Today, in an era of advanced technology, it is very difficult for a single product to stand out from others, but the iMac Retina 5K easily copes with this task. Seeing such an incredible number of pixels in front of you that you simply can’t wrap your head around it - this fact alone lures many users from the official Apple website to the order page. You can create a good and even successful product by choosing components from suppliers, but if you want to get ahead of others, and not just compete with them, you need to create your own components for your “special recipe”. So Apple, tired of waiting for 5K displays to appear, creates them on its own and uses the already familiar iMac design to turn them into something incredible.
Design and filling
The iMac is a great all-in-one PC, and Apple hasn't changed anything about the design formula used in the latest model. The barely noticeable 5mm edges lead into a body thickened towards the middle, which we only see when looking at the back panel. It remains unmatched in the quality of materials, elegance of design and meticulous craftsmanship, unmatched by any PC.
The sleekness of the design hasn't pushed all the iMac's ports and connectors to the back panel. As before, we have easy access to headphones, an SD slot, a Gigabit Ethernet port, four USB 3.0, but instead of two Thunderbolts we now have two Thunderbolt 2.
In fact, connecting any peripherals requires a couple of moves on your part, even on the 27' iMac, since it's almost weightless on its minimal stand and moving it around on your desktop is easy enough. The power button is also hidden on the back for aesthetic reasons, but its distinctive concave surface is very easy to find by touch.
Dual microphones and a FaceTime HD camera are located above the screen, while 20-watt stereo speakers are located below it. Despite their directionality, they surprise with a sufficient amount of low frequencies and may well sound your workspace.
As with the non-Retina iMac, there is a standless version with a VESA-compatible wall mount. This way you can skip the stand and have an iMac that mounts to your wall. Both iMacs continue the tradition of the impossibility of a user upgrade and allow you to replace only the RAM, the slots of which are hidden under a small panel hidden behind the stand leg.
Display
If you've used iMacs before, many of the iMac Retina 5K's features will feel familiar, but those feelings end once you turn it on and come face to face with the most stunning desktop experience you've ever seen in computing.
I don't remember how incredible the experience was when going from a regular-resolution screen to a Retina screen, but the iMac 5K will definitely take your breath away. It shows the smallest details and the colors are stunningly natural. The white color is very pure, without any tints, and the black is inky and very uniform.
Nothing comes easy. When you have 14.7 million pixels to process - 5K doesn't seem like much of a difference from 4K, but in fact, the latter only has 8.8 million pixels, while Full HD has a measly 2 million - you can't just grab off-the-shelf components and use them.
Instead, Apple had to create several key parts from scratch. A good example is the timing controller (TCON), which is responsible for synchronizing signals from two DisplayPort 1.2 buses to provide throughput up to 40 Gbps. Higher pixel densities necessitate efficient backlighting, and Apple is switching to high-efficiency LEDs, which not only provide plenty of light, but also reduce power consumption by 30%.
Thanks to Oxide TFT, one of the display layers, its energy efficiency is also increased compared to previous generations of panels. Paired with a new compensation film, this increases viewing angles and significantly reduces color inversion and contrast.
To improve the performance of the iMac Retina 5K display, Apple borrowed a few tricks from the iPad. First of all, this is organic passivation, which helps to avoid signal interference and interference from densely packed pixels. However, 217 ppi is less than the 264 ppi in the iPad Air 2 and 220 ppi in the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina.
This is due to the distances at which we look at device screens. The new iMac Retina 5K has the lowest pixel density of any Retina display, but because you're typically viewing it from a much greater distance than the iPad and MacBook Pro, the end result is the same—pictures so sharp you can't see individual pixels on the display .
Just like the MacBook Pro Retina, we have several options to customize the resolution. You can work at the native 5120x2880 resolution, or choose one of the scaling modes, which will give windows and apps the same size as a regular iMac, but with a sharper display.
Most UI elements may be too tiny at native resolution, but all those pixels provide a huge benefit in certain use cases. For example, photo editing becomes much easier when you can display the original file in full resolution, without having to adjust the zoom every time you need to see a detail.
But the iMac Retina 5K is where it shines when working with video. By running Final Cut Pro, you'll be able to see full-resolution previews for 4K video and still have room to place controls around the edges of the screen. Nothing overlaps and you don't have to move different elements to see them - everything is in plain sight.
In short, the iMac Retina 5K display is ahead of its time in many ways, and there are actually some advantages and some trade-offs.
The biggest one is the lack of Target Display, which was available on previous models and allowed you to use your iMac as an external display by connecting a MacBook or Mac mini to it. Unfortunately, even though Thunderbolt 2 has significantly more bandwidth than its predecessor, it is still not enough to transfer a 5K signal from another computer. Apparently we'll have to wait for Thunderbolt 3 to appear, and at the same time, there is currently no means to scale the signal from lower-resolution sources.
For the same reason, even if you could connect a source with a 5K signal, you would not be able to display another 5K display and use them in conjunction. Connecting external displays is available in resolutions up to 3840x2160, but you will only have one 5K panel.
Specifications and performance
One of the things we expected to see in the new iMacs was the processors, but Apple is stuck with the fourth-generation Intel Haswell found in existing models. The junior iMac Retina 5K model is equipped with a quad-core Core i5 processor with a frequency of 3.5 GHz, which, if desired, can be replaced with a Core i7 4.0 GHz for an additional $250.
Now 8 gigabytes of memory is standard. It can be upgraded to 16 and 32 GB for $200 and $600, respectively. On the hard drive side, all Retina 5K iMacs come with a 1TB Fusion Drive, which is a regular hard drive combined with an SSD for frequently used files and apps, which is a balance of speed and capacity.
For an additional $150, you can upgrade your iMac to a 3TB Fusion Drive or upgrade to a 256GB SSD at no additional cost.
Ever since the first rumors about the iMac Retina, there have been debates about which graphics card will be entrusted with managing so many pixels. In the minimum configuration, the iMac Retina 5K is equipped with Radeon R9 M290X graphics with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, which can be replaced for $250 with an R9 M295X with twice as much memory.
Like the other components, these are mobile graphics cards, which has led to some debate about whether they can handle 5120x2880 resolution processing. Fortunately, for the most part, these fears and speculations turned out to be unfounded.
