Following yesterday’s release of the new iMacs with Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt technology, the guys over at iFixit immediately started tearing down a 21.5-inch model. In their official teardown article, available here, there are a few notes of interest: iFixit notes how, design-wise, nothing much has changed in the new iMacs, which can be opened in the same way of the old generation units by pulling off the magnetically-held glass and removing the screws holding the LCD in place. The display is manufactured by LG and it’s the same used in the previous-generation iMac. iFixit also gives the machine a 7/10 Repairability Score, noting that average users can easily replace RAM, but accessing the CPU and GPU requires to take out the whole logic board, which is described as a “tricky process.” The teardown also reveals the Thunderbolt connector is similar (but not the same) to the one found in the early-2011 MacBook Pros; one heat sink is reserved for the CPU, with the other assigned to the GPU. Read more
Posts tagged with "imac"
New iMacs: Teardown, First Benchmarks
New iMac Notes: Dual External Display Output, OS X on SSD - No Video Input? [Updated]
Following this morning’s refresh of the iMac – you can read more about it here – a few technical tidbits have started popping up on the Internet causing some interest and speculation from Apple fans and bloggers. Among the new features of the updated line – such as improved graphics, and new Intel “Sandy Bridge” processors – support for the Thunderbolt technology on the 27-inch iMacs has been extended, as the bigger models now come with two Thunderbolt ports to use for data transfer, daisy-chaining of external drives and peripherals and, as noticed and confirmed with Apple by GigaOM, dual external display output. Support for dual display out through Thunderbolt means you’ll be able to connect two external monitors to the new 27-inch iMac, and output the computer’s screen to the monitors simultaneously. This is great news for those who like external vertical monitor setups, and it’s now made extremely easy by the Thunderbolt ports located on the back of the iMac.
One of the most exciting things about today’s new iMacs (and the thing that will probably result in me buying one) are the dual Thunderbolt ports on the 27-inch iMac. They’re great in that they provide a lot of potential I/O transfer power, but more importantly because it allows the new iMac to output to two external monitors simultaneously, Apple confirmed to me this morning.
Achieving a similar setup was possible before, but it required users to buy USB or VGA adapters that resulted in loss of quality and poor performances when compared to native, wired Mini DisplayPort connections. Thanks to Thunderbolt’s daisy-chaining functionality, using both Thunderbolt ports for dual display output doesn’t mean you’ll be forced to constantly plug in and disconnect peripherals: if you own a Thunderbolt-based external drive, you’ll be able to connect it to the iMac, and then plug a secondary display into the drive’s Thunderbolt port. This way, Thunderbolt is used at its full capacity and you still retain the possibility to output to two different monitors simultaneously. Read more
Apple Introduces New iMacs with Thunderbolt and New Quad-Core Processors
Right on cue, Apple has just introduced an updated line of iMacs on its online store, which notably feature the Thunderbolt technology and come with the new quad-core processors from Intel. The refresh brings the iMacs in line with the MacBook Pros that received an update in February, which also added Thunderbolt and “Sandy Bridge” processors, as well as a general speed bump. The new iMacs also feature a FaceTime HD camera and new AMD Radeon HD graphics for better gaming performances, photo editing and video processing; the 27-inch models come with two Thunderbolt ports for greater expansion with future Thunderbolt-enabled peripherals. The new iMacs feature quad-core Intel Core i5 “Sandy Bridge” processors, but customers have an option to order a Core i7 in the configuration page (only for high-end 21.5-inch and 27-inch models, base models don’t support Core i7).
With next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, Thunderbolt technology and a FaceTime HD camera, we’ve made the world’s best desktop even better.”
“Our customers love the iMac’s aluminum enclosure, gorgeous display and all-in-one design,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, Thunderbolt technology and a FaceTime HD camera, we’ve made the world’s best desktop even better.”The new iMac features quad-core Intel Core i5 processors with an option for customers to choose Core i7 processors up to 3.4 GHz. These next generation processors feature an integrated memory controller for an amazingly responsive experience and a powerful new media engine for high-performance video encoding and decoding. With new AMD Radeon HD graphics processors, the new iMac has the most powerful graphics ever in an all-in-one desktop.
Press release is available here and embedded below. The official iMac page on Apple.com has just been updated with a detailed explanation of all the new specs.
As for other specs:
Graphics:
- 21.5-inch iMac base model: AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics processor with 512MB of GDDR5 memory
- 21.5-inch iMac: AMD Radeon HD 6770M graphics processor with 512MB of GDDR5 memory
- 27-inch iMac base model: AMD Radeon HD 6770M graphics processor with 512MB of GDDR5 memory
- 27-inch iMac: AMD Radeon HD 6970M graphics processor with 1GB of GDDR5 memory (Configurable to AMD Radeon HD 6970M with 2GB GDDR5, only at the Apple Online Store.)
