For several years, I use Mac mini as my primary desktop computer at home. Not because I don’t like iMac, but because iMacs with better hardware specs are usually the ones with 27″ screen, and I don’t have the space for 27″ screen in my tiny desk. When I got an iMac as primary computer at work, I was delighted. Even more so when I discovered that the one I get is a 27″ iMac with Retina 5K display (late 2015).
My iMac has OS X 10.11 El Capitan pre-installed, which I quickly upgraded to 10.11.1. It is powered by 3.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and AMD Radeon R9 M395 with 2GB video memory. It has 8GB RAM, 2TB Fusion Drive and Retina 5K 5120-by-2880 P3 display. Included in the box are power cable, Apple Magic Keyboard and lightning to USB cable. I opted to use Logitech mouse, so there was no Magic Mouse.
As anyone would expect, the first thing I noticed when turning on this iMac for the first time was the incredible Retina 5K display. I have been using smaller devices with Retina display for few years and to see such gorgeous display in a huge 27″ screen is a real treat.
8GB RAM is quite a standard minimum for new computers in 2015, so I guess nothing is special about this iMac’s memory. Booting up is reasonably fast at 18 seconds thanks to the SSD part in its 2TB Fusion Drive. AMD Radeon R9 M395 with 2GB video memory is kinda overkill because surely I won’t be playing games in a work computer.
Design-wise, this latest iMac sports the same design of incredibly thin edges introduced back in 2012. It has four USB ports, 3.5mm standard headphone jack slot, SDXC card reader, two Thunderbolt 2 ports, Gigabit Ethernet and Kensington lock. For connectivity, it has built-in Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n backward compatible.
The included Magic Keyboard is different from the usual Apple wireless keyboard that I’ve used for several years. It no longer uses AA batteries. Instead, it now has built-in Lithium battery, rechargeable using lightning connector. The overall profile is a bit lower than the previous model, and the keys are noticeably narrower with different feel of tactile feedback when typing. It took me few hours to get used to the new keyboard and there was no problem after the initial adjustment period.
Overall performance is smooth and very responsive. Apps open fast and my bad habit of opening too many browser tabs (40+) never caused any instability so far. Great working gear, pleasant to use, and does not hinder productivity (which I believe is the main point about any work gear).
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