Another slate of new Mac announcements, another round of disappointment when it comes to my hope of owning a headless iMac. My wife and I have a Mac mini that serves a purpose, but I want my next desktop Mac to be more powerful and flexible but priced sensibly. I want the speed and stability of a desktop hard drive. I want to be able to open it without a putty knife. I want to be able to easily switch things out as needed, and not have to spend the ungodly amount of money demanded for a Mac Pro. I don't really need a Xeon for what I do... a Core 2 Duo (or a Phenom, if Apple ever decided to release any AMD-based hardware) is all I need, I figure. I don't care about having a monitor built into my computer--I have a good monitor. I want the freedom to be able to potentially plug my computer into my favorite display device, say, the 42" LCD in the front room, and hiding the computer behind the bookcase. I'd also like to be able to drop in a fire-breathing Radeon or Quadro card if I determine I need it. And while I'm ranting... how about a MacBook Pro with a dedicated 10-key pad on the keyboard? There'll still be plenty of room for the speakers--really, really.
Ahem. But the news of the day is the Apple has announced a revamping of their desktop systems with a focus on energy efficiency. The new systems are compliant with Energy Star 5.0. Those with display connections have both DVI and DisplayPort connectors. The prices are still a bit on the premium side, ranging from $599 for a basic Mac mini all the way to $3299 for an 8-core Mac Pro.
That is not to say that I would reject the gift of a new quad-core Mac Pro with 6GB of RAM, four 1TB hard drives, a mini-DisplayPort to single-link DVI adapter. You'd still be my friend, I assure you.
Press releases follow.
March 03rd, 2009
Apple Updates Consumer Desktop Line
24-inch iMac Starts at $1,499
CUPERTINO, CaliforniaMarch 3, 2009Apple today announced updates to its iMac and Mac mini desktop lines, including a 24-inch iMac that is priced more affordably than ever before and a Mac mini with powerful new integrated graphics. For the same $1,499 price as the previous generation 20-inch iMac, the new 24-inch iMac delivers a 30 percent larger display, twice the memory and twice the storage. Delivering up to five times better graphics performance, the updated Mac mini now features the same groundbreaking NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics introduced with the aluminum unibody MacBook family.* The Mac mini is the worlds most energy efficient desktop, drawing less than 13 watts of power when idle.** All iMac and Mac mini systems come with Mac OS X Leopard, the worlds most advanced operating system, and iLife 09, Apples unparalleled suite of consumer applications for managing and organizing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. Our flagship 24-inch iMac with twice the memory and twice the storage is now available for just $1,499, said Tim Cook, Apples COO. The Mac mini is not only our most affordable Mac, its also the worlds most energy efficient desktop computer. The elegant, full-featured iMac line starts with the 20-inch iMac for only $1,199 with a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 memory, a 320GB Serial ATA hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics. The 24-inch iMac features a beautiful 1920-by-1200 pixel widescreen display that offers 30 percent more screen real estate than the 20-inch model, and starts at just $1,499. The 24-inch iMac includes up to a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 memory, a 640GB or 1TB Serial ATA hard drive, and a variety of graphics technology from NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 or ATI Radeon HD 4850 discrete graphics for ultimate performance. Every iMac features a glossy display with a built-in iSight video camera, mic and speakers in a thin aluminum and glass design. The new iMac also includes a Mini DisplayPort connector for a pure digital signal to Apples new 24-inch LED Cinema Display with adapters available for DisplayPort, VGA, DVI and Dual-Link DVI displays. iMac includes built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi networking; Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; Gigabit Ethernet; a total of six USB 2.0 ports (including two on the Apple Keyboard); and one FireWire 800 port. Starting at $599, the Mac mini is an innovative, tiny desktop measuring only 6.5 by 6.5 by 2-inches. Available in two models, Mac mini features a 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory, up to 320GB Serial ATA hard drive, five USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 800 and a SuperDrive. The Mac mini features NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics for up to five times better graphics performance than before* and now with dual display support can drive two Apple or third-party displays with Mini DisplayPort or DVI connections. Using less than 13 watts of power at idle, up to 10 times less power than a typical desktop PC, the new Mac mini is the most energy efficient desktop in the world.** Continuing Apples commitment to the environment, both iMac and Mac mini extend their leadership in green design. Both iMac and Mac mini exceed current Energy Star 4.0 requirements and are leading the industry as early adopters of the more stringent Energy Star 5.0 requirements which will become effective later this year. Both iMac and Mac mini use PVC-free internal components and cables and contain no brominated flame retardants. Both iMac and Mac mini feature material-efficient system and packaging designs and use highly recyclable materials. Apples new desktop lineup joins its recently introduced aluminum unibody MacBook family in achieving EPEAT Gold status.*** Every Mac comes with Apples innovative iLife 09 suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. iLife 09 features iPhoto, which introduces Faces and Places as breakthrough new ways to easily organize and manage your photos; iMovie with powerful easy-to-use new features such as Precision Editor, video stabilization and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand which introduces a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar. Every Mac also includes Leopard, the worlds most advanced operating system which features Time Machine, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac; a redesigned Finder that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs; Quick Look, the best way to instantly see files without opening an application; Spaces, an intuitive feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; Mail with easy setup and elegant, personalized stationery; and iChat, the most advanced video chat. Apple also announced that its popular AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi Base Station and Time Capsule now feature simultaneous 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz dual-band networking for optimal performance, range and compatibility. An innovative Guest Network feature allows setting up a secondary network for friends and visitors with Internet-only access so you dont have to hand out your WiFi password. Time Capsule combines an 802.11n router and server-grade hard disk for automatic wireless back-up with Time Machine, and is immediately available in two models: a 500GB model for $299 and a 1TB model for $499. The AirPort Extreme Base Station is also available immediately for a suggested retail price of $179.****Pricing & Availability
The new iMac and Mac mini lines are now shipping and available through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apples retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The new 20-inch 2.66 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US), includes:- 20-inch widescreen LCD display;
- 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
- 2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
- NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
- 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVDR DL/DVDRW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- built-in iSight video camera;
- Gigabit Ethernet port;
- four USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port;
- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
- the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.
