iMacs Freshened with 2.0 GHz G5, Bluetooth, WiFi

amichalo writes "Apple has updated the popular consumer level Mac, the iMac G5. So better support the now standard Mac OS X Tiger, Apple has made significant improvements to all standard configurations including 512MB RAM, Radeon 9600 128MB graphics, and on 2.0 GHz models (17" and 20"), a slot-loading dual-layer 8x SuperDrive is standard. The 1.8 GHz 17" model includes a slot-loading Combo Drive. Also standard are Apple's AirPort Extreme 802.11g WiFi and Bluetooth. Pricing remains at $1300, $1500, and $1800 respectively for 1.8 GHz 17", 2.0 GHz 17", and 2.0 GHz 20", though 2.0 GHz models include additional upgraded features. These improvements are significant as this line has not seen a refresh in about a year and the upgrade to a Radeon 9600 graphics card will allow the new iMac to take better advantage of Tiger features such as Core Image, which is significant because the video card cannot be upgraded. Lastly, Apple is continuing the interactive chat and QuickTime support program for the iMac G5."

Comments

Re:I see a trend ..

[delta_avi_delta]

If you're referring to the clock speeds mentioned, vs the clock speeds of Intel or AMD chips in 2002 (which has, oh, nothing to do with the OS), then I suggest you do some reading as to the actual comparative performance, especially in the graphics processing areas where macs are traditionally strong.

I'm not a fanboy, but I've never liked the way chips are advertised by clock-speed, it's quite misleading.

Re:looks like the end of the PowerMac

[Cecil]

"upgrade" to a mac user means "buy a whole new computer"

By and large, yes it does.

But you're not telling the whole story. You left out the part where the mac user sells the old mac on eBay for far less of a discount than you'd need to put on a similarly aged PC. Easily over half the original price, in my experience. Sometimes ends up being as much as 2/3rds the price of a new mac just by selling your old one, depending on how frequently you upgrade.

Upgrades are for chumps.

Re:One significant thing about the iMac

[anagama]

You do make some valid points about upgrade potential with component based systems compared things like the iMac. I tend to see the iMac as more akin to a laptop than a desktop for this very reason.

On the other hand, PC hardware changes so rapidly that sometimes an upgrade is practically new system anyway. About a year and a half ago, my 800mhz duron system failed -- cpu fried. I decided I'd use that opportunity to move to an athlon -- this meant a new video card due to incompatability between MB and video card, new ram because old ram wouldn't fit, and a new power supply just to be safe (old one was a 350, I moved up to 500). So by the time I got done, all I had of the "old" computer was the case, burner, and hard drive.

Anyway, it is also true that if you want to upgrade the video on a PC, you might just have to change out the motherboard as well because of rapidly changing plug shapes, voltage levels, or what have you.