[CIA]

Extremetech Review
Hothardware Review

The basic summary is it's near to just below the performance of the 8600. So it's above the 7300 it replaces in the older iMac, but again, not a huge upgrade.
Also, on the higher end iMacs they went with the middle ATI card, the 2600 Pro, and not the 2600 XT. (middle card in that "cheap consumer card" class that is.) Seems like ATI has kinda given up the high end to Nvidia. Most every review states the 24/26/2900 series ATI cards are "Affordable DX10 cards"

[dale]

I know a few members have been wishing for Aluminium iMacs and Black iMacs....

Well here is a kind of half way house. Ay first glance, I quite like it, and I think the new keyboard is very sleek, but want to try one before I think of replacing the one currently connected to my original 20" intel iMac.

What colour is the cable on the new keyboards - I am guessing white? I'm just wondering what the back of the iMac will look like when a host of white cables are meandering their way horizontaly against the black iMac bac drop. Not too neat, I am guessing.

At least the onld iMac had a white back that didn't illuminate the ugle cables.

The new iMac will look awesome, unless yo uhave to plug anything into it!!

[Lava Lamp Freak]

Originally Posted by CIA 

2Gb of Ram standard is nice.

1GB is the standard. Only the BTO 2.8 ships with 2GB.

[CIA]

Doh, how could I have missed the most important thing.........<drumroll>.........
[world inhales]
Finally got USB 2 ports on the wired keyboard.
[/world exhales sigh of relief]

[wolfen]

Originally Posted by CIA 

Extremetech Review
Hothardware Review

The basic summary is it's near to just below the performance of the 8600. So it's above the 7300 it replaces in the older iMac, but again, not a huge upgrade.
Also, on the higher end iMacs they went with the middle ATI card, the 2600 Pro, and not the 2600 XT. (middle card in that "cheap consumer card" class that is.) Seems like ATI has kinda given up the high end to Nvidia. Most every review states the 24/26/2900 series ATI cards are "Affordable DX10 cards"

Yes, but anyone really interested in the card would have gotten the iMac with a 7600 GT. And it would seem to be competitive with (if not superior to) the best card in the new iMac. So the GPU is not an upgrade at all for anyone who cares about GPU's. This is disappointing since every other aspect of the machine is (arguably) improved.

[CIA]

While it's not noted anywhere if the iMac specific card uses them, the 24/2600 series seems to have h.264 chips on them. Good for converting and playback if they are used.

[macintologist]

Are you serious? The Radeon 2600 Pro is slower than the Nvidia 7600 GT from the older iMac?

[Biest]

Originally Posted by CIA 

While it's not noted anywhere if the iMac specific card uses them, the 24/2600 series seems to have h.264 chips on them. Good for converting and playback if they are used.

I think this is the crucial point for apple to choose the ATI cards. The HD support is the edge that they want. Gaming is not important for them, yet at least

Originally Posted by macintologist 

Are you serious? The Radeon 2600 Pro is slower than the Nvidia 7600 GT from the older iMac?

Slower then 8600 not 7600, as far as i understood it

At least the mini is saved till leopard... at least I can build my media center now

[0157988944]

This thing is fugly.

[UNTeMac]

Why does Apple SAY they're getting into games again and then release their flagship desktop with a cheap ass video card??

Also, what does HD support even mean? A computer's display already HD, no?

[Dakarʒ]

I'm wondering myself.

[0157988944]

This thing is fugly.

[Biest]

Originally Posted by UNTeMac 

Why does Apple SAY they're getting into games again and then release their flagship desktop with a cheap ass video card??

Also, what does HD support even mean? A computer's display already HD, no?

Flagship desktop is the still the MacPro. This is the medium desktop. I am guessing this move is more regarding power and the H.264 support

Originally Posted by adamfishercox 

This thing is fugly.

Once is enough

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by UNTeMac 

Why does Apple SAY they're getting into games again and then release their flagship desktop with a cheap ass video card??

Also, what does HD support even mean? A computer's display already HD, no?

A true HD display has at least x1080 resolution. Not all computer displays meet that definition.

[wolfen]

Originally Posted by wolfen 

Yes, but anyone really interested in the card would have gotten the iMac with a 7600 GT. And it would seem to be competitive with (if not superior to) the best card in the new iMac. So the GPU is not an upgrade at all for anyone who cares about GPU's. This is disappointing since every other aspect of the machine is (arguably) improved.

Ok, revision:

The 2600 Pro hit 3Dmark overall score of 3402

The 7600GT hit a 3Dmark overall score of around 2950


So maybe there is a minor upgrade 3d graphics-wise over the last iMac. Not keeping pace with the rate of demand coming out in new 3D games, but still an improvement. Game performance comparisons would be much more complex, and I don't care to get into it.

[mduell]

The new ATi cards (HD 2xxx series) are trash. They did the right thing with the MacBook Pros, but this is just unfortunate for the iMac.

[Gram Tense]

I want an new imac but i want to play games as well. What are the consequences that I would notice in games? For example, how does companny of heroes run or futere games as Crysis (EA so shout be brought out for mac as well)?

[Gram Tense]

I am talking about 2.4 Ghz with the 2600 pro

[Eug]

Originally Posted by wolfen 

Ok, revision:

The 2600 Pro hit 3Dmark overall score of 3402

The 7600GT hit a 3Dmark overall score of around 2950


So maybe there is a minor upgrade 3d graphics-wise over the last iMac. Not keeping pace with the rate of demand coming out in new 3D games, but still an improvement. Game performance comparisons would be much more complex, and I don't care to get into it.

Those tests are using completely different CPUs.

[Simon]

Originally Posted by macgeek2005 

Tomorrow Apple is releasing the new redesigned iMac.

It'll hold up to 4GB of ram, 2 hard drives, and 2 optical drives. The video card, hard drive, ram, and optical drives will be easily user-upgradeable. The incredible new design (which I can't disclose any details about), will be as efficient and brilliant as the Mac Pro's interior design, while retaining a compact all-in-one form factor that allows for display rotation and height adjustment.

The standard video card across all models (except for the low end), will be the GeForce 8600GT, and the 24" will have a CPU option for the desktop version of the Intel chips, instead of the Laptop version that's been standard in all models.

This is not speculation, but don't ask me where I get my info, just wait until tomorrow.

Originally Posted by macgeek2005 

They use Conroe. I said they would, and everyone said that it's impossible.

This thread is such a waste of time! Everything you post is either plain wrong or completely unreasonable.

Your iMac 'prediction' was completely made up and naturally in the end turned out to be wrong in pretty much every aspect. Your Conroe claim was a pathetic attempt at covering your ass when actually it is a simple lie. Conroe and Merom XE are entirely different CPUs. It's evidently clear to anybody who knows Intel's plattform that the 2.8 GHz iMac BTO option is a Merom XE and not a Conroe. And yet you post that blurb.

Why don't you try reading up on the facts and getting a clue. In the meantime, you might want to consider going easy on the post button.

Can we now finally close this thread down?

[vmarks]

Hi.

I love you all.

Very much.

You are like my children are; belligerent, and numerous.