Using multiple apps and playing videos is a breeze on the iMac Retina 5K. Adding various effects to a Final Cut Pro project in real time was also a breeze. However, compared to the Mac Pro, rendering the final video file expectedly took longer (and this was the only time you could hear the iMac coolers spinning, which normally sound like a hoarse whisper).
Outside of OS X Yosemite and standard Apple applications, you may encounter various rough edges. It can be seen that some third-party applications are still not ready for 5K resolution. In third-party browsers you can sometimes see small twitches that are not present on the same sites in Safari.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that there is currently a shortage of publicly available content that meets the iMac Retina 5K resolution. A regular 27-inch iMac can easily handle 1080p content, which is not enough for Retina. iTunes still doesn't have 4K video, and the only streaming service that offers movies and TV shows on it is Netflix.
And yet, this computer is not designed for consuming content (at least that's just a side function) - it is ideal for creating it. It's a tool for people who create Ultra HD video or render images at incredible resolutions - content that will ultimately tip the scales in favor of Retina displays.
With a starting price of $2,500, the iMac Retina 5K is just $500 cheaper than the smaller Mac Pro. Of the two, the Mac Pro is undoubtedly the more powerful, but on the other hand, you also have to consider the cost of purchasing a separate monitor. By choosing iMac you will get a professional display with a computer, which is what Apple emphasized at the presentation of the new flagship.
The new iMac Retina 5K fills a niche between the top-end iMac of the previous generation and the entry-level Mac Pro. Its screen has no analogues not only in the Apple product line, but also among displays in general, and this state of affairs will persist for some time. At the same time, it does not require additional financial investments to organize a workplace, unlike the Mac Pro.
Overall, it's a combination of wants and needs that we've seen in Apple products before. Some users will have a real need for Retina resolution, while others will simply want it because it's possible. Combined with the exclusivity of 5K, and despite the fact that competitors will no doubt show their equivalents soon, the iMac Retina 5K is an excellent solution that combines elegance, performance and innovation.
Of course, working with such a screen requires strong components. The basic configuration of the iMac 27 Retina 5K is as follows:
- Processor Intel Core i5-4690
- 8 (2 modules of 4) GB DDR3 1600 MHz RAM
- 1TB Fusion Drive
- AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics card with 2 GB GDDR5 video memory
In the Russian online Apple store it costs 190 thousand rubles. For an additional fee, you can choose a more powerful processor (Core i7-4790K, plus 20 thousand rubles) and/or a video card (AMD Radeon R9 M295X with 4 GB GDDR5, plus 20 thousand rubles), more memory (16 GB for 16 thousand). or 32 GB for 48 thousand) or another drive (256 GB SSD instead of 1 TB Fusion Drive for free, 3 TB Fusion Drive for an additional payment of 12 thousand rubles, 512 GB SSD for 24 thousand or 1 TB for 48 thousand) . You cannot select more than one drive.
Our configuration features a Core i7-4790K, 16GB of RAM, a standard 1TB Fusion Drive, and a Radeon R9 M295X. Its cost is 246 thousand rubles. Let us briefly explain which upgrades are worth the money and which are not:
- CPU: Apple demands two and a half times the difference between the prices announced by Intel for these Core i5 and Core i7 models. However, the difference in performance between them is significant; if an iMac is purchased for professional work with photo and video editors, it is better to pay extra. You can replace the processor yourself, but a new i7-4790K costs the same as a factory upgrade to it, so if you have nowhere to “attach” the i5-4690, there is no point in losing the warranty.
- RAM: since its replacement is available to the owner without disassembly and loss of warranty, there is no point in paying more. Regular DDR3 modules of the SO-DIMM format (i.e. for laptops) without ECC support are used, which you can easily purchase yourself. 4 8 GB sticks from a decent brand like Corsair or G.Skill can be purchased for 20-30 thousand rubles, depending on their characteristics (frequency and timings), and not for 48 thousand, as Apple offers. At the same time, unlike a factory upgrade, it is not necessary to get rid of the standard sticks - you can leave them and buy two more of 4 or 8 GB each (for a total of 16 or 24 GB). To work with photos and videos, a large amount of RAM is required; 8 GB is easily filled even when performing several simple tasks at the same time, such as working in the browser and watching videos on YouTube. Apparently, the huge screen resolution has an effect.
- Video card: again, for working with photos and videos (and games, if they are planned), more performance would not hurt, but it’s up to you to decide. The Radeon R9 M295X is better at both work and play. Unfortunately, we cannot check the prices for both proposed video cards and compare their difference with the upgrade cost requested by Apple: mobile video cards are not sold at retail.
- Drives: It should be noted that the Fusion Drive physically consists of two separate drives. This is a regular 3.5-inch SATA hard drive (in our case, 1 TB) and a 128 GB SSD with a proprietary PCIe connector (like a MacBook - oh, and Apple doesn’t like generally accepted standards, even the same M.2). Mac OS X automatically determines which files are sent to the SSD and which to the hard drive, and tries to ensure maximum performance. I must say, she does it very well. If you run Windows through BootCamp, then this scheme, apparently, will not be used and the system will run slower. If you plan to use only Mac OS, then Fusion Drive is enough for you. You can take the 3 TB option if you don’t want to buy an additional external hard drive. If you plan to install Windows, then it makes sense to invest in a full-fledged SSD. You can choose a 256 GB SSD instead of Fusion Drive for free; you should pay extra for larger SSDs only if you work with very large files that require extremely fast access.
Having thus clarified the situation with the proposed components, let's move on to the benchmarks of our configuration.
King of all-in-one PCs: uncompromising and innovative
The main surprise and, to some extent, even a sensation of Apple's October presentation was not the new iPad, but the iMac all-in-one with a Retina 5K display. In principle, rumors that Apple plans to equip its all-in-one PC with a Retina display have been circulating for a long time. Moreover, even when the previous iMac model came out, it was clear that the next step should be a radical screen upgrade. But rumors are one thing, reality is another, which turned out to be in some ways better than all assumptions, although with certain reservations.
So, Apple has not updated the entire iMac line (remember that it includes models with 21.5-inch and 27-inch screens, both options are available in various configurations that differ in performance), but only the 27-inch computer. Moreover, models of the previous generation (both diagonals) remained in the line and are still available for purchase. But the flagship computer is now new: the 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display (we'll call it the iMac 5K for brevity's sake).
