MacBook Pro
New iMac is Apple's best ever
December 4, 2012: 9:58 AM ETThere's no question that this is one of the best desktops the company has ever shipped.
The new iMac is thinner than ever.
WATCH: Reviewer JP Mangalindan answers reader questions about the new iMac.
FORTUNE -- Just how thin can a computer get? Arguably not much more than Apple's new iMac. It is incredibly slim.
When Apple (APPL) took the wraps off the new desktop, many thought the iMac a two-dimensional mock-up -- not a real product. But real it is. At its thinnest, near the computer's edge, the iMac measures just 5-millimeters thick. A few years ago, this could have been mistaken for a standalone flat-panel display. But the new iMac is a powerful all-in-one that should meet the needs of all but the most demanding of users.
To get it so svelte, something had to give, and that something was the DVD drive. That Apple dropped it wasn't much of surprise. The company has been moving toward optical drive-free products. (Exhibit A: the newest MacBook Pros.) For people who download or stream music and video, it's a non-issue. For those who still own DVDs and want to watch them on their computers, the iMac isn't the ideal solution. Sure, there's a $79 external SuperDrive that connects via USB cable, but that means shelling out extra for -- let's face it -- a feature that still comes standard on most PCs. It also means messing with the iMac's minimal-looking set-up.
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Our review unit was a 21-inch inch iMac with 3.1 GHz quad-core i7 Ivy Bridge processor, 16 gigabytes of RAM, a 1 Terabyte "Fusion Drive," and a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GT 650M graphics card. That's way more horsepower than most users will ever need. To wit, with a 21-inch external display hooked up, 8 apps humming, 20-plus Safari browser tabs open, and high-definition video of Netflix video streaming, the new iMac never stuttered.
The same goes for more trying tasks. We didn't go so far as to measure "frames per second," or fps -- 30 being decent, 60-plus being great -- but hours of crawling around the gritty battlegrounds of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare yielded nothing but buttery-smooth gameplay. The iMac's fan fired up, but remained quiet, much quieter my 13-inch MacBook Air when pushed.
The display itself is great, though it's not a ultra-high resolution Retina. If you're used to a computer with a standard display, this is a non-issue. But if you're using one of those newer MacBook Pros, you'll notice the pixels. Given Apple's huge push for Retina in its newest notebooks, phones, and tablets, a Retina-less iMac was disappointing at first. But otherwise, the iMac's display is excellent: viewing angles are very wide, and colors come across more accurately than the $250 21-inch Dell display I use as a second screen. Apple also used a new manufacturing process so iMac users will see up to 75% less glare. Whether or not that's true, glare and reflections were never an issue here, despite the fact my desk at home sits in front of three large windows.
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Something else new to the iMac is what the company calls a "Fusion Drive," which pairs 128 gigabytes flash memory with a traditional hard drive. Some PCs have offered this hybrid-type feature for a while now, but it's a first for a Mac. It works like this: the first 128 gigabytes of apps, media, and so forth are stored on much-faster flash memory. Once stored data passes that capacity, the Fusion Drive and the iMac's operating system manage the data between the two types of storage. Frequently accessed data is prioritized and stored on the flash memory; less-often used data is stored on the hard drive. In theory, this should mean storage speeds approaching -- though not quite in line with -- a computer solely decked out with flash storage. After transferring tens of gigabytes of apps, documents, videos and music onto the new iMac, everyday performance still felt very snappy. Fusion doesn't come cheap, though, nor does it come standard. The 1 terabyte option, to start, adds a hefty $250 to the overall price.
If there's anything to pick at, it's the speakers. They're nowhere near horrible, with clear, loud audio. Yet that skinny aluminum body does little for bass response when playing movies or songs like Skrillex's club-friendly "Bangarang." In those cases, a separate pair of speakers aren't just recommended -- they're perhaps mandatory for audiophiles.
That's not to diminish the new iMac as a whole. Although some units, marked as having been "Assembled in the USA," sparked talk that Apple was manufacturing more of its computers in the states -- speculation that was debunked earlier this week -- the new iMac still remains a notable addition to the product line. It is the biggest iMac product redesign in years and a largely successful one, provided some users don't mind shelling out a little extra for the optical drive or overlooking this generation's omission of Retina Display.
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Hands on with Apple's new iPad
Also: first impressions of the new iMac and MacBook.
FORTUNE -- For the first time in years, Apple (AAPL) held a product unveiling at San Jose's California Theatre and, as many predicted, the company delivered. It unveiled a 7.9-inch version of the iPad, dubbed the iPad mini. Also on display: a 13-inch MacBook with a high-resolution Retina Display, redesigned iMac, faster 9.7-inch-sized iPad, and updated Mac minis.
