iMac beefs up webcam and memory options – with prices up to $8000
2020 edition of the iMac 27-inch aims itself as the perfect home working option, however demanding your computing needs
Apple's all-in-one desktop computer and screen has had its annual update – and the emphasis for the iMac 27-inch 2020 appears on being able to give improved options for any type of home worker. For all of us finding that Zoom chats and video conferencing has become a significant part of our lives, the built-in webcam has had an upgrade to provide 1080P high-definition transmission. And for power users, the maximum SSD storage you can get has been quadrupled up to a whopping 8GB.
The base price remains $1,799 / £1,799 / AU$2,799 – but if you now take all the options available the new iMac 27in can now cost you $7,949 / £8,799 / AU$13,299.
Whatever option you choose, you now get a 1080P FaceTime webcam – a significant boost on the 720P camera available on previous iMacs. The 5K Retina 27-inch screen continues - but now with the option for nano-texture glass, for a better viewing experience in bright light.
The new generation of iMacs continue with Intel chips for now, but you a new option is to get a 10-core processor if you want the fastest CPU performance. Memory capacity has been doubled to a maximum of 128GB (the base model gets you 8GB).
All of the new iMacs offer you SSD storage as standard with options rising from a basic 256GB up to an incredible, but expensive 8TB (four times the maximum available with the iMac 27-inch 2019.
The graphics card capabilities have also been improved - with to 55 percent faster graphics performance from its Radeon Pro 5000 series graphics, featuring AMD’s latest RDNA architecture. Compared to the previous-generation, the new iMac is said to deliver up to 30 percent faster timeline rendering in Final Cut Pro X. The premium option here now becomes a Radeon Pro 5700 XT with 16GB of GDDR6 memory.
Apple also announced that its 21.5-inch iMac will come standard with SSDs across the line for the first time – and have the option to configure it with a Fusion Drive.
Get the Digital Camera World Newsletter
The best camera deals, reviews, product advice, and unmissable photography news, direct to your inbox!
iMac Pro also gets a modest update now comes standard with a 10-core Intel Xeon processor.
Read more
Best iMacs for photo editing
The best desktop computer for photo editing
The best photo-editing laptops
Chris George has worked on Digital Camera World since its launch in 2017. He has been writing about photography, mobile phones, video making and technology for over 30 years – and has edited numerous magazines including PhotoPlus, N-Photo, Digital Camera, Video Camera, and Professional Photography.
His first serious camera was the iconic Olympus OM10, with which he won the title of Young Photographer of the Year - long before the advent of autofocus and memory cards. Today he uses a Nikon D800, a Fujifilm X-T1, a Sony A7, and his iPhone 15 Pro Max.
He has written about technology for countless publications and websites including The Sunday Times Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, Dorling Kindersley, What Cellphone, T3 and Techradar.