No 2018 iMac?!

[Jorbanead]

Okay, so is there a big difference between existing iMac and 8th gen (assuming this is what we might get)?

TL, DR - both 8th and 9th gen chips will offer substantial improvements over the current 7th gen.

Here’s a comparison chart I made from what I could find online. Geekbench scores for 9th gen are still coming in, so i’ve excluded those until we have better data. According to UserBenchmark, there is a major difference between the 7700K and 8700K, but the only major difference between 8700K and 9700K would be for gaming, which is not necessarily the iMac’s focus. Workstation (multi-thread) performance seems to be roughly the same.

7th Generation i7 7700K
4 Core // 8 Threads
Geekbench: 5696 (Single) 18812 (Multi)
CPU Benchmark: 12043
UserBenchmark: 95% (Gaming) 97% (Desktop) 71% (Workstation)

8th Generation i7 8700K
6 Core // 12 Threads
Geekbench: 5897 (Single) 25988 (Multi)
CPU Benchmark: 15974
UserBenchmark: 108% (Gaming) 105% (Desktop) 96% (Workstation)

9th Generation i7 9700K
8 Core // 8 Threads
CPU Benchmark: 17425
UserBenchmark: 114% (Gaming) 109% (Desktop) 96% (Workstation)

9th Generation i9 9900K
8 Core // 16 Threads
CPU Benchmark: 20460
UserBenchmark: 121% (Gaming) 117% (Desktop) 125% (Workstation)​

It’s also important to note that real-world experiences vary greatly. There are a lot of reviews out there that say 8700K & 9700K chips are not very different since the 9700K only has 8 threads. Also thermals are important to note as well. The 7700K is a 91W chip, while the 8th and 9th gen chips are 95W. However, many users are reporting that 9th gen chips can get extremely hot when using max turbo frequency, so even though the 9900K has great results, if they do not use proper cooling in the iMac, there won’t be as much of a benefit as you would expect.

 

[Black Diesel]

TL, DR - both 8th and 9th gen chips will offer substantial improvements over the current 7th gen.

Here’s a comparison chart I made from what I could find online. Geekbench scores for 9th gen are still coming in, so i’ve excluded those until we have better data. According to UserBenchmark, there is a major difference between the 7700K and 8700K, but the only major difference between 8700K and 9700K would be for gaming, which is not necessarily the iMac’s focus. Workstation (multi-thread) performance seems to be roughly the same.

7th Generation i7 7700K
4 Core // 8 Threads
Geekbench: 5696 (Single) 18812 (Multi)
CPU Benchmark: 12043
UserBenchmark: 95% (Gaming) 97% (Desktop) 71% (Workstation)

8th Generation i7 8700K
6 Core // 12 Threads
Geekbench: 5897 (Single) 25988 (Multi)
CPU Benchmark: 15974
UserBenchmark: 108% (Gaming) 105% (Desktop) 96% (Workstation)

9th Generation i7 9700K
8 Core // 8 Threads
CPU Benchmark: 17425
UserBenchmark: 114% (Gaming) 109% (Desktop) 96% (Workstation)

9th Generation i9 9900K
8 Core // 16 Threads
CPU Benchmark: 20460
UserBenchmark: 121% (Gaming) 117% (Desktop) 125% (Workstation)​

It’s also important to note that real-world experiences vary greatly. There are a lot of reviews out there that say 8700K & 9700K chips are not very different since the 9700K only has 8 threads. Also thermals are important to note as well. The 7700K is a 91W chip, while the 8th and 9th gen chips are 95W. However, many users are reporting that 9th gen chips can get extremely hot when using max turbo frequency, so even though the 9900K has great results, if they do not use proper cooling in the iMac, there won’t be as much of a benefit as you would expect.

Thanks so much. So if Apple was to release an iMac next week with i7 8700K as the top processor option, it wouldn't be considered a huge let down correct?

 

[gadgetgirl85]

I'm sure hoping SSD will be standard in new iMacs.

 

[Jorbanead]

Thanks so much. So if Apple was to release an iMac next week with i7 8700K as the top processor option, it wouldn't be considered a huge let down correct?

Correct. Assuming you’re only looking at the i5 or i7 versions, there’s not much difference between the two newest generations. You may be disappointed if you’re hoping for the i9 9900K though, which does offer a decent boost in performance, so it just depends on what you’re looking for.

 

[ondert]

I quit looking at geekbench scores since Intel's tdp lies combined with Apple's subpar cooling system. We've seen it quite well with the release of 2018 macbook pros, dell xps and other slim, high-end laptops with 8th gen. toasty intel cpus.
I'm gonna check cinebench results when the new iMacs come out.

