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Apple announced at its all-virtual WWDC event this year that we would see another round of Intel-based computers before we start to see computers powered by its in-house chipsets. And now it’s here. Apple has announced an update for its 27” iMac, which may very well be the last Intel-based iMac for the foreseeable future. The update adds improved base-level storage options, more powerful CPU/GPU options, upgraded RAM capacity and improvements to the 5K Retina display.
The updated iMac shares the same external design as previous iMacs, with only one exception. In addition to the glossy glass screen that’s been standard on iMacs for the past decade, you can now choose a nano-texture matte glass option, a technology Apple first showed off in its Pro Display XDR. As its name suggests, this option reduces glare on the screen and should result in a better image in brighter environments. In addition to the matte glass, the display now features Apple’s True Tone technology for adapting the color balance based on the ambient lighting.
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Moving inside the computer, Apple is now using 6-core and 8-core 10th-gen Intel CPUs across the entire lineup, with the option to upgrade to a 10-core option — the first time a 10-core CPU has been available inside an iMac. Apple has also increased the amount of memory the new iMacs can support. If you don’t mind paying the price, you can now max out your iMac with up to 128GB of RAM.
Apple has also updated the graphics capabilities of its new 27” iMac with AMD’s Radeon Pro 5000 series GPU. The base model starts with 6GB of GDDR6 of memory and has upgrade options going up to 16GB of GPU memory.
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SSDs are now standard across the board, with the base model starting at 256GB of flash storage and the option to max out with an 8TB SSD. Apple has also added its higher-bandwidth T2 security chip, bringing it in line with the rest of Apple’s computer lineup.
Other improvements include an updated 1080p FaceTime camera, an improved ‘studio quality’ microphone system and better speakers. Apple is also making SSD storage standard across its 21.5” iMac lineup and the iMac Pro will come standard with the 10-core Intel Xeon processor that’s offered as an upgrade option in the new 27” iMac.
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The base 27” iMac starts at $ 1,800 for a 3.1GHz 6-core 10th-gen Intel i5 processor, 8GB of 2666MHz DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD storage and a Radeon Pro 5300 GPU with 6GB of memory. The nano-texture glass is available for an additional $ 500 and further CPU, GPU, RAM and storage upgrades can be made at various price increases.
You can find out more and configure your desired 27” iMac on Apple’s website.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)