- 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
- 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
- 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
- NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
- 640GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVDR DL/DVDRW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- built-in iSight video camera;
- Gigabit Ethernet port;
- four USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port;
- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
- the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.
- 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
- 2.93 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
- 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
- NVIDIA GeForce GT 120; with 256MB GDDR3 SDRAM memory;
- 640GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVDR DL/DVDRW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- built-in iSight video camera;
- Gigabit Ethernet port;
- four USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port;
- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
- the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.
- 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
- 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
- 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
- NVIDIA GeForce GT 130; with 512MB GDDR3 memory;
- 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVDR DL/DVDRW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- built-in iSight video camera;
- Gigabit Ethernet port;
- four USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port;
- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
- the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.
- 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache;
- 1GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable up to 4GB;
- NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
- 120GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVDR DL/DVDRW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort and mini-DVI for video output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 BASE-T);
- five USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port; and
- one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog.
- 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache;
- 2GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable up to 4GB;
- NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
- 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVDR DL/DVDRW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort and mini-DVI for video output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 BASE-T);
- five USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port; and
- one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog.
Apple Introduces New Mac Pro
Features Intel Nehalem Xeon Processors & High-Performance Graphics
CUPERTINO, CaliforniaMarch 3, 2009Apple today introduced the new Mac Pro using Intel Nehalem Xeon processors and a next-generation system architecture to deliver up to twice the performance of the previous generation system.* The new Mac Pro starts at $2,499 and features the latest graphics technology and an updated interior that makes expansion even easier than before. The new Mac Pro is a significant upgrade and starts at $300 less than before, said Philip Schiller, Apples senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. The Mac Pro features an advanced system architecture, new faster processors and our best-ever graphics options to deliver a faster, more powerful system that our professional customers are going to love. The new Mac Pro includes Intel Xeon processors running at speeds up to 2.93 GHz, each with an integrated memory controller with three channels of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC memory that delivers up to 2.4 times the memory bandwidth while cutting memory latency up to 40 percent.** Every Mac Pro comes standard with the NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512MB of GDDR3 memory, a high-performance graphics card with nearly three times greater performance when compared to the previous generation system.*** An optional ATI Radeon HD 4870 is available for even more performance. With both a Mini DisplayPort and DVI port, the new Mac Pro provides out-of-the-box support for the 24-inch Apple LED Cinema Display, the 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display, or other DVI based displays. An updated interior provides easy access to all components within the Mac Pro for hassle free expansion. The Mac Pro includes four direct-attach cable-free hard drive carriers for installing up to 4TB of internal storage when using 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA drives. An optional cable-free Mac Pro RAID card delivers performance up to 550MB/s**** and allows the four internal drive bays to be set up in RAID 0, 1, 5, or 0+1 configurations for improved disk performance and redundant data protection. Continuing Apples commitment to the environment, the new Mac Pro exceeds Energy Star 4.0 requirements and is leading the industry as an early adopter of the more stringent Energy Star 5.0 requirements which will become effective later this year. The Mac Pro enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and the interior is designed to be more material-efficient. The Mac Pro uses PVC-free internal cables and components and contains no brominated flame retardants. The new Mac Pro achieves EPEAT Gold status.***** Every Mac includes Leopard, the worlds most advanced operating system which features Time Machine, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac; a redesigned Finder that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs; Quick Look, the best way to instantly see files without opening an application; Spaces, an intuitive feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; Mail with easy setup and elegant, personalized stationery; and iChat, the most advanced video chat. Every Mac comes with Apples innovative iLife 09 suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. iLife 09 features iPhoto, which introduces Faces and Places as breakthrough new ways to easily organize and manage your photos; iMovie with powerful easy-to-use new features such as Precision Editor, video stabilization and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand which introduces a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar. Optional Apple professional applications include Aperture, Final Cut Express, Final Cut Studio, Logic Express, Logic Studio and Shake.Pricing & Availability
The new Mac Pro will be available next week through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apples retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The new quad-core Mac Pro, with a suggested retail price of $2,499 (US), includes:- one 2.66 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon 3500 series processor with 8MB of shared L3 cache;
- 3GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory, expandable up to 8GB;
- NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 graphics with 512MB of GDDR3 memory;
- 640GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- 18x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVDR DL/DVDRW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort and DVI (dual-link) for video output (adapters sold separately);
- four PCI Express 2.0 slots;
- five USB 2.0 ports and four FireWire 800 ports;
- Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; and
- ships with Apple Keyboard with numerical keypad and Mighty Mouse.
- two 2.26 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5500 series processors with 8MB of shared L3 cache per processor;
- 6GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory, expandable up to 32GB;
- NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 graphics with 512MB of GDDR3 memory;
- 640GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- 18x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVDR DL/DVDRW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort and DVI (dual-link) for video output (adapters sold separately);
- four PCI Express 2.0 slots;
- five USB 2.0 ports and four FireWire 800 ports;
- Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; and
- ships with Apple Keyboard with numerical keypad and Mighty Mouse.
