24" iMac released

[Eug]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer
the only thing stopping me from getting this instead of a laptop + a screen is the fact that massive 24inch screen it has doesnt have any inputs. i would of killed for that to have at least a VGA in so i can hook up a xbox 360

No, there is no VGA input. I don't think we'll see one in an iMac any time soon either, as there isn't much demand for it.

The good news for the rest of us is that there is a DVI/VGA output. You could pick up a Dell 2407 widescreen 24" LCD when it goes on sale and run dual monitor. And when you need to, you could plug that Xbox 360 into the Dell.

I play my Xbox 360 on my widescreen HDTV.

 

[Agentbolt]

I've gotta say, this new crop of IMacs is reaaaallly making me want to give them a shot. They're no longer ridiculously overpriced, they're gaining an undeniable "cool" factor even in mainstream circles, and now that you can run Windows too, for games or whatever, they seem pretty much perfect.

This is from a strident Mac-basher for the past 10 years. I think I'd better start saving my pennies.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: Agentbolt
I've gotta say, this new crop of IMacs is reaaaallly making me want to give them a shot. They're no longer ridiculously overpriced, they're gaining an undeniable "cool" factor even in mainstream circles, and now that you can run Windows too, for games or whatever, they seem pretty much perfect.

This is from a strident Mac-basher for the past 10 years. I think I'd better start saving my pennies.

id have to agree with you there....


im gettin tired of windows, need a change of scenery

eug... if i were to get the 24in imac then i would really need to have the video in. i dont think i can really deal with having to lug 2 gigantic LCD's back n forth to uni

24imac on its own yes

laptop + 20-24inch yes (because i can easily bring the lappy home with me when i visit)

but 2 gigantic monitors leaves me in the same situation im tryin to get out of lol....lugging vast amounts hardware around.

ill look into a macbook, or macbook pro maybe, but it seems the mac laptops just dont cut it. i can get a Dell XPS M1710 with a wicked 17inch 1920x1200 res glossy screen.... but i cant even get that from a mac laptop can i? the 17inch macbook pro only features a 1680x1050 screen which is the same res that appears on top line 15.4in windows laptops...for about £1500-£1600.


the dell is about £1700 but the macbook pro of the same size doesnt even start till £1899, and thats nearly 200 too much considering the power the dell is packing

 

[p0lar]

Well, I finally received it and in less than 36 hours I had my 24" partially dissected. If I had the proper (very small) hex key to remove the video connector I'd have gone for it all.

Windows runs fairly well, excepting the issues with bluetooth that require me to sometimes turn the keyboard/mouse on/off on starting Windows -- as well, the remote control does not function under windows that I can tell. Installing was a BREEZE and with the exception of the remote control, everything was detected and works quite well.

I will confirm that the CPU can be upgraded, though with some trouble (what basically amounts to the same trouble as the previous generation). The easiest component to ugprade is RAM, followed shortly thereafter by the HD. I was unable to get under the board to confirm how the Video is setup, but I'm sure someone else is up to that task -- I just needed to know the basic layout.

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: p0lar
Well, I finally received it and in less than 36 hours I had my 24" partially dissected. If I had the proper (very small) hex key to remove the video connector I'd have gone for it all.

Windows runs fairly well, excepting the issues with bluetooth that require me to sometimes turn the keyboard/mouse on/off on starting Windows -- as well, the remote control does not function under windows that I can tell. Installing was a BREEZE and with the exception of the remote control, everything was detected and works quite well.

I will confirm that the CPU can be upgraded, though with some trouble (what basically amounts to the same trouble as the previous generation). The easiest component to ugprade is RAM, followed shortly thereafter by the HD. I was unable to get under the board to confirm how the Video is setup, but I'm sure someone else is up to that task -- I just needed to know the basic layout.

Cool. You're braver than me.

It's said that the iMac has an MXM or MXM-like card for the GPU. I wonder if that's true.

As for CPU upgradability, I'm not sure we'll see much worth upgrading to, since Intel is switching sockets (socket P) next year. Maybe they'll keep all the fastest Merom chips for the new sockets. Merom is a laptop chip and it's not as if Intel has a huge market for CPU upgrades with laptop chips, so they have less incentive to offer the latest and greatest Merom chips for the current socket (479). I wouldn't consider it worth upgrading unless I could get something like a Merom 3 GHz, but I don't we'll ever see one compatible with this motherboard.

Which reminds me. The June (?) refresh of the 24" iMac is gonna be absolutely killer. This is what I expect to see:

1) Faster Merom on Socket P
2) 4 GB support
3) HDCP support
4) 800 MHz memory bus

In the meantime, here is PC Mag's 24" iMac review.

 

[bluemax]

For the guys who want to play video games, etc. on their iMac 24"...

... what about getting a USB video capture device? Play the video in that way? I know it's not as elegant as an additional VGA input, but it would work.

 

[Kaido]

Hah, if anyone wants to buy a Mac Mini or MacBook PM me lol. I'm getting jealous

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: bluemax
For the guys who want to play video games, etc. on their iMac 24"...

... what about getting a USB video capture device? Play the video in that way? I know it's not as elegant as an additional VGA input, but it would work.

EyeTV (check out the 250 model, no lag on games either!)

 

[randomlinh]

damn, aperture needs more ram? they really need to revamp that program... they've made it so you need to buy a freakin mac pro to use it. ugh. not that i'll probably use it anyway... we'll see. But i'll probably end up w/ a 20" iMac.. just can't justify the 24" cost for myself

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: randomlinh
damn, aperture needs more ram? they really need to revamp that program... they've made it so you need to buy a freakin mac pro to use it. ugh. not that i'll probably use it anyway... we'll see. But i'll probably end up w/ a 20" iMac.. just can't justify the 24" cost for myself

Heh. They revamped it today. Aperture 1.5 is out. Dunno if it's faster, but it got a bunch more features. Maybe it is faster, cuz now it supports the slow GeForce FX 5200 U, and it officially supports the Mac mini and MacBook (with GMA 950) too.