There’s no Apple Silicon, Face ID, or a new design, but Apple has announced a pretty substantial update to the 27-inch iMac. It features faster Intel processors up to 10 cores, double the memory capacity, next-generation AMD graphics, SSDs across the line with four times the storage capacity, a new nano-texture glass option for the Retina 5K display, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, higher fidelity speakers, and studio-quality mics.
The all-in-one has the latest 6- and 8-core 10th-generation Intel processors. For pros who need to push iMac even further, the 27-inch iMac has a 10-core processor option for the first time, with Turbo Boost speeds reaching 5.0GHz for up to 65 percent faster CPU performance. And when working with memory-intensive applications, iMac features double the memory capacity for up to 128GB.
Tom Boger, Apple’s senior director of Mac and iPad Product Marketing, says that when compared to the previous-generation 8-core 27-inch iMac, the new all-in-one delivers:
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Up to 65% more plug-ins in Logic Pro X;
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Up to 40% faster 8K ProRes transcode in Final Cut Pro X;
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Up to 35% faster rendering with Arnold in Autodesk Maya;
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Up to 25 percent faster build time in Xcode.
The 27-inch iMac has more powerful next-generation AMD graphics. Apple says it delivers up to 55% faster graphics performance from its Radeon Pro 5000 series graphics, featuring AMD’s latest RDNA architecture with faster, more power-efficient compute units. For customers using pro apps that can take advantage of large amounts of video memory for even greater performance, iMac features a graphics option with 16GB of memory for the first time — providing double the video memory capacity of the previous-generation 27-inch iMac.
Boger says that when compared to the previous-generation 27-inch iMac with Radeon Pro Vega 48 graphics, the new iMac delivers:
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Up to 55% faster rendering in Maxon Cinema 4D ProRender;
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Up to 50% faster demo fly-through in Unity Editor;
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Up to 45% faster performance in “Total War: Three Kingdoms”;
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Up to 30% faster timeline rendering in Final Cut Pro X.
The 27-inch iMac now comes standard with SSDs across the line, delivering performance up to 3.4GB/s for launching applications and opening large files. For users who need massive amounts of storage, the all-in-one also features an 8TB SSD option for the first time — four times the SSD capacity of the previous-generation 27-inch iMac.
The new iMac also includes the Apple T2 Security Chip, Apple’s own custom-designed, second-generation silicon. The storage controller in the T2 Security Chip provides on-the-fly data encryption for everything stored on the SSD. And the T2 chip also checks that software loaded during the boot process hasn’t been tampered with.
The new iMac offers a nano-texture glass option — first introduced on Pro Display XDR — for even better viewing under various lighting conditions, such as a bright room or indirect sunlight. Unlike typical matte finishes that have a coating added to the surface to scatter light, this industry-leading option is produced through an innovative process that etches the glass itself at the nanometer level, according to Boger. The result is extremely low reflectivity and less glare while maintaining stellar image quality and contrast, he adds.
The FaceTime HD camera now features 1080p resolution, while the Image Signal Processor in the T2 Security Chip brings tone mapping, exposure control, and face detection for a much higher quality camera experience. To complement the improved camera, the T2 Security Chip also works with the speakers to enable variable EQ for better balance, higher fidelity, and deeper bass. In addition, a new studio-quality microphone array enables users to capture high-quality audio for improved FaceTime calls, podcast recordings, Voice Memos, and more, right on their iMac.
Starting at US$1,799, the new 27-inch iMac is available to order today on apple.com and in the Apple Store app. It will begin arriving to customers and will be in select Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers starting this week. Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options, and accessories are available online at apple.com/mac.
