After our correct assertion that Apple would adopt the NVIDIA GeForce 9400/9300 chipsets in the newest MacBook and MacBook Pro, it seems more and more likely that NVIDIA will dig itself further into the world of Apple.  This time around it looks like the Mac Mini and the iMacs are the most likely rumored products to transition to NVIDIA-based chipsets.

It makes sense to me and I think we’ll find that at the Macworld 2009 show some interesting new products will see the light of day.  The most likely culprits according to my information is that we’ll see a 20″ and 24″ iMac update with near immediate availability and possible the announcing of a Tylersberg, Nehalem-based 28″ iMac as well.  The Mac Mini is also slated for an update as well using an NVIDIA chipset. 

I’ll be sure to post up our own speculative rumor news later this holiday.  🙂

As we get closer to Macworld 2009 and possible updates to one or more of Apple’s desktop models, more details about the upcoming releases are being revealed. According to the latest news from the InsanelyMac forums, references to new iMac and Mac minis found in a system file suggest that both lines will use the same NVIDIA graphics platform as Apple’s notebooks.

In an earlier report on Mac mini rumors, our own Chris Foresman suggested that the new minis would likely usethe NVIDIA 9400M chipset, and this new information lends even more support to that idea. After doing a bit of digging in the kernel extension files included with the latest Apple notebook, one InsanelyMac member discovered sections with the identifiers “Macmini3,1” and “iMac9,1,” both of which are one version higher than current models’ identifiers. The sections for the two new models also include a reference to “CFG_MCP79,” which appears to be the NVIDIA MCP79 chipset used in Apple’s notebooks. Use of same platform could indicate that Apple is planning to use the same 9400M chipset for the mini, although I suspect the iMac might get a bit of a beefier discrete graphics card.

The new model sections also have lines in them that read “Mini-FL-2008” and “iMac-FL-2008” which suggest that the new desktops were originally meant for a Fall 2008 release, as was first reported. It’s unclear why Apple may have delayed the introduction of these machines, although my guesses would be either the general state of the economy, or issues related to drivers for the new NVIDIA graphics hardware.