Apple iMac 21.5in to get 4K screen
Retina-grade screen coming to the smallest of Apple's iMacs
Apple is reportedly set to boost the screen resolution of the 21.5in iMac, adding a 4K screen option to the smaller of the all-in-one models. The 21.5in iMac currently tops out at a Full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080, but a new model planned for launch in November will see the maximum resolution bumped to 4,096 x 2,304, sources have told 9to5Mac.
Apple last year unveiled a 5K screen on the 27in iMac, which boasts a resolution of 5,120 x 2,880 – or 218dpi. The 4K upgrade to the 21.5in model will give it almost exactly the same dpi, allowing Apple to use the Retina label on its latest model.
9to5Mac reports that the new model will likely come at a premium. The highest spec 21.5in iMac currently costs £1,199, and includes a 2.9GHz Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB of hard disk. It’s the only 21.5in iMac model to use dedicated graphics (the Nvidia GeForce GT 750M with 1GB of memory), which will almost certainly be required to power a 4K screen.
The 27in iMac with 5K Retina screen uses AMD Radeon R9 M290 graphics with 2GB of memory to power that screen, along with more powerful Core i5 processors and 8GB of RAM. The 27in Retina models start at £1,599, so it’s likely the 4K Mac will be priced somewhere between £1,200 and £1,500.
Apple is set to unveil its new hardware at an event next Wednesday.