cape Dave]

Well firstly we all have our own view when it comes to aesthetics. However, you say it yourself, the present iMac has evolved as much as it can. That is why the whole concept requires looking at again, to do something completely different (as Monty Python used to say). I'm no designer so wouldn't really know where to start, but I do know 'looking tired' when I see it.
[doublepost=1457794993][/doublepost]

It is forward thinking - well in relation to emptying your wallet that is.

LOL! Apple "forwards" your money from you to them!

 

[Mookeh]

I was wondering the same thing. Although there's not a terrific reason for Apple to bump the specs, pretty much every other Mac is on "Don't Buy" in the Buyers Guide. The iMac is listed as mid-cycle, but that's only because of the average. It's been 152 days since the last update: there were only 147 days between that update and the one before. In other words, an update is not likely, but there's a chance.

I'd say that if waiting a week won't kill you, it's good to err on the safe side.

 

[varian55zx]

I was wondering the same thing. Although there's not a terrific reason for Apple to bump the specs, pretty much every other Mac is on "Don't Buy" in the Buyers Guide. The iMac is listed as mid-cycle, but that's only because of the average. It's been 152 days since the last update: there were only 147 days between that update and the one before. In other words, an update is not likely, but there's a chance.

I'd say that if waiting a week won't kill you, it's good to err on the safe side.

The most recent iMac update was late 2015.

It's now early 2016. I did buy mine late 2015 but the soonest point after a product line update is always the best time to buy the new one. It stays new for the longest period of time.

I think we've all seen the buyers who are completely ignorant to that who buy a MacBook, or iPhone and then the new one comes out the next week.

That's what you want to avoid.

Now is still in the period where buying a new iMac would be a good idea, I would imagine.

 

[shrugbutt]

Here is an idea... Give us the same retina 27 inch screen. Flat or curved, our choice. Slimmer, cleaner, less bezel as it would not have internals. THEN give us a mac mini that is powerful enough to drive it properly and run up to three of them.

I will be expecting a call from Apple soon as it is obvious I am a genius.

Hear Hear...

 

[Mookeh]

The most recent iMac update was late 2015.

It's now early 2016. I did buy mine late 2015 but the soonest point after a product line update is always the best time to buy the new one. It stays new for the longest period of time.

I agree with you, now is a good time to buy. However, there is a small possibility of a minor spec bump next week, for the reasons I've outlined above. I'm not really holding out hopes, mind you. But just in case.

 

[varian55zx]

I agree with you, now is a good time to buy. However, there is a small possibility of a minor spec bump next week, for the reasons I've outlined above. I'm not really holding out hopes, mind you. But just in case.

You are right about that.

I believe it would be very slimy to upgrade them so soon.

 

[johngordon]

Well firstly we all have our own view when it comes to aesthetics. However, you say it yourself, the present iMac has evolved as much as it can. That is why the whole concept requires looking at again, to do something completely different (as Monty Python used to say). I'm no designer so wouldn't really know where to start, but I do know 'looking tired' when I see it.

We do indeed all have our own view - but other than reducing or eliminating the chin or the bezel, you still haven't actually offered any views as to what else could be changed. I suppose they could use a different material / colour for the enclosure, although I'm not sure what might improve that to be honest. Don't you have any thoughts on this at all?

If all anyone is doing is changing something for the sake of change, then I'm not sure that's necessarily going to be a good thing. There are plenty of products that haven't changed, or only changed very little over the years. A classic design is a classic design after all.

 

[briloronmacrumo]

If we're discussing iMac redesign( my next comment is undoubtedly wishful thinking given Apple's current management ), maybe some Apple decision maker will realize nobody needs it to be portable, so replacing an ultra thin case with a wider case for better heat dissipation is possible without losing style points or customers.

 

[Adam552]

I know it possible for them to do it, but I don't think its going to happen. I think they've moved on to AMD for specific reasons. I didn't like the move mind you, but I don't think they're going to reverse direction so soon.

Seems to be a lot of 28nm rebrands from AMD just came out
http://www.anandtech.com/show/10322/amd-unveils-radeon-m400-series-for-notebooks

There are no cards higher than the M485X in this lineup so far. Maybe there's more to come when they announce their Polaris cards at Computex in 2 weeks.

Recently, I now think AMD will provide the next cards. NVIDIA doesn't seem ready for it. But we'll see.

Edit: At least you know now that the M395X will be similar to the M480/M485/M485X in performance

 

[BigJohno]

Seems to be a lot of 28nm rebrands from AMD just came out
http://www.anandtech.com/show/10322/amd-unveils-radeon-m400-series-for-notebooks

There are no cards higher than the M485X in this lineup so far. Maybe there's more to come when they announce their Polaris cards at Computex in 2 weeks.

Recently, I now think AMD will provide the next cards. NVIDIA doesn't seem ready for it. But we'll see.

Edit: At least you know now that the M395X will be similar to the M480/M485/M485X in performance

I just pulled the trigger on a BTO 5k imac 395x. I had to do it for work related purposes and couldn't wait till the refresh. I want them to update the gpu but I also don't want it to be that big of an improvement haha. Still a hell of a machine if you are not a gamer.