That's not the concept behind an iMac (or the original Macintosh). The concept is, that people don't have to worry about upgradablilty. You buy it, it works just great for a couple of years and then you buy a new one. It's not about swapping the CPU or GPU by yourself. I mean, if you think of the targeted consumer of an iMac, it's not what they can, should or want to do.
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Who'd love a midrange tower?
- Thread starter kylepro88
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That's not the concept behind an iMac (or the original Macintosh). The concept is, that people don't have to worry about upgradablilty. You buy it, it works just great for a couple of years and then you buy a new one. It's not about swapping the CPU or GPU by yourself. I mean, if you think of the targeted consumer of an iMac, it's not what they can, should or want to do.
Guess you're right there - that's Apple's philosophy. If possible, I like stretching the life of computers as much as possible through upgrading - it makes good environmental sense at least, something which Apple has a poor record on. Just think of the screens you get with the iMacs nowadays - that alone is a shame to have to replace just because the video card is no longer up to scratch. Displays can't keep getting bigger and bigger - people only have so much desk space, so why replace the screen so often?
Mind you, look at MS telling us how we have to have Vista for a decent PC experience, and a whole new computer to enjoy it on...
Understand.
That is why we won't see a mini-tower type Mac. If Apple keeps to this philosophy, they will keep the iMac as it is -- basically non-upgradable -- and the PowerMac as the upgradable version.
I have to admit that I've changed my mind from thinking Apple should offer a midi tower.
Apple shouldn't risk undermining the all-in-one design philosophy of the iMac as a mainstram model.
The ultimate upgrade would be the processor, but processors are often only as good as their optimized logicboards. Seen so many PC reviews of computers with the same spec giving vastly different speedmarks - there are limts to upgrading and at some point it becomes a new computer!
Should Apple offer a build-your-own kit with Mac OS X for the relatively small number of hobbyists who want to? Maybe!
Apple shouldn't risk undermining the all-in-one design philosophy of the iMac as a mainstram model.
The ultimate upgrade would be the processor, but processors are often only as good as their optimized logicboards. Seen so many PC reviews of computers with the same spec giving vastly different speedmarks - there are limts to upgrading and at some point it becomes a new computer!
Should Apple offer a build-your-own kit with Mac OS X for the relatively small number of hobbyists who want to? Maybe!
Just thinking about all this and wonder if a pizza box like the Mac LC would be the way to do this instead of a mini-tower.
As long as it could support a display on top of it, and was easy to open, the pizza box style might be a good option.
What do you think?
As long as it could support a display on top of it, and was easy to open, the pizza box style might be a good option.
What do you think?
The missing link
Nope! You are not the only one waiting for something between imac and mac pro. Shorty before the last keynote a posted another thread about this.
Core 2 Duo (maybe quad)
up to 8GB RAM
Space for 2 HDs
1 PCIe x16
Onboard grfx (e. g. NV 7300).
Jochen
Nope! You are not the only one waiting for something between imac and mac pro. Shorty before the last keynote a posted another thread about this.
Core 2 Duo (maybe quad)
up to 8GB RAM
Space for 2 HDs
1 PCIe x16
Onboard grfx (e. g. NV 7300).
Jochen
What's the point in having a miditower with onboard video? I mean, that's one of the major issues with the Mac mini. If it was not for onboard video, an upgraded Mac mini (larger HDD, more max RAM, C2D) would totally do the job.
I loved my Quadra 605 but pizza boxes where only good when monitors where big, bulky, desk-eating items. Now they are flat the iMac form is better suited to them. Maybe if the pizza box could be placed on its side and tucked in behind the monitor or hung on the back it would help.
I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but I don't think the vast majority of people out there upgrade individual components of their computers. When it's not "fast" enough anymore, they buy a new one. People who are on forums like this do like to upgrade, customize, and tweak.
What you're basically saying is, "The Mac Pro is too expensive. If it had a smaller casing and were half the price, I'd buy it."
For the masses, it's not worth it for Apple to do that.
What you're basically saying is, "The Mac Pro is too expensive. If it had a smaller casing and were half the price, I'd buy it."
For the masses, it's not worth it for Apple to do that.
Also, Apple likes to provide the complete solution - bundling the OS, hardware, and great software. As (arguably) the poster-product for Apple, the iMac includes the monitor too. You buy it, and you don't need to go find a "mac-compatible" monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc.
The Mac Mini is designed as a switcher bridge product (according to Apple when I worked for them) - that's why it doesn't have a monitor. The Mac Pro is large enough that you can't slap a monitor on to it easily.
The Mac Mini is designed as a switcher bridge product (according to Apple when I worked for them) - that's why it doesn't have a monitor. The Mac Pro is large enough that you can't slap a monitor on to it easily.
Yes, but it would be nice to have more options when purchasing a mini to have it kitted out the way you want it. I think graphics cards are becoming akin to memory and hard disk (and CPU). Many people WILL want an upgrade or at least a preconfigured option.
If Apple produced a nice Tower Mac that was cheaper than the Mac Pro, and comparable to the iMac, they'd have my money.
I want to upgrade from the Mini G4 I have. But, the current Mini is not a substantial enough upgrade for me to invest that kind of money.