Second important point. Monitors with 4K resolution are now few and far between. But Apple has gone even further. The resolution of the new iMac is 5120x2880. This means that you can play 4K video on your computer screen, the picture will be displayed in its original size, but there will still be some space left on the top and sides. It is clear that this is very convenient for video editing. And other PC usage scenarios that involve working with visual content will greatly benefit from this.
To be fair, we note that back in September Dell launched the UltraSharp 27 Ultra HD 5K monitor. It has exactly the same resolution and diagonal as the iMac 5K (which was not yet known in September), but it has not yet gone on sale (at least, we have not found it in stock in any Western or Russian store ), and most importantly, its price was stated at $2500. And for exactly the same price you can already buy an iMac 5K, which is not just a monitor, but a full-fledged computer, and even incomparably more elegant in appearance. Perhaps, by the way, the delay in the start of sales of the Dell monitor (it was scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year) is connected precisely with the release of the Apple computer: after all, it is obvious that the Dell monitor can no longer be sold at the stated price. So Apple is again ahead of the rest.
But how successful is the iMac 5K? And does it justify its price - still quite considerable (especially considering the recent sharp rise in price of Apple products in Russia)? We studied the new product in detail!
Equipment
The iMac 5K's packaging is exactly the same shape and size as last year's 27-inch model. This is an asymmetrical box with a narrower upper part and a wider lower part, as a result of which the overall box looks pyramid-shaped. Not the most convenient solution in terms of storing a computer package (which, for example, may be needed when moving), but this shape adds stability, so you can safely place the box with the computer inside on the floor and not be afraid that it will tip over.
Inside, the computer is securely fixed in foam forms. Separately, we note that all elements of the iMac are carefully sealed with films that reliably protect the case and screen from scratches and other minor damage. In this case, the films peel off quite easily, and after them there are no traces left on the device itself. We saw the same thing with past iMac models: here Apple has fairly consistent standards.
In addition to the iMac, the box contains a network cable, a Bluetooth Apple Wireless Keyboard, a wireless Apple Magic Mouse, a quick start guide, and a sheet of stickers. We wrote about the Wireless Keyboard in our 2010 iMac review, and a separate article was devoted to the Magic Mouse.
Thus, the configuration of the iMac 5K is no different from the configuration of other current models of the iMac line, including the most affordable ones.
Design
As you know, Apple rarely updates the design of its computers: it remains unchanged for several years. So the iMac 5K has a design that first appeared in the 2012 models. This, of course, was not a surprise for us, but we were interested in something else: did the new display somehow affect the dimensions (thickness and other parameters that are difficult to estimate from promotional photographs)?
The answer to this question was not so difficult to obtain: we had a previous generation 27-inch iMac available for comparison, so we simply put them side by side and... did not find any differences! When turned off, the displays look exactly the same: it is impossible to determine which is 5K and which is normal. The body has not become a millimeter thicker.
This is, of course, a huge technological achievement. Let us remember that when, after the iPad 2 (with a resolution of 1024×768), the iPad came out with a Retina display (2048×1536), it was noticeably thicker. And this is quite understandable. So the fact that Apple engineers were able to keep the same dimensions in the iMac 5K is very cool. For comparison, here's a photo of the Dell UltraSharp 27 Ultra HD 5K monitor.
And here we also need to take into account that the engineers were able to place all the components of a powerful computer in the iMac, including the cooling system, etc.! So the winner of this comparison is obvious. But let's get back to the iMac's design. Like last year's model, all the ports here are located on the back, and their set is identical: four USB 3.0, two Thunderbolt, an Ethernet connector, an SD/SDXC memory card slot and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
We will not describe in detail the design and our impressions of it, since, again, it has not changed compared to last year's model. Let us only note that so far no one has been able to release a more stylish and elegant candy bar, the appearance of which would make such an impression as the iMac.
Having become familiar with the appearance of the computer and making sure that it has not been damaged due to a radical increase in display resolution, we move on to the most interesting part - getting to know the screen.
Screen
The first emotion when you turn on the iMac 5K is “Wow!” Immediately following it is the thought: “Finally!” Retina resolution came to smartphones, then to tablets, followed by laptops, and now it’s the turn of all-in-one PCs. Just a year ago we complained that the iMac was good for everyone, but it just lacked Retina resolution. After the MacBook Retina, switching to the iMac was a little uncomfortable. Of course, if the screen is at arm's length, then the lack of pixel density is not very noticeable. But you still don’t get that thrill from the picture that you experience when working on a MacBook Pro Retina. And now it’s done.
We conducted a detailed examination of the screen using measuring instruments. Since our hardware and software complex is designed to work with Windows OS, the 64-bit version of Windows 8 was installed on the iMac, and most tests were carried out only under it.
The screen is covered with a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, and, judging by the reflection of objects in it, it has a very effective anti-glare filter. As a result, very high image clarity is maintained; of course, there is no “crystalline” effect (local brightness variation) and reflections in the screen do not interfere with work. True, the visibility of contaminants on the surface of the screen increases somewhat, since they change the reflective properties of the outer surface. There is no air gap between the layers of the screen. It also seemed to us that the surface of the screen has weak oleophobic (grease-repellent) properties, since it seems that fingerprints are removed a little easier and appear at a lower speed than in the case of regular glass.
This screen uses an IPS type matrix. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:
Note that, at least at the time of testing, the maximum resolution that could be set under Windows was 3840 by 2160 pixels, while the image was scaled to fill the entire screen. That is, under this OS it was impossible to get an image one to one pixel by pixel. On the contrary, under the “native” OS X Yosemite, output was carried out in a true resolution of 5120 by 2880 pixels. As confirmation, here is a photograph of a fragment of the world, where vertical and horizontal black and white stripes one pixel thick are displayed in the lower part:
It can be seen that one pixel of the image exactly corresponds to one pixel (of the triad of subpixels) of the screen.
The color gamut is slightly different from sRGB:
However, the deviations of the coordinates of primary colors from the sRGB vertices are not very large, so visually the colors on this monitor have a natural saturation.
Under OS X Yosemite, the coverage is tightened to the sRGB boundaries:
Below is the spectrum for the white field (white line), superimposed on the spectra of the red, green and blue fields (lines of the corresponding colors):
This spectrum with a relatively narrow peak of blue and wide humps of green and red is typical for monitors that use white LED backlighting with a blue emitter and a yellow phosphor.
