The new Apple iMac and iPad Pros now use the M1 chip

The new Apple iMac and iPad Pros now use the M1 chip

It didn't take long for Apple to add the M1 chip to its other products. During its product program on April 20, Apple's M1 System-on-Chip (SoC) made its way into the new iMac and iPad Pro.

The new iMac deviates from Apple's previous design. It is now a flat, square shaped sport rather than the bulbous dome of the previous generation. Apple says the new design reduces the volume of the iMac by 50 percent, allowing it to fit more locations. It also comes in seven colors.

Apple iMac 2021 Profile Shot and Color

All new colors of the new Apple iMac. Source: Apple

The capable part of the design is Apple's M1 chip. The high power efficiency of the M1 chip reduced the need for cooling, reducing the space of the cooler. Although there are two fans, they are much smaller than the previous generation and are practically inefficient at most workloads.

IMac's new M1 chip is similar to the one used for MacBook Pro laptops. It consists of an eight-core CPU and either a seven or eight-core GPU. And because it is based on the same architecture as the processors in iPhones, iMac can run iOS apps. Designed as a mainstream computer, the iMac comes with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

As per Apple tradition, the new iMac comes with a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display. Apple says that the display supports DCI-P3 color gamut and 500 NIT brightness. It also has True Tone Adaptive Color Technology which can automatically adjust the color based on the lighting condition and anti-reflective coating.

To keep the chassis thin, Apple decided to have an external power supply. There is also a power supply where the Ethernet port hooks up to the rest of the system. The flip side is that the electric brick looks similar to the size of a MacBook and comes with a magnetic connector.

Apple's new magnetic power connector for iMac

The iMac's power connector is magnetically attached. Source: Apple

Remote work has placed a heavy emphasis on the quality of integrated webcams and internal microphones. For the new iMac, Apple added a new 1080p webcam with a new sensor, as well as a "studio-grade" triple mic array. The webcam also uses the M1 chip's image signal processor to check aspects such as color and white balance.

The base configuration iMac CA starts at $ 1,599. The CA comes with steps and more ports for the $ 1,849 midtier configuration, and the CA $ 2,099 high-end configuration has 512GB of storage.

In addition to slightly downgraded GPUs, the base iMac lacks an Ethernet port and has two fewer USB 3 ports than the two higher models. It is unclear whether this is a technology limitation or a cynical omission by Apple to artificially divest its products.

Apple Magic Keyboard fingerprint sensor usecase

The Magic Keyboard now comes with an optional Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Source: Apple

There is a CA $ 250 price difference between the base tier iMac and the next model up. Given that the mid-level configuration features a Magic Keyboard with more USB ports, an Ethernet port, and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, this is a better buy for users with more accessories, who want to clutter their desks with external devices .

The Apple iMac is now available for preorder at the Apple Store and will ship in the second half of May.

Apple also announced the iPad Pro with iMac. Apart from using the M1 chip, the new iPad Pro also comes with a highly updated display, a new camera array, Thunderbolt and 5G.

While Apple filled the M1 chip inside the iPad Pro, adding laptop-level performance to its 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros, the most notable improvement is the 12.9-inch iPad Pro's Liquid Retina XDR display.

The new display uses mini-LED backlights that support 2,500 local dimming zones, meaning parts of the backlight can be switched off for sections of images that are completely black.

Apple also claims that the iPad Pro's liquid retina XDR display, the Pro Display XDR, supports 1,000 night brightness and 1,600 night peak brightness, similar to Apple's professional editing monitor. By enhancing the quality of the display, Apple is hoping that the iPad Pro can find its way into the hands of creators who frequently edit, draw and review HDR content on the fly.

The iPad Pro sits on its magic keyboard stand and Apple Pencil

The new iPad Pro is as slim as ever. Source: Apple

While it is not meant to be the pupil of the eye, the 11-inch iPad Pro still comes with Apple's wearable liquid retina display.

The iPad Pro has more memory and storage than the desktop iMac, comes with 16GB of memory and up to 2TB of storage. Additionally, the difference between it and the MacBook Air is beginning to be at least performance-wise. But its use case is distinctly different with the touchscreen, Apple Pencil support, and the tablet form factor.

Other improvements include quad speakers, Face ID, Thunderbolt 4 to support faster transfer rates and higher resolution mon