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Apple plans to upgrade its all-in-one iMac desktops in the near future, according to media reports. The new systems will reportedly utilize higher-performance microprocessors and may also feature some other improvements, but keeping in mind Apple’s policy to be extremely tight-lipped over introductions of new products, it is hard to project anything until the novelties are released.
Apple recently introduced the new iMac with 24” screen and Intel Core 2 Duo 3.06GHz microprocessors, however, the new unit still shares the old design and there are at least two more systems with 20” screen that sport older microprocessors, graphics adapter and other internal devices.
According to AppleInsider as well as Ars Technica web-sites, Apple intends to release new iMac desktops with higher-performance Intel microprocessors as well as higher-performance graphics processing units (GPUs).
Theoretically, the novelties could integrate Intel’s quad-core Intel Core 2 Quad processors for mobile applications, but since the QX9300 and Q9100 chips cost $1038 and $853 in 1000-unit quantities, Apple may not integrate them into its systems that are supposed to be relatively cost-effective. In addition, the new iMac systems are rumoured to feature Nvidia GeForce 9300/9400 mGPU core-logic sets, which is also not certain as graphics cores inside those devices are slower compared to ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT and 2600 Pro graphics processors that are utilized inside iMacs now.
There are other improvements planned too: according to some expectations, the new iMac systems will feature DisplayPort (DP) interconnection to connect display, which automatically means new graphics sub-system implementation, or a new graphics processing unit that natively supports DisplayPort. Unfortunately for customers, DP does not bring immediate benefits for end-users, at least in case of iMac systems, even though it brings manufacturing costs down to Apple since DisplayPort is an open industrial standard with easy implementation.
Apple did not comment on the news-story.
