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Apple Releases New Sandy Bridge Quad-Core iMacs with Thunderbolt

Tuesday May 03, 2011 08:33 AM EST; Category: iMac

Written by arn

Apple released the much anticipated iMac updates today, upgrading the processors to Quad-Core CPUs across the entire range and including Thunderbolt.

Apple today updated its signature all-in-one iMac with next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, groundbreaking high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and a new FaceTime HD camera. Starting at $1,199, the new iMac is up to 70 percent faster and new graphics deliver up to three times the performance of the previous generation.

The new iMacs feature quad-core Intel Core i5 processors with an option for customers to choose Core i7 processors up to 3.4GHz.

The 21.5-inch iMac has a single Thunderbolt port while the 27" features two Thunderbolt ports.

21.5" 2.5GHz Quad Core i5, AMD 6750M, 500GB, $1199

21.5" 2.7GHz Quad Core i5, AMD 6770M, 1TB, $1499

27" 2.7GHz Quad Core i5, AMD 6770M, 1TB, $1699

27" 3.1GHz Quad Core i5, AMD 6970M, 1TB, $1999

Core i7 Processors are available as configure-to-order options.

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Another big feature they introduced with the iMac update is dual internal hard drives, the significance being that you can now have a SSD primary drive with a larger, cheaper secondary drive for all your media and other files.  Obviously having 2 internal drives is not such a big deal for a "desktop" computer, as there's not really a downside to connecting external drives (especially with FW800 and now Thunderbolt), but it forshadows the next line of Macbook Pros, which i'm nearly certain will contain multiple HDs.

I recently swapped out the DVD-R drive in my 13" macbook pro for a 60gb OWC SSD, and am using it as a boot drive.  Performance is greatly improved, especially with program startup times.

e.

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Is anyone else other than apple using the new "thunderbolt" I/O? My new macbook pro has it, but I don't have anything to plug it into.

Nothing yet that I know of, but like everything else, someone has to get the ball rolling. Remember, again, when the original iMac came out and the only way you could hook up a printer was via USB port (and there was only 1 Epson printer, made especially for the iMac that used USB). Virtually all the printers on the market used parallel printer port (or Serial port on the Mac) at that time. Apple was re-soundly criticized for doing this but it ushered in the ubiquitous use of USB for printers, something we all take for granted now.

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It uses the same connector as the mini display port but it is not the same functionality nor is it backwards compatible. The Thunderbolt i/o is part of the new Intel chipset that supports the brand new 4-way i5 & i7 cpu's and is directly related to the PCI-e bus.

Don't forget that a Thunderbolt port has the same functionality as Apple's "old" Mini DisplayPort. So you can connect a Apple 27" display, or get an adapter to connect your computer to a TV through HDMI (which passes audio as well), or connect DVI monitor, etc.

http://www.kanexlive.com/products/iAdaptSeries.html

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It uses the same connector as the mini display port but it is not the same functionality nor is it backwards compatible. The Thunderbolt i/o is part of the new Intel chipset that supports the brand new 4-way i5 & i7 cpu's and is directly related to the PCI-e bus.

But it does function as a display port as well as a data port.

Best regards,

Jim

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Yes. Thunderbolt is both a floor wax and a desert topping.

That is, it can work with external drives and as a display connector. From Wikipedia:

Intel's implementation of the port adapter folds Thunderbolt and DisplayPort data together, allowing both to be carried over the same cable at the same time. A single Thunderbolt port supports hubs as well as a daisy chain of up to seven Thunderbolt devices; up to two of these devices may be high-resolution displays using DisplayPort. Apple sells existing DisplayPort adapters for DVI, dual-link DVI, HDMI, and VGA output from the Thunderbolt port, showing broad compatibility.

--Marc W.

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