In one recent interview, Apple's top managers talked about preparing a new line of iMac monoblocks this year. Since the last update, it has already been quite a long time - its release took place in October 2015. Earlier, Pike Universum reported on the possible characteristics of the updated iMac, which we added to our expectations.
Newest processors.
According to sources, as the basis in the top configurations of the iMac will be Intel Xeon E3-1285 v6. Until it was officially announced, at the end of March Intel released only the E3-1200 v6 family.
During the interview, representatives of Apple said that the new iMac will be aimed at professional users. Perhaps the company will use Core i5 or Core i7 chips in the 21.5-inch model and 4-core Xeon in the 27-inch version.
16 GB of RAM.
In addition to high performance, there is another reason for switching to Xeon chips in the top version of iMac. They support ECC-memory, which automatically recognizes and corrects errors. Standard memory does not possess this ability.
It is expected that Apple will increase the amount of RAM in the standard configuration from 8 GB to 16 GB. In this case, it would be convenient if the support for self-installing memory extended to all iMac models, and not only to the 27-inch. Subsequently, this would allow users to increase the amount of "RAM" up to 32 GB or 64 GB.
Fusion Drive by default.
Using a solid-state drive would increase the speed of the device, but would also increase the price of the iMac. As a compromise, the technology Fusion Drive, which combines a hard drive and SSD-drive, providing a reasonable compromise in the speed of access to files and the amount of storage space.
The transition to Fusion Drive in modern models costs only $ 100. It is hoped that Apple will find a way to compensate for costs and make technology part of the standard configuration.
Easy access to connectors.
To ensure that the connectors do not spoil the design of the device, Apple puts them on the back of the iMac. Many users are in favor of a more convenient placement of connectors, although there is too little chance that the company will listen.
USB-C and USB 3.
Most likely, in the new version the manufacturer will use Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C instead of Thunderbolt 2. It is hoped that other standard ports will also be stored: USB 3, Ethernet, headphone input and SD card slot.
The reasons for rejecting these connectors are not, although the company can only leave USB-C and offer users to purchase a docking station, for example, CalDigit TS3 Lite. However, this would mean that you will have to pay extra for what was previously included in the device itself.
Support for external graphics.
The iMac "all-in-one" design limits the type of graphics processor used and makes it impossible to install a powerful video card. But if the company really plans to make the device suitable for professional use, it can add support for an external graphics accelerator.