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When are Apple going to properly update the iMac?

M

*Mozart*

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 17, 2009
1
0
Does anybody have any information on when Apple are going to launch a PROPERLY upgraded iMac? They've just announced a new version with some upgraded integrated graphics, more memory and storage, but when are we going to see an iMac with Quad-Core processing and Blue-Ray? Let's face it, this is what everyone is waiting/hoping for.

I've been waiting to buy a new 24" iMac for over a year - I've even got the money waiting in the bank! However I'm not going to buy until they properly refresh the range. We've seen the laptop range refreshed and the Mac Pro range upgraded, but they just seem to be dithering about a bit with the iMac. Why?

I actually looked at just going for a Mac Pro instead of waiting, but they are so much more expensive than an iMac I can't justify it. C'mon Apple - I love your product but am waiting for the REAL upgrade! Don't keep me waiting forever!
 
I would also like to see an upgrade in the screens for the 20"

Doesn't really make much sense to me why you can't run 1900x1200 on a 20" iMac when you can on a 17" MBP. There is also a noticeable lack of quality when watching any darker videos, or things with lots of gradients/varying degrees of black.

At least they gave them the new graphics update finally.
 
The mini update was great, but the iMac was a bust. The first thing they should have done is fix the damn screen! I mean, that's the one element you can't change, so it needs to be good - you can always swap out the hard drive, swap an optical drive (even blu ray one day), add memory and so on, but you're stuck with the screen. And the screen sucks big time, and they did NOTHING.

They need to go LED pronto! Like, yesterday! I refuse to buy this weak upgrade. What did they really improve - NOTHING.

My recommendation: AVOID THE iMac.
 
*Mozart* said:
Does anybody have any information on when Apple are going to launch a PROPERLY upgraded iMac? They've just announced a new version with some upgraded integrated graphics, more memory and storage, but when are we going to see an iMac with Quad-Core processing and Blue-Ray? Let's face it, this is what everyone is waiting/hoping for.

I've been waiting to buy a new 24" iMac for over a year - I've even got the money waiting in the bank! However I'm not going to buy until they properly refresh the range. We've seen the laptop range refreshed and the Mac Pro range upgraded, but they just seem to be dithering about a bit with the iMac. Why?

I actually looked at just going for a Mac Pro instead of waiting, but they are so much more expensive than an iMac I can't justify it. C'mon Apple - I love your product but am waiting for the REAL upgrade! Don't keep me waiting forever!
Click to expand...

If Apple could have released a quad core iMac and still be within the same heat envelope and at the same price point, they would have done it by now.
 
OldCorpse said:
The mini update was great, but the iMac was a bust. The first thing they should have done is fix the damn screen! I mean, that's the one element you can't change, so it needs to be good - you can always swap out the hard drive, swap an optical drive (even blu ray one day), add memory and so on, but you're stuck with the screen. And the screen sucks big time, and they did NOTHING.

They need to go LED pronto! Like, yesterday! I refuse to buy this weak upgrade. What did they really improve - NOTHING.

My recommendation: AVOID THE iMac.
Click to expand...

If they released an LED backlit iMac with a $300 premium, a LOT more people would have complained about the price.
 
RemarkabLee said:
If they released an LED backlit iMac with a $300 premium, a LOT more people would have complained about the price.
Click to expand...

Exactly, people will always complain about something.

I don't think we'll be seeing any Mac with BR for quite awhile. And where not going to see a quad-core iMac until we see a quad-core MBP. The iMac is made of notebook parts after all (sans HDD).

Don
 
Other than the price, I think it's a great machine. I was initially disappointed about the new ones not being LED backlit, but having read the opinions of some members that have both the ACD and iMac, it seems to be a non-issue. Quad core... Well it runs nice as it is. It would have been nice, but again, it's a non-issue. If you want the power, go for the Mac Pro. Like I say, the price is just a bit high, at least here in the UK, but hey, it's only money at the end of the day. :cool:
 
Blu-Ray

The price of HDD storage for data storage and the sheer convenience of networked media players for the large screen TV... I really don't care either way if it comes to the Mac or not.
 