Under OS X Yosemite, the spectra show the result of coverage correction in the form of a slight cross-mixing of components:
The graphs below show the color temperature in different parts of the gray scale and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (parameter ΔE) under two OS:
The range closest to black can be ignored, since color rendering in it is not so important, and the error in measuring color characteristics is high. For household use, color rendition is good even in the “out of the box” version, since ΔE is significantly less than 10, the color temperature is very close to the standard 6500 K, while both parameters do not change much from shade to shade. The slightly increased scatter under OS X Yosemite can be explained by the presence of software color correction.
To determine the uniformity of black and white fields, as well as contrast, we measured brightness at 25 points on the screen, located in increments of 1/6 of the screen width and height (screen borders not included). Contrast was calculated as the ratio of the brightness of the fields at the measured points.
White uniformity is excellent, but black uniformity, and as a result, contrast is slightly lower. The contrast is slightly higher than typical for an IPS matrix, although not the highest found among monitors based on this type of matrix. The photo below gives an idea of the distribution of black field brightness over the screen area:
Only in the upper left corner along the edge of the screen are there a couple of areas with a noticeable increase in black levels.
Brightness of the white field in the center of the screen and power consumption from the network:
*Windows OS, no applications running, under OS X Yosemite under similar conditions the consumption was a couple of watts lower.
In standby mode and when turned off, the computer consumes 0.07 watts with periodic bursts of up to two-plus watts.
When the brightness is reduced, only the brightness of the backlight changes, i.e., without compromising image quality (contrast and the number of distinguishable gradations are preserved), the brightness of the screen can be changed within a very wide range, which allows you to comfortably work and watch movies both in brightly lit and dark room. At any brightness level, there is no backlight modulation up to 100 kHz, meaning no flicker at all.
Automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor works. It is located to the left of the camera eye on the front panel. In automatic mode, as external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. Under Windows everything is simple - you can only enable this function. At the same time, in complete darkness, the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 48 cd/m² (normal), in an office illuminated by artificial light (approximately 400 lux) it sets it to 280 cd/m² (maybe a little bright, but it will do), in a very bright environment (corresponds to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) increases to the maximum, that is, up to 430 cd/m² (as it should be). In general, this function works adequately. Under OS X Yosemite, the computer can and should be trained to set the brightness level by moving the brightness slider with your hands to the required level with automatic brightness adjustment turned on. For example, in complete darkness we set the brightness to a comfortable level for us of about 50 cd/m², and subsequently in the three conditions mentioned above we received 44, 280-340 and 360-380 cd/m². Perhaps, "training" at two or three levels of ambient light, you can get other results.
Judging by the dependence of brightness on time when switching shades, there is no explicit “overclocking” of the matrix. The on and off times for the black-white-black transition were 9.9 ms and 7.3 ms, respectively, and the average total time for transitions between some halftones was 24.5 ms. From our point of view, this matrix speed is quite enough even for playing dynamic games.
We determined the total output delay from switching video buffer pages to the start of displaying the image on the screen. At the same time, the final value did not include an unknown fixed delay value from the request to switch video buffer pages to the launch of the ADC with an external photosensor installed in the center of the monitor screen, as well as a certain variable delay due to the fact that Windows OS is not a real-time system with normalized delays . That is, the very, very real total delay is a little more. As a result, the image output delay was about 34 ms. The value is not the smallest, but still not noticeable during operation.
To find out how screen brightness changes when deviated from perpendicular to the screen, we took a series of measurements of black, white and grayscale brightness at the center of the screen over a wide range of angles, deflecting the sensor axis in the vertical, horizontal and diagonal (corner to corner) directions.
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| Vertical | In the horizontal plane |
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| Diagonally | Brightness of the black field as a percentage of the maximum brightness of the white field |
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| Contrast | |
Reducing brightness by 50% of maximum value:
We note a smooth decrease in brightness when deviating from the perpendicular to the screen in the horizontal direction, while the graphs do not intersect over the entire range of measured angles. Brightness decreases slightly faster when deviating in the vertical direction. When deviating in the diagonal direction, the behavior of the brightness of the shades is intermediate between the vertical and horizontal directions. The brightness of the black field increases minimally with diagonal deviation. In fact, the screen is devoid of such a drawback as diagonal highlighting of the black field, which is inherent to one degree or another in all screens on IPS matrices. This is achieved through the use of a special leveling layer. Contrast over a range of ±82° angles in all directions exceeds 10:1.
To quantify the change in color rendering, we performed colorimetric measurements for white, gray (127, 127, 127), red, green and blue, as well as light red, light green and light blue fields in the full screen using a setup similar to that , which was used in the previous test. Measurements were carried out in the angle range from 0° (the sensor is directed perpendicular to the screen) to 80° in steps of 5°. The obtained intensity values were recalculated into ΔE relative to the measurement of each field at a perpendicular position of the sensor relative to the screen. The results are presented below:
You can select a deviation of 45° as a reference point, which may be relevant if, for example, the image on the screen is viewed by two people at the same time. The criterion for maintaining the correctness of colors can be considered a value of ΔE less than 3.
It follows from the graphs that with a deviation of 45 degrees, ΔE is less than or at least not much higher than 3 for all tested shades. Good color stability is one of the main advantages of IPS-type matrices.
In total, we have a screen that is unique in its properties. Visually very clear, with a mirror-smooth surface, but not glare. On an IPS matrix with stable colors, but without diagonal black bleed. Also, the advantages include a very wide range of brightness, adequately working automatic brightness adjustment (under the “native” OS it may have to be “trained”), no flickering of the backlight and, of course, a very high resolution, unfortunately not available (yet?) in one-to-one pixel mode under Windows OS. There are some oddities with the gamma curve falling off in the bright area, but they can be solved by calibration and profiling, which, however, in the case of professional work with color is indispensable. Overall the screen quality is very, very high.
To wrap up the conversation about the screen, let's note an interesting fact: it is impossible to use the iMac 5K with other Mac computers as an external display. There is a separate unambiguous phrase about this:
Please note that iMac (5K Retina 27-inch Late 2014) does not support external display mode.
Why is that? Mystery. Perhaps Apple thinks there's no point in connecting weaker computers to the iMac 5K. But what about the Mac Pro, for example? And why not make it possible to connect to the iMac 5K those laptop and Mac mini models that will be released in a few years and, therefore, will be even more powerful?
