Apple Quietly Innovates with Updated iMacs

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iMac Updated 2013 Specs

iMac Updated 2013 Specs

We get so used to Apple introducing products with over-the-top hype and fanfare, so it is always a refreshing surprise when we discover that Apple has … um, refreshed one of its product lines. Yesterday Apple released an update to the iMac line, with upgraded processors, new graphics, next generation Wi-Fi and faster PCIe flash storage options.

Faster Processors: the new 4th generation Haswell Intel Core processors are faster with lower power consumption. The standard configurations offer quad-core i5 processors, but optional builds include quad-core i7, which allows hyper-threading for 8 virtual cores.

Updated Graphics: even at the bottom end the Intel Iris Pro graphics system is very capable for games, movies and more … and at the top end the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M is just insanely powerful. To put it in perspective, the Iris Pro is faster than dedicated graphics cards you would buy with an iMac just a couple of years ago!

Next-Gen WiFi: new systems come standard with next-generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi chipset across the board. 802.11ac is reportedly three times faster than the previous generation specification.

Faster PCIe Flash Storage: Apple includes an option for a FusionDrive (hybrid hard drive & flash) as well as large capacity flash storage options. These offer ~1.5x the performance (i.e. a 50% increase) of the previous generation.

Pricing remains competitive, with pre-configured options from $1299 (21.5″) to $1999 (27″), which I quickly drove up to $3299 by adding the 3.5GHz Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M with 4GB Video RAM, 32GB RAM, and the 3TB Fusion Drive (the 1TB flash drive would add another $700).

You can read the press release here, or check out all of the specs and purchase options here.

What do you think of the new iMac lineup?

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About the Author

Michael Anderson
I have loved technology for as long as I can remember - and have been a computer gamer since the PDP-10! Mobile Technology has played a major role in my life - I have used an electronic companion since the HP95LX more than 20 years ago, and have been a 'Laptop First' person since my Compaq LTE Lite 3/20 and Powerbook 170 back in 1991! As an avid gamer and gadget-junkie I was constantly asked for my opinions on new technology, which led to writing small blurbs ... and eventually becoming a reviewer many years ago. My family is my biggest priority in life, and they alternate between loving and tolerating my gaming and gadget hobbies ... but ultimately benefits from the addition of technology to our lives!

1 Comment on "Apple Quietly Innovates with Updated iMacs"

  1. It amazes me that all-in-ones haven’t taken over the market outside of Macs more than they have. I can’t think of any average user that I know that would want to upgrade any part of their PC post-purchase, so they make an awful lot of sense.

    That said the design of many PC AIOs leave a lot to be desired. A nicely designed, affordable all in one would have to be a success. Maybe Touchscreen AIOs with Windows 8 will lead the charge.

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