Katie MarsalLast-minute leaks of part numbers hint Apple is about to release both upgraded iMacs and Mac minis on Tuesday — along with an emphasis on larger screens for iMacs and a likely NVIDIA-based design.
Of these, four models ranging from MB417 through MB420 are described as new iMacs, but with a different system balance than today's lineup: only the first model would have a 20-inch screen, while the remaining four would have 24-inch displays.
In turn, two Mac mini models, the MB463 and MB464, would represent updated low- and high-end versions of Apple's compact desktops.
All four would be available tomorrow and ship almost immediately, according to the claim.
Additionally, Dutch site OneMoreThing — which just earlier today provided a claimed Mac mini box shot — now also claims to have rough details of the systems' specifications.
The iMacs would come with 2.66GHz, 2.93GHz and 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo processors, with 2GB of DDR3 memory for the base model and 4GB for the rest; they would also support up to 8GB of RAM and carry a Mini DisplayPort connector. Mac minis would have the five USB ports, FireWire 800 and Mini DisplayPort as in photos and videos from last month and would start with a 2GHz Core 2 Duo and carry either 1GB or 2GB of memory depending on the model. Hard drives would also start at a minimum 120GB but top out at 320GB.
While such late-breaking claims must always be treated with caution, the details support Apple's own unintentional leaks, which showed NVIDIA-based iMacs and Mac minis that were meant for 2008 but were ultimately pushed into early 2009.
A list of specifications based on model numbers is available below:
iMac
- MB417: "Entry-level" 20-inch with 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM
- MB418: "Mid-range" 24-inch with 2.66GHz or 2.93GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM
- MB419: "High-end" 24-inch with 2.93GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM
- MB420: "Very high-end" 24-inch with 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM
Mac mini
- MB463: 2GHz Core 2 Duo, 1GB of RAM, 120GB hard drive
- MB464: Unknown Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM
Andrew Orr
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AppleInsider Staff
137 Comments
Can't wait! This sound as a cool update.
AI is getting completely tooled when it comes to reporting breaking news....
AI is getting completely tooled when it comes to reporting breaking news....
How so?
Wow, a tiny 1GB of RAM and 120GB HD on the low end Mac Mini... better be $399, that's all I can say! I got a netbook with that for £200 4 months ago, and that has a keyboard and screen built in... we're just talking a better CPU and chipset.
Given that decent 24" LCD monitors (like the Dell S2409W) are selling for $250, moving more of the iMac models to 24" display size makes sense. The more interesting news would be the pricing. I expect the entry-level 20" iMac to be priced at $999 and the high-end model to be priced at $1999. It is more difficult to guess the pricing for the mid-range models, but if Apple can keep the MB418 pricing in $1299 range, we may have a winner.
Apple also has to do something drastic about Mac Mini pricing. $499 and $599 would be more appropriate price points for the minis based on today's component prices and the economic environment.
Oh, one last thing, how about iWork as part of the standard software bundle in addition to iLife? Apple can always make money later through upgrades...