May 2011 iMacs

S

synergyo1

2[H]4U
Joined
Jul 2, 2004
Messages
3,591
Two Thunderbolt ports??? Does this mean the iMac can output to two external monitors? Kinda excited about this...
 
I'd say yes:

imac-2011-05-03-600-58.jpg
 
I ordered one. I said if they put in a decent GPU I would order one and I did.

27" i7 3.4ghz
Radeon 6970m 2gb
2tb hard drive
4gb ram (I will add more later if I need it)

I got the trackpad only because the magic mouse sucks for gaming and i'll be using a logitech mouse. I have no interest in the trackpad really but i'll try it out.

Got the wired keyboard as well.

As far as thunderbolt goes I don't give a crap about it. I guess I just don't need faster time machine backups.

Now I can go format my hackintosh drive.
 
Last edited:
Solid update. Usually I see one thing or other that says "compromise", but this one is fast all the way around. Kudos to AMD for their new mobile GPUs, this one is actually really fast and won't go all China Syndrome like the mobile Fermis.

The only compromise is external now. There are new Target Display Mode requirements due to the new Thunderbolt ports.

For people who want to use Target Display Mode, read this: http://www.macworld.com/article/159616/2011/05/imacs_thunderbolt_target_display_mode.html
http://www.tuaw.com/2011/05/03/target-display-mode-missing-in-action-on-new-imacs/

tldr - iMacs now require a Thunderbolt source for external video sources. Mini-DisplayPort will not do since the iMacs use the new connector. The only devices that do this at the moment are 2011 Macbook Pros and iMacs. PCs will hopefully be putting Thunderbolt connectors in later this year.

Also, 21.5' iMacs apparently do have Target Display Mode now, but again only from Thunderbolt sources.

We will see if third party adapters address the issue of converting a miniDP or DVI source to Thunderbolt, just as they did converting DVI to mini-DP. I imagine that they will as there will be money to be made from such adapters. Until then, the restrictions from the new connector will disappoint some people. I don't know how many people use target display mode, but I use it every day since my iMac is also the main display for my gaming PC. It is a gorgeous monitor.

Hopefully there will be an adapter to enable non-Thunderbolt sources to work with the new iMacs. Until then, :(
 
ryken said:
I'd say yes:

imac-2011-05-03-600-58.jpg
Click to expand...

Ooooh.... purdy. That seems like it would really save cable management. Wish I needed a new desktop right now, but my next purchase will have to be a laptop. Hopefully this doesn't mean the rumors of a June air refresh are crap?
 
that would be solid
im needing to sell my mba 11 anyway--just cuz--though its saved my life a billion times---hmmm
 
Nice refresh, when will big box stores like bestbuy be carrying these? I've noticed they've put all the last models on sale if anyone is interested in that.
 
Fly - They always carry the models that are on the Apple website, so yeah, they should be getting them soon or have them already.
 
Hi guys,

Does anyone know how the 6970M would stack up against say a 4890? I haven't been able to find any good benchmarks to compare how this does versus a desktop card.
 
Correct me if im wrong but in theory shouldn't u be able to connect two monitors to one thunderbolt port using its daisy chaining feature, assuming that said theoretical monitor with native thunderbolt support (ie without an adapter) existed. Like mabey the new apple cinema displays?? maybe..possibly..?? :confused:
 
MichaelJB said:
Correct me if im wrong but in theory shouldn't u be able to connect two monitors to one thunderbolt port using its daisy chaining feature, assuming that said theoretical monitor with native thunderbolt support (ie without an adapter) existed. Like mabey the new apple cinema displays?? maybe..possibly..?? :confused:
Click to expand...

i think so, but how many thunderbolt monitors are there on the market? it's not going to hurt to have another port on there in any case.
 
MichaelJB said:
Correct me if im wrong but in theory shouldn't u be able to connect two monitors to one thunderbolt port using its daisy chaining feature, assuming that said theoretical monitor with native thunderbolt support (ie without an adapter) existed. Like mabey the new apple cinema displays?? maybe..possibly..?? :confused:
Click to expand...

The amount of bandwidth required to run two 27" displays is too much for one TB port.
 
Serpico said:
tldr - iMacs now require a Thunderbolt source for external video sources. Mini-DisplayPort will not do since the iMacs use the new connector. The only devices that do this at the moment are 2011 Macbook Pros and iMacs. PCs will hopefully be putting Thunderbolt connectors in later this year.

We will see if third party adapters address the issue of converting a miniDP or DVI source to Thunderbolt, just as they did converting DVI to mini-DP. I imagine that they will as there will be money to be made from such adapters. Until then, the restrictions from the new connector will disappoint some people. I don't know how many people use target display mode, but I use it every day since my iMac is also the main display for my gaming PC. It is a gorgeous monitor.

Hopefully there will be an adapter to enable non-Thunderbolt sources to work with the new iMacs. Until then, :(
Click to expand...

I do believe I read somewhere that only company w/ a Thunderbolt license for a while is Apple. And you honestly think that AMD & Nvidia are going to throw Thunderbolt on their videocards? It honestly doesn't make much sense. Unless they are able to output the video through Thunderbolt on a motherboard. Which honestly I have my doubts will happen.