 

[iZeljko]

I would agree with this. I had awful throttling on my maxed out iMac but the iMac pro smooth as butter. If it is not engineered like the pro, i would stay away from the higher end CPU’s.
[doublepost=1540456497][/doublepost]

Never had a single Kernel issue with my iMP...... just saying.

Glad to hear that you are KP free. It is one vote to "Go & buy a new MBP now" but there are also a lot that are saying "potential KP problems here"

 

[deconstruct60]

Thanks so much. So if Apple was to release an iMac next week with i7 8700K as the top processor option, it wouldn't be considered a huge let down correct?

This is macrumors ... there will be some faction with a huge let down that the Sun came up this morning. There are complaints for every configuration possible.

The 8700K might not work (more than might not if the thermal cooling solution adjustment to system are minimal). But the 9700K could work better. the 9600K better still.

https://www.anandtech.com/show/13400/intel-9th-gen-core-i9-9900k-i7-9700k-i5-9600k-review/21

If look at the chart the 9700K is lower (higher in the list) than the 8700K. The 9700K die is bigger. Couple that with better in package thermal transfer interface between die and lid and have a solution that dissipates heat slightly more efficiently. However, the 7600K (current top end) is far at the top of the list.

Apple could put a cap on the firmware setting ( put a specific upper limit on power (e.g., the listed TDP+ 4% ) ... not draw whatever its want but capped at whatever the thermal envelope is). [ They don't really need a 'K' chip since it isn't going to be run outside the normal spec ranges anyway. ]

Apple could shift to the iMac Pro baseline cooling design but then will have 40 pages of complaints about missing RAM door.

 

[SkiHound2]

The k chips probably have some marketing value. For many (including me to some extent) bigger, faster, etc. is always better, even if no pragmatic difference. But I agree that unless they redesign the cooling system the k chips are not a good fit. I don't think any of the 9th generation non k cpus have been announced so unless they have some deal with Apple, at least some of the iMacs released on Tuesday (another assumption) will almost certainly will almost certainly use the 8th generation, or possibly a mix of 8th generation non k and 9th generation k chips. I've thought the i7 8700 (non k) would be a really nice option. But if they continue the past pattern we probably won't see one. The low tier 27" would have 8400 or perhaps 8500, mid tier would get the 8600 and an 8700k or 9700k as the option. And Top tier would get only i5 and i7 k chips. The potential for the i9 kind of adds a twist. I just don't see any of those high TDW cpus being well suited to the iMac unless the cooling system is redesigned. Guess we'll see in a couple of days.

 

[odvan]

I'm sure hoping SSD will be standard in new iMacs.

As much as I would like it I think it won't happen. We were expecting it like 5 years ago and still nothing. I guess it relates to prices - custom Imacs are 30-50% more expensive in Europe and any other country except US, so why apple would change that?

 

[johannnn]

Who cares if the 8th gen CPU is blazing fast when everything runs from a freaking spinning disk? I feel so sorry for people spending +1k thinking it’s gonna be awesome, and then all they see is the beach ball.

At the moment, this is a big advantage of their laptop line, where the PCEi SSD is awesome.

 

[fokmik]

i really think, since they can offer 6C or even 8C into the 27" imac, that Apple should remove the fusion drive, go full SSD and rethink the thermals ,cooling inside...and let only the 21.5" imac with i5 quad core or i7, with fusion as starting point

 

[Glmnet1]

All this talk about 6-8 cores iMac and all we’ll see is a lineup of locked down ARM Mac I wouldn’t be that surprised, ARM MacBook makes sense and so does an ARM Mac Mini so the only product left in the non-pro lineup is the iMac.

 

[T_Oscura]

This event would be a good opportunity for Apple to include the T2 chip in all Mac computers, that's why I'm expecting some sort of redesign. I don't like the fat bezels, I think the current iMac (especially the smaller one) looks dated because of it, but I don't really care about that as long as they fix the thermals.

 

[Jorbanead]

Intel defines TDP as: Thermal Design Power (TDP) represents the average power, in watts, the processor dissipates when operating at Base Frequency.

I totally agree they are smudging the numbers a bit, but TDP is not calculated at turbo boost speeds but at base clock speed. Just to clarify. It’s assumed that turbo boost will increase the heat generated.

 

[miqui]

New iMac with i9 9900-K spotted on Geekbench

https://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/10521785

 

[EugW]

New iMac with i9 9900-K spotted on Geekbench

https://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/10521785

Most likely a Hackintosh

 

[miqui]

Why do you think so?

 

[L-Viz]

How big are the chances, that if there is no major redesign, we get at least the space gray option for the regular iMac? What do You guys think?

 

[Dave245]

How big are the chances, that if there is no major redesign, we get at least the space gray option for the regular iMac? What do You guys think?

