The iMac line gets some long-awaited, super-powered updates
The iMac, the all-in-one computer used and loved on desktops and in offices everywhere, is finally getting an update.
The last upgrade to the rig came in 2015, when it added Intel's Skylake processor, faster AMD graphics, and better RAM to the previous year's 5K screened 27-incher.
This years's upgrades will add increased memory, faster processors, boosted storage, and some next gen graphics to make the machines even more effective. The 21.5-inch form factor will get a resolution boost too, with a new Retina 4K display option to go along with the base model.
The monitors themselves are getting a big boost, with a 500 nit upgrade in brightness, making them 43 percent brighter than its predecessors and more than a billion colors.
Intel's latest Kaby Lake processors debut in the iMacs, along with new 32 GB memory and 64 GB memory capacities for the 21.5-inch and 27-inch models, respectively. The Fusion Drive is now standard on the 27-inch and top-end 21.5-inch models, too.
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There will be two new USB-C Thunderbolt 3 connectors as well, to go along with four USB 3.0 ports.
Graphics are a focus for the new machines: The 21.5-inch takes on an Intel Iris Plus 640, and the 21.5-inch Retina 4K will move to a Radeon Pro 555 and 560, up to three times faster than the last generation with 4 GB of VRAM.
The 27-inch Retina 5K's graphics will move up as well with the Radeon 570, 575, and 580 and up to 8 GB of VRAM, making it a better platform for VR developers. We got to see a badass Star Wars VR demo on the HTC Vive from Lucasfilm, ending off with a menacing encounter with the Empire and Darth Vader.
The iMac line will lead off with the 21.5-inch at $1,099, the Retina 4K 21.5-inch at $1,299, and the Retina 5K 27-inch for $1,799. You can order the updated models online today, and they'll hit Apple Stores later this week on June 7.
Brett Williams is a Tech Reporter at Mashable. He writes about tech news, trends and other tangentially related topics with a particular interest in wearables and exercise tech. Prior to Mashable, he wrote for Inked Magazine and Thrillist. Brett's work has also appeared on Fusion and AskMen, to name a few. You can follow Brett on Twitter @bdwilliams910.
