Computers

Apple’s new 27-inch iMac packs a 5K display

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Apple's latest iMac offers an impressive 5K display and overhauled internals
Apple's latest iMac offers an impressive 5K display and overhauled internals
The machine is fitted with two Thunderbolt two ports
The new 27-inch iMac is the company's top all-in-one offering
The 5K display packs 67 percent more pixels than 4K screens
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Apple has taken the wraps off the latest version of its popular desktop machine. The new 27-inch iMac is the company’s top tier all-in-one offering, packing in an impressive 5K display and improved energy efficiency.

The new iMac’s flagship feature is its impressive 5,120 x 2,880 display which isn't just sharper, but also produces deeper blacks and better viewing angles than previous models. Apple was keen to point out how impressive the 14.7 million pixel-toting screen really is, highlighting that the 5K display offers 67 percent more pixels than 4K TVs. Despite its ultra high-def nature, the panel’s use of efficient LEDs means that it’s actually 30 percent less power-hungry than older displays.

The machine has also received some significant internal upgrades. The base configuration is fitted with a 3.5 GHz quad core Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB RAM and a beefy AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics card. And if you’re willing to lay down the required cash, then it’s possible to upgrade the desktop to feature a 4 GHz quad core Intel Core i7 CPU, 32 GB RAM and AMD Radeon R9 M295X GPU.

The 5K display packs 67 percent more pixels than 4K screens

There’s a 1 TB Fusion drive on board as standard, and as with other components, this can be upgraded as well (up to a whopping 3 TB Fusion drive, or 1TB PCIe-based flash storage). The desktop also features two Thunderbolt 2 ports, which offer twice the bandwidth of previous generation ports, with speeds of up to 20 Gbps.

The machine runs on the company’s latest OS X Yosemite operating system, which is available as a free download for Mac users starting today. The new version of the operating system offers a refreshed look, improved Spotlight search, better integration with iOS and more.

The new 27-inch model slots in at the top of the existing iMac range, with the non-Retina 21.5-inch and 27-inch models still available for purchase for $1,099 and $1,799 respectively. The new, Retina-packing system starts at US$2,499 for Core i5 model.

Source: Apple

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6 comments
LordInsidious
While the display density is impressive they don't support touch is a huge draw back.
Nairda
Hmm,. "And if you’re willing to lay down the required cash, then it’s possible to upgrade the desktop to feature a 4 GHz quad core Intel Core i7 CPU, 32 GB RAM and AMD Radeon R9 M295X GPU."
Well given the the R9 M295X is a $1500 item in its own right, and the 4GHz i7 is likey the $400 4790k, plus $1000 pci SSD... and god knows how much a mac proprietary 5k is worth,.. you are looking at some $5000ish mashine.
Anne Ominous
Too many pixels in too small a space.
For real work, the monitor should be 1-1.5 arm's length away. When you put it that far away, not only is some of the pixel density wasted, lots of things at that pixel density will be too small for comfort.
mathcpat
Nice hardware - but the OS is still that 45 year old junk from AT&T
Gadgeteer
Sorry, Nairda. I just used the system configurator in Apple's online store and a 5k iMac with nearly those specs only came out to $3800. The only thing I skipped was the usual ridiculously overpriced RAM upgrade that Apple is infamous for. Add another $300 to upgrade the RAM to 32GB yourself.
EddieG
5K resolution is more than what most movie files need, certainly more than what we can stream, and FAR BEYOND what all but a very few programs are able to use. Perhaps at some time in the future, our source material will be worthy of 5K. Right now, 5K is of little value.