Slimmer iMacs, new Mac mini line up announced

At an event held in San Jose today, Apple unveiled a completely new iMac with a new design, improved display with reduced reflection, third generation Intel quad-core processors, NVIDIA graphics, and a new storage option termed as Fusion Drive. Apple has stressed that the new iMac is the most advanced desktop Apple has ever made.

Much slimmer than the previous generation

“With a stunning design, brilliant display and faster performance, we’ve made the world’s leading all-in-one desktop computer better in every way,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The all-new iMac is unbelievably thin, yet packs an incredible amount of performance and technology into our most innovative desktop.”

Redesigned from the inside out, the new iMac is built of an aluminium and glass enclosure with up to 40 percent less volume than its predecessor, and an edge that measures 5mm. As per an official statement by the company, the new iMac also features a completely re-engineered display that reduces reflection by 75 percent while maintaining colour and contrast. In the new design, the cover glass is laminated to the LCD and an anti-reflective coating is applied using a plasma deposition process. Apple claims that every iMac display is individually calibrated using an advanced spectroradiometer.

Makes the previous generation models look primitive

The new iMac features third generation quad-core Intel Core i5 processors that can be upgraded to Core i7. According to the official statement by Apple, the NVIDIA GeForce processors found here deliver up to 60 percent faster performance needed for gaming and graphics intensive apps. Every new iMac now comes standard with 8GB of 1600 MHz memory, and a 1TB hard drive. Customers can choose to configure their iMac with up to 32GB of memory and a new 3TB hard drive or 768GB of flash storage. With two Thunderbolt and four USB 3.0 ports, the new iMac offers further expandability and support for high-performance peripherals.

Fusion Drive is a new storage option that gives customers the performance of flash storage and the capacity of a hard drive. It combines 128GB of flash with a standard 1TB or 3TB hard drive to create a single storage volume. Fusion Drive adapts to the way one uses their iMac and automatically moves the files and apps they use most often to flash storage to enable faster performance and quicker access.

Apple also updated the Mac mini with third generation dual-core Intel Core i5 and quad-core Intel Core i7 processors that are up to twice as fast and have integrated graphics. Mac mini comes standard with 4GB of 1600 MHz memory with support for up to 16GB. Retaining its amazingly compact aluminium design, the new Mac mini now includes four USB 3.0 ports in addition to its Thunderbolt, HDMI, SDXC, Gigabit Ethernet, and FireWire 800 ports.

Slim from all angles

Both iMac and Mac mini meet stringent Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieve an EPEAT Gold rating. iMac uses up to 50 percent less energy than the previous generation when idle, and features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. Mac mini is claimed to be the world’s most energy efficient desktop computer, using only 11W when idle. Both the iMac and Mac mini include PVC-free components and cables, contain no brominated flame retardants, and use highly recyclable materials and material-efficient packaging designs.

iMac and Mac mini ship with OS X Mountain Lion, bringing Messages, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, AirPlay Mirroring, Dictation, Game Center and the enhanced security of Gatekeeper to your Mac. With iCloud built into the foundation of OS X, Mountain Lion makes it easier to keep your content up-to-date across your Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

The 21.5-inch iMac is available with a 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speed of up to 3.2GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M for a suggested retail price of Rs 85,900, and with a 2.9GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speed of up to 3.6GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M for a suggested retail price of Rs 99,900 including taxes (VAT). The 21.5-inch iMac will be available in November through Apple Authorized Resellers.

The 27-inch iMac is available with a 2.9GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speed of up to 3.6GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M for a suggested retail price of Rs 122,900. Another variant of the 27-inch iMac with a 3.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speed of up to 3.6GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX will be available for a suggested retail price of Rs 134,900. The 27-inch iMac will be available in December through Apple Authorized Resellers.

The new Mac mini

The Mac mini is available in India with a 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speed of up to 3.1GHz, 4GB of memory, and a 500GB hard drive for a suggested retail price of Rs 39,900. The Mac mini with a 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 with Turbo Boost speed of up to 3.3GHz, 4GB of memory, and a 1TB hard drive will be available for a suggested retail price of Rs 52,900. Another variant with a 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 with Turbo Boost speed of up to 3.3GHz, OS X Server, 4GB of memory, and two 1TB hard drives will sell for a suggested retail price of Rs 65,900. The Mac mini is available from today through Apple Authorized Resellers.