“Sitting on my bench I have, to the right, my trusty 20-inch G5 iMac with a PowerPC heart beating at 1.8 GHz, and to the left, the new 20-inch iMac with a Core Duo Intel engine rated at 2 GHz. The view is stunning,” Garry Barker writes for The Sydney Morning Herald. “So then, the big question. Is this new machine really twice as fast as the PowerPC model, as Apple boss Steve Jobs said at Macworld?”
“All the iLife ’06 and iWork ’06 applications, Safari and the other bundled applications have been rewritten for Intel and run as if regreased. Non-Intel-compliant software seems to run no faster but then again, no slower, on the new machine. This probably means that the faster Intel chip is making up for the fact that the old software is being converted on the fly to work on the new processor,” Barker reports. “The greater proof of the new platform’s power will come later when professional applications, such as Adobe’s Creative Suite, are rewritten for it. Microsoft will bring Office:mac into the new era, probably next year, but a speed boost for a word processor is unlikely to have anyone singing hallelujah. And PowerPoint, while still useful, is now not an option for most Mac users. They prefer Keynote, which is already rewritten for Intel.”
“So should you buy now or wait a bit? I intend to buy, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, your PowerPC iMac still has good resale value. It will continue to do so, but the second-hand price must inevitably decline as Intel-compliant applications emerge and more Intel machines are bought. Secondly, this is the new generation,” Barker writes. “It will cost you no more to get on the train now.”
Full article here.
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Related MacDailyNews articles:
Review: Apple’s new iMac Core Duo ‘an outstanding feat of engineering, a high-precision instrument’ – February 16, 2006
Apple iMac the finest, most reliable, stable, elegant and intuitive personal computer available – February 14, 2006
Dr. Mac Bob Levitus gives ‘highest recommendation’ for Apple iMac 2GHz Core Duo – February 07, 2006
Review: Apple 20-inch iMac Core Duo 2.0GHz – February 06, 2006
BusinessWeek: Apple’s new iMac Core Duo is an iMac on Steroids – February 02, 2006
AnandTech: Apple iMac G5 vs. iMac Intel Core Duo – February 01, 2006
Thurrott: ‘I highly recommend Apple’s new Intel-based iMac’ – January 31, 2006
Thurrott: ‘Nothing on Windows approaches the quality of Apple’s iLife ’06’ – January 31, 2006
Computerworld: Apple’s MacBook Pro ‘fast, really fast – looks like a real winner’ – January 28, 2006
MacSpeedZone: Apple’s iMac Core Duo nearly as fast as Power Mac G5 Quad – January 26, 2006
InfoWorld: Apple perfects the desktop personal computer with new iMac Core Duo – January 25, 2006
Flawed CNET review pans Apple’s iMac Core Duo with 7 out of 10 rating – January 23, 2006
Washington Post: Wait a month or so before buying Apple’s appealing new Intel-based iMac – January 22, 2006
Apple’s Intel-powered iMac provides a smooth transistion from PowerPC – January 21, 2006
PC Magazine review gives Apple iMac Intel Core Duo 4.5 out of 5 stars – January 20, 2006
Time names Apple iMac Core Duo ‘Gadget of the Week’ – January 20, 2006
Mossberg: New Intel-based iMac the best consumer desktop with the best OS and best software bundle – January 18, 2006
I wouldn’t buy the current intel iMac, here’s why:
Remember seeing pictures of the inside of the iMac G5? It was crammed full, the case was as small as could possibly be to house the components.
Remember the pictures of the inside of the iMac Core Duo? It’s mostly empty space. The iMac Core Duo and the MacBook Pro both use the same components. There’s no reason that the new iMac has to be so big. They just kept the same case to make the transition smooth. But since Apple designs its cases to have the tightest tolerance possible, I’m 100% positive the next-generation iMac will be SIGNIFICANTLY smaller & thinner. I’ll wait for it.
when will you guys realize that the people and the computers you worship are crappy. If they were as good as you continuously say they are, then why don’t they hold a large piece of the market share? Because they are lame, restricting machines that only my grandmother uses… because iLife is so basic and limited that it is perfect for someone born 60 years before computers where invented. That is all.
