Inside Apple Mac week: New power, smarter AI, bold innovations
Apple’s week of Mac announcements kicked off on Oct. 28, and all the reveals are now official. The lineup includes a refreshed iMac with the new M4 chip and updated color options, as well as redesigned accessories – keyboard, mouse, and trackpad – now featuring USB-C ports. Apple also announced the rollout of Apple Intelligence, its latest artificial intelligence-powered feature suite for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Alongside these, Apple unveiled a redesigned Mac Mini and the M4 Pro chip.
The new iMac, announced on Oct. 28, comes with the M4 chip, featuring an 8-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU. The M4 chip debuted with the iPad Pro earlier this year. The new iMac now comes with accessories that use USB-C charging ports instead of Lightning. All USB-C ports also support the fastest Thunderbolt 4 standard, allowing for faster file transfers. The display is still a 24-inch panel with 4.5K resolution, but Apple now offers a “nano-texture glass” option for an additional $200 to reduce reflections and glare.
Other updates to the new iMac include doubling the base RAM to 16GB, with an option to upgrade to 32GB on the higher-end version. The new iMac also includes a 12MP webcam and introduces Apple Intelligence features, such as AI-powered writing and editing tools and a redesigned Siri powered by ChatGPT. The iMac now comes in new colors like green, yellow, orange, pink, and purple, in addition to silver. Preorders are available now, with shipping starting on Nov. 8.
The Mac Mini also received an upgrade, with a new design that is smaller in size and features the latest M4 or M4 Pro chips. The new Mac Mini comes with two USB-C ports and a headphone jack on the front, along with USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, Ethernet, and HDMI connections on the back. The starting price remains at $599, with options to upgrade the RAM, SSD, and processor for higher-end models.
Apple also announced updates to the MacBook Pro lineup, with the 14-inch and 16-inch models now powered by the new M4 series processors – M4 Pro and M4 Max. The new MacBook Pros feature Thunderbolt 5 ports, a new 12-megapixel webcam, and optional nano-texture displays. The starting prices for the MacBook Pros have been adjusted, with base RAM now starting at 24GB on the Pro models and 16GB on the entry-level 14-inch version.
Overall, Apple’s updates to the Mac lineup offer significant performance boosts for power users. The new products provide a range of options for different needs and budgets, from the iMac to the Mac Mini and MacBook Pro. The inclusion of Apple Intelligence features adds additional functionality to the devices. Whether you’re looking for a compact computer, a powerful laptop, or a sleek all-in-one desktop, Apple’s latest offerings have something for everyone.
