wow apple release new mac mini with NO quad core at any price

[standalone]

Can the imac display be used as an external monitor? I mean, what if I connect my macbook pro to the imac? Is it possible?

Yes...
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-use-y ... a-monitor/

...but you can't do it with the new 5K
http://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/17/ret ... isplay-no/

[mhog]

Can the imac display be used as an external monitor? I mean, what if I connect my macbook pro to the imac? Is it possible?

Yes...
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-use-y ... a-monitor/

...but you can't do it with the new 5K
http://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/17/ret ... isplay-no/

As a result, no current Mac [...] can currently drive a 5K external display.
Translation: if I want to connect my old desktop pc or my old macbook pro to the new iMac display, I just can't. Right?

[mhog]

I'm on MacMini (and MBP) myself and I am shocked with all this. I haven't used PC/Windows for a long time (I'm was still on XP), but now I will have to consider a PC or Hackintosh... :/

I replaced memory and HDD in MacMini and replaced the dvd drive with an SSD disk in MBP - and it felt that there is too little to upgrade. And now I won't be able to upgrade anything myself

The new trend: you want a powerful enough MBP? Customize it on Apple Store: an internal 512 ssd + 16 gb for only 700-800$ more A bargain!

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

I'm on MacMini (and MBP) myself and I am shocked with all this. I haven't used PC/Windows for a long time (I'm was still on XP), but now I will have to consider a PC or Hackintosh... :/

I replaced memory and HDD in MacMini and replaced the dvd drive with an SSD disk in MBP - and it felt that there is too little to upgrade. And now I won't be able to upgrade anything myself

The new trend: you want a powerful enough MBP? Customize it on Apple Store: an internal 512 ssd + 16 gb for only 700-800$ more A bargain!

which is why i just bought a mid-2012, pre-retina

i have a feeling that this trend will not last forever, but it might. maybe now is time to jump of the apple wagon.

i am quite heavily invested in logic (to the tune of a ton of unfinished projects), but i haven't ruled out learning a cross-platform daw, at some point, in case this turns out to be my last mac. thing is, i can do anything i need in dual-core...the future is not so clear, but for now i am very happy

[standalone]

Can the imac display be used as an external monitor? I mean, what if I connect my macbook pro to the imac? Is it possible?

Yes...
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-use-y ... a-monitor/

...but you can't do it with the new 5K
http://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/17/ret ... isplay-no/

As a result, no current Mac [...] can currently drive a 5K external display.
Translation: if I want to connect my old desktop pc or my old macbook pro to the new iMac display, I just can't. Right?

Exactly, no present or old computer support that type of connection and Apple is not willing to allow lower resolutions on their shiny new screen.

[cornutt]

So glad now that I bought a quad-core i7 Mini in 2012. I seriously thought this time around about going Wintel; I knew that a bunch of old software on my PPC G4 would not make the transition. But I figured that as long as I could keep using my DAW (Metro), things would work out. My audio interface is an MOTU, and we all know that their Mac drivers are a lot better than their Windows drivers. Plus, I write some code (music and otherwise) and I like having a Unix-based OS; it's an environment that I've been working in, in one form or another, since the early '80s.

Now... I have no plans to replace the Mini anytime soon. But when the day comes, I'm going to have to think seriously about something else. It's clear to me that Apple is eventually going to abandon the desktop/laptop market, except for a few high-end, ultra-expensive products that will mainly be sold to app houses for use as development systems. Maybe by then Linux will have enough of a foothold in the music software industry to make that practical.

[C-note]

The new iMac 27" i7 Quad is $1000 cheaper than the one I bought 2/15/2013
and has a bigger fusion drive and 8gb more RAM

The new iMac 27" with Retina display, a 3GB fusion drive and 16gb of RAM is the same price my current iMac was in 2013.

Pretty good example of Moores law -

If I wasn't getting a Black Hole MAC Pro shortly I'd buy another iMac.

[mhog]

So glad now that I bought a quad-core i7 Mini in 2012. I seriously thought this time around about going Wintel; I knew that a bunch of old software on my PPC G4 would not make the transition. But I figured that as long as I could keep using my DAW (Metro), things would work out. My audio interface is an MOTU, and we all know that their Mac drivers are a lot better than their Windows drivers. Plus, I write some code (music and otherwise) and I like having a Unix-based OS; it's an environment that I've been working in, in one form or another, since the early '80s.

Now... I have no plans to replace the Mini anytime soon. But when the day comes, I'm going to have to think seriously about something else. It's clear to me that Apple is eventually going to abandon the desktop/laptop market, except for a few high-end, ultra-expensive products that will mainly be sold to app houses for use as development systems. Maybe by then Linux will have enough of a foothold in the music software industry to make that practical.

Apple thinks we are entering the "age of the cloud" or smth. So: ultraflat not customizable products with given RAM/CPU power and a minimum GB ssd, just enough for OS and some apps. The rest will be stored outside (web storage or usb3/thunderbolt devices). 2012 mac products remain the most convenient ones for musicians: they are at least customizable and come with usb3.0 and thunderbolt inputs. On the contrary, this is the worst period for mac users musicians ever (apart, maybe, ipad enthusiasts ): since 2013 all is coming out soldered, macbook pro included. No more extra (not-Apple) RAM and hard drives: want some more RAM or a larger hard drive? Prepare to spend an extra 700+ € on Apple Store (for something you can find three times cheaper outside).

