The design is still the same, but the performance jump is real.
There isn’t much I can tell you about the new iMacs that you likely don’t already know. Apple has used the same design for both the 21.5-inch and 27-inch versions of the iMac since 2012, which is basically an eternity in the tech world.
The latest update, released this spring with new processors and graphics cards and a starting price of $1,299 for the 21.5-inch and $1,799 for the 27-inch, doesn’t do anything to change the traditional formula. While it is still an exceptionally nice computer, it feels far less remarkable than the new iPhones and iPads that Apple routinely cranks out.
But that isn’t to say this year’s update isn’t good. In fact, the new processors and graphics cards that are available in the latest iMacs are considerably more capable than what was available before. You are able to spec out these iMacs with the latest generation chips from Intel and graphics cards from AMD. The results from those new parts are so impressive that if you’re the type of person who has had their eye on the iMac Pro, you might consider the standard iMac instead and save yourself a couple thousand dollars.
Even more impressive than the raw performance is how Apple has managed to improve the noise levels and cooling efficiency, even though these computers use the same fans and designs as the older models.
While it certainly is possible to get those fans to spin up under load, the latest iMacs remain surprisingly quiet the vast majority of the time.