Apple has revamped its flagship iMac lineup.
The latest AIO desktops feature high-res displays, quad-core Intel processors, Nvidia graphics and a new storage option dubbed “the Fusion Drive. ”
“The all-new iMac is unbelievably thin, yet packs an incredible amount of performance and technology into our most innovative desktop,” Apple exec Philip Schiller said today at an event in San Jose during which Cupertino unveiled an iPad Mini, the fourth-generation iPad and a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina display.
Indeed, the latest iteration of the iMac is redesigned from the inside out, with an aluminum and glass enclosure that measures up to 40 percent less volume than its predecessor – along with an edge which measures just 5 mm thin.
The new iMac also features a completely reengineered display that reduces reflection by 75 percent, all while maintaining a high-level of color and contrast. Plus, the cover glass is fully laminated to the LCD and an anti-reflective coating is applied using a high-precision plasma deposition process.
As noted above, the new iMac is equipped with third generation quad-core Intel Core i5 processors that can be scaled up to Core i7 chips. In addition, the Kepler-based Nvidia GeForce processors in the latest iMacs deliver up to 60 percent faster performance for advanced gaming and graphics intensive apps.
The iMac lineup now comes standard with 8GB of 1600 MHz memory and a 1TB hard drive, scaling up to 32GB of memory and a new 3TB hard drive, or 768GB of flash storage for faster performance.
Additional specs include two Thunderbolt, FaceTime HD camera, stereo speakers, dual microphones, headphone port, four USB 3.0 ports, an SDXC card slot, Mini DisplayPort output with support for DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI and a 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector).
The newest iMac is also packaged with a wireless keyboard, an Apple Magic Mouse and the Fusion Drive (FD) – which offers up the performance of flash storage and the capacity of a hard drive.
Essentially, the FD combines 128GB of flash with a standard 1TB or 3TB hard drive to create a single storage volume that intelligently manages files to optimize read and write performance. To be sure, Fusion Drive adapts to the way you use your iMac and automatically moves the files and apps used most often to flash storage to enable faster performance and quicker access.
And last, but certainly not least, the iMac sips up to 50 percent less energy than the previous generation when idle and features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass.
The 21.5-inch iMac is available with a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.2 GHz and Nvidia GeForce GT 640M for a suggested retail price of $1,299; and with a 2.9 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz and Nvidia GeForce GT 650M for a suggested retail price of $1,499. The 21.5-inch iMac will be available in November.
The 27-inch iMac is available with a 2.9 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M for a suggested retail price of $1,799; and with a 3.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz and Nvidia GeForce GTX 675MX for a suggested retail price of $1,999. The 27-inch iMac will be available in December.