The iMac is about right. But, I want to use my own screen. So, I won't buy an iMac. That and I've already had two iMacs with screen issues - both iMac G5 systems. So, I'd rather have my own separate monitor. It's less of an issue if something happens to the monitor. On an iMac, the machine is basically worthless if the monitor dies (unless you want one dead display and one external one on your desk).
The Mac Pro is priced way too high.
So, something comparable to the higher-end iMacs without a screen would be perfect.
I want to upgrade from the Mini G4 I have. But, the current Mini is not a substantial enough upgrade for me to invest that kind of money.
The iMac is about right. But, I want to use my own screen. So, I won't buy an iMac. That and I've already had two iMacs with screen issues - both iMac G5 systems. So, I'd rather have my own separate monitor. It's less of an issue if something happens to the monitor. On an iMac, the machine is basically worthless if the monitor dies (unless you want one dead display and one external one on your desk).
The Mac Pro is priced way too high.
So, something comparable to the higher-end iMacs without a screen would be perfect.
My new Mac Mini (1.66 Core Duo) is great, but I would've like to have something with discreet garphics, and maybe a standard optical drive to upgrade later (so it's all internal) not to mention easily opening it up and upgrading the memory or hard drive. The mini is just not meant for user upgrades, but I didn't want to buy an iMac with a built in monitor (I have a monitor)....
Exactly.
If you don't want a built-in monitor, then you have 3 choices:
1) Buy the lowest-end which is over-priced for what it is.
2) Buy the highest-end which is priced beyond most people's budget
3) Buy a PC that won't run the Mac OS X
None of those are really great choices for me.
Seriously. Apples lack of a tower kinda made me mad. I think i'll just buy a pc
But mayby OsXx86 will be my saviour (Because you need a Core2 (Or at least SSE3 Cpu) and a compatible GPU (So id get a x1950XT) to do it.) I'd Even buy a mac (Older cheaper one) Just to take my guilt away (A loophole in the older versions of the EULA )
Heck, I'd be interested in a C2D Mini with room for a full-sized 3.5" hard drive. If it could have a decent dedicated graphics chips, like the iMac or better, that would be icing on the cake. Basically, collapse an iMac, minus the screen, into a double-height Mini case or something similar.
Such a machine would allow the occasional game playing, but for everyday use, the big HD is the one thing that the Mini is missing especially with more and more digital photos, movies, etc. Keeping it running on the mobile chipset (which I think the Mini uses?) is good IMO, as it's lower powered which is needed for a small case without noisy fans.
I guess a Mini++ would be what I'm hoping for
Such a machine would allow the occasional game playing, but for everyday use, the big HD is the one thing that the Mini is missing especially with more and more digital photos, movies, etc. Keeping it running on the mobile chipset (which I think the Mini uses?) is good IMO, as it's lower powered which is needed for a small case without noisy fans.
I guess a Mini++ would be what I'm hoping for
Yes, the Mini really needs a full-size high-speed hard drive. Those small portable hard drives are just not up to the task for me.
http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/20I...XTP1&INT=sstyle-cpuDigitalHome-tophero-VGXTP1
If only OS X could be loaded on this...
I love the keyboard/touchpad combo.
I'm sure a similar HTPC is upcoming from Apple.
If only OS X could be loaded on this...
I love the keyboard/touchpad combo.
I'm sure a similar HTPC is upcoming from Apple.
Nice specs. It would be nice if Apple would ship a Mini or similar that could touch this one in specs.
Fully loaded from the start. Very nice.
Yes!
I've been wanting one of these for ages! Not for home, but for work. Think about it, my employer wants to upgrade my computer. They don't want to fork out twice the price of a decent PC to get a fancy mac (think about value for money) so my choices are buy an iMac or get a PC. The iMac is pretty much non-upgradeable and I'm pretty sure has a laptop hard drive in there. So it's slower, more expensive, and less upgradeable. I already have a keyboard mouse and monitor, so the iMac just doesn't make sense. Not only that, but I'd feel like a tool with one where I am.
I agree with most posters, my specs would be:
Core 2 Duo
250GB 7200RPM HD (with room for one more)
Super Drive
Decent ATI or NVIDIA graphics cars (not an integrated Intel one)
1GB of RAM (expandable to at least 4GB)
A bit cheaper than an iMac (because there's no LCD), but faster.
I've been wanting one of these for ages! Not for home, but for work. Think about it, my employer wants to upgrade my computer. They don't want to fork out twice the price of a decent PC to get a fancy mac (think about value for money) so my choices are buy an iMac or get a PC. The iMac is pretty much non-upgradeable and I'm pretty sure has a laptop hard drive in there. So it's slower, more expensive, and less upgradeable. I already have a keyboard mouse and monitor, so the iMac just doesn't make sense. Not only that, but I'd feel like a tool with one where I am.
I agree with most posters, my specs would be:
Core 2 Duo
250GB 7200RPM HD (with room for one more)
Super Drive
Decent ATI or NVIDIA graphics cars (not an integrated Intel one)
1GB of RAM (expandable to at least 4GB)
A bit cheaper than an iMac (because there's no LCD), but faster.
