MacWorld SF: iMAc with Intel Processor is up to twice as fast

MacWorld through Yahoo! ^ | 1/10/2006 | Peter Cohen

[Swordmaker]

Apple claims its newest iMac, which features Intel’s new Core Duo processor, is twice as fast as its predecessor. Despite the major change under the hood, the iMac remains with the same design and at the same price as before, with systems starting at $1,299.

The new iMac, which starts shipping today, will be Apple’s first computer to feature a CPU built by Intel. Up until now, Apple has used the PowerPC architecture developed in conjunction with Motorola and IBM to drive all of its iMac computers.

On the outside, the iMac G5 looks the same as before — it’s a square, all-in-one design that features either a 17-inch or 20-inch LCD display. But under the hood it’s considerably faster, according to benchmarks that Apple CEO Steve Jobs put up on the screen during his keynote presentation to Macworld Expo attendees in San Francisco, Calif. on Tuesday.

The system features a built in iSight webcam, 8x “SuperDrive” optical drive capable of burning recordable DVD media, 512MB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 2GB, hard drive storage capacity up to 500GB, and ATI Radeon X1600 PCI Express-based graphics with 128MB GDDR3 memory. Also standard is a wireless remote control that is held magnetically to the iMac when not in use — that remote provides you with the ability to control music, pictures and movies using Front Row, an Apple application that’s included on the iMac.

The iMac also features 10/100/1000baseT Ethernet, built-in AirPort Extreme — Apple’s 802.11g-compliant wireless networking, and built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) for connecting PDAs, smartphones, printers and other devices. The computer itself features three USB 2.0 ports (another two are on the keyboard) and two FireWire 400 ports.

Also included is a new mini-DVI video output to connect the iMac to up to a 23-inch Apple Cinema HD display. And no longer are iMacs limited to mirroring the internal display’s contents on an external display — an “extended desktop mode” provides additional desktop real estate if a second monitor is used.

Also standard on these new iMacs is iLife ‘06, Apple’s suite of applications that includes iTunes, iPhoto, iDVD, iMovie, GarageBand, and, for the first time, iWeb, a Web publishing application that integrates with the other content you create and manage using the other iLife applications.

The new iMac touts Apple’s latest Mac OS X release, v10.4.4, which runs natively on the Intel processor (as does the iLife software). Also included is Apple’s Mighty Mouse and keyboard.

The $1,299 17-inch model features a 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo processor and 160GB Serial ATA hard drive. The $1,699 20-inch model features a 2.0GHz processor and 250GB storage.

[Swordmaker]

New Intel iMac is up to twice as fast as the old G5... PING!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[claudiustg]

I was not enthused when I first heard of the plans to go Intel, but the Powerbook needed somewhere to go. They couldn't just keep churning out G4s.

It's hard to believe so many knot-heads are tied to Windows software. anyway I'll probably go with a Macbook Pro, when my iMac G5 starts getting long in the tooth.

[Old_Mil]

Now the only question remaining is which Powerbook G4 do I order as the last generation machine that will run my present software. 12"? Or 15".

[goldstategop]

Its somewhat faster. Not a big deal to be excited about. And Apple still isn't ready to come with its own answer to Microsoft Office. iWeb? Hardly earth-shattering in the age of Frontpage and Linux open source web page editors. There's no compelling reason to upgrade from the PowerPC processor.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[CurlyDave]

I bought my 17" PowerBook last October, just after the new ones came out.

I deliberately timed it this way--when I am ready for an upgrade to a new Intel-based one, the major bugs will be shaken out of the technology and most of my software will be available in native form.

Plus, I am betting on something like a "Super Virtual PC" which will let me run a few Windows programs in a separate window on the Mac desktop.

For the next year, early adopters are going to feel the pain.

I still remember the transition from 680xx to Power PC. The first years worth of Power PC machines turned out to be real dogs.

[Glenn]

I'm going to jump in with both feet and get a MacBook. Someone has to be an early adoptor or the early adoptors will become extinct.

Interesting take on it this morning in the fish wrapper:

PC people will pirate OS X and run it on their cheaper laptops.

Why didn't I think of that?

[Auntie Mame]

Now the only question remaining is which Powerbook G4 do I order as the last generation machine that will run my present software. 12"? Or 15".

Don't order any Powerbook. Just sit back and wait until everybody's switching and pick up 10 or 12 used ones for the price of one new one. ; - )

[BunnySlippers]

Apple up to 83.92 this morning!

[Echo Talon]

Despite the major change under the hood, the iMac remains with the same design and at the same price as before, with systems starting at $1,299.

Hear that Mac users? Jobs is sticking it to you! He is saving money on processors and he isn't giving you a break with the price. I'm sure chipzilla is able to make more of these chips at a lower cost than what they had before and Jobs is keeping the profits...