Operating system and software
The iMac 5K comes preloaded with OS X 10.10 Yosemite.
Yosemite is the latest version of OS X, its main features are a new “flat” appearance of icons, inheriting the style of iOS 7, the introduction of iCloud Drive, improved Spotlight search, an expanded Notifications panel and the deepest mutual integration with iOS.
The full list of innovations, of course, is much longer - you can familiarize yourself with it. But we will tell you our impressions of using those features that we liked the most and have become part of our daily work with the Mac.
So, Spotlight search is no longer displayed in the top right corner, but right in the middle of the screen. Moreover, you can immediately see the contents of the found documents, folders, letters, etc. For example, you need to copy the address, which is written in the TXT file. Previously, you had to open the file and copy information from there. Now you can copy the desired line directly from Spotlight.
The expanded notification panel on the right now includes a Today panel. It displays various widgets (you can add or remove them, although the default selection is small). So, it turned out to be incredibly convenient to bring the calculator there (now you don’t have to go for the calculator in Spotlight every time or keep the calculator icon in the Dock).
The weather display and the ability to write an iMessage or post a status on Facebook directly from the Today panel are also useful. On the other hand, it is not clear how, for example, to display a calendar for a month (even if only dates), display events not only for the next working day, but for the nearest planned events, etc. That is, the functionality is missing or it has been implemented not in the most intuitive way (we do not take basic capabilities).
A very important point is the appearance of iCloud Drive. Now iCloud is used not only to synchronize the content of certain applications, but receives the functionality of a full-fledged cloud storage similar to Dropbox. Just like Dropbox, you get a separate folder that appears in the Finder and you can copy any files and folders into it. After which they will be synchronized with the server and will automatically appear on another Mac connected to the same iCloud account.
At the same time, unlike Dropbox, they provide us with 5 GB for free, not 2 GB. But this figure is tricky, because it includes not only the files you wrote down in the corresponding folder, but all iCloud materials, that is, mail, backups of iOS devices, etc. Another problem is that for iOS devices There is no app like the Dropbox app that allows you to see the contents of your iCloud Drive folder in one place. And lastly: one of the reasons for the super popularity of Dropbox is its availability as a native application on absolutely all platforms, including the most exotic (BlackBerry 10, Jolla, etc.). For this reason, Dropbox is ideal and, alas, still indispensable for users who often move from device to device and are not ready to commit themselves to one ecosystem. But still, iCloud Drive is a step in the right direction. And if Apple develops it, focusing on the same Dropbox, then it can become a very useful work tool for Mac users.
However, now Apple has taken a course not so much on strengthening the relationship with third-party devices (and this is precisely the direction in which iCloud Drive was wanted to be improved), but on expanding and deepening the interaction between iOS devices and Mac. OS X 10.10 introduced two new terms for this: Continuity and Handoff.
So now you can take phone calls coming into your iPhone directly from your Mac or iPad, watch and send SMS using your Mac (not just iMessages like before), finally continue whatever work you started on your iPhone on your Mac, and vice versa.
Receiving calls using a computer is, of course, “wow”. At first it's hard to believe. But it’s even more difficult to get used to using it. The main disadvantage is obvious: everyone around hears your conversation, and your interlocutor hears what is happening around. Well, if you are talking at home, you cannot go to another room... I caught myself thinking that although I use a Mac both at work and at home, I have never answered calls through the computer (not counting test calls). However, I do not rule out that this feature may be very useful for someone - for example, as a replacement for speakerphone on a smartphone. In addition, it’s convenient that you can immediately see who is calling or texting you - you don’t have to reach for your smartphone.
Regarding SMS - this is just more useful in real life, because sometimes it happens that either you want to write a relatively long text in SMS (congratulations on some holiday, say), and then it is more convenient to type it on a computer, or, conversely, the incoming SMS contains some information that is more convenient to transfer using a computer (for example, a person’s phone number - then you create a new contact directly on the Mac in the appropriate application and copy the phone number from the message).
As for the continuation of work (the concept of Handoff refers to this - “transfer”), this is what is meant here. Let's say you opened a web link on your iPhone or iPad, but then decided to continue working with the site on your Mac. In the Dock, you will see the Safari icon on the left, as if separated from the rest and marked with a special icon.
By clicking on it, you will see the same page that was opened on the iPhone or iPad. Mail works in a similar way. If you started typing an email in Mail and then switched to a Mac, you can pick up where you left off. Of course, all of this only works in Apple apps (namely Mail, Safari, Maps, Messages, Reminders, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Keynote, Numbers and Pages), so if you prefer an alternative email client or browser, then Handoff is the way to go it won't work.
Overall, Yosemite 10.10 can be called the most significant and large-scale update to OS X in recent years, seriously affecting the user experience and capabilities. But many of the new features feel unrealized potential. So let's hope that in the next major update Apple will unlock this potential and develop the ideas inherent in Yosemite.
Returning to the iMac, we note that both the OS itself and all pre-installed applications (including office programs Pages, Numbers and Keynote, as well as the iLife suite) are optimized to work in 5K resolution, that is, we do not have any “ladders” or other problems note. Here is a screenshot of Launchpad (click on the image in original resolution).
Here you can evaluate the updated icons and the rendering of details. In terms of resolution, it is the highest, but the objects themselves are less detailed and more conventional precisely because of the rejection of the notorious skeuomorphism.
We will also provide a screenshot of Final Cut Pro X. This application is not included in the set of pre-installed applications and is purchased separately, but, nevertheless, it is also optimized for the iMac 5K resolution.
Considering that the main application of the iMac 5K, in our opinion, is video editing, the correct display of Final Cut Pro X is especially important here.
Configuration
Now let's look at the hardware configuration and performance of the iMac 5K in as much detail as possible.
There is only one variant of the basic configuration of this model. However, when ordering from the Apple online store, you can improve four parameters: processor, RAM, video card and storage.
Note that, unlike the regular 27-inch iMac, all configuration options for the iMac 5K involve the use of a flash drive (in a hybrid version, that is, Fusion Drive, or “in its pure form”).
