New iMacs, Mac Pros, 27 inch ACD, Magic Trackpad and battery charger released

Sad Professor

Irish store is all messed up at the moment, but there was quite a few updates:

iMacs - as expected, the Eurozone got a price bump. The low end 21.5 inch model received a €130 price increase, and the low end 27 inch went up by €230. SSD in combination with HDD is now an option on the 27inch.

€1,229.00 / 21.5" / 3.06GHz Core i3 / 4GB / 500GB / ATI Radeon HD 4670
€1,529.00 / 21.5" / 3.20GHz Core i3 / 4GB / 1TB / ATI Radeon HD 5670
€1,709.00 / 21.5" / 3.60GHz Core i5 (BTO option)
€1,729.00 / 27" / 3.20GHz Core i3 / 4GB / 1TB / ATI Radeon HD 5670
€2,029.00 / 27" / 2.8GHz Quad-Core Core i5 / 4TB / 1TB / ATI Radeon HD 5750
€2,209.00 / 27" / 2.93 GHz Quad-Core Core i7 (BTO option)

iMac users have the option to get the Magic Trackpad as well as Magic Mouse. The Magic Trackpad is like the Macbook's multi-touch trackpad and works via Bluetooth. It costs €69 to buy on its own.

You can also get a new Apple Battery Charger that comes with 6 rechargeable batteries for use with Apple's keyboard and mice - for €29.

New Mac Pros with up to 12 cores will be released in August. The Quad-core will start at €2449, the 8-core at €3449. Eurozone price increases in there as well.

Also, a new 27 inch ACD will be out in September. Just like the existing 24 inch LED ACD, except it is 16:9 and has an ambient light sensor. In the US the 24 inch got a price drop, but that's unlikely to happen here due to the Euro.

And the iPad is now available to order online. Ships in 7-10 business days.

Dont be at yourself

A little disappointed they didn't go further with the graphics card.

J-blk

Yep, I was holding out to see what the iMac updates would bring, especially if USB 3.0 would make it in. Seems a, now previous gen., i7 is still a good, more affordable option...

Talisman

J-blk wrote: »

Yep, I was holding out to see what the iMac updates would bring, especially if USB 3.0 would make it in. Seems a, now previous gen., i7 is still a good, more affordable option...

Yeah the refurbished iMac 27-inch 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 for €1,689.00 seems a complete bargain.

Sad Professor

For those living in the US, the new iMac is a decent update as they get more for the same price. But for us here in Europe, it's a bit of a joke! I really think anyone considering a 27 inch iMac would be mad not to go for a refurbished previous gen model. The Eurozone price increases wipe out most of the benefits of this update.

I await the benchmarks, but in the case of 21.5 inch, the i3 probably only offers marginal improvements over the previous gen C2Ds. Built to order with an i5 it costs €1,709!

I was planning to get an iMac, but I'm glad I didn't wait for this.

J-blk

Talisman wrote: »

Yeah the refurbished iMac 27-inch 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 for €1,689.00 seems a complete bargain.

Exactly, definitely thinking of getting one of those refurbs now. You can't even get an i3 for that price with the new ones! I've been out of the loop too long on GFX cards, but I assume the ones in the current gen. models are hardly worth the premium?

Talisman

J-blk wrote: »

Exactly, definitely thinking of getting one of those refurbs now. You can't even get an i3 for that price with the new ones! I've been out of the loop too long on GFX cards, but I assume the ones in the current gen. models are hardly worth the premium?

The 4850 gfx card in the previous gen i5/i7 iMacs is faster than the the 4670 in the base models and the 5670 gfx card in the mid range of the new model. Only the top of the line iMac has a better gfx card, the 1GB 5750 but it certainly doesn't warrant spending an additional 350 Euro on a system.

J-blk

Talisman wrote: »

The 4850 gfx card in the previous gen i5/i7 iMacs is faster than the the 4670 in the base models and the 5670 gfx card in the mid range of the new model. Only the top of the line iMac has a better gfx card, the 1GB 5750 but it certainly doesn't warrant spending an additional 350 Euro on a system.

Thanks. The previous gen. is definitely looking more appealing by the minute, very tempted to go for one as my MacBook is now almost two years old and I'm happy with the iPad as a mobile solution so an iMac is ideal for my current needs.

Branoic

Where do you get last gen refurbs?

Jev/N

Branoic wrote: »

Where do you get last gen refurbs?

Apple online refurb store

http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/home/specialdeals/mac

Dont be at yourself

What have people's experiences been in buying refurbs? Are they as good as new? Thrown up any problems?

barryj

Refubs should be as good as regular, and possibly better as they go through a second QA. Apple say, that they may have minor cosmetic defects, but any I've got have zero marks. Full warranty as per normal channel sales. Definitely, a good way of saving a few bob.

I got myself an i5 a little while back - felt the price was going to go up once I saw the cost of the new mini.

- barry

Red Alert

I'm sorry they didn't do a i7-based 21". I like the idea of the SSD and HDD model though.

Sad Professor

That trackpad is huge! I'm not sure how useful it is though. But I guess it might be handy for anyone using a Mac Mini as a media centre.

