Apple is expected to announce the launch of its updated MacBook Air line sometime this week, but for those of you who are dying to know what the latest ultraportables will be packing when they arrive, here are the specs for the new 11- and 13-inch MacBook Airs.
Review: Early 2011 Apple iMac (27-inch screen, 3.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5)
Apple updated its venerable iMac this week with new machines that are fast, sleek, and beautifully packaged.
Sporting Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors, powerful new graphics cards and Thunderbolt ports that can support two external monitors, the new iMac is the undisputed champion of all-in-one machines. Plus, it’s the only one out there that’s not butt ugly.
As well as being the most attractive desktop computer available, it offers just about everything modern computer users might need in a self-contained package, from a HD webcam to a gesture-sensitive trackpad.
I’ve been testing a 27-inch model with a 3.1Ghz Core i5 chip (the biggest, fastest stock model currently available at the Apple Store), and it may sound silly, but it’s almost too much machine for my needs. The screen is so big, I have to sit back lest I get motion sickness. And the i5 chip has power to spare for someone like me, who doesn’t do high-end video or graphics work.
Still, I’ll take it. If the chip is too powerful now, it sure won’t be in a couple of years.
Here’s the new 2011 Thunderbolt iMac playing HD movies on three screens simultaneously — without a hiccup.
It’s a 27-inch model with an Intel Core i5 chip and AMD’s Radeon HD 6970 graphics card (1GB of GDDR5 memory).
The two 21-inch Dell monitors either side are connected via the iMac’s pair of Thunderbolt/Mini DisplayPort jacks on the back (with a pair of pricey $30 Mini-DisplayPort-to-DVI adapters).
The main 27-inch display’s resolution is 2,560-by-1,440; while the external monitors are at 1,920 by 1,080 (true 1080p HD).
Pretty impressive.
Look what just arrived at CultofMac towers here in San Francisco. Yes, it’s one of Apple’s awesome new Core i5 iMacs.
It’s a $1,999 27-inch i5 model (It’s stock — no build-to-order options. Couldn’t wait a month).
As you can see, it can handily power another 27-inch iMac as an external monitor. (It’s hooked to a 2010 iMac, reviewed here last year). This is going to replace an aging Mac Pro I use for work. It just radiates awesomeness.
I’ll get started on the review as soon as deal with a major plumbing emergency here at home.
For those unfamiliar with the ebb and wane of Apple’s actually pretty dependable product upgrade cycle, MacRumors‘ Apple Buyer’s Guide is a must–check resource for those looking to buy a new Mac, iPod or iPhone. With a glance, you can see how close any Apple product is to being refreshed, and if you check it now, you’ll see see that the MacBook Pro is only about a month away from getting an update.
So what will change in the next MacBook Pro? The new unibodies are only a year old, so it’s probably nothing much more drastic than a processor update, and not so coincidentally, Intel is planning to launch three new Arrandale-based, 32nm Core i5 and Core i7 mobile processors on January 3rd… just around the time MacBook Pros are historically refreshed.