27-inch iMac gets a major update

Cupertino, California — Apple today announced a major update to its 27-inch iMac. By far the most powerful and capable iMac ever, it features faster Intel processors up to 10 cores, double the memory capacity, next-generation AMD graphics, super fast SSDs across the line with four times the storage capacity, a new nano-texture glass option for an even more stunning Retina 5K display, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, higher fidelity speakers, and studio-quality mics. For the consumer using their iMac all day, every day, to the aspiring creative looking for inspiration, to the serious pro pushing the limits of their creativity, the new 27-inch iMac delivers the ultimate desktop experience that is now better in every way.

“Now more than ever, our customers are relying on the Mac. And many of them need the most powerful and capable iMac we’ve ever made,” said Tom Boger, Apple’s senior director of Mac and iPad Product Marketing. “With blazing performance, double the memory, SSDs across the line with quadruple the storage, an even more stunning Retina 5K display, a better camera, higher fidelity speakers, and studio-quality mics, the 27-inch iMac is loaded with new features at the same price. It’s the ultimate desktop, to work, create, and communicate.”

Whether composing a new song with hundreds of tracks, compiling thousands of lines of code, or processing large photos with machine learning, the 27-inch iMac, with the latest 6- and 8-core 10th-generation Intel processors, has pro-level performance for a wide range of needs. For pros who need to push iMac even further, the 27-inch iMac has a 10-core processor option for the first time, with Turbo Boost speeds reaching 5.0GHz for up to 65 percent faster CPU performance. And when working with memory-intensive applications, iMac features double the memory capacity for up to 128GB.

When compared to the previous-generation 8-core 27-inch iMac, the new iMac delivers:¹

• Up to 65 percent more plug-ins in Logic Pro X.
• Up to 40 percent faster 8K ProRes transcode in Final Cut Pro X.
• Up to 35 percent faster rendering with Arnold in Autodesk Maya.
• Up to 25 percent faster build time in Xcode.

For GPU-based rendering, editing multiple streams of 4K video, or playing a graphics-intensive game, the 27-inch iMac has more powerful next-generation AMD graphics. iMac delivers up to 55 percent faster graphics performance from its Radeon Pro 5000 series graphics, featuring AMD’s latest RDNA architecture with faster, more power-efficient compute units. And for customers using pro apps that can take advantage of large amounts of video memory for even greater performance, iMac features a graphics option with 16GB of memory for the first time — providing double the video memory capacity of the previous-generation 27-inch iMac.

When compared to the previous-generation 27-inch iMac with Radeon Pro Vega 48 graphics, the new iMac delivers:¹

• Up to 55 percent faster rendering in Maxon Cinema 4D ProRender.
• Up to 50 percent faster demo fly-through in Unity Editor.
• Up to 45 percent faster performance in “Total War: Three Kingdoms.”
• Up to 30 percent faster timeline rendering in Final Cut Pro X.

The 27-inch iMac now comes standard with SSDs across the line, delivering blazing-fast performance up to 3.4GB/s for launching applications and opening large files. For users who need massive amounts of storage, iMac also features an 8TB SSD option for the first time — four times the SSD capacity of the previous-generation 27-inch iMac.

iMac also includes the Apple T2 Security Chip, Apple’s own custom-designed, second-generation silicon. The storage controller in the T2 Security Chip provides on-the-fly data encryption for everything stored on the SSD, so files and data are safe and secure. And the T2 chip also checks that software loaded during the boot process has not been tampered with, giving the 27-inch iMac, and any Mac with the T2 chip, the most secure storage and boot process of any computer.

With 14.7 million pixels, 1 billion colours, 500 nits of brightness, and support for P3 wide colour, the Retina display on iMac delivers an immersive front-of-screen viewing experience. All those pixels result in text that looks like a printed page, sharper photos with more detail, and the ability to edit 4K video at full resolution. And now the stunning Retina 5K display on the 27-inch iMac features True Tone technology, which automatically adjusts the colour temperature of the display to match a user’s ambient lighting. 

The new iMac offers a nano-texture glass option — first introduced on Pro Display XDR — for even better viewing under various lighting conditions, such as a bright room or indirect sunlight. Unlike typical matte finishes that have a coating added to the surface to scatter light, this industry-leading option is produced through an innovative process that etches the glass itself at the nanometer level. The result is extremely low reflectivity and less glare while maintaining stellar image quality and contrast, and a Retina 5K display that is more gorgeous than ever.

For customers using their iMac more than ever to connect with friends, family, and colleagues, the FaceTime HD camera now features 1080p resolution, while the Image Signal Processor in the T2 Security Chip brings tone mapping, exposure control, and face detection for a much higher quality camera experience. To complement the improved camera, the T2 Security Chip also works with the speakers to enable variable EQ for better balance, higher fidelity, and deeper bass. In addition, a new studio-quality microphone array enables users to capture high-quality audio for improved FaceTime calls, podcast recordings, Voice Memos, and more, right on their iMac.

Apple today also announced that its 21.5-inch iMac will come standard with SSDs across the line for the first time. Customers can also choose to configure their 21.5-inch iMac with a Fusion Drive.

iMac Pro now comes standard with a 10-core Intel Xeon processor. Designed for pro users who require workstation-class performance, iMac Pro features Xeon processors up to 18 cores, graphics performance up to 22 teraflops, up to 256GB quad-channel ECC memory, and a brilliant 27-inch Retina 5K display.

This fall, iMac can be updated at no cost with macOS Big Sur, the latest version of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system. macOS Big Sur introduces a beautiful redesign that is entirely new yet instantly familiar, along with powerful enhancements to key apps. Safari is packed with new features, including a customisable start page, more powerful tabs, built-in translation, and a new Privacy Report. The updated Messages app lets users send more personal and expressive messages, and easily keep track of and interact within group messages. Maps also offers an all-new experience with immersive features for exploring and navigating the world.