Also, according to TechCrunch, the new 27 inch LED ACD will be replacing the 24 inch as well. This seems silly. I don't understand why Apple wouldn't want to keep both. The 27 inch is surely going to be overkill for many Macbook users, at whom the ACD is primarily aimed.

It's interesting that Apple used today to get all their Mac-related updates out of the way, even the ones not ready for release. They seem to be clearing the way for September, which I guess is going to feature Apple's proper entry into the television market.

conor.hogan.2

trackpad would be a must better option that a magic mouse for me anyway.

the new imac prices are still not bad - I know you get screwed in euro and now its worse but the screen-processor and graphics card is better.

nesf

I was suffering a bit of buyer's remorse with the new iMacs coming out but to be honest looking at the prices and the upgrades I'm not too bothered about having the previous generation i7.

The trackpad looks very interesting, no idea if I'd actually use one but I'd really like to try one out. Hopefully they'll get one into CompuB.

PeakOutput

nesf wrote: »

I was suffering a bit of buyer's remorse with the new iMacs coming out but to be honest looking at the prices and the upgrades I'm not too bothered about having the previous generation i7.

The trackpad looks very interesting, no idea if I'd actually use one but I'd really like to try one out. Hopefully they'll get one into CompuB.

any idea how much modding it would take to be able to use the trackpad with a stylus for photoshop and stuff like that? could it be done with the right coding or would the hardware jsut not do it?

K.O.Kiki

Would the Apple store near Grafton have those trackpads yet?

Hate regular mice after using a Macbook trackpad.

Talisman

Sad Professor wrote: »

It's interesting that Apple used today to get all their Mac-related updates out of the way, even the ones not ready for release. They seem to be clearing the way for September, which I guess is going to feature Apple's proper entry into the television market.

They didn't update the MacBook Air. It's the only model that hasn't received an update this year and of course it's the one I'm waiting for.

Talisman

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Would the Apple store near Grafton have those trackpads yet?

Hate regular mice after using a Macbook trackpad.

Nope. I already contacted them and was told that the new items won't be available before the weekend.

silvine

I hated the Magic Mouse. It gave me RSI. Curious about the trackpad though, it could compliment a mouse nicely although I don't think I'll be selling my MX Revolution anytime soon. Does it work pretty much the same as the mouse?

The price of the SSD drives are insane. It's an extra €675! How hard/much cheaper would it be to buy one separately and put it in myself?

Anyone else notice there's a pic of Eve Online on the iMac on the Apple Store? Looks like they're billing it as a bit of a games machine.

BTW I bought off the Apple Refurb in 2008 and would definitely recommend it. Haven't had a problem with my iMac and I saved about 15% on it. There's some good offers on the older 27 inch iMacs at the moment and if I was in the market that's where I'd be looking.

nesf

PeakOutput wrote: »

any idea how much modding it would take to be able to use the trackpad with a stylus for photoshop and stuff like that? could it be done with the right coding or would the hardware jsut not do it?

Don't know much about it I'm afraid though from a quick google it sounds feasible: http://www.macworld.com/article/137745/2008/12/pogosketch.html

Dont be at yourself

Maybe a meat stylus will work?

http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/south-korean-iphone-users-turn-to-sausages-as-a-cold-weather-me/

Red Alert

Is the bracket for the SSD there even if you don't install it? If you pick either the HDD or SSD option could you do the install and necessary formatting afterwards?

Sad Professor

Red Alert wrote: »

Is the bracket for the SSD there even if you don't install it? If you pick either the HDD or SSD option could you do the install and necessary formatting afterwards?

Some info on that here

http://www.macrumors.com/2010/07/28/new-27-inch-imac-disassembled-aftermarket-ssd-install-deemed-difficult/

It's possible but unless it comes with an SSD there's no bracket or cable included.

Savman

nesf wrote: »

I was suffering a bit of buyer's remorse with the new iMacs coming out but to be honest looking at the prices and the upgrades I'm not too bothered about having the previous generation i7.
.

Same here, just bought an i5 machine a week ago, seems the iMac upgrades are getting rid of the C2D in favour of i3 or whatever.

I'm still a happy camper

silvine

I've a 2008 Core 2 Duo 24 inch iMac and judging by adverts I could get €900 for it.

When is a good time to sell? I'd like a 27 inch one and will sell mine at some point. I am wondering at what point do older macs become obsolete?

K.O.Kiki

silvine wrote:

I am wondering at what point do older macs become obsolete?

Whenever Apple change their CPU vendor

OctavarIan

PeakOutput wrote: »

any idea how much modding it would take to be able to use the trackpad with a stylus for photoshop and stuff like that? could it be done with the right coding or would the hardware jsut not do it?

The hardware's not there. If you want a drawing tablet get yourself a real one, Wacom are a safe bet. Apple's trackpad is made for fat finger gestures, not the thousands of levels of pressure sensitivity that a proper tablet and stylus needs.

PeakOutput

OctavarIan wrote: »

The hardware's not there. If you want a drawing tablet get yourself a real one, Wacom are a safe bet. Apple's trackpad is made for fat finger gestures, not the thousands of levels of pressure sensitivity that a proper tablet and stylus needs.

thats cool thanks, i dont really need one just thought it might be a little bit of a bonus if it was possible