After more than a year of updating the iMac with ninth-gen Intel processors, Apple has announced an upgrade for the 27-inch iMacs. The upgrades are mere spec bumps and do not bring any major design changes. The device now offers 10th-gen Intel Core processors, new GPU options, a better webcam, the option for a nano-texture glass akin to what is present on the Pro Display XDR, and other storage improvements.
The most significant bump comes in the way of the option to configure the device with a 10th-gen Comet Lake Core i9 processor that sports 10 cores, with lower-tier options including six-core and eight-core options. The firm says that the 10-core CPU upgrade results in up to 65% faster performance. As for the GPU, the devices can be had with up to a staggering 16GB VRAM sporting Radeon Pro 5700XT graphics card. The company touts up to 55% “faster graphics performance”.
Other upgrades to the iMac include standard SSDs across the line. Both the 27-inch and 21.5-inch Mac computers now come with a standard 256GB SSD option. The 27-inch version can be had with a massive 8TB SSD as well. The smaller version can still be specced with a 1TB Fusion Drive. Another improvement to the 27-inch version is the addition of True Tone to the Retina Display along with the nano-texture option to reduce reflections and improve readability. The Pro Display XDR monitor debuted with the nano-texture coated display.
The webcam is also getting an upgrade on the iMac, now bringing a 1080p resolution unit for improved video calls. The company is also bringing its custom T2 Security Chip to the computer. The chip improves image quality in FaceTime calls by improving exposure controls and face detection. The device now sports a new “studio-quality microphone array” and improved higher fidelity speakers. Lastly, the Cupertino giant also announced that it will be making the 10-core Intel Xeon processor standard on the iMac Pro.
The 27-inch iMac is now available for order at Apple.com for a starting price of $1,799 that comes with a 10th-gen Core i5 six-core processor, with deliveries starting this week. The updated 21.5-inch iMac and the iMac Pro start at $1,099 and $4,999 respectively and are available for order online starting today.