Nearly two years have passed since Apple last refreshed the iMac, but updates are finally here for both 4K and 5K models.
Apple today announced that its iMac lineup has been updated with Intel's latest 8th-gen and 9th-gen Core processors, including up to a 3.2GHz six-core 8th-gen Core i7 with Turbo Boost up to 4.6GHz for the 21.5-inch 4K iMac and up to a 3.6GHz eight-core 9th-gen Core i9 with Turbo Boost up to 5.0GHz for the 27-inch 5K iMac.
You'll of course have to pay to get peak performance, as processors range from a 3.6GHz quad-core 8th-gen Core i3 to a 3.7GHz six-core 9th-gen Core i5 in standard configurations of the new 4K and 5K iMacs.
Apple says the new 21.5-inch iMac models deliver up to 60 percent faster performance than the previous generation, while the new 27-inch iMac models deliver up to 2.4 times faster performance than the previous generation, narrowing the gap between the high-end standard iMac and the iMac Pro workstation.
Following in the footsteps of the 2018 MacBook Pro, Radeon Pro Vega graphics options are now available across the new iMac lineup, including Vega 20 for 21.5-inch models and Vega 48 for 27-inch models. Apple advertises up to 80 percent faster graphics performance compared to the previous iMac lineup.
The new iMac lineup offers up to 64GB of faster 2,666MHz DDR4 memory and up to 2TB of SSD storage. The base model 21.5-inch 4K iMac in particular has new 32GB memory and 1TB SSD upgrade options for the first time.
Beyond the performance improvements, there is a lot of familiarity. The new iMac models have the same design used since 2012 and the same 4K and 5K displays as the previous generation. I/O also remains unchanged with two Thunderbolt 3 ports, four USB 3 ports, a SD card slot, a headphone jack, and Gigabit Ethernet.
While the iMac Pro and the latest MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini models are equipped with Apple's T2 security chip, we've confirmed with Apple that the new iMac models do not have a T-series chip of any kind.
Unlike the iMac Pro in space gray, Apple says silver remains the sole color option for standard iMac models.
Pricing before upgrades remains unchanged. The new 21.5-inch 4K iMac models start at $1,299 and the new 27-inch 5K iMac models start at $1,799. Both are available to order starting today on Apple.com and the Apple Store app, with availability in Apple Stores and select resellers starting next week.
Apple's senior director of Mac product marketing Tom Boger:
Customers are going to love the huge boost in iMac performance. With up to 8-core processors and powerful Vega graphics, the iMac lineup is stronger than ever. With its stunning Retina display, amazing design, twice the performance, and macOS Mojave that our customers love, iMac is by far the best desktop in the world.
The non-4K entry-level model 21.5-inch iMac was not updated today and remains available from $1,099.
