Will they ever release a medium spec machine?

[Foggy]

Really hankering after a Mac at the moment. Been running linux for years with a windows laptop for work but have always in the back of my mind wanted a Mac. Am still looking but my requirements only seem to be met by a G5! I basically want a Mac equivalent of my PC but without having to fork out the money for a G5. An Imac would almost certainly do the job except I dont want the built in monitor - I currently use 2 dell 20" LCD's and would hate to go back to a single screen. The mac mini also looks fine for what I want but once again is limited to a single screen output (although I would at least be using one of my ones).

The G5 is nice but for what I want is total overkill. I mainly use my PC for web browsing, photo and video editing, online chat, listening to music etc and a dual processor £1600+ machine for that seems a tad excessive.

Anyone reckon they will ever release a mac notsomini?

 

[®îçhå®?]

I don't reckoon a Macpro will be released with poorer specs. It is meant to be top of the range and it is. If you want one with worse specs, buy an older one of eBay or look in the marketplace. I have a 1GHz G4 that am looking to upgrade at the moment, possible to a dual 2.0GHz bought off ebay

 

[pknz]

I dont see it in the near future.
Apple has most of their bases covered with the iMac, Mini, Power Mac.

 

[PlaceofDis]

perhaps the best course of action for you then is to check out the reburbished G5s and get an older model that meets your specs while not having to fork out so much for it either?

 

[dcv]

You can pick up a dual-core Power Mac G5 for as little as £979 on the Apple Refurb Store

But be quick... the Power Macs tend to disappear off the site quite rapidly!

 

[emptyCup]

The iMac is Apple's middle of the line computer. Get the 20" model and plug one of your Dell monitors into the back. Problem solved.

Best wishes.

 

[Lollypop]

Im dying to see what apple does with the MacPro, their entire line seems very high-end, with the exception of the core solo mini there isnt really much for the entry level home user. The iMac is nice, but its expansion options are rather limited.

 

[buffalo]

Im dying to see what apple does with the MacPro, their entire line seems very high-end, with the exception of the core solo mini there isnt really much for the entry level home user. The iMac is nice, but its expansion options are rather limited.

The average entry level home user won't want or need to expand/upgrade the iMac, so it's a great machine for lots of people.

 

[gkth]

How about a MacBook? You can connect an external monitor and use it in dual screen mode.

George

 

[T-Stex]

I would look into getting a base model PowerMac G5 from eBay, Craigslist, or preferrably the Apple Refurbished Store. That should cover everything you need, and shouldn't cost too much either.

 

[eva01]

Yeah Refurb Powermacs are pretty cheap

 

[Lollypop]

The average entry level home user won't want or need to expand/upgrade the iMac, so it's a great machine for lots of people.

I dont agree, the cool thing about the older powermacs is that they can be expanded and upgraded to be usefull long after their supposed demise, the newer ones are as well but they cost a arm and a leg, and what happens when 802.11n finally gets released, what will all those non-expandable imac owners do? Im not talking 6 pci express slots, but what about a express card slot maybe? I admit I come from a era where I can do anything with the ISA slot, but upgradable HDD and memory isnt really much IMO.

 

[generik]

I too, hope to see a Mac tower that is not Pro.

In fact you know what'd be really heinous? Apple putting Conroes into the Mac Pros and trying to flog them for upwards of $2000.

 

[eddx]

A lot of people want a computer between the iMac and the PowerMac / Mac Pro.

A lot of poeple want a mac ultra portable.

At the end of the day, with the current market Apple is focusing on, neither product will happen for at least 18 months. Eventually both of these will be products by Apple but not for a long time.

My advice, wait a month. Check out the Mac Pros. I think we will all be pleasantly surprised. I think there will be a model with a lower price than £1,500 / $2000. I think there will be maybe 3 - 6 versions from extreme price to something similar to the iMac in terms of specs.

Possibly the redesign of the Mac Pro is simply a smaller case.

 

[aswitcher]

My advice, wait a month. Check out the Mac Pros. I think we will all be pleasantly surprised. I think there will be a model with a lower price than £1,500 / $2000. I think there will be maybe 3 - 6 versions from extreme price to something similar to the iMac in terms of specs.

Possibly the redesign of the Mac Pro is simply a smaller case.

I am holding onto my cash for just this likelihood. I think its going to be worth it.

 

[dmw007]

I dont see it in the near future.
Apple has most of their bases covered with the iMac, Mini, Power Mac.

I would have to agree with you pknz, I think that Apple has a good line-up of computers that should meet pretty much every users needs. The iMac is a great medium spec machine- although, I understand why the OP is frustrated that it has a built-in LCD.

 

[Lincoln]

The problem in the past was that Apple had a limited number of processors to choose from to help differentiate the macs i.e. G4 or G5 with hardly any advance with either CPU.

So with iNtel CPU's ard their wide portfolio of abilities and speed we are more liklely now then ever to get another computer between the iMac and the current G5 (or Mac Pro later).

With that said such a computer would takes sales away from Apples top spec machines so I doubt Apple will.

However, when the Mac Pro's come out later this year it will be intersting to see which CPU's they use, the Desktop Dual Core "Core 2" cpu or the more powerful (and expensive) Core 2 Xeon replacement.

If they want to replace the Quad with dual-core dual-processor iNtel CPU's they will HAVE to use the XEON replacement as the desktop variant cannot be used in a Dual processor machine. So we may see a range of computers, some with the Core 2 dekstop chip and some higher end models with 1 or more XEON Core 2 chips. Apple may (or may not) decide to differentiate them further with how much expansion, standard features and build-to-order options they offer.

Only time will tell.

 

[Abstract]

Topic: Will they ever release a medium spec machine?

And give you what you want? History says "No way!"

 

[generik]

What would be amazing is they can actually compartmentalise the components used by the rest of the computer away from the LCD, and then have the LCD an optional and detachable part of the computer.

Crazy, but if it works out it'd be absolutely amazing.

 

[discoforce]

What would be amazing is they can actually compartmentalise the components used by the rest of the computer away from the LCD, and then have the LCD an optional and detachable part of the computer.

Crazy, but if it works out it'd be absolutely amazing.

Which is essentially the Powermac or MacPro. I understand that you're hoping for a less beefy version, but having a built-in screen is something of a mac signature for the consumer end.

 

[dongmin]

I say it's about time to reintroduce the Cube. Basically, it'd be a Mini oriented vertically with some extra room for a 3.5" HD, PCI-e graphics card that could be upgraded, and maybe one or two 'luxury' features like a TV tuner or built-in ipod dock.

At $999, I think it'd sell. And sell well. Basically, it's an iMac without the monitor. Just for reference, the Cube sold at $1299 before it was discontinued.

 

[RacerX]

...and what happens when 802.11n finally gets released, what will all those non-expandable imac owners do? Im not talking 6 pci express slots, but what about a express card slot maybe? I admit I come from a era where I can do anything with the ISA slot, but upgradable HDD and memory isnt really much IMO.

If you are worried about 802.11n, PCI express and express card slots, and know what an ISA slot is, then you are not an average entry level home user.

The average home user will never mess with their hardware beyond adding a printer or scanner or some other peripheral device. When they need more than what their system does, they will either sell or recycle their system and get a system that meets their needs.

If you are computer savvy but on a budget and can't live without expandability, then you are in the same position as the rest of us budgetly challenged users who buy used systems.

The low end G5 is a couple hundred dollars more than the 20" iMac, if expandability is that important to you and you can afford an iMac, then you can save up a little longer and get a G5 if you absolutely need something new.

When Apple tried to cover all grades of computer users both in price and in expandability they just about drowned in their own inventory. The very first thing Jobs did when he returned to Apple was to pair down the choices to just the basics. It has worked for almost ten years so I wouldn't bet on them changing their strategy any time soon.

 

[mccldwll]

What would be amazing is they can actually compartmentalise the components used by the rest of the computer away from the LCD, and then have the LCD an optional and detachable part of the computer.

Crazy, but if it works out it'd be absolutely amazing.

Bingo, except the lcd won't be optional. It'll be available docked w/ either 17" or 20" (maybe more). The mini will be able to dock to the new displays, but will still be available ala carte (the switcher machine). I'm betting the new 2 piece docking imac will be out by november. This will be the home entertainment imac we've been waiting for. Attaching the present imac to a tv is bad design form. The NY Apple store cube may be a big hint on dock form.

 

[QCassidy352]

If you are worried about 802.11n, PCI express and express card slots, and know what an ISA slot is, then you are not an average entry level home user.

When Apple tried to cover all grades of computer users both in price and in expandability they just about drowned in their own inventory. The very first thing Jobs did when he returned to Apple was to pair down the choices to just the basics. It has worked for almost ten years so I wouldn't bet on them changing their strategy any time soon.

very well said. in fact, people on this forum in general are not really average users. Some are, of course, but the average macrumors member is going to have a lot more interest in and ability with macs than most mac owners.

Sure, apple could try to satisfy every possible customer, but then they have tons of models and a very inefficient business model. Better to keep it simple so that consumers don't get confused and manufacturing costs stay low. Of course, it's easy to take simplification too far, but I think apple has found a good balance right now.

The expandable mid-range mac is last year's high-end mac. Seriously - you can get an older dual G5 for less than a new imac.

 

[G5power]

When Apple tried to cover all grades of computer users both in price and in expandability they just about drowned in their own inventory. The very first thing Jobs did when he returned to Apple was to pair down the choices to just the basics. It has worked for almost ten years so I wouldn't bet on them changing their strategy any time soon.

I often see people give that example to explain why Apple won't or shouldn't offer a mid-range headless system. I have a different perspective of the situation you describe. Yes Jobs reduced the number of models, but remember that Apple was as bad as General Motors offering numerous versions of the same computer with different name badges. Remember when Apple had the Performa 476 and LCIII and a cluttered lineup. That I think is what Apple needs to avoid, rather then having clearly distinctive different products. No one will confuse a mid-range system with a high priced PowerMac or an iMac.

(Hopefully I'm remembering the old model numbers correctly).