I managed to spend some MORE
JP Mangalindan, Writer - Oct 23, 2012 4:07 PM ET -
Today in Tech: Will Amazon buy Texas Instruments' mobile chip business?
Also: Softbank to buy Sprint Nextel for about $20 billion; 13-inch MacBook Pro may be unveiled later this month.
Amazon looks to acquire TI mobile chip business, report says [CNET]
If Amazon buys out Texas Instruments' mobile chip business, it would mark a dramatic shift for the e-retail giant. Amazon uses Texas Instruments' processors in its mobile devices, including the latest Kindle Fire HD. Barnes & Noble, one of its chief competitors, does, as MORE
JP Mangalindan, Writer - Oct 15, 2012 1:48 PM ETPosted in: Apple, iPad, MacBook, MacBook Pro, Retina, Retina Display, Softbank, Sprint, Sprint Nextel, Texas Instruments, Zynga -
Do we really need razor-sharp screens?
Apple's latest laptops feature an extremely crisp screen -- and PC makers are likely rushing to follow suit. Problem is, most people might not really be able to tell the difference.
FORTUNE -- We always want our gadgets to be better. At one time, that meant a push for the fastest processor, better RAM, more hard drive space. Then the MacBook Air arrived, and attention turned to thinner and lighter notebooks. MORE
JP Mangalindan, Writer - Jul 3, 2012 10:06 AM ET -
Today in Tech: Meet Microsoft's sick, new Surface tablet (Yes, really.)
Oracle reports a terrific quarter; why the new MacBook is worth every penny.
Microsoft unveils Surface tablet to rival iPad [CNNMONEY]
The tablet features many of the now-standard tablet specs, including a 10.6 inch high-definition touchscreen and front and rear facing cameras, which all fit into a 9.3 millimeter, 1.5-pound frame. But Surface also brings some new innovations to the tablet space. The device's cover, for instance, flips down to become a MORE
JP Mangalindan, Writer - Jun 19, 2012 6:00 AM ET -
New MacBook Pro: Worth every penny
But Apple's slick new laptop may not be for everybody out there. Read this review to find out if it's the right Mac for you.
FORTUNE -- Apple's new 15-inch notebook may look thinner and lighter than older MacBook Pro models, but there's no mistaking this for a MacBook Air. For $2,199, users get a more powerful 2.3 GHz quad-core Intel i7 processor, 8-gigabytes of RAM, a 256 GB solid state MORE
JP Mangalindan, Writer - Jun 18, 2012 3:56 PM ET -
MacBook Pro with Retina display: The reviews are in
The screen draws raves. The price, not so much
FORTUNE -- Apple's (AAPL) favorite reviewer -- the Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg -- appears to be out of pocket, but dispatches from the rest of the tech press are coming in. For some reason, many begin by posing questions: Does the MacBook Pro with Retina display live up to expectations? Does it create a new product category? Is it worth the MORE
Philip Elmer-DeWitt - Jun 14, 2012 11:32 AM ET -
4 things to know about the new MacBook Pro
We got our hands on Apple's much-coveted new laptop. Here's a first read.
FORTUNE -- Don't call it a MacBook Air. Apple's newest 15-inch uber-notebook may be thinner and lighter than older MacBook Pro models, but its redesigned aluminum body houses a potent array of features. For $2,199, users get a 2.3 GHz quad-core Intel i7 processor, 8-gigabytes of RAM, a 256 GB solid state drive, two USB 3.0 ports, and MORE
JP Mangalindan, Writer - Jun 13, 2012 12:55 PM ET -
Today in Tech: A peek at iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion
The MacBook Pro gets a Retina Display; the coolest tech from this year's E3 convention.
Apple announces next-gen MacBook Pro: Retina display, 0.71 inches thin, shipping today for $2,199 [ENGADGET]
It packs a Retina display with a 2880 x 1800 resolution (or 220ppi), and a casing that measures just 0.71-inch thin and weighs 4.46 pounds. In addition to that high resolution, Apple is also promising higher contrast ratios, better viewing angles and MORE
JP Mangalindan, Writer - Jun 12, 2012 6:00 AM ET -
If the new iPad is 'hot,' what do you call a MacBook Pro?
The heat generated by Consumer Reports' thermal test is likely to dissipate quickly
Mike Daisey owes Consumer Reports' Donna Tapellini a thank-you note for diverting attention -- at least briefly -- from his malfeasances with her preliminary report on the new iPad.
CR engineers discovered -- and on Tuesday Tapellini reported -- that playing Infinity Blade II for 45 uninterrupted minutes made the new device up to to 13 degrees F "hotter" (her MORE
Philip Elmer-DeWitt - Mar 21, 2012 11:09 AM ETPosted in: Apple, Consumer Reports, Donna Tapellini, MacBook Pro, Mike Daisey, Paul Reynolds, Tablets