The billion song barrier has been breached!!!
I guess AOL is the best ISP then, because it has the most market share. You use AOL, right? If not, why would you use some crappy ISP that has less marketshare than AOL?
You bore us. Bet you wish you had those 3 minutes of your life back. You are jealous and laughable in one.
Jooop,
Wasted response on troll, but funny for me. Thanks
Hurry Hurry. Inventory for PPC is going fast. PB 15″ is already gone, goodbye
@Hey don’t get mad at me
Just anothor troll.
I think Joop is right; the next gen iMac will be super sweet. I don’t see why they couldn’t make an iMac that looks similar to a standard cinema display. In fact, I think it’s entirely possible that the computer could have a detachable base and touch screen functionality.
the only trolls on this site are the ones who worship the steve jobs… but instead of big feet they tout their tremendously large egos.
by the way joop, i do use AOL… and I love it.
AOL is total CRAP!
Screw DELL!
MSoft I hate you for spending thousands of $$$ and getting no results for years!
Magic word “doing”: What is Intel chip doing in a Mac? Everything PC users could only wish to do with their dull little crappy boxes.
Truth be told, I love Mac OS X but like most people i can’t afford a Mac. IMacs’ are nice but not expandable as are mini macs. For under a thousand dollars, I believe 800 bucks, you can get a dual core HP. 54 dollar memory upgrades and not expensive sodimms. Dual core laptops with 15.4″ screen are about 1200. Granted they are not as pretty as a mac but at least you have some money left over.
yes, you’ll need the money for AV software, lost productivity, tech help, and the new PC you’ll need within 3 yrs, vs Mac’s 4/5 yr average. Mac’s are ‘cheaper’ over time.
Bob
Take a wander over to Sourceforge and have a look at just how much free software is available for the Mac. Virtually all the UNIX and Linux stuff has been ported. Of course, the great thing about OSX is that it’s the only UNIX with the big commercial desktop apps available for it, so you can replace the free versions with the grown up packages over time if you decide you want to.
Also, now that the Intel migration is in full swing, I think you’re going to see a few surprises from Apple on the pricing front. Apple RAM is very expensive, but when you buy a Mac just get the base model and top it up with RAM from Crucial. Much cheaper than the Apple stuff and I’ve never had a problem with it. Click on the MDN ad and check out how much better the prices are if you want a better idea.
Please don’t buy the HP. Although the NX range are great looking and sturdy machines, they’re seriously hobbled by Windows. I’d hate for you to shell out the money and kick yourself three months later.
I always find it funny that winbox trolls feel the desire to say how they thinks Macs are “crappy” etc. It is obvious that Mac users are in a better position to judge the merits and demerits of the two – as we can’t have failed to use and be “impressed” by winboxes. Conversely the winbox troll won’t have been near a Mac less likely to have any knowledge of its true attributes. Sad really.
“Granted they are not as pretty as a mac but at least you have some money left over.”
Yep you’re right..for the antivurus software, its annual subscription, all the equivalent iLife apps etc etc.
No, Macs are supremely better value for money on every count.
I think that it’s inevitable that the initial Intel powered Macs will be interim models, with more interesting models to follow later.
Replacing the CPU makes the new models sought after. Apple can get quick sales by selling to the early adopters. It’s also a good thing that the Intel iMacs and MacBooks look just the same as the PPC Macs, that helps to re-enforce the fact that the only thing that’s changed is the processor, in every other respect it’s a familiar Mac, just like before.
Then I would expect at some point between 9 and 18 months later new models to be introduced with radically different styling. That will then ignite another surge in sales and so the cycle continues.
Yeah Bob,
but Windows
Is
Crap!