We tested the basic configuration of the iMac 5K. Here are the detailed specifications.
| 27-inch Apple iMac with Retina 5K display | ||
| CPU | Intel Core i5-4690 | |
| Chipset | Intel Z87 | |
| RAM | 8 GB DDR3-1600 | |
| Video subsystem | AMD Radeon R9 M290X (2GB GDDR5) | |
| Screen | 27 inches (5120x2880) | |
| Sound subsystem | Cirrus Logic CS4206 | |
| Storage device | Fusion Drive (HDD ST1000DM003 (1 TB, 7200 rpm, SATA600) + Apple SSD SD0128F (128 GB)) | |
| Optical drive | No | |
| Card reader | SDXC | |
| Network interfaces | Wired network | Broadcom NetXtreme BCM57766 |
| Wireless network | Broadcom BCM4360 (802.11b/g/n/ac) | |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.0 | |
| Interfaces and ports | USB (3.0/2.0) | 4/0 |
| Thunderbolt | 2 | |
| Microphone input | No | |
| Headphone output | There is | |
| IP telephony | Webcam | yes (FaceTime) |
| Microphone | There is | |
| Dimensions with stand | 650×516×203 mm | |
| Weight | 9.54 kg | |
The basis of this monoblock is a 22-nanometer fourth-generation processor (codenamed Haswell) with a nominal clock frequency of 3.5 GHz, which can be increased to 3.9 GHz in Turbo Boost mode. The processor has 4 cores and does not support Hyper-Threading technology. Its L3 cache size is 6MB and its TDP is 84W.
The computer also includes a video card with an AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics processor with 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 video memory, 8 GB of DDR3-1600 RAM, which operates in dual-channel mode (two 4 GB memory modules), and a Fusion Drive hybrid drive, which is combination of HDD ST1000DM003 with a capacity of 1 TB and Apple SSD SD0128F with a capacity of 128 GB.
The communication capabilities of the iMac all-in-one are determined by the presence of a dual-band (2.4 and 5 GHz) wireless module based on the Broadcom BCM4360 chip, which supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards. In addition to Wi-Fi support, the iMac has a Bluetooth 4.0 module, as well as a gigabit wired interface based on the Broadcom NetXtreme BCM57766 controller.
Here are screenshots of the “System Report” windows.
As you can see, in terms of hardware configuration, we have a classic desktop computer. Actually, we pay attention to this because many all-in-one PCs are based on a laptop platform with all the attendant disadvantages in terms of performance. Well, from an all-in-one iMac with a Retina 5K display with this configuration, you can expect a very decent level of performance.
Performance testing in OS X environment
Let's see how this configuration performs in tests. We'll first test the iMac 5K in its native OS X environment, then run a series of tests using our standard Windows laptop methodology. We emphasize that actually using the iMac 5K under Windows is not very practical at the moment, since, as we found out when testing the display, Windows cannot even fully utilize the display resolution. Perhaps in the future there will be appropriate drivers for the video card, but for now, buying an iMac 5K with an eye to working in Windows is at least risky and strange. Therefore, the tests on Windows are more of a theoretical value, allowing us to get data that we cannot get in the OS X environment and compare it with other configurations that we had in tests. But performance in OS X is paramount, and here we have a new mini testing method in Final Cut Pro X.
A detailed description of the methodology and test files are available at the link. Here is a table with the results. To put this into perspective, we compared them to some other Macs, namely the low-end base configuration of last year's 27-inch iMac, the mid-range configuration of the latest Mac mini, and the top configuration of the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro.
| iMac with Retina 5K display, Intel Core i5-4690, 4 cores, 3.5 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.9 GHz) | iMac 27″ (Late 2013), Intel Core i5-4570, 4 cores, 3.2 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.6 GHz) | Mac mini (Late 2014), Intel Core i5-4278U, 2 cores, 2.6 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.1 GHz) | MacBook Pro Retina 15″ (Mid 2014), Intel Core i7-4870HQ, 4 cores, 3.2 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.6 GHz) | |
| Stabilization (Final Cut Pro X) | 15:16 | 20:28 | 39:56 | 26:52 |
| Black and white (Final Cut Pro X) | 2:53 | 4:50 | 7:57 | 8:56 |
| Export 720p (Compressor) | 24:08 | 24:59 | 48:59 | 24:14 |
| Export 4K (Compressor) | 4:05 | 4:08 | 5:40 | 3:50 |
As we can see, in the Final Cut Pro X tests (stabilization and application of the Black&White effect), the new iMac became the undisputed leader. In exporting via Compressor, its results are not so impressive: both older Macs with discrete graphics showed results at about the same level.
Nevertheless, based on the sum of the tests, we can say that the iMac 5K is the most optimal solution for working with video material (not counting the Mac Pro, which is almost certainly even more productive, but, alas, we did not test it using this method).
Of the synthetic tests, we, of course, could not help but use Geekbench 3. The results are below.
If in single-core mode the new iMac is ahead of everyone, then in multi-core mode, as we see, the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina overtakes it. But this is quite logical, because there is a Core-i7 (albeit at a lower frequency), and not a Core-i5. However, as testing in Final Cut Pro X has shown, the high performance of the MacBook Pro Retina is not always useful, because the laptop quickly goes into throttling, dropping the frequency and losing all the advantage. And we never noticed such a problem with the iMac 5K: even after half an hour of working in Final Cut Pro X, it remained only a little warm.
However, we’ll talk about the computer’s operation under load and the efficiency of the cooling system, but for now let’s see how things stand with the performance of 3D graphics in games. The multi-platform benchmark GFXBench 3.0 will help us with this.
The most interesting result for us is in the top line in the “On Screen” column. Manhattan is the latest 3D scene using OpenGL 4.1, and the result it produces shows whether the iMac 5K can handle such a scene if it is rendered at its native resolution. Answer: yes, it will work. This is indicated by the number of frames per second (34 FPS) that are shown in the scene. The result is on the verge (less than 30 would be uncomfortable), but still. Well, if the same scene is displayed in Full HD resolution, the iMac 5K performance will be more than enough.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to accurately measure how many frames per second real games from the Mac App Store display on the iMac 5K screen - there is simply no such tool. But we will evaluate this on the most modern Windows games, from which we can draw conclusions about the performance of any other games.
Work under load and in idle mode
To analyze the efficiency of the cooling system, memory and storage performance, we had to install the Windows 8 operating system on the monoblock (a similar analysis is simply impossible under OS X).
