Apple Updates The iMac Range With New Intel Processors and Radeon Pro Vega Graphics

Just a day after Apple announced the new 10.5-inch iPad Air and the refresh for the iPad Mini, the company has now updated the iMac computing device line-up. The iMac 21.5 and the iMac 27 are getting the new 8-core Intel 9th-generation processors as well as the Radeon Pro Vega graphics for the first time.

The new 21.5-inch iMac with the Retina 4K display is priced Rs 119,900 onwards while the larger 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display is priced upwards of Rs 169,900. Apple has confirmed that the updated iMac will be available in India starting next week.

“Customers are going to love the huge boost in iMac performance. With up to 8-core processors and powerful Vega graphics, the iMac lineup is stronger than ever. With its stunning Retina display, amazing design, twice the performance, and macOS Mojave that our customers love, iMac is by far the best desktop in the world,” said Tom Boger, Apple’s senior director of Mac Product Marketing.

The updated processor, Apple’s own figures suggest, brings in a significant performance upgrade. For instance, the 9th-generation 6-core and 8-core processors are expected to be up to 2.4 times faster than the version it replaces. The new Radeon Pro Vega graphics are also expected to offer as much as 80 percent faster graphics performance in the 21.5-inch iMac and up to 50 percent faster performance in the 27-inch iMac.

As things stand, there will be three variants of the 21.5-inch iMac and three variants of the 27-inch iMac. The 21.5-inch iMac will be available with the Core i3 and Core i5 processors, all with 8GB RAM and the option of the Radeon Pro 555X (2GB) and the Radeon Pro 560X (4GB) graphics. Surprisingly, two variants are still offered with 1TB (5400rpm) hard drives. The 27-inch iMac will also be available in three options, powered by Core i5 processors. We would have expected at least an Core i7 or Core i9 option as default. All variants will have 8GB RAM as standard and 1TB or 2TB Fusion Drive options. For the graphics, you will have to choose between the Radeon Pro 570X (4GB), Radeon Pro 575X (4GB) and Radeon Pro 580X (8GB). Not a lot has changed with the design though, and the iMac still remains 5mm thin.