Apple Finally Updates the iMac With Significantly More Powerful CPU and GPU Options (arstechnica.com)
Today, Apple will finally begin taking orders for newly refreshed 21- and 27-inch iMacs. The new versions don't change the basic design or add major new features, but they offer substantially faster configuration options for the CPU and GPU. From a report: The 21.5-inch iMac now has a 6-core, eighth-generation Intel CPU option -- up from a maximum of four cores before. The 27-inch now has six cores as the standard configuration, with an optional upgrade to a 3.6GHz, 9th-gen, 8-core Intel Core i9 CPU that Apple claims will double performance over the previous 27-inch iMac. The base 27-inch model has a 3GHz 6-core Intel Core i5 CPU, with intermediate configurations at 3.1GHz and 3.7GHz (both Core i5). The big news is arguably that both sizes now offer high-end, workstation-class Vega-graphics options for the first time. Apple added a similar upgrade option to the 15-inch MacBook Pro late last year. In this case, the 21.6-inch iMac has an option for the 20-compute-unit version of Vega with 4GB of HBM2 video memory. That's the same as the top-end 15-inch MacBook Pro option.
The 27-inch iMac can now be configured with the Radeon Pro Vega 48 with 8GB of HBM2. For reference, the much pricier iMac Pro has Vega 56 and Vega 64 options. Apple claims the Vega 48 will net a 50-percent performance improvement over the Radeon Pro 580, the previous top configuration. Speaking of the previous top configuration, the non-Vega GPU options are the same as what was available yesterday. The only difference is that they now have an "X" affixed to the numbers in their names, per AMD branding conventions -- i.e., Radeon Pro 580X instead of 580. RAM options are the same in terms of volume (up to 32GB for the 21.5-inch and 64GB for the 27-inch), but the DDR4 RAM is slightly faster now, at 2666MHz.
The 27-inch iMac can now be configured with the Radeon Pro Vega 48 with 8GB of HBM2. For reference, the much pricier iMac Pro has Vega 56 and Vega 64 options. Apple claims the Vega 48 will net a 50-percent performance improvement over the Radeon Pro 580, the previous top configuration. Speaking of the previous top configuration, the non-Vega GPU options are the same as what was available yesterday. The only difference is that they now have an "X" affixed to the numbers in their names, per AMD branding conventions -- i.e., Radeon Pro 580X instead of 580. RAM options are the same in terms of volume (up to 32GB for the 21.5-inch and 64GB for the 27-inch), but the DDR4 RAM is slightly faster now, at 2666MHz.
And $200 add on for an 256GB (SATA??) SSD.
also imac pro not updated.
Or any other thousand other PC manufacturers? Did they update their PCs too? When? What Intel processor and stepping, and what L2 cache size? On board or add-on graphics?
What is this? Computer Shopper for Nerds?
SATA is a good sign for the next mac pro.
As they don't seem to be moving forced T2 or higher locked pci-e storage.
Much to the detriment of Apple's pro customers.
is still slow.
Want to move heat out of a computer?
Design a real computer that can keep a CPU/GPU working without having to slow down quickly for heat.
Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
In the past, it was newsworthy, because they were going unusual, interesing ways, or to laugh at their "courage".
Now they're just another extremely expensive manufacturer of sub-standard quality (ask Louis Rossman) PCs with (apparently desireful for some) lock-in as its most distinctive feature.
It makes no more sense to report about Apple's new products than about Dell's.
I may not like Apple, but I'm still feeling bad for its fans, that it's now taken over by standard issue MBA vulture suits.
Are these chips that didn't make binning for Vega 56?
You seem to think of those cute girls wearing fake glasses and playing console games so they can say "I'm soo nerdy!".
I don't blame you. :)
But you can't go further from "nerd" than Apple.
What an overpriced piece of shit!
Specced out like a base model PS4, not even a PS4 Pro.
Yawn.
If Apple's T2 chip still disallows Linux from using the onboard SSD, that is a deal breaker. Mainly because when Apple stops supporting a Mac model in macOS, you need to run something that gets security updates.
They buy Apple because they can't handle the power and freedom of using a full PC. So that would only be useful to them, of somebody would turn it into a Hackintosh for them and maintain it.
Dear Apple, many of us want / need a GPU capable of running CUDA. Until you get over yourselves and resume offering NVIDIA options, we simply aren’t interested.
Mouse have the cutest commercials, But mainly a Japanese brand.
I did get that. Duh. ... still ...
But still... beyond that
I think the overlap of people hopelessl incompetent enough to buy not onl Apple, but an iMac, of all things, and of those who havr even heard of CUDA or would ever need it, is absolutely zero.
Also, fuck supporting the quasi-monopoly. Even if I own a nVidia card, I still aim for full standards compatibility. So OpenCL or GTFO.
Those who feed lock-in, deserve the hurt they'll fall into.
But when they drag us with them, like with Windows, IE, Intel, and now nVidia, they become our enemies too.
for a decent 256 GB from newegg without bulk pricing I expect an SSD. I at least expect a 7200 RPM hard disk. A 5400 RPM drive will hamstring the entire computer, OSX or not. It'll lead to a poor user experience.
This tells me Apple is confident enough in their brand to sell substandard merchandise for a premium.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
with AMD? One of the things I've read consistently is AMD does better in productivity apps that use the GPU. As near as anyone can tell the Radeon VII is just their high end professional GPU repackaged for gaming (which explains the stupidly large 16 GB of expensive ram).
