Although it does not receive any significant changes in design, the 2020 27-inch iMac still gets several changes under the hood. So with the same price tag of 1799$ as its predecessor, is the new Mac worth an upgrade? Here is our brief review to help you get a better look.
Changes in Design
Earlier this year, there were quite a few rumors about the iMac being redesigned, especially an iMac icon with four equal bezels that appeared in iOS 14. But after all, Apple retains the design of the previous iMac versions and only makes internal changes.
In terms of appearance, there are only a few minor changes to the port, such as the optional 10 gigabit Ethernet and the UHS-II SD card reader. And like the Mac mini, if you want a super-fast Internet gateway on the 2020 27-inch iMac, you’ll have to spend an extra $ 100.
You’ll find the following I / O (Input / Output) options on the back of the iMac 2020:
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- UHS-II SD card reader
- 4 x USB-A ports
- 2 x Thunderbolt 3 ports
- 3.5mm audio port
RAM Configuration
The entry-level 2020 iMac comes with 8GB of RAM, with two 4GB DDR4 2666MHz sticks. Of course, no one buys a 27-inch iMac for only 8GB of RAM. Luckily, with 4 RAM slots, you can easily upgrade to 16GB without removing the original 2 bars.
The maximum RAM upgrade can be up to 128GB. The upgrade is easy and cost-effective compared to what Apple shows you on its page. This could be the greatest advantage of this iMac because users do not need to open the device to upgrade RAM. There’s a metal cover on the back, just remove it to access the RAM modules inside.
T2 Security Chip
The 27-inch iMac 2020 is the first iMac computer alongside the Pro version to have Apple’s T2 security chip. In addition to enhancing the security and encryption of hard drive data, the T2 also acts as a system management controller, SSD controller, audio controller, signal picture processor, and much more. As a result, T2 can perform various functions at the same time. It can manage the storage of the iMac’s SSD storage, while simultaneously working with the new 1080p FaceTime HD camera. This will enhance image quality, for much better quality than the 720p camera. The T2 chip is also responsible for allowing “Hey Siri” support, fine-tuned EQ, and speaker bass control.
Apple also retains studio-quality microphones from the previous models. It now has 3 directional microphones for impressive recording capabilities, better noise filtering for online calls.
Storage
Apple has finally phased out the mechanical hard drive on the 2020 27-inch iMac. Currently, the base iMac has a 256GB SSD that can be configured up to 8TB. But you cannot upgrade the storage capacity because Apple soldered the hard drive to the mainboard. Speeds for 256GB SSD in the basic iMac measured around 1000MB / s read and 1400MB / s write. To be honest, that’s not too impressive, but it is still super fast when compared to mechanical or hydrid drive out there. New iMac also supports high-speed external storage device for up to 5GB / s thanks to its Thunderbolt 3.
GPU performance
Although the new iMac did not come with a significant change in CPU performance, the GPU is a big improvement. The Radeon Pro 5300 found in the base model offers a significant increase when it comes to multi-core performance, which helps handle intense editing sessions in apps like Final Cut Pro X. Compared to the last year’s iMac with a GPU based on a 14-nanometer process, the new graphics are built on AMD’s 7-nm process with RDNA microarchitecture.
These AMD Navi-based GPUs feature HEVC (H.265) encoding/decoding, the onboard hardware acceleration for 4K, and 8K, which in turn improves a lot during video work. H.265 enhancements made by Radeon 5000 series and Apple T2 Security Chip make working with H.265 video on iMac 2020 easier. This offers practical benefits for video editors. The gaming performance will also improve.
The main drawback is that the 2020 base model iMac lacks support for Pro Display XDR at full 6K resolution. Meanwhile, the higher-end models with Radeon Pro 5700 or Radeon Pro 5700 XT graphics support up to two Pro Display XDRs at the same time.
Screen Display
The size and resolution of the new iMac display haven’t changed, but there are two notable additions that will improve the user experience on the 2020 27-inch iMac.
The first improvement is TrueTone. A the same technology we have already seen on MacBook Pro, iPhone, and iPad. Basically, True Tone automatically adjusts the white balance of the screen based on the ambient light in your environment, making the picture on the screen look more natural – not too warm or too cold.
The second big addition to the iMac 2020 is a new nano texture option. Nano texture is a matte display option that aims to reduce glare from ambient light. But unlike traditional matte displays, which apply a matte coating that drastically reduces sharpness and contrast, Apple says the nanotextured glass option is etched into the glass at the nanometer level. As a result, this display still reduces glare while still delivering high contrast and sharpness.
What do you think of the 2020 iMac? Let us know in the comments section.