OldCorpse said:
The mini update was great, but the iMac was a bust. The first thing they should have done is fix the damn screen! I mean, that's the one element you can't change, so it needs to be good - you can always swap out the hard drive, swap an optical drive (even blu ray one day), add memory and so on, but you're stuck with the screen. And the screen sucks big time, and they did NOTHING.

They need to go LED pronto! Like, yesterday! I refuse to buy this weak upgrade. What did they really improve - NOTHING.

My recommendation: AVOID THE iMac.
Click to expand...

While I was hoping that they would put LED screens in the new models, frankly there is NOTHING wrong with the 24" iMac screen. It's better than any screen I've ever seen for less than $800 - and the feedback we're hearing from people using them side-by-side with the new LED cinema display is that there is little difference - and the iMac screen might be a bit better. If you're holding off buying an iMac because it doesn't have an LED screen, the only one you are harming is yourself...
 
Tallest Skil said:
Just give it up. Seriously. We won't see this for half a decade. It will get here when/if it gets here.
Click to expand...

I completely agree. This comes up every time Apple refreshes a product, they have their agenda so do not expect it soon.
 
zhenya said:
While I was hoping that they would put LED screens in the new models, frankly there is NOTHING wrong with the 24" iMac screen. It's better than any screen I've ever seen for less than $800 - and the feedback we're hearing from people using them side-by-side with the new LED cinema display is that there is little difference - and the iMac screen might be a bit better. If you're holding off buying an iMac because it doesn't have an LED screen, the only one you are harming is yourself...
Click to expand...

I agree. :cool:
 
Q3/Q4 2009 or Q1 2010. That is when mobile Nehalem processors come out and these are gonna kick butt! They'll probably be dual core since quad cores in laptops generates too much heat and take up too much space(you can google quad core laptops and you'll realize they are all 2"+ thick). If you are not familiar with what Nehalem is, I can tell you it is a new way of designing processors which greatly improves performance in many ways. Blu-Ray will be around 2013. That's just life.
 
RemarkabLee said:
The price of HDD storage for data storage and the sheer convenience of networked media players for the large screen TV... I really don't care either way if it comes to the Mac or not.
Click to expand...

The problem with Blu-Ray not being in the Mac is that I can't rip Blu-Ray movies for my iPod. I recently got a HDTV and have been buying Blu-Ray instead of standard DVDs. I used to always rip the movie for my iPod so I can watch it during my lunch break at work, but I can't do that anymore.

I don't think I'll use Blu-Ray for storage seeing as I don't use DVDs or CDs that way, I just want to be able to play Blu-Rays and rip them on my Macs.
 
themoonisdown09 said:
The problem with Blu-Ray not being in the Mac is that I can't rip Blu-Ray movies for my iPod. I recently got a HDTV and have been buying Blu-Ray instead of standard DVDs. I used to always rip the movie for my iPod so I can watch it during my lunch break at work, but I can't do that anymore.

I don't think I'll use Blu-Ray for storage seeing as I don't use DVDs or CDs that way, I just want to be able to play Blu-Rays and rip them on my Macs.
Click to expand...

There are always exceptions, granted.

A work around would be, if you own the movie on Blu-Ray, you could arguably download an iPod ready version of the film from the Internet for free and not be worried about copyright?
 
*Mozart* said:
Does anybody have any information on when Apple are going to launch a PROPERLY upgraded iMac? They've just announced a new version with some upgraded integrated graphics, more memory and storage, but when are we going to see an iMac with Quad-Core processing and Blue-Ray? Let's face it, this is what everyone is waiting/hoping for.

I've been waiting to buy a new 24" iMac for over a year - I've even got the money waiting in the bank! However I'm not going to buy until they properly refresh the range. We've seen the laptop range refreshed and the Mac Pro range upgraded, but they just seem to be dithering about a bit with the iMac. Why?

I actually looked at just going for a Mac Pro instead of waiting, but they are so much more expensive than an iMac I can't justify it. C'mon Apple - I love your product but am waiting for the REAL upgrade! Don't keep me waiting forever!
Click to expand...

If you've been waiting for over a year then you have let two upgrades pass you by. To me all that is happening is that you are missing out on a great computing experience with each passing day...

