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iMac 2017 Updates: AMD RYZEN 7 Chips To Beat Out Intel’s Kaby Lake Chips?

By Simon Alvarez
Published on: 14:07 PST, Mar 5, 2017

There is probably no other product in Apple’s lineup that is in dire need of an update than the iMac. With marginal upgrades being rolled out for years, the time is high for the tech giant to focus its efforts on making its iconic all-in-one desktop computer competitive once more. Considering the rumors about the 2017 iMac, however, it appears that Apple might finally be putting some real effort on improving and updating its excellent, albeit neglected machine.

Speculations are high that the iMac 2017 would feature Intel’s 7th-generation Kaby Lake processors, which would give Apple’s all-in-one enough horsepower to make it extremely competitive in the market. However, AMD’s recent launch of its top-tier RYZEN 7 chips might put a damper on Intel and Apple’s partnership, according to a report from Architosh.

This is due to the AMD RYZEN 7 series’ formidable performance per watt, with the chipmaker’s RYZEN 7 1800X setting a new record in benchmark tests. What was particularly remarkable, however, was how powerful AMD’s chip was per watt, which means that the RYZEN 7 was not only a capable processor, it was highly efficient as well. This particular combination of power and efficiency, in turn, makes the RYZEN 7 chips perfect for Apple’s computers.

The RYZEN 7 1800X chip that AMD tested was compared to Intel’s top-tier Core i7 processor, which is a formidable chip in its own right. While Intel’s Core i7 chip featured a TDP (thermal design point) of 140W, AMD’s RYZEN 7 1800X consumed a measly 95W. Compared to Intel’s chip, AMD’s processor was more than 30 percent more power-efficient while delivering even slightly better performance.

This is not all, however, as the AMD RYZEN 7 1800X processor that was tested was only being sold by the chipmaker for a very reasonable price of $499, far less than the $1,089 demanded by Intel’s Core i7 chip. With its lower price, better performance and far better power efficiency in mind, there is a pretty good chance that Apple would break away from tradition and partner up with AMD for the iMac 2017’s processors instead. After all, being an all-in-one desktop computer, the iMac 2017 would benefit from low power consumption.

Of course, these are but speculations for now, especially since Apple is yet to announce which processor it would utilize in the iMac 2017. Thus, it is best to take these speculations with a grain of salt. For now, however, it appears than AMD’s RYZEN 7 series is the best bet for the Cupertino-based tech giant.

Overall, rumors about the iMac 2017 are abounding, with speculations stating that the upcoming all-in-one would feature powerful internals that could rival the best in the industry. A PC Advisor report even stated that a Best Buy leak from last year has teased the specs of the iMac 2017 through a mistaken listing. Though the information displayed by Best Buy might have just been an honest mistake from the retailer, there is a good chance that some of the information featured in the listing are accurate.

The Best Buy iMac leak listed the next-generation device as a powerhouse machine with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB Fusion Drive. Coupled with a 27-inch 5K display, the iMac that was teased in the leak was pretty much a monster. The price of the device, listed at $3,199, also seemed to be in line with previous pricing conventions followed by the Cupertino-based tech giant.

Official details about the iMac 2017 remain scarce, with Apple being highly secretive about the updated all-in-one’s progress. Nevertheless, expectations are high for the next iteration of the iconic machine. After all, with Apple seemingly preparing to retire its ubiquitous Mac Pro, there is a need for a powerful iMac 2017 to take its place. If rumors prove true about the upcoming all-in-one, the iMac 2017 might just be this year’s desktop computer to beat.

[Featured Image by Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images]

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