XPost: comp.sys.mac.misc
New iMacs With Up to Xeon E3 Processors, 64GB RAM,
AMD Graphics, and Thunderbolt 3 Rumored for Late October
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Earlier this week, Apple made the rare move of pre-announcing
that it is working on new pro-focused iMac models that will
launch later this year.
Apple did not share any specific details about what the
upgrades will entail, but if the blog Pike's Universum is to
be believed, the next-generation iMac lineup could feature
several improvements that make Apple's desktop computer a
more powerful workstation for professionals and average
consumers alike.
The blog, citing a "little bird" that is "usually pretty
accurate," claims the incoming iMac lineup will be available
with up to the following tech specs:
€ Intel Xeon E3 processors: The new iMac will supposedly
have up to a pro-grade Intel Xeon E3-1285 v6 processor.
Intel has not released that particular chip yet, but
based on previous generations of the E3-1285, the
processor could essentially be the E3-1280 v6 coupled
with integrated Intel HD Graphics P630. Notably, Xeon
processors support ECC RAM.
€ 16GB to 64GB of ECC RAM: 16GB of ECC RAM, configurable
to 32GB or 64GB, in line with the current Mac Pro.
iMacs currently have 8GB of non-ECC RAM, configurable
to 16GB or 32GB. ECC RAM can detect and repair errors
that cause data corruption and system crashes. No word
if it will be DDR3L or DDR4.
€ Faster NVMe SSDs: The rumor claims the next iMacs will
have faster NVM Express PCIe-based flash storage with
capacities up to 2TB. The current 4K and 5K iMac models
are also configurable with NVMe PCIe-based SSDs or
Fusion Drives up to 2TB.
€ AMD graphics: The new iMacs will supposedly have AMD
graphics options to support virtual reality and
professional apps. The inclusion of AMD graphics in the
next iMac has been rumored previously by Bloomberg. The
current 27-inch iMac uses AMD Radeon R9 GPUs.
€ Thunderbolt 3: Thunderbolt 3 ports would be an
unsurprising inclusion in the next iMacs given they
already exist on the latest MacBook Pro. Thunderbolt 3
carries power, USB, DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA over a
single cable, creating one standard for connecting most
accessories and peripherals.
The report claims the next iMac models will be unveiled in
late October and be accompanied by a brand new keyboard. A
previous report said Apple was exploring a standalone
keyboard with a Touch Bar and Touch ID, but its release
allegedly depends upon how well those features have been
received on the latest MacBook Pro.
The blog also claims Apple is working on an 8K external
display for Apple's "completely rethought" Mac Pro. This
isn't a rumor we've heard before, but Apple did confirm it
is working on a new Apple-branded pro display of an
unspecified resolution. Dell recently launched a 32-inch
8K display for $5,000.
Another tidbit mentioned in the report is that macOS 10.13
supposedly will not use a mountain or park name anymore,
with two alternative names in the running, including one
that starts with the letter M. Apple's trademarked names
that could fit that description include Monterey and
Mojave.
Last, the report said the next high-end Mac mini "won't be
so mini anymore," suggesting that the most expensive model
might have a larger or taller design. Apple recently said
the Mac mini is "important" within its product lineup, but
it remained tight-lipped about the prospects of future
updates.
Pike's Universum is best known for spotting references to
unreleased Macs or upcoming software versions hidden
within Apple's operating systems. The blog does not have
an established track record of reporting on Apple's plans
based on its own inside sources, so this rumor should be
treated with caution for now.
<
http://www.macrumors.com/2017/04/06/imac-xeon-e3-64gb-ram-amd-late-octo
ber/>
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