Apple launches speedy new iMacs capable of VR content creation with USB-C Thunderbolt 3 po...

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited June 2017
Focused on professional users, Apple on Monday unveiled a revamped iMac lineup with faster and more capable hardware, which will allow for the creation of graphics-intensive virtual reality content with macOS High Sierra.




The new 21.5-inch 4K iMac starts at $1,299 featuring Intel's Kaby Lake processors. A non-4K model is priced at $1,099. All new iMacs are shipping today.

The systems boast improved displays for both the 21.5-inch 4K model and 27-inch 5K models, at 500 nits, or 43 percent brighter than before. They also have 10-bit dithering and can support a billion colors.

Fusion drives will be standard on all 27-inch iMac configurations, with 50 percent faster SSD speeds. And systems will be configurable up to 64 gigabytes of RAM.




iMacs are also getting two USB-C connectors that support Thunderbolt 3. That will come in handy when macOS High Sierra launches with support for external graphics cards -- necessary to be able to drive virtual reality content.

The 21.5-inch 4K iMac model is also getting discrete graphics standard for more pixel pushing power.




To show the VR capabilities of the new iMac, Apple invited Industrial Light and Magic to the stage at WWDC on Monday, showcasing a Star Wars themed title in a live demonstration.

The demo used Epic's Unreal Engine to create a VR experience running on an iMac at a smooth 90 frames per second.

Specifications

Both the 4K and 5K screens are DCI-P3 Wide Color displays, with 500 nits brightness, and a 1200:1 contrast ratio.

The 21.5-inch iMac without 4K display has a 2.3 GHz i5 processor, and a 1TB 5400 RPM hard drive for $1099. A 256GB SSD option is available, at additional cost.

The 4K iMac has a 3.0 GHz quad-core i5 processor with a Radeon Pro 555 GPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 1TB 5400 RPM hard drive for $1299. With a 3.4 GHz i5 processor, a 1TB fusion drive, and the Radeon Pro 560 GPU chipset, the cost climbs to $1499.

As far as configurations for the 5K iMac, the quad 3.4 GHz i5 model, with 8GB of RAM, a 1TB Fusion Drive, and the as yet undetailed Radeon Pro 570 GPU chipset retails for $1799. A 5K iMac with a 3.8 GHz quad-core i5 processor, a 2TB fusion drive, and the Radeon Pro 580 GPU sells for $2299.

All of the new iMac configurations have a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports, four USB 3.0 Type-A ports, 802.11ac wi-fi, Bluetooth 4.2, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a SDXC slot.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    pulseimagespulseimages Posts: 587member
    The iMac 21.5 4K should of had a discrete graphics card from the beginning!
  • Reply 2 of 15
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,821member
    The iMac 21.5 4K should of had a discrete graphics card from the beginning!
    Oh, you. The classic trope, "They should have already done this!"  le sigh.
    baconstangwatto_cobrapscooter63cali
  • Reply 3 of 15
    pulseimagespulseimages Posts: 587member
    The iMac 21.5 4K should of had a discrete graphics card from the beginning!
    Oh, you. The classic trope, "They should have already done this!"  le sigh.
    The iMac 21.5 4K should of had a discrete graphics card from the beginning!
    Oh, you. The classic trope, "They should have already done this!"  le sigh.
    The iMac 21.5 4K should of had a discrete graphics card from the beginning!
    Oh, you. The classic trope, "They should have already done this!"  le sigh.
    The iMac 21.5 4K should of had a discrete graphics card from the beginning!
    Oh, you. The classic trope, "They should have already done this!"  le sigh.
    The iMac 21.5 4K should of had a discrete graphics card from the beginning!
    Oh, you. The classic trope, "They should have already done this!"  le sigh.
    The 21.5 model used to have discrete graphic cards and Apple took them away without explanation. Giving a machine a 4K display to edit oh I don't know hmm maybe 4K content is just plain stupid. Good to see that Apple has wised up.
  • Reply 4 of 15
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,090member
    The iMac 21.5 4K should of had a discrete graphics card from the beginning!
    Well, sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but many people that bought the 21.5" iMac had zero problems with it.
    anomewatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 15
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,796member
    sflocal said:
    The iMac 21.5 4K should of had a discrete graphics card from the beginning!
    Well, sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but many people that bought the 21.5" iMac had zero problems with it.
    Yeah I don't recall hearing many complain about the lack of graphics options in the 21.5" 4K iMac. The biggest thing I had an issue with was the stupid 5400RPM hard drive that is STILL shipping in the low end 4K model. Seriously Apple!!!!
  • Reply 6 of 15
    Hey, look what they sneaked into the website: VESA-Mount iMacs! I don't think that was an option before, or was I just not clicking far enough?

