MacFormat UK – September 2019

STORE GUIDE Apple kit

98 | MACFORMAT | SEPTEMBER 2019

It was a long wait, but Apple has

finally updated the Mac mini. The

company said upgraded processors

were heavily requested, and it has

obliged with new Intel four- and six-

core processors. The base model

starts with 8GB of memory that

can be boosted to 64GB. All models

come with SSDs as standard, going

from 128GB all the way up to 2TB.

As with other recent Macs, the

Mac mini has the T2 security chip

built in, enabling HEVC encoding

that’s up to 30 times faster.

The mini benefits from a speedy

connectivity bump with the addition

of four Thunderbolt 3 ports, as well

as two USB-A ports and an HDMI 2.0

output. There’s also an option of

10Gb Ethernet for an extra £90.

Thunderbolt 3 enables you to

attach an external graphics card

(eGPU) to boost tasks like video

rendering, depending on the app.

Mac mini

W

elcome to MacFormat’s

Store Guide, the place

to go to find out about all

the Apple kit that matters, whether

you’re looking for your next iPhone

or a powerful new desktop Mac.

We’ve highlighted the model of

each product that’s ideally suited to

your needs, whether you’re a recent

convert or a seasoned Apple user.

So be sure to check our handy

tables to see which Mac, iPad

or iPhone is best for you.

We’ve also handpicked the gold

standard in audio, storage, monitors,

and many other categories, helping

you complement your Mac or iOS

device with the best accessories.

All of these third-party devices have

been reviewed in the magazine.

Your complete guide to the best Apple

hardware and third-party accessories

EDITED BY ALEX BLAKE

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Ever since the famous Bondi Blue iMac

debuted in August 1998, Apple’s all-in-one

desktop computer has been setting standards

in gorgeous design and powerful performance.

Apple’s innovation was as clear back then as it

is today – the iMac was the first Macintosh to

drop the floppy disk in favour of USB, and its

colourful aesthetic set it apart as a playful

pretender in a world of staid beige boxes.

The entry-level 21.5in iMac is unchanged

from 2017. Intel processors in the other models

range from a quad-core, eighth-gen Core i3

up to a six-core, ninth-gen i5 as standard.

There’s a ninth-gen Core i9 option available

on the mid- and top-of-the-range 27in models.

All but the entry-level iMac have a Retina

4K or 5K display with a wide P3 colour gamut,

a fast and capacious Fusion Drive, and Radeon

Pro graphics processors. Optional Vega

upgrades are offered only on the most costly

21.5 and 27in models. Apple has also refreshed

its high-end iMac Pro, which starts at £4,899.

iMac

Choose an iMac

MODEL KEY SPECIFICATIONS PRICE

21.5-inch

3.6GHz

quad-core

Intel Core i3

MEMORY 8GB of 2,666MHz DDR4

GRAPHICS AMD Radeon Pro 555X

STORAGE 1TB (5,400rpm) hard drive

DISPLAY Retina 4K (IPS, P3 gamut)

ALSO Magic Mouse 2, Magic Keyboard

£1,249

21.5-inch

3.0GHz

six-core

Intel Core i5

MEMORY 16GB of 2,666MHz DDR4

GRAPHICS AMD Radeon Pro 560X

STORAGE 1TB Fusion Drive

DISPLAY Retina 5K (IPS, P3 gamut)

ALSO Magic Mouse 2, Magic Keyboard

£1,629

27-inch

3.1GHz

six-core

Intel Core i5

MEMORY 16GB of 2,666MHz DDR4

GRAPHICS AMD Radeon Pro 575X

STORAGE 512GB SSD

DISPLAY Retina 5K (IPS, P3 gamut)

ALSO Magic Mouse 2, Magic Keyboard

£2,399

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UPDATED

MAR 2019

EXPECTED

2020

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