Quad core might come or it might not but, until Snow Leopard proves otherwise, 4 cores won't make much difference over 2 cores except in a few key, "multi-core friendly" applications. As for Blu-Ray, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it never comes to the Mac and the only company to blame is Sony for making licensing so complicated. I personally believe that broadband speeds are now at the point (in the UK at least) where downloaded content (SD and HD) is practical and this will only improve over the next few years. I for one have absolutely no intention of buying Blu-ray as I feel it would be a backward step from having all my media loaded onto a hard disk which is what I have now.

As for the comments someone made about the iMac screen being crap - nothing could be farther from the truth! The screen is gorgeous! And I say this as someone who never thought they could ever use a glossy display until I went to view the iMac prior to buying it... Some people just can't accept glossy displays ( I thought I was one of them) but after seeing it in the flesh I was sold on it.

So, in summary, now is as good a time as ever to buy an iMac. It is very unlikely to be upgraded in the near future (maybe same time next year) so if you want one then just buy it now - you won't regret it!
 
RemarkabLee said:
If Apple could have released a quad core iMac and still be within the same heat envelope and at the same price point, they would have done it by now.
Click to expand...

Not really, Apple would do exactly as they have done to give those must have the latest/greatest something new to upgrade too.

Sorry, if Dell can use the chip without issue so can Apple. So it either is the chip sets they chose don't support it or they see future marketing potential.

Same goes for LED screens... future market opportunity, why use your cards now when you know the same people will buy yet again? It makes financial sense when you have an easily exploitable customer base.
 
You've been waiting over a year??

I waited since I got my tax return back (maybe a few weeks) and I was already getting antsy! What do you need the computer for? I got the low-end 24" and I think it's a great deal for the larger screen size! Factor in the education discount and its much less that a 20" would have cost me with similar specs before the update. :)
 
munson said:
I would also like to see an upgrade in the screens for the 20"

Doesn't really make much sense to me why you can't run 1900x1200 on a 20" iMac when you can on a 17" MBP. There is also a noticeable lack of quality when watching any darker videos, or things with lots of gradients/varying degrees of black.

At least they gave them the new graphics update finally.
Click to expand...

Actually they did upgrade the screens. New screen model numbers. Different screens entirely. The 09 models display millions of colors without dithering.
The screens your talking about was along time ago. Even the late 08 models have the fixed screens. The 09 models have sharp colors and the brightness is also fixed. Can't tell the difference other than size on my 09 24 at work and my 20 at home other than the size.
 
LG are manufacturing e-IPS displays now, i have a dell 2209W that uses one and it looks great. apple might even be able to bring down the average cost of the iMac if they decide to start using these, as well as upgrade the screen in the 20" iMac cost effectively.

The only really 'modern' feature an imac is missing is ESATA, it seems to be the new standard which apple is sourly missing out on, unless they are banking on USB 3.0

Personally i rather get a pro right now.
 
Aegelward said:
LG are manufacturing e-IPS displays now, i have a dell 2209W that uses one and it looks great. apple might even be able to bring down the average cost of the iMac if they decide to start using these, as well as upgrade the screen in the 20" iMac cost effectively.

The only really 'modern' feature an imac is missing is ESATA, it seems to be the new standard which apple is sourly missing out on, unless they are banking on USB 3.0

Personally i rather get a pro right now.
Click to expand...

If the recent iMac had eSATA I may not have felt the need to get a Mac Pro so much.... Storage bandwidth was a concern.
 
iamthedudeman said:
Actually they did upgrade the screens. New screen model numbers. Different screens entirely. The 09 models display millions of colors without dithering.
The screens your talking about was along time ago. Even the late 08 models have the fixed screens. The 09 models have sharp colors and the brightness is also fixed. Can't tell the difference other than size on my 09 24 at work and my 20 at home other than the size.
Click to expand...

The 20" is still the 6bit+DFC TN panel with the reduced viewing angle, so objectively they are quite a bit different to the 8bit IPS panel of the 24". It may be an improved DFC, but its not true 24.7 million colours that an 8bit panel can produce.
 
craig1410 said:
As for Blu-Ray, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it never comes to the Mac and the only company to blame is Sony for making licensing so complicated.
Click to expand...

They have just simplified licensing. All licensing is now handled by a 3rd party company, and a single fee, something like $35.

Don't blame Sony when Apples real motivation for not adopting blu-ray is that they want to sell more downloads.
 
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