    https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-mac/imac-vesa
    edited June 2017
  • Reply 7 of 15
    tundraboytundraboy Posts: 1,882member
    Does anyone know if the new 27" iMac's memory is user upgradeable?
    Eh, just checked Apple website.  It is, 4 slots.
    edited June 2017
  • Reply 8 of 15
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    tundraboy said:
    Does anyone know if the new 27" iMac's memory is user upgradeable?
    Eh, just checked Apple website.  It is, 4 slots.
    Apple has confirmed that the RAM in the iMac Pro will not be user-replaceable.
    edited June 2017
  • Reply 9 of 15
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,289member
    tundraboy said:
    Does anyone know if the new 27" iMac's memory is user upgradeable?
    Eh, just checked Apple website.  It is, 4 slots.
    Sweet, was looking as well. You see the release button and just make out the access door in some images.
    This is good can buy base 8 and add 32Gb for about 1/3 the price Apple wants for just 32Gb.
  • Reply 10 of 15
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    mattinoz said:
    tundraboy said:
    Does anyone know if the new 27" iMac's memory is user upgradeable?
    Eh, just checked Apple website.  It is, 4 slots.
    Sweet, was looking as well. You see the release button and just make out the access door in some images.
    This is good can buy base 8 and add 32Gb for about 1/3 the price Apple wants for just 32Gb.
    Any technical reason why the the 27-inch iMac offers user-upgradeable RAM but the 21.5-inch model does not? Simply curious

  • Reply 11 of 15
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    I think the most impressive thing is that they had more intelligence than "courage" in keeping the four USB 3.1 Type A ports and the  SDXC card slot (besides ethanet) and didn't replace everything with USB type C ports.

    I have a question about the i5 and i7 listed on the screen.   Is this a real i5 or i7 ? Or is this a rebranded M5 and M7.   Wondering how this compares with the i5 in the new Surface finless laptop?

    And where was the TouchBar on both the MacBook and iMacs?    This is like a major fail to not have it available for both the desktops and the MacBook.
    Last fall Apple said that they spent 3-4 years developing this and that this was supposed to be how computers should evolve for User Interactions (as opposed to full Touch screens as available with Windows 10) .    They should even have a wired USB keyboard available with TouchBar.     
  • Reply 12 of 15
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,796member
    k2kw said:
    I think the most impressive thing is that they had more intelligence than "courage" in keeping the four USB 3.1 Type A ports and the  SDXC card slot (besides ethanet) and didn't replace everything with USB type C ports.

    I have a question about the i5 and i7 listed on the screen.   Is this a real i5 or i7 ? Or is this a rebranded M5 and M7.   Wondering how this compares with the i5 in the new Surface finless laptop?

    And where was the TouchBar on both the MacBook and iMacs?    This is like a major fail to not have it available for both the desktops and the MacBook.
    Last fall Apple said that they spent 3-4 years developing this and that this was supposed to be how computers should evolve for User Interactions (as opposed to full Touch screens as available with Windows 10) .    They should even have a wired USB keyboard available with TouchBar.     
    The outgoing iMac did not use mobile processors. I don't recall when Apple really ever used mobile CPU's. They might have used mobile GPU's, but not mobile CPU's.
  • Reply 13 of 15
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,796member

    mike54 said:
    Oh no! What about the Mac Mini ?!?!
    What about it????
  • Reply 14 of 15
    luigiluigi Posts: 34member
    Can anyone confirm if the new iMac 2017 27 inch 5K will support Target Display Mode over USB-C. Want the option to be able to extend the display of my MacBook Pro Late 2016.
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