In idle mode, as it should be, the processor frequency in the monoblock is 800 MHz (naturally, we are talking about a balanced power consumption scheme), that is, there are no complaints about Intel SpeedStep technology. The processor temperature in this mode is approximately 50°C.
When the processor is loaded with the Stress CPU test (AIDA64 Extreme Edition utility - a system stability test), which uses integer calculations, the processor frequency is 3.7 GHz. The processor temperature in this loading mode increases to 75 °C.
When the processor is loaded with the Stress FPU test, which uses floating point calculations and heats up the processor to a greater extent, the maximum processor frequency is 3.5 GHz, and the temperature of its cores increases to 85 °C.
Analysis of the monoblock operation using the AIDA64 utility allows us to conclude that the cooling system copes with its tasks quite well. The processor does not overheat and throttling is not observed under any load. It is worth adding that no matter how loaded the processor and video card are, it is practically impossible to hear the operation of the cooling system. This monoblock is very quiet.
Memory subsystem and storage performance
According to the AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark utility, the memory write speed is 23637 MB/s, and the read speed is 23100 MB/s. For DDR3-1600 memory (peak bandwidth 12800 MB/s) in dual-channel operating mode, these are quite typical indicators.
As already noted, one of the features of the all-in-one iMac is its Fusion Drive storage subsystem, consisting of a 1 TB HDD drive and a 128 GB SSD drive.
The ATTO Disk Benchmark utility pegs the maximum sequential read speed at approximately 165 MB/s, and the maximum sequential write speed at approximately 160 MB/s.
The CrystalDiskMark utility gives approximately the same results.
Well, here are also the results of testing using the HD Tune Pro utility:
Performance testing in real applications under Windows 8
To conclude our review, we will also present the results of testing the all-in-one iMac with Retina 5K display using the Windows 8 operating system. To evaluate performance, we used our traditional methodology using the benchmarks iXBT Notebook Benchmark v.1.0 and iXBT Game Benchmark v.1.0.
The test results in the iXBT Notebook Benchmark v.1.0 are shown in the table. In addition, for clarity, we also added test results for the entry-level 21.5-inch all-in-one iMac (Mid 2014) to the table.
| Logical test group | Reference system | iMac 21.5″ (Mid 2014) | iMac with Retina 5K display |
| Video conversion, points | 100 | 114,7 | 278,6 |
| MediaCoder x64 0.8.25.5560, seconds | 408,1 | 355,8 | 146,5 |
| Video content creation, points | 100 | 107,2 | 229,8 |
| Adobe Premiere Pro CC, seconds | 1115,7 | 1024,5 | 427,9 |
| Adobe After Effects CC, seconds | 1975,4 | 1847,3 | 910,7 |
| Photodex ProShow Gold 5.0.3276, seconds | 913,6 | 864,7 | 425,7 |
| Digital photo processing, points | 100 | 138,5 | 241,3 |
| Adobe Photoshop CC, seconds | 1834,0 | 1324,5 | 760,2 |
| Audio processing, points | 100 | 107,4 | 188,4 |
| Adobe Audition CC, seconds | 880 | 819,2 | 467,1 |
| Text recognition, points | 100 | 90,0 | 144,1 |
| Abbyy FineReader 11, seconds | 115,3 | 128,1 | 80,0 |
| Archiving and unarchiving data, points | 100 | 99,7 | 158,0 |
| WinRAR 5.0 archiving, seconds | 313,8 | 313,3 | 176,0 |
| WinRAR 5.0 unzipping, seconds | 12,6 | 12,7 | 9,0 |
| Application and content loading speed, points | 100 | 39,9 | 59,2 |
| Application and content loading speed, seconds | 157,4 | 394,2 | 265,9 |
| Integral performance result, points | 100 | 94,1 | 169,9 |
As you can see, in Windows applications, the all-in-one iMac with Retina 5K display is almost 70% faster than a typical ultrabook (our reference system). Actually, this is understandable, since the iMac 5K has a desktop system configuration. In general, in terms of performance in non-gaming applications, an iMac with a Retina 5K display based on an Intel Core i5-4690 processor corresponds to approximately the top-end configuration of a laptop with a quad-core Intel Core i7-4700HQ processor.
Now let's look at the results of testing the all-in-one iMac with Retina 5K display in games. All gaming tests were run at 1920x1080 resolution.
| Game test | Maximum quality | Minimum quality | ||
| Average FPS | Minimum FPS value | Average FPS | Minimum FPS value | |
| Aliens vs Predator D3D11 Benchmark | 51,0 | - | 164,9 | - |
| Grid 2 | 65,9 | 51,5 | 189,4 | 153,4 |
| Bioshock Infinite | 51,6 | 15,9 | 190,8 | 30,1 |
| World of Tanks | 65,3 | 28,0 | 100,5 | 39,0 |
| Hitman: Absolution | 28,9 | 24,0 | 67,3 | 54,0 |
Actually, the results are quite indicative and do not require comment. In this case, only one conclusion can be drawn: even with settings at maximum quality, you can play almost all games. In a word, this monoblock can also be used as a gaming PC.
conclusions
We were really keen to find any major hidden flaws when testing the iMac with Retina 5K display - you have to look for sunspots! But upon completion of testing, we cannot help but admit that before us is an almost ideal computer that will suit professionals of all stripes, gamers, and simply those users who want the best - no matter how much it costs. The iMac 5K is desktop performance without any discounts on the stunning case design, excellent cooling system, and, most importantly, a display that is unique in its qualities and characteristics. A real miracle of computer engineering!
Of course, we discovered some minor nuances (not even shortcomings, but features that limit the possibilities of non-standard use). For example, the inability to use the iMac under Windows at full resolution (although Windows on the 5K iMac still looks great) or the inability to use the iMac in external display mode (it’s not entirely clear why, since someone might want to use it in conjunction with a Mac Pro) . Traditionally, they mention the impossibility of upgrading Mac computers. Also curious is the slight loss in several performance tests to the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina laptop, which is explained by the iMac's use of an Intel Core i5 processor rather than a Core i7. But all this is unlikely to become an obstacle to the purchase.
