Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

New Apple iMac has improved 5K display and more power, but no Apple Silicon

Apple has revamped the 27-inch iMac with a wide-ranging update that brings performance increases, a better display, improved cameras, and more. The refreshed model is available to order starting today.

The update is a big one, with changes to a huge number of areas. For the first time, the 27-inch iMac will have a 10-core Intel processor option, offering Turbo Boost speeds of up to 5.0GHz. Apple says this results in up to 65% faster CPU performance compared to the previous-generation 8-core iMac.

Apple

The iMac’s graphics cards have also had a boost, with AMD Radeon Pro 5000-series GPUs packing up to 16GB of video RAM for the first time in an iMac. According to Apple, that means 55% faster rendering in Maxon Cinema 4D ProRender, and up to 50% faster demo flythroughs in Unity Editor.

Until this update, Apple offered 27-inch iMacs without SSDs, instead relying on Apple’s “fusion drives” at the base configurations. It was rather anachronous in 2020. That’s now changed, and every 27-inch iMac now comes with a blazin- fast SSD that Apple says can hit speeds of up to 3.4GBps. You can now also buy an 8TB SSD for the first time.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The nano-texture from the Mac Pro’s Pro Display XDR has now made it across to the iMac, offering better viewing in various lighting conditions. Apple’s True Tone technology — which automatically adjusts the white balance based on the ambient light — has also been introduced.

Elsewhere, the T2 Security Chip has come to the iMac, and its webcam has been upgraded from a measly 720p to 1080p. That makes it the first Mac to have a 1080p webcam. The speakers and microphones have also been improved, borrowing the same audio technology from the MacBook Pro 16-inch.

The smaller 21.5-inch iMac and the iMac Pro did not completely miss out in terms of upgrades. Every model of the former now comes with an SSD as standard, while the latter now has a 10-core Intel Xeon processor as standard.

Rumors have long persisted that Apple was about to update its iMac range. In May 2020. renowned leaker Jon Prosser claimed that Apple had a new iMac “ready to ship,” while in early June Sonny Dickson claimed a completely reimagined iMac would launch at the Worldwide Developers Conference. Both proved incorrect, although we still expect a redesigned iMac launching with Apple Silicon processors some time in 2021.

Editors' Recommendations

Alex Blake
In ancient times, people like Alex would have been shunned for their nerdy ways and strange opinions on cheese. Today, he…
I saw the new Space Black MacBook Pro, and it’s stunning
Two MacBooks Pro renders side by side against a black backround.

It's not often that MacBook Pros get new color options. But with this most recent update to M3 chips, the MacBook Pro will add Space Black, a color that first appeared on the iPhone, to the mix. I was shown an early preview of the new color ahead of the "Scary Fast" launch event, and I have to say: I'm smitten.

This new Space Black is not true black, of course. In truth, it's a slightly darker gray than Space Gray, which it replaces. And it's a good thing this isn't true black. Because remember, this is aluminum, and Apple isn't just slapping a coating or layer of paint on here like so many laptop manufacturers do when making true black aluminum laptops. These laptops, such as most gaming laptops or even something like the Surface Laptop, tend to scratch easily and fade over time.

Read more
Everything Apple didn’t announce at its ‘Scary Fast’ launch event
iMac Pro

There’s no doubt that Apple had plenty to unveil at its “Scary Fast” event on October 30, with new devices galore revealed over the show’s duration. For what was an unexpected show, Apple managed to pack in an awful lot.

Despite that, plenty of rumored products never made the cut. That means they could still be in the works, or perhaps were simply dropped by Apple before release. Either way, we’ve rounded up everything that was rumored for the show but never made an appearance -- read on to see what didn’t make it.
M3 MacBook Pro 13-inch

Read more
Everything announced at Apple’s ‘Scary Fast’ event: iMac, M3, and more
Apple revealing new Macs at an event.

Apple's unexpected "Scary Fast" event has wrapped, and the 30-minute presentation was packed full of announcements. Headlining the showcase was Apple's new M3 chip, which is showing up in a variety of devices in just a week from now.

We have the lowdown on everything Apple announced at its unprecedented fall event, which kicks off the third generation of Apple's silicon with two major product updates.
M3 family of chips

Read more