New iMac: Features and How to Expand RAM

The spotlights are on the next Mac with Apple Silicon processors, but for its arrival there is still time and it will be necessary to see what they offer. Especially in teams whose power is currently something key when it comes to choosing them. Hence, the company continues to renew them. The latest have been its All in One, there are new iMac and iMac Pro . If you are interested in renovating Mac, this is what you should know.

Apple renews its desktop Mac

Apple yesterday launched its renewal on the Mac desktop range . Or almost, because really the only model with major updates was the 27 ″ iMac. The 21.5 ″ model and iMac Pro received no changes (neither did the Mac mini). These models only have changes in the series configurations, but at a technical level they are still the same equipment as the previous day.

New iMac: Features and How to Expand RAM

And that is something that is not really well understood. It is true that the company is fully involved in that transition that will bring us teams with its own processors called Apple Silicon, but if you update the 27 ″ model with certain components, what work did it cost to do it also in the others? If you don’t know what we mean, read on.

New 27-inch iMac

The 27 ″ iMac is the only iMac that has really been redone , but on the inside nothing new. The main novelty is none other than the inclusion of 10th generation Intel processors. Something that, all things being said, could have been done long ago. But better late than never.

Along with these processors that can go up to a tenth generation Intel Core i9 we also have the possibility of configuring an AMD graphics card with up to 16 GB of GDDR4 memory. A GPU that will give envelope power for demanding uses such as video editing, 3D modeling and many other tasks that resort to these types of calculations on a recurring basis.

However, there are other small details that are appreciated. As standard, all iMac include SSD drives. The Fusion Drive becomes an option, but it really does not make or even make sense to bet on it. And then there is the webcam issue that finally jumps to 1080p resolution .

Another interesting detail is the option of applying the same treatment on the glass that protects the panel and includes the glass of the Apple Pro Display XDR. Thanks to this nanotexture, the reflections are reduced, but remember that you have to clean it with a special cloth to avoid damaging it.

And with respect to the panel, it is still 27 inches, 5K resolution and adds True Tone technology that, by the way in professional environments where you work with the image little or nothing really contributes. This does not mean that this is one of the best screens on the market. But if you are looking for something different, here is a good selection of monitors ideal for video and photo editing.

The equipment is attractive, it is true. For a long time now the iMac have been one of the few Macs whose price, despite being high, was not extremely high seeing what they offered at a performance level compared to other proposals such as the MacBook Pro family. For around 3,499 euros you have a powerful machine for a few years.

Apple and its prices when updating the RAM

However, there is still something from Apple that one does not understand: the price of RAM . The company is no longer that it only continues to use 8 GB as a standard configuration, it is that the prices for updating it are excessive. And of course, when it is soldered on a plate you have no choice, but here (in the 27 ″ model) they continue to maintain a gate that gives quick access to the modules.

Therefore, if you are considering buying an iMac 5K, do not expand RAM with Apple . Because changing it by yourself does not affect the warranty if you follow the steps they indicate and you will have more RAM for much less price. To give you an idea, on Amazon you find 32 and 64 GB and you can save 1,000 euros. All you have to know is the exact type of RAM it uses and that it is convenient that all the modules are of the same brand.

Those above are just a few examples of recommended modules that will work flawlessly in your possible future 27 ″ iMac and even the current one if you already have one. Although, as always, make sure of the memory used. Something you can do in the following way:

  1. Access the apple icon in the Finder bar
  2. Click on About
  3. Select the memory tab

On this screen you will see the number of modules you can install and the type of memory. So if your budget is tight you better invest in more CPU or GPU and leave the RAM upgrade for later on your own.

iMac Pro, doomed to extinction?

Regarding the iMac Pro , the team that was born as an option for professionals and that practically picked up the witness of the 2013 Mac Pro seems to be destined to suffer the same extinction. Here Apple again copies a strategy that we already know.

Now the base configuration of the iMac Pro is the one that includes a 10-core Xeon W processor and maintains the same price, 5,499 euros. This is the same thing that the company did with the 2013 “black bin” until it was time to launch the new Mac Pro. And it could be understood, because the update rates of the Xeon range are different, but the problem is in the details.

If the 27 ″ iMac has introduced a 1080p resolution FaceTime camera, why not here. Was it so much work to do it? Of course, this could also be applied to the 21.5 ″ models maintained by the eighth generation processors.

Anyway, the really new iMac are 27 ″. So if you bought a small model recently don’t be disappointed. But if you considered the iMac Pro, it still pays you much more to go for the higher settings of the iMac 5K.