New iMac, Mac minis expected as early as Tuesday
Last-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