iMac refresh could include 5K display and AMD graphics

Apple is due to refresh its line of iMac all in one systems later this month, alongside the launch of new iPads and Macbooks so as you would expect, the rumor mill is starting to turn. Apparently, the new 27 Inch high end iMac will feature a 5K screen, much like the one Dell showed offa few weeks ago, Apple may also be switching from Nvidia to AMD for its GPUs.

Intel’s Broadwell CPUs aren’t available just yet so this year’s iMacs will be getting a refreshed Haswell CPU, in addition to a 5120×2880 screen. For those of you who don’t know, this resolution contains 14,745,600 pixels, making it significantly more demanding than 4K, which contains 8,294,400 pixels.

Apple re-kindled its relationship with AMD last year with the launch of the Mac Pro, which featured AMD’s FirePro graphics cards. However, it looks like Apple is interested in AMD’s non professional GPUs as well, according to new rumors, low end 1080p iMacs will stick to Intel’s Iris Pro graphics while higher end models will use R9 or R7 series chips.

For the last couple of years, Apple has been using Nvidia’s GPUs in its systems, current iMacs and Macbook Pros use the GT 750m Kepler based chips.

The refreshed iMac and Macbook models will presumably ship with Apple’s already announced, OS X Yosemite update as development recently entered the final stages.

Source: http://www.kitguru.net/apple/matthew-wilson/imac-refresh-could-include-5k-display-and-amd-graphics/

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Intel Haswell Processor Refresh

Intel is releasing a refreshed lineup of processors based on its latest generation “Haswell” micro-architecture. The new lineup is comprised of 27 new desktop processors and 17 new mobile CPUs (44 in total). The new chips will displace the existing Haswell processors at their existing price points with small clockspeed increases.

On the desktop side of things, the Haswell Refresh lineup includes four new Core i7, ten Core i5, five Core i3, five Pentium, and three Celeron processors. The new chips come in both standard and (multiple) lower-TDP variants. At the top end, Intel is introducing a new non-K part called the IntelCore i7 4790 which is a quad core (eight thread) processor clocked at 3.6 GHz with 8MB of L3 cache. The new CPU also comes in 65W i7-4790S (3.2 GHz) and 45W i7-4790T (2.7 GHz). The new desktop parts range in tray price from $45 to $303.

Additionally, Intel is updating its mobile lineup by introducing 17 new chips. The refreshed lineup includes six Core i7s, four Core i5s, five Core i3s, one Pentium, and one Celeron CPU. The mobile parts range in tray price from $75 to $434. Like the desktop range, the mobile chips come in multiple low power TDP SKUs. Five of the new chips are quad cores while the rest are dual cores.

Intel’s new refreshed Haswell processors are reportedly coming early next month as part of the "Haswell Refresh Platform." The chips will fully support motherboards based on Intel’s upcoming LGA 1150 9-series chipsets, and the various motherboard manufactures appear to be hard at work getting their lineups ready. As a result, enthusiasts can expect to see the new chips and motherboards (using the H97 and Z97 chipsets) on store shelves soon.

If you have not already bought into Haswell, the refreshed lineup is worth waiting for.  if you are already running a Haswell-based system, upgrading to a refreshed Haswell CPU and H97 or Z97 motherboard makes much less sense. Instead, you should ride it out until Sky Lake or at least Broadwell (upgrade itch permitting, of course).

Source:  Tech Power Up