In a recent report, Apple has officially confirmed, that they are currently working on new iMac models for release this year, however, another source hints at what could be in store for creative pros and puts a more specific timeframe on those plans. Accordingly, the production of two new 2017 iMacs is said to start next month, with a view to launching the consumer desktops between August and October and with "server-grade model" at the end this year.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is now making some of the best PCs in the tech world in the form of its Surface lineup, including hybrids, notebooks and, now, desktop PCs. The Surface Studio is Microsoft's first desktop PC, and it's an all-in-one, with its creative focus putting it firmly in the battleground with Apple's iMac, the longest running all-in-one computer.
2017 iMac: Expected Specs, Design And Features
Apple is reported to launch 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs in the third quarter of the year, just in time for the holiday shopping season. The 2017 iMac will feature Intel's Xeon E3-1285 v6 processor with 16GB to 64GB of ECC RAM, and up to 2TB of NVMe SSD storage. More so, the desktop will feature the latest discrete graphics card. Reportedly, it might also feature AMD graphics to support VR and pro apps, Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C connectivity. As a new keyboard is in the works, a recent patent discoveries claim that Apple is working on Touch Bar enabled standalone keyboards for the high-end 2017 iMac.
Microsoft Surface Studio: Specs, Design, And Features
The Surface Studio features a 28-inch touchscreen with a stylus for people who want to paint, draw, push, pull, and scrub directly on the screen. Powered by 2.7GHz Intel Core i7-6820HQ and Nvidia's GeForce GTX 980M 4GB GPU, it is packed with 32GB of memory and 2TB hard drive. Moreover, its wireless connectivity is supplied by 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, and two premium Dolby Audio speakers beneath the Studio's display.
The Verdict
Apple 's upcoming iMac, with its more advanced and top-end processors, the iMac 2017 is already a better deal than Microsoft's Surface Studio with VR capabilities and a reasonable price. However, the 2017 iMac could go far beyond the competition as it might be possibly the most successful all-in-one desktop this year if all rumored specs aforementioned above come true. Clearly, Microsoft's Surface Studio isn't just an all-in-one desktop PC, which is sort of what it makes the iMac seem to look like, gorgeous, with top-notch hardware and perfectly capable. It has transformed the all-in-one and created a one of a kind, powerful PC product unlike anything else out in the market today. Indeed, it's expensive, but it's almost beyond compare right now.