As for stability, AMD really has got their act together, and the GPU power draw is just fine at idle. Nvidia wins out there once the GPU is under load, but if I'm loading my GPU I'm probably plugged in.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
You need to recheck because you can turn off the protections that disallow using Linux, even on the older iMac Pro (which has the T2).
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Can't see if you can upgrade the RAM on this model.
Based on experience, I would max out the CPU and GPU in the configuration, go for a 512GB or 1TB SSD, ditch FusionDrive.
If the RAM is upgradeable then save on that and expand that later.
I am running a late 2013 iMac and I can still use it for video editing, even a bit of 4K. I have added an external RAID0 for editing (2x4tb 7200rpm, partitioned with the fastest part of spindle for editing) and a 1tb SSD for smaller projects.
I wanted to go all SSD but I having trouble finding an external enclosure that supports TRIM which I "need" as editing videos don't seem to play well with traditional SSD usage. Since I only have the original Thunderbolt specs, the choices are limited.
But as I had said before, FCPX is really the only thing that keeps me on the Mac(ok, I like the OS too) so perhaps I should have a go at a Hackintosh again, or learn DaVinci Resolve already. I guess I will stay on my old iMac until it gives up the ghost and makes the decision then. :)
L'Idiot
and for everyone not following the very latest technobabble GPU boards:
Does that mean the new iMac has good VR support coming?
That's basically the only thing the slightly older ones don't have. I play everything on max settings in most games, so I really wonder why it's considered insufficient - except for VR.
Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
Bill got caught lying 12-25 times repeatedly stating "Blood plasma is sterile" and then later that "The Chinese Govt does not directly censor Chinese citizens" and other absolute bullshit head-in-ass retard-level lies. You're not trustworthy.
You are not a source of information that anyone should or even could trust, knowing your dishonest history. Sorry. That's what accountability means when you get caught lying repeatedly, over and over, even after directly corrected.
You're a liar, Bill.
Seriously. Nobody wants that bargain basement hardware. Just bite the bullet and stick in the Nvidia stuff people WANT.
You specially said that you were talking about servers and not a NAS. Again we can scroll up or are you going to lie about that? By definition, Mac Pro and iMac Pro are workstations as is a Dell Precision. Again you show a stunning level of ignorance and arrogance at the same time. If you can’t basic definitions right, how bad must your conclusions be.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
You specially said that you were talking about servers and not a NAS.
I've talked about both. But when I said that NAS are dumbed down desktop computers, I was not talking about servers in general. Even you understood that right in your post https://slashdot.org/comments....
Again we can scroll up or are you going to lie about that?
Please do. Either you won't find what you are looking for, or I will have to point out yet again how you badly understood a basic sentence.
By definition, Mac Pro and iMac Pro are workstations as is a Dell Precision. Again you show a stunning level of ignorance and arrogance at the same time. If you can’t basic definitions right, how bad must your conclusions be.
Again you fail at logic/understanding. Workstations are desktops computers. Not all desktop computers are workstations. I never said the Mac Pro isn't a workstation, yet, you seem to claim otherwise. When I qualified them as toys, I meant that they have some serious shortcomings for many types of work. They are made to be small and stylish, as most Apple products.
I've talked about both. But when I said that NAS are dumbed down desktop computers, I was not talking about servers in general. Even you understood that right in your post
You lie. These are your words.
You fail to understand what the word "they" was referring to. You think it was servers. It wasn't. It was NAS devices.
Please do. Either you won't find what you are looking for, or I will have to point out yet again how you badly understood a basic sentence.
Please read up above where your own words contradict you. Liar.
Again you fail at logic/understanding. Workstations are desktops computers. Not all desktop computers are workstations. I never said the Mac Pro isn't a workstation, yet, you seem to claim otherwise.
No you called them toys because you don't seem to understand what a workstation is and now you're desperately trying to cover up for that.
When I qualified them as toys, I meant that they have some serious shortcomings for many types of work. They are made to be small and stylish, as most Apple products.
Please are you now going to lie even more about what you meant. You just dig yourself more and more into a hole because you didn't know something basic and are trying to lie your way out of it now.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
You lie. These are your words.
Please read up above where your own words contradict you. Liar.
And? Where is the contradiction? I don't see what you are talking about.
Give it up. You’ve been caught lying. From the beginning you were insistent about talking the iMac even though no one was taking about it. The you compared SATA which is an internal connector to TB2 which is not remotely the same. Then you said a NAS wasn’t a server. All you called Pro workstations as toys. When pointed out all this idiocy you just doubled down and insisted that’s not what you meant. You tried to explain the “toys” comment as meaning that workstations can’t do all types of work. Dude, they are workstations for a reason. They are specialized for certain tasks. Learn what a workstation is. You’re just dishonest.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
I take that you can't even explain where I contradicted myself. Let alone "lied".
I pointed it out already. I take it you still don’t know a workstation is because your statement is idiotic.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
I pointed it out already.
You didn't. You pointed out two statements with no contradictions.
I take it you still don’t know a workstation is because your statement is idiotic.
And you are wrong once more but who cares at this point.
Bahahaha. You didn’t know a NAS was a server. You didn’t know TB was external. You didn’t know what a workstation is. Please tell me what a workstation is because your answer will show you that you’re an idiot.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.