Today,
Apple released new iMac models, the first Mac "desktop" models containing Intel's Sandy Bridge platform. All systems also come with Thunderbolt ports, IPS displays, and a choice of ATI 6xxx cards.
A good update for Apple's all-in-one, but what does all of this mean for custom PC builders?
Sandy Bridge CPUs
All of the CPUs used are quad-core desktop chips. Intel's 2500S and the 2600S are lower power variants of the 2500 and 2600 specially designed for all-in-one systems. Apple most likely has chosen these to minimize heat output within the 21.5" case. The real power comes in the built to order models, which sport Intel's Hyperthreading technology. The 4 cores become 8 threads, giving each the performance of eight virtual cores.
AMD 6xxx Graphics
Kernel Support
We already have initial vanilla kernel support with the Darwin 10.7.3 kernel supplied by the
10.6.7 Update for Early 2011 MacBook Pros.
These new iMacs are most likely running a special build of 10.6.7, with kernel version 10.7.4.
EDIT: The iMacs are in fact
running 10.6.6 build 10J4026 using
Intel's unreleased Z68 Chipset.
EDIT2: On May 4th Apple released a
10.6.7 Update for 2011 iMacs with 10.7.4 kernel included.
This should provide desktop Sandy Bridge CPU Power Management, and Turbo support for the first time.
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