I am down to an adapter of some sort. But not if it is like the Althona ones that are a couple of hundred bucks and have quiet a few issues.

If they are able to make a small cheap adapter, then I'll be all for it. But I honestly don't think we'll be seeing the ability to use the new iMac as a monitor for a gaming PC for quite some time, if ever.
 
Slashdev said:
Hi guys,

Does anyone know how the 6970M would stack up against say a 4890? I haven't been able to find any good benchmarks to compare how this does versus a desktop card.
Click to expand...
the 6970M is a 6850 Desktop part. So I would say it has a fair advantage. ;)

Man I wish I had the need for one. I could sell my main desktop and keep my ESXi server for all my windows needs. ;)
 
lowfat said:
I do believe I read somewhere that only company w/ a Thunderbolt license for a while is Apple.
Click to expand...

Apple has a year head start on the tech. That doesn’t mean it’s exclusive to Apple.
 
It appears as though these little iMacs are the first to use the Intel Z68 chipset. Very interesting move to say the least.
 
Wish I could get the 6970M in the 21.5".

I don't have the room for 27".
 
Terpfen said:
Apple has a year head start on the tech. That doesn’t mean it’s exclusive to Apple.
Click to expand...
Exactly. Meaning at least a year till we get even the possibility to use the iMac as a display for a gaming PC.

phide said:
It appears as though these little iMacs are the first to use the Intel Z68 chipset. Very interesting move to say the least.
Click to expand...

Details on this?
 
Someday... I'll get out of school and have money for one of these beasts!

Sidenote... Why can't Dell make something like this?
 
ryken said:
http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/all-in-one-desktops

they try, sorta
Click to expand...

They used to try a little harder with the XPS One. They cost as much as the iMac but with an MVA screen, slower CPU, slower GPU, half the RAM, and half the hard drive space. They finally gave up the XPS One around when the 27" iMacs came out.

If it is one area where the "Macs are overpriced" argument really doesn't sit, it is the all-in-one area. HPs aren't any better as they aren't much cheaper than a baseline iMac, yet they have TN or MVA panels, Core 2 Duos or Pentiums instead of i5s, integrated graphics instead of dedicated Radeons, and you're dealing with smaller hard drives and less RAM.
 
Eh, I included the TouchSmart in my assessment. Low specs, low quality screen, not at all responsive, and Windows 7 isn't all that good for fingers compared to a good old mouse and keyboard. I shot an ad for these not that long ago and my impression was the same as the ones I'd seen at Best Buy: not that good. I don't like that you're paying extra for a feature that won't get much use. I don't want to touch the screens of my desktop monitor, so why would I want to pay extra for that feature combined with a slow machine?

If you absolutely want a non-iMac all-in-one, you're better off saving cash and just getting the non-touch HPs. It isn't a good machine but downgrade enough and it's only about $600, good if your budget is tight.
 
The specs in that 610 are far from low, not top end but a i7 quad core, dedicated Radeon 5570, up to 16GB of RAM, 2 TB hard drive, and BD drive as options and the screen in the one reviewed in the link I pasted was considered very good and in addition to Windows 7 there's a very nice touch UI layer that's pretty damned nice, not to mention that on a screen this size touch works perfectly even in Windows 7. If this this had an active pen digitizer it would basically be a Cintq.
 
Last edited:
heatlesssun said:
The specs in that 610 are far from low, not top end but a i7 quad core, dedicated Radeon 5570, up to 16GB of RAM, 2 TB hard drive, and BD drive as options and the screen in the one reviewed in the link I pasted was considered very good and in addition to Windows 7 there's a very nice touch UI layer that's pretty damned nice, not to mention that on a screen this size touch works perfectly even in Windows 7. If this this had an active pen digitizer it would basically be a Cintq.
Click to expand...

Those upgrades put it over the price of a high end 27" iMac, except that it uses a 23" panel that is surely MVA like the rest of the lineup, a slower CPU, a much slower GPU, and it even lacks things like video output for secondary displays. As for the touch UI, yeah, I played with it, again gets a "meh". Practically speaking, a mouse and keyboard makes much more sense than gorilla-arming across the desk to do things with the UI.

The baseline 610 is a poor value compared to a $1200 21.5" iMac, let alone a 27" iMac that costs only $100 more. I'm frankly surprised that you even brought it up as a product to compare it against given its price and the components in it, but I guess paying more for less is ok when there isn't an Apple logo on it. ;)
 
Last edited:
Slashdev said:
Hi guys,

Does anyone know how the 6970M would stack up against say a 4890? I haven't been able to find any good benchmarks to compare how this does versus a desktop card.
Click to expand...
The 6970M is based off the 6850 desktop but with lower clocks. Performance should be imo ~12% less than a 6850 desktop, however I can't be sure of that.
 
steelbom said:
The 6970M is based off the 6850 desktop but with lower clocks. Performance should be imo ~12% less than a 6850 desktop, however I can't be sure of that.
Click to expand...

This is the best you're going to get as far as comparisons go: http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-HD-6970M.43077.0.html

Its too bad that information for mobile GPUs is so much harder to come by compared to desktop GPUs, especially since more and more people are buying laptops as desktop replacements these days.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top