[mhog]

The new iMac 27" i7 Quad is $1000 cheaper than the one I bought 2/15/2013
and has a bigger fusion drive and 8gb more RAM

The new iMac 27" with Retina display, a 3GB fusion drive and 16gb of RAM is the same price my current iMac was in 2013.

Pretty good example of Moores law -

If I wasn't getting a Black Hole MAC Pro shortly I'd buy another iMac.

I heard bad stories about Fusion Drive and music production...

[jdnz]

I heard bad stories about Fusion Drive and music production...

just go in reset the ssd+hdd to be separate drives (getting rid of the corestorage layer of s/w that does the 'fusion' stuff). Would be nice if you could spec 256gb of flash rather than 128gb, but 128g ssd + 1tb hdd is still a useful config

[mhog]

I heard bad stories about Fusion Drive and music production...

just go in reset the ssd+hdd to be separate drives (getting rid of the corestorage layer of s/w that does the 'fusion' stuff). Would be nice if you could spec 256gb of flash rather than 128gb, but 128g ssd + 1tb hdd is still a useful config

Well, I am not that glad, knowing the new "excellent, hypertechnological, incredible blah blah blah" 2014 imacs come with a ridiculous 128 ssd + a miserable 5400 rpm hard drive inside, and you cannot even replace them, because they are soldered onto the motherboard. You don't believe it? Want to have a look yourself? You can't, because they are sealed with glue now. Want something better than this miserable solution? Say, a basic "512 ssd + 16 gb ram" ? 700 € . Something more "high performance" like? Say, "32 gb RAM + 1gb SSD"? 1400 €

[jdnz]

Well, I am not that glad, knowing the new "excellent, hypertechnological, incredible blah blah blah" 2014 imacs come with a ridiculous 128 ssd + a miserable 5400 rpm hard drive inside, and you cannot even replace them, because they are soldered onto the motherboard. You don't believe it? Want to have a look yourself? You can't, because they are sealed with glue now.

wow - what an impressive pile of misinformation

1) they screen is held in with double sided tape, and to gain access to the internals you have to take it out. Not ideal, but in no way 'sealed with glue'.

2) the ssd card is separate and socketed (I should know, I just had to have one replaced), and the hdd is just a normal sata drive (and is easily changed once you've got the screen out - sadly the ssd card is on the wrong side of the main board and requires a complete teardown)

[mhog]

(1) ok, sealed with double sided tape, sorry
(2) let's say I myself wanted to add more ram and replace the hdd with an ssd (I mean: imac 2014, the new one). Is it still possible? I read it isn't anymore because the RAM sticks now are soldered onto the mb. And the 1-3 gb hhd ("fusion drive") is a mere 5400 rpm one. With 2013 models it is possible, however difficult and risky, because the hdd is connected to some "anti-heat cable" whatever and once disconnected it could give issues or smth. Besides, I read it is not so easy to avoid breaking the big glass screen, you need special tools, such as plastic screwdrivers and suction cups. And of course Apple warranty bye bye (let alone in case of damage). It's the "ultraflat" factor: nice to see and all but fragile and very dangerous (see: iphone and new ipad explosions, bendings, sharp edges, injuries caused by broken glass etc.). With 2012 models everything seems to be much easier, because they are not so flat, there are RAM slots behind (not inside), and if you need a second hhd it is just a question of removing the dvd drive.

P.S. did you watch this? It reminds me my old FIAT car in terms of "toughness"
http://youtu.be/1nPj9QaXg0E

[jdnz]

(2) let's say I myself wanted to add more ram and replace the hdd with an ssd (I mean: imac 2014, the new one). Is it still possible? I read it isn't anymore because the RAM sticks now are soldered onto the mb. And the 1-3 gb hhd ("fusion drive") is a mere 5400 rpm one.

ram - no, soldered in, no upgrades

I haven't seen inside a non-fusion imac to know whethere they still have the ssd card socket installed or not, could go either way on it being there (save the cost of installing it vs the cost of having to do separate production runs)

Mt guess is they're using 5400rpm drives to cut heat, not sure I'd want a 7200rpm in there anyway, probably cook itself and the mac. thunderbolt is fast enough to just hang an external 7200rpm (or better still a small tb raid) off it.

[mhog]

ram - no, soldered in, no upgrades

No upgrades? Well, the fact 16 gb (+€ 200,00 on Apple Store) can be enough today does not mean it will be the same in two or three years. So, let's go for 32 gb to avoid the risk, you never know. But, hey: on "Apple Store" it is + € 600,00

they're using 5400rpm drives to cut heat, not sure I'd want a 7200rpm in there anyway, probably cook itself and the mac

Well, I guess one would replace the 5400rpm with an ssd, not with a 7200rpm. You have this option on Apple store: ssd flash 1TB + € 1.000,00



+ € 1,600,00 for 32gb ram/1tb ssd?!!!

(real price: SSD 1tb "Samsung" € 335,00. 32gb ram "Samsung" € 309,00: it's almost € 1,000,00 less! )