So, perhaps, the only (but really serious) limiting factor is the price. In Russia, before the price increase, the iMac 5K could be purchased for about 115 thousand rubles, but now the price tag has increased to 145 thousand rubles (in the USA the cost remains the same: $2,499). Is this model worth the money? Answering this question is as difficult and at the same time simple as answering the question of whether a Tesla Model S is worth the money. If the goal is to get from point A to point B, then definitely not. If maximum comfort, perfection in every detail and a sense of involvement in innovation are important, then yes. Such things are bought by wealthy enthusiasts, perfectionists, and those people for whom self-positioning is important (for example, in the personal accounts of top managers of large companies, where meetings with partners, interviews, and the like are sometimes held, there should, of course, be an iMac 5K). At the same time, to say that this is pure “show-off” would be completely unfair. And it is also impossible to argue that the price is too high and there is an overpayment for the image. In the case of the iMac 5K, it’s enough to remember the stated price tag for the Dell monitor, which clearly does not pretend to be an image product.
And against this background, even an increase in the ruble price of the iMac by 30 thousand does not look so dramatic, since the target audience of this product understands that nothing similar (in terms of the totality of qualities) can be bought for either less or even more money in principle, and price fluctuations in the range of several tens of thousands is not important for these people and companies (they obviously do not buy such a computer on credit and without saving several months from their salary).
To conclude this review, we can only state the obvious: give iMac with Retina 5K display our Editors' Original Design Award, recognizing the product's unique combination of beauty, engineering innovation, and user experience.
Advantages
High resolution (5K)
Superb display
Very high performance
Top-level case and design
Overall fair price
Flaws
High energy consumption
Quite noisy under load
Test results for Apple iMac Retina 5K 27" (MF886RU/A) Late 2014
- Price-quality ratio
Fine
- Price/quality ratio: 71
- Productivity (30%): 87.4
- Equipment (25%): 85.9
- Display (25%): 95.2
- Energy efficiency (10%): 35.8
- Noise (10%): 84.6
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Photo: Apple iMac Retina 5K 27″: incredibly high resolution for macOS
Apple's 5K iMac, like other iMacs, comes in a variety of configurations.
We received a device for testing labeled MF886RU/A, which belongs to the entry level and is sold today at a price of 140,000 rubles.
Currently, you won’t find an all-in-one PC with a 5K resolution cheaper, and in general, no one except Apple makes all-in-one PCs with this resolution (there are 5K monitors with prices starting from 100,000 rubles). At the same time, the components here are of the highest level, at least for an all-in-one computer.
The computing heart of this monoblock is an Intel Core i5-4690 processor with four cores, which operates at a clock frequency of 3.5 GHz. The AMD Radeon R9 M290X video card is responsible for working with graphics.
The list of main components is complemented by 8 GB of RAM and a Fusion Drive with a capacity of 1 TB. The 5K display also has excellent characteristics, the brightness of which is 419 cd/m2, and the checkerboard contrast is 165:1. The density of image pixels is very high - 218 ppi.
The system reproduces full 5K resolution (5120x2880 pixels) only under the macOS operating system. During testing, we had Windows 8.1 installed, so it was not possible to achieve such a resolution and test the device in the appropriate modes.
Apple iMac Retina 5K 27″: high performance
Apple iMac Retina 5K 27″: the thinnest case High-performance components provide exceptional results in the benchmarks run in our testing. This "5K-iMac" is noticeably superior to many all-in-one competitors.
In particular, in the 3DMark 11 benchmark, which is a measure of gaming performance, a result of 7573 points was shown. As a comparison, the second fastest all-in-one, also an iMac in 27-inch format, scored only 3002 points.
The system's capabilities are truly impressive: even when we run the resource-intensive game Metro 2033 at the native display resolution of 5120x2880 pixels, the iMac manages to produce 17 frames per second.
Unfortunately, installing Windows on this computer will lose all the benefits of the Fusion Drive hybrid drive, because... For the cache, Windows uses the space of a regular hard drive. That is why in the PCMark 7 benchmark, which can be significantly affected by the speed of an SSD drive, the results were not very high.
Apple iMac Retina 5K 27″: especially interesting for working with multimedia However, if you take into account the components used, such energy consumption is not very surprising. Under full load, we measured 193.8 W, most of which is taken by the Radeon video card.
In normal operation, power consumption is at 61.8 W, with the display off - 39.6 W. Moreover, if you compare power consumption and performance, the ratio will clearly speak in favor of the device. Anyone who chooses an iMac for gaming should think twice about it, since the Radeon video card here, although of the Hi-End class, is from the field of mobile solutions.
Apple iMac Retina 5K 27″: volume under load
Another disadvantage of high-quality graphics resolution lies in the level of operating noise. The more powerful the video card used in the system, the more powerful cooling it requires to avoid overheating. Since the iMac's thinnest chassis doesn't allow for a silent water cooling system, a fan and heatsink are required.
Under load, the noise level from the cooler reaches 1.9 sleeps. In terms of noise from video cards for desktop computers, this is not the highest level, but in our rating of monoblocks this result is the worst. However, as we have already noted, in comparison with conventional desktop PCs, this monoblock will be practically inaudible.
Apple iMac Retina 5K 27″: alternative
A 5K display is certainly exciting, but it's mostly for graphics professionals. In particular, designers or video editors will appreciate the highest pixel density. Anyone looking for an iMac for general use would do well to choose the 2560 x 1440 pixel version.
With a price starting from 100,000 rubles, this model is significantly cheaper, but at the same time it is not inferior to the 5K-iMac in any parameter except display resolution. Quite the opposite: the device labeled ME088D/A takes first place in our all-in-one monoblock rating. Since the level of energy consumption and operating noise is much lower, the victory in the test results is well deserved.
| TEST RESULTS | |
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Productivity (30%) |
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Equipment (25%) |
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Display (25%) |
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Energy efficiency (10%) |
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Noisiness (10%) |
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| CONCLUSION The 5K-ready iMac achieved new record-breaking performance scores in testing and featured a stunning, ultra-sharp display. The downside of serious processing power is high levels of power consumption and noise under full load - which is why the device did not make it to the top of our rankings. |
83.5% OVERALL RESULT |
Characteristics and test results of Apple iMac Retina 5K 27" (MF886RU/A) Late 2014
| Price-quality ratio | 71 |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-4690 |
| Video card | AMD Radeon R9 M290X |
| RAM capacity | 8 GB |
| Maximum RAM | 32 GB |
| RAM type | DDR3-1600 |
| Number of RