Apple is continuing the rollout of its M1 chip - already available in the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini - by putting it in new versions of the iMac and iPad Pro.
The redesigned iMac (available to order from 30 April) is more compact and thinner than its predecessor - just 11.5mm thin, in fact - and comes in a range of colours. It includes a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display with 11.3 million pixels, 500 nits of brightness, and over a billion colours.
The machine has a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, “studio-quality” mics, and a six-speaker sound system. It’s also the first desktop Mac to offer Touch ID.
All configurations of the new iMac come with an 8-Core CPU and 8GB unified memory as standard. The entry-level model (starting at $1,299/£1,249) has a 7-core GPU and comes with two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, and there’s also a more expensive version (starting at $1,499/£1,449) that has an 8-core GPU, two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and Gigabit Ethernet. This model also ships with the version of the Magic Keyboard that supports Touch ID.
Turning our attention to the iPad Pro, the inclusion of the M1 chip in both the 11-inch and 12.9 models makes Apple’s flagship tablet seem even more like a genuine laptop alternative.
It looks like this is the full 8-Core version of the M1, too, though it’s not clear how much memory there is. Storage options range from 128GB to a chunky 2TB.
The 12.9-inch model also benefits from a Liquid Retina XDR display, while the cellular models are now 5G.
Also noteworthy is the new Thunderbolt support, which paves the way for compatibility with similarly equipped audio interfaces and high-resolution displays. There’s a new Ultra Wide front camera, too, with a Centre Stage feature that automatically keeps the user perfectly framed.
The 11-inch iPad starts at $799/£749, while the cheapest 12.9-inch model is $1,099/£999. They’ll be available to order from 30 April.
Find out more about the new iMac and iPad Pro on the Apple website.
- Today's best Apple MacBook Pro M1 deals
