We were expecting a big event later in the year, dedicated to the launch of new MacBook, iMac and Mac Mini products from Apple, but this afternoon the Cupertino company decided to quietly sneak out a range of new iMac desktop machines.
The new models are based on the super thin redesign which Apple launched late last year, with upgrades to the internals being the key differences.
As far as upgrades go, the change to Intel’s newest Haswell processors is undoubtedly the biggest and best to be found in the new range. These new chips will mean more speed, better multitasking capabilities and less drain on power. The entry level 21.5-inch iMac will rock a 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 chip with the new Haswell core, with the larger models featuring the same i5 chip but clocked up to 3.4GHz.
These chips will be paired with Nvidia GeForce 700 graphics cards as standard, coupled with Intel’s Iris Pro graphics technology which comes courtesy of the Haswell chip.
Apple has also snuck in even faster flash storage, which will mean that the new models will boot up faster than last year’s and will also open apps and flick between various programs with ease. All models in the range still have 8GB of RAM and the 1TB hard drive, unless you opt to upgrade of course.
Finally, Wi-Fi connectivity has been updated to the latest Wi-Fi 802.11 ac standard, which brings compatibility with the latest and fastest routers and other networking equipment. If you want to make the most of this, Apple also recently launched an 802.11 ac wireless router, which when paired with the new iMac will bring 3-4 times faster connectivity compared to the previous Wi-Fi standard, 802.11 n.
The 21.5-inch iMac starts at £1,299 and the 27-inch at £1,599, with various customisation options available for both, should you wish to pump up the speeds. Both are available through Apple’s online and retail stores today, as well as via select resellers.