It’s a possibility, after all they did allow people to buy the space grey mouse, track pad and keyboard after a while. A regular space grey option would make sense, especially now that it’s on most of the MacBook’s including the MacBook Pro.

Personally I don’t think there will be a redesign, I think it’s going to be a spec update and as Ming Chi Kuo said a “display performance upgrade” maybe the spec update will go to a 6 core processor like the new MacBook Pro 15” did in July?

 

[wardie]

Why do you think so?

BIOS isn’t Apple Inc maybe a hint? I know motherboard says Apple Inc but it looks very similar performance to this hackintosh
https://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/10504152

 

[Zdigital2015]

TL, DR - both 8th and 9th gen chips will offer substantial improvements over the current 7th gen.

Here’s a comparison chart I made from what I could find online. Geekbench scores for 9th gen are still coming in, so i’ve excluded those until we have better data. According to UserBenchmark, there is a major difference between the 7700K and 8700K, but the only major difference between 8700K and 9700K would be for gaming, which is not necessarily the iMac’s focus. Workstation (multi-thread) performance seems to be roughly the same.

7th Generation i7 7700K
4 Core // 8 Threads
Geekbench: 5696 (Single) 18812 (Multi)
CPU Benchmark: 12043
UserBenchmark: 95% (Gaming) 97% (Desktop) 71% (Workstation)

8th Generation i7 8700K
6 Core // 12 Threads
Geekbench: 5897 (Single) 25988 (Multi)
CPU Benchmark: 15974
UserBenchmark: 108% (Gaming) 105% (Desktop) 96% (Workstation)

9th Generation i7 9700K
8 Core // 8 Threads
CPU Benchmark: 17425
UserBenchmark: 114% (Gaming) 109% (Desktop) 96% (Workstation)

9th Generation i9 9900K
8 Core // 16 Threads
CPU Benchmark: 20460
UserBenchmark: 121% (Gaming) 117% (Desktop) 125% (Workstation)​

It’s also important to note that real-world experiences vary greatly. There are a lot of reviews out there that say 8700K & 9700K chips are not very different since the 9700K only has 8 threads. Also thermals are important to note as well. The 7700K is a 91W chip, while the 8th and 9th gen chips are 95W. However, many users are reporting that 9th gen chips can get extremely hot when using max turbo frequency, so even though the 9900K has great results, if they do not use proper cooling in the iMac, there won’t be as much of a benefit as you would expect.

Definitive guide to how much power the 9th Generation CPUs will consume at full load - https://www.anandtech.com/show/13400/intel-9th-gen-core-i9-9900k-i7-9700k-i5-9600k-review/21 - I think Apple has zero choice but to use the iMac Pro cooling system and if Apple doesn’t cripple the iMac, there is a nice bump in power and usefulness to existing iMac owners. The gains in single core performance are very good, it’s a shame that I order to really let the 8700K get its legs, you have to build a Hackintosh with proper cooling. After that, overclocking is just icing on the cake.

 

[iZeljko]

I've been searching for discounts on Italian Mediaworld web page and I've noticed that there were no iMacs or MacBooks Pro available online... Had a thought that iMacs are out cause the new stuff would go out tomottow but it was strange to see that MBPs are missing...

I've checked the same web store today and all of the iM and MBP are back.
What do you guys think?

 

[loekf]

I've been searching for discounts on Italian Mediaworld web page and I've noticed that there were no iMacs or MacBooks Pro available online... Had a thought that iMacs are out cause the new stuff would go out tomottow but it was strange to see that MBPs are missing...

I've checked the same web store today and all of the iM and MBP are back.
What do you guys think?

Not good, but are these stock iMacs ? Normally when there's an upgrade pending, the BTO (built-to-order) ones are getting harder and harder to get. Didn't check the delivery time myself yet.

I'm hoping Apple finally gets rid of spinning disks inside the iMac, including the 21.5" model, this year. A 500 GB EVO is around 80-90 euros, so for a 1200+ desktop there can't be a cost reason for HDDs anymore. However, I suspect Apple is looking for 1 TB drives, and those might be just too expensive for them.

 

[iZeljko]

Not good, but are these stock iMacs ? Normally when there's an upgrade pending, the BTO (built-to-order) ones are getting harder and harder to get. Didn't check the delivery time myself yet.

I'm hoping Apple finally gets rid of spinning disks inside the iMac, including the 21.5" model, this year. A 500 GB EVO is around 80-90 euros, so for a 1200+ desktop there can't be a cost reason for HDDs anymore. However, I suspect Apple is looking for 1 TB drives, and those might be just too expensive for them.

All models were stock. I do remember seeing any BTO configurations on their web before.

 

[Lammers]

How big are the chances, that if there is no major redesign, we get at least the space gray option for the regular iMac? What do You guys think?

I think there is a reasonably good chance of that.