Take it from someone who has used Windows since the year Dot, and now thankfully only suffers it at work. It is an absolute JOY! to come home to OS X.
The hardware is supurb, and even at the low end it’s high end kit.
Not to mention all the really cool/insanely great software you get into the bargain which leaves you wanting for little. Find just as excellent open source and little share ware apps, and crossgrade your windows stuff if/when you need to.
The troll “doth protest too much”. An obvious symptom ignorance merged with stupidity combined with lack of imagination.
Hey “don’t get mad at me”,
In my experience, the only people that love windoze and hate other OS’s are people that:
1. only read pc week.
2. have only run or supported windoze their entire career.
In the past 15 years, I have supported:
a half dozen windoze flavors ( all of which crashed regulary )
OS/2 warp
Netware 2.2, 3.11, 4.x, 5.x
Sco 3.2 v4.2
Wise Unix
Linux ( suse & redhat enterprise )
DGUX
HPUX 9.x 10.x 11.x
AIX 3.x 4.x 5.x
Solaris 2.6, 8, 9, 10
I don’t worship steve. I worship unix because its rock solid. OSX is unix.
I’ve forgotten more about unix that you will ever learn you close minded little troll. Go back to your help-desk job making peanuts. I’ll go back to my ginormous saleried job supporting mission critial trading floor applications on unix.
I got a 20″ iMac for a gift for someone, it sucks, there is no software and it’s slow, the beach ball spins regardless of the “oh it’s 2x faster” processor.
If you open it up to try to replace the slow ass hard drive, you violate the warranty and the seals in place. Plus the connector is not standard, it’s something OEM.
Yea it’s a dual core, but it shares a bus and memory controler, it can only access 2 GB of RAM.
It’s a hobbled machine for sure.
My dual 2 Ghz proccesors G5 absolutely smokes it and it uses slower processors.
X-Bench iMactel: 60
X-Bench Dual 2 Ghz Processor PM: 100
Keep letting PC users buy their 499 infomercial quality PC’s. You get what you pay for and what you get is substandard hardware, like shared RAM graphics, bottom of the barrel DIMMs, slow ass hard drives all in an ugly utilitarian box, powered by the crappiest security-hole ridden OS that billions of dollars of R&D can’t fix.
Yeah, I’ll stick with my Mac.
Windows users have a hard time with the “total cost of ownership” advantage and reliability the Mac offers because they’ve never experienced it.
Repeatedly I’ve watched my Windows using friends buy new machines every couple of years because their existing beige box is so glommed up with crap and it’s just easier to go buy a new eMachine throwaway than fix what they have.
My wife is using an ancient Grape iMac. She runs her business on it, surfs the web and files insurance claims, it’s running 10.3.9 just fine.
Now Windows lovers, try putting XP-Pro on a 486 with 384MB of ram and an integrated video card.
My 5-year old QuickSilver Mac is still bringing over $800 on ebay, show me any PC that old that has any resale value. I guarantee it won’t be a Dell, HP or Gateway.
Macs run and run and run without the user needing to become a system-guru. I know there are a few trolls who enjoy tweaking their Windows boxes and claim they’re just as good and stable, total BS. I’ve had plenty of calls from Windows users (who know I have a studio filled with computers), they mistakingly think because of my high-tech work-place that I can help them solve their woes.
It is so great to be able to say “I’m sorry I can’t help you with Windows, I use Macs”. Lately I append that with “did you know you can get a Mac for under $500?” I have helped sell over a dozen Mini’s this way.
A MacMini for Internet use equals lower out-of-pocket cost than 3-years of “anti-virus anti-spyware anti-popup anti-problem” software for Windows, not to mention humping the box back and forth to CompUSA and paying their low-tech service fools installation/configuration fees.
Now, which version of Vista are you going to get? MS has announced eight SKUs for LongTurd, what a joke. They can’t make one version that’s seriously right. The MS shell game marches on.
Peace
MacDude, Go Windows, you’ll love it. PC’s are cheaper too.