12:41
Laptop Trouble Tips
The bad: We still miss built-in HDMI inputs for easy media component integration, and, as usual, custom hardware options for the iMac remain more expensive than those for its Windows-based competition.
The bottom line: We recommend Apple's new 27-inch iMac to digital media editors and others with serious performance needs on the strength of its impressive speed, its connected device potential, and its market-leading 27-inch display.
With a fast new second-generation Core i5 CPU, a high-end 3D card, and support for promising Thunderbolt high-bandwidth peripheral connection ports, the new, highest-end iMac has plenty to offer media professionals and enthusiasts in terms of performance and peripheral device flexibility. For consumers, while the iMac still claims industry bests in terms of its display and its design, this system will feel like overkill in some respects, and underfeatured in others. We don't recommend the most expensive new iMac for those looking for an OS X-based alternative to the recent crop of Windows-based all-in-ones that act as home entertainment kiosks. For serious media editors, or those looking for a vanity desktop, the $1,999 Apple iMac remains one of the fastest, most attractive systems available.
Windows all-in-one makers like Dell, HP, and Sony have improved their all-in-one designs over the last year or two, but none of them approaches the iMac for sheer visual appeal. The metal-and-glass unibody chassis, along with the expansive 27-inch display, still have no design peers roughly 18 months after their debut. We actually find it strange that you still won't find a 27-inch all-in-one from anyone other than Apple. We wonder how long that will last.
While the new iMac's design hasn't changed on the outside, its internal components have been completely revamped from those of the previous model. As it upgraded its MacBook Pro laptops earlier this year, Apple has introduced to the iMac Intel's second-generation Core CPU family (formerly code-named Sandy Bridge). It has also added AMD's latest generation of graphics processor, the Radeon HD 6000-series. iPhone users, and those who love them, will appreciate that Apple has brought FaceTime support to the new iMac, which allows for cross-device video chatting over the Internet.
Lastly, Apple has incorporated the new Thunderbolt data throughput standard into the iMac, and two Thunderbolt ports on the back of the 27-inch models replace the single Mini DisplayPort input found on older iMacs. Developed in conjunction with Intel, Thunderbolt is designed to replace USB and FireWire inputs by offering simultaneous 10Gbps throughput both in and out of the system via the same port. The standard supports both data and video connections, and is on track to both simplify the experience of connecting peripheral devices, and also allow for a greater, more powerful variety of external components.
Thunderbolt devices aren't expected to hit the market until this summer, which means we have to speak mostly about the potential it offers the iMac. Announced Thunderbolt products include external RAID arrays, video conversion hubs, and other devices that will take advantage of the iMac's fat new data pipe. Thunderbolt will eventually roll out to Windows PCs as well, and we may see more consumer-oriented devices before too long, but for now the early supporting hardware is clearly geared toward digital media editors and others who will appreciate Thunderbolt's ability to move large amounts of data between workstations at great speed.
Because it can work as a video port, Thunderbolt, in conjunction with the Radeon HD 6970M graphics chip, also allows you to connect two additional monitors to the iMac. That capability is certainly welcome, and it makes extending the iMac's display easy, but multimonitor support in general isn't unique to the iMac. Among other multidisplay technologies, AMD showed us its Eyefinity graphics card series last year for Windows desktops that can support six LCDs.
We've compared the iMac here with one of the fastest Windows-based all-in-ones we've tested, HP's TouchSmart 610q 1065qd, as well as a less expensive Dell XPS 8300 desktop.
We bring the traditional Dell box into the discussion particularly to compare its price-performance ratio with that of the new iMac. The XPS 8300 isn't as visually attractive as the iMac, but for those who might already have a large display, it's reasonable to ask how the two compare in terms of raw speed.
From a features standpoint, the iMac and the HP TouchSmart compare well. The large screen remains the iMac's most obvious advantage, but it also boasts a faster graphics card and a more up-to-date CPU than the HP system. HP, in turn, offers a Blu-ray drive, a lower price tag, as well as a touch screen and HP's accompanying suite of touch software. HP can't match the iMac's Thunderbolt ports, but it also offers two HDMI inputs, which means, unlike the iMac, you can connect current-generation home entertainment devices to the TouchSmart without having to buy an adapter.
In truth, comparing the speed-oriented iMac with the Dell feels more relevant than matching it up against the family-oriented HP all-in-one. The iMac does include its user-friendly iLife digital media software, but the TouchSmart all-in-one and its almost kitchy touch software clearly have home users in mind.
Which is not to say that the iMac and its large screen wouldn't make an excellent, attractive media PC for a den, an office, or a dorm room. With the right, though expensive, adapters, you can even integrate a cable box and a game console with the iMac to make a powerful, versatile media hub. We're unclear how a more casual home user would take advantage of the iMac's Thunderbolt ports, though. As well, the fast CPU and graphics card would be going to waste without some robust digital media files to put them to work. The OS X gaming library certainly won't keep them busy for long.