Video support and Camera:
- FaceTime HD camera
- Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to a 30-inch display (2560 by 1600 pixels) on an external display
- Support for extended desktop and video mirroring modes
Connections:
- One Thunderbolt port on 21.5-inch iMac
- Two Thunderbolt ports on 27-inch iMac
- Mini DisplayPort output with support for DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI (adapters sold separately)
- One FireWire 800 port; 7 watts
- Four USB 2.0 ports
- SDXC card slot
- Slot-loading 8x SuperDrive with 4x double-layer burning (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
- Audio in/out
- 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)
- IR receiver
Apple Releases iMac Hard Drive Firmware Update
A few minutes ago Apple released a firmware update for the Mid-2010 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs. The update – a 767 KB download – aims at fixing hard drive issues that prevented some systems from booting properly. My iMac surely had this problem – especially after installing Lion on a second partition, I noticed several booting issues that this update will (hopefully) fix.
Go download the iMac Hard Drive Firmware Update 1.0 here.
With iMac Orders Delayed, We’re Expecting a Refresh
CNET’s Brian Tong previously reported at the end of March that now would would be a bad time to purchase an iMac, as a refresh coming in May would bring no cosemtic changes, but Thunderbolt and Sandy Bridge would flesh out the range of Apple’s refreshed desktops. 9 to 5 Mac reports that the iMac is continually seeing supply restraints for the current generation of iMacs, and that a source revealed new iMacs should be shipping next week as Apple stops shipping to resellers this week.
Due to an unexpected delay, we are unable to ship the following item(s)
by the date that you were originally quoted:Z0JP, IMAC 27\”/5750/SD
will now ship on or before
May 02, 2011
We’re keeping an eye out for May 3rd and 4th delivery dates, and we expect a MacBook Air refresh to include Sandy Bridge processors in June, with Thunderbolt products to hit the mainstream this summer.
[via 9 to 5 Mac]
Image via: MacRumors
iMac Supplies Running Low, Refresh Imminent?
According to 9to5mac, several sources in the United States and Asia have indicated supplies for the current iMac line have become “constrained” in the past week, suggesting that a refresh from Apple is imminent. Tightening of supplies is usually a good indication that a refresh for a product line is coming, and previous rumors indeed pointed to the iMac being updated with new hardware features by late April.
Tipsters in the United States have informed us that their iMac shipments are also very constrained. That’s not the full story though. Although actual iMac shipments are lacking, our U.S. tipsters report that actual iMac components are very constrained. The most constrained pieces right now are the current iMac’s graphics processors and hard drives. A lack of replacement components is also a good indication of an upcoming refresh.
Three weeks ago, Cnet’s Brian Tong claimed an iMac refresh would occur with “no cosmetic” changes by the end of April or first week of May. This seems to follow the path Apple took with the 2011 MacBook Pro update, which showed supply constraints in the weeks leading to the announcement and eventually featured the same design of older models with the addition of Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt technology.
The iMac line was last updated in July 2010 and also saw the release of the Magic Trackpad – which can be bundled with an iMac on the Apple online store.
Expected iMac Update To Sandy Bridge & Thunderbolt To Occur In 4-6 Weeks?
With the MacBook Pro line getting spec bumps to Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt, Apple’s iMac should fall in line in about 4-6 weeks according to Brian Tong from CNET. On Twitter, Brian noted that iMac’s were en route for a late April refresh.
EXCLUSIVE: My Sources: New iMacs en route by ocean to U.S. available end of April or 1st week of May. No major cosmetic changes.
My sources say New iMacs will feature Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt. No other specifics.
The iMac shouldn’t receive any aesthetic changes in this early 2011 update. CNET has also postulated that the MacBook Air would receive an update to Sandy Bridge in June, replacing the much outdated Core 2 Duo processor in the mobile lineup.
[Brian Tong via MacNews.de via MacRumors]
What Is Thunderbolt?
Thunderbolt technology is what was Intel’s Light Peak. It’s not an Apple technology, but rather the culmination of Intel’s handiwork in combination with Apple’s mini DisplayPort. While Light Peak was developed to work over fiber (literally for light speeds), Thunderbolt is implemented over copper. Despite this, you’re still getting bi-directional (in and out as they say), 10 Gbps connection over a cable, plus a 10 Watt feed so you can power heavy equipment on the go (you don’t get that with USB). For comparison, your current USB 2.0 devices only get 480 Mbps through the cable! With this technology, you can drive multiple inputs including monitors, workstations, and audio equipment without a bird’s nest under your desk.
New Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs To Start Shipping February 20th
The most probable next generation processor for MacBooks will start shipping on February 20th. The new Intel core i5 and i7 processors, based on the Sandy Bridge architecture shown off at CES, comes in flavors ranging from 1.4 GHz to 2.7 GHz, drawing 17 watts to 35 watts respectively under load. The new processors could be used to update Apple’s MacBook, 13” MacBook Pro, and 15” MacBook Pro line, while quad-core Sandy Bridge CPUs would populate Apple’s higher end MacBooks and desktops. Apple’s MacBook and 13” MacBook Pro continue to utilize Core 2 Duo processors, and may receive a Sandy Bridge update later this year.
Why is Sandy Bridge so impressive? Our friends over at The Next Web explain.
[via Macworld]