How excited are you about this? What am I talking about, you ask? It’s Apple’s new all-in-one computer that brings together a high-quality 5K display and powerful internal computing components. It’s similar to a regular iMac as it features a display that dominates its front side. Even though they look similar, you will definitely be able to see a difference with the iMac Pro from the regular 5K iMac thanks to the Space Gray anodized aluminum shell.
Why do you need an iMac Pro? I’m going to list the specs below so you can see those for yourself, but I don’t think that gives you the full picture. Many creative professionals do some detailed work – such as video encoding and editing. And they benefit from a fast computer. Internal components like the GPU and SSD may contribute to the overall speed of a machine, but the number of CPU cores can play a bigger role in these specialized situations. Certain apps, like Final Cut Pro X, would benefit significantly from having this kind of processing power.
For the first time, iMac users have the option of pre-configuring a machine with up to 128 GB of 2666MHz DDR4 RAM via four memory modules, which can be handy for running more resource-intensive apps simultaneously. Think – rendering massive 3D models, or running multiple virtual machines at the same time. There are two GPU configurations available for iMac Pro users. The base model comes equipped with a Radeon Pro Vega 56 with 8GB of HBM2 memory, however, users will have the option of upgrading to a more powerful Vega 64 with a total of 16GB of HBM2.
Unlike the regular 5K iMac, which includes a single built-in microphone, the iMac Pro features four microphones. These additional microphones are likely there to help facilitate always-on Hey Siri functionality, which was leaked a few weeks back. What might be my favorite feature is the upgraded FaceTime HD Camera. The 5K iMac’s FaceTime HD camera is technically HD, in that it supports a maximum resolution of 720p, but the iMac Pro’s FaceTime HD camera is Full HD 1080p — another first for the Mac. This means higher resolution photos and videos, and higher quality video calls.
Here are the specs:
Display
- 27-inch (diagonal) Retina 5K display
- 5120‑by‑2880 resolution with support for billions of colors
- 500 nits of brightness
- Wide color (P3)
Processor
- 8-Core Xeon (base)
- 10-Core Xeon (optional)
- 14-Core Xeon (optional)
- 18-Core Xeon (optional)
Memory
- 32GB 2666MHz DDR4 ECC memory (base)
- 64GB (optional)
- 128GB (optional)
Storage
- 1TB SSD (base)
- 2TB (optional)
- 4TB (optional)
GPU
- Radeon Pro Vega 56 with 8GB of HBM2 memory (base)
- Radeon Pro Vega 64 with 16GB of HBM2 memory (optional)
I/O
- Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
- Four USB 3 ports
- SDXC card slot with support for UHS‑II
- 10Gb Ethernet using RJ‑45 connector (supports Nbase-T 1Gb, 2.5Gb, and 5Gb)
Wireless
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking
- Bluetooth 4.2
Audio/Video
- Enhanced stereo speakers, with improved frequency response, bass, and volume
- Four microphones
- 3.5 mm headphone jack
- 1080p FaceTime HD camera
Peripherals
- Space Gray Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad
- Space Gray Magic Mouse 2
- Space Gray Magic Trackpad 2 (optional)