The new 27-inch iMac offers the best all-around performance among all-in-ones. It loses to the HP only on the Cinebench 11.5 multithreaded CPU test, and that's likely because of the HP's 2.93GHz Core i7 820 chip, which, although from Intel's previous CPU generation, has effectively eight processing threads from Intel's HyperThreading technology. The iMac's 3.1GHz Core i5 2400 CPU lacks HyperThreading, and thus remains a pure quad-core processor.
Windows all-in-one makers like Dell, HP, and Sony have improved their all-in-one designs over the last year or two, but none of them approaches the iMac for sheer visual appeal. The metal-and-glass unibody chassis, along with the expansive 27-inch display, still have no design peers roughly 18 months after their debut. We actually find it strange that you still won't find a 27-inch all-in-one from anyone other than Apple. We wonder how long that will last.
While the new iMac's design hasn't changed on the outside, its internal components have been completely revamped from those of the previous model. As it upgraded its MacBook Pro laptops earlier this year, Apple has introduced to the iMac Intel's second-generation Core CPU family (formerly code-named Sandy Bridge). It has also added AMD's latest generation of graphics processor, the Radeon HD 6000-series. iPhone users, and those who love them, will appreciate that Apple has brought FaceTime support to the new iMac, which allows for cross-device video chatting over the Internet.
The iMac's new Thunderbolt ports offer exciting potential for digital media professionals.
Thunderbolt devices aren't expected to hit the market until this summer, which means we have to speak mostly about the potential it offers the iMac. Announced Thunderbolt products include external RAID arrays, video conversion hubs, and other devices that will take advantage of the iMac's fat new data pipe. Thunderbolt will eventually roll out to Windows PCs as well, and we may see more consumer-oriented devices before too long, but for now the early supporting hardware is clearly geared toward digital media editors and others who will appreciate Thunderbolt's ability to move large amounts of data between workstations at great speed.
Because it can work as a video port, Thunderbolt, in conjunction with the Radeon HD 6970M graphics chip, also allows you to connect two additional monitors to the iMac. That capability is certainly welcome, and it makes extending the iMac's display easy, but multimonitor support in general isn't unique to the iMac. Among other multidisplay technologies, AMD showed us its Eyefinity graphics card series last year for Windows desktops that can support six LCDs.
We've compared the iMac here with one of the fastest Windows-based all-in-ones we've tested, HP's TouchSmart 610q 1065qd, as well as a less expensive Dell XPS 8300 desktop.
We bring the traditional Dell box into the discussion particularly to compare its price-performance ratio with that of the new iMac. The XPS 8300 isn't as visually attractive as the iMac, but for those who might already have a large display, it's reasonable to ask how the two compare in terms of raw speed.
From a features standpoint, the iMac and the HP TouchSmart compare well. The large screen remains the iMac's most obvious advantage, but it also boasts a faster graphics card and a more up-to-date CPU than the HP system. HP, in turn, offers a Blu-ray drive, a lower price tag, as well as a touch screen and HP's accompanying suite of touch software. HP can't match the iMac's Thunderbolt ports, but it also offers two HDMI inputs, which means, unlike the iMac, you can connect current-generation home entertainment devices to the TouchSmart without having to buy an adapter.
In truth, comparing the speed-oriented iMac with the Dell feels more relevant than matching it up against the family-oriented HP all-in-one. The iMac does include its user-friendly iLife digital media software, but the TouchSmart all-in-one and its almost kitchy touch software clearly have home users in mind.
Which is not to say that the iMac and its large screen wouldn't make an excellent, attractive media PC for a den, an office, or a dorm room. With the right, though expensive, adapters, you can even integrate a cable box and a game console with the iMac to make a powerful, versatile media hub. We're unclear how a more casual home user would take advantage of the iMac's Thunderbolt ports, though. As well, the fast CPU and graphics card would be going to waste without some robust digital media files to put them to work. The OS X gaming library certainly won't keep them busy for long.
Adobe Photoshop CS3 image-processing test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Dell XPS 8300
60
Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011)
63
Apple iMac 27-inch (2.8GHz, Summer 2010)
75
HP TouchSmart 610q 1065qd
77
Sony Vaio L21SFX
81
Adobe Photoshop CS5 image-processing test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Dell XPS 8300
214
Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011)
236
HP TouchSmart 610q 1065qd
242
Sony Vaio L21SFX
255
Apple iMac 27-inch (2.8GHz, Summer 2010)
257
Apple iTunes encoding test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011)
86
Dell XPS 8300
92
HP TouchSmart 610q 1065qd
113
Apple iMac 27-inch (2.8GHz, Summer 2010)
115
Sony Vaio L21SFX
136
Multimedia multitasking (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011)
121
Apple iMac 27-inch (2.8GHz, Summer 2010)
147
Dell XPS 8300
275
HP TouchSmart 610q 1065qd
328
Sony Vaio L21SFX
368
Cinebench 11.5
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
 | Rendering multiple CPUs | | Rendering single CPU |
Dell XPS 8300
6.79
1.5
HP TouchSmart 610q 1065qd
5.3
1.18
Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011)
4.88
1.3
Sony Vaio L21SFX
4.77
1.12
Apple iMac 27-inch (2.8GHz, Summer 2010)
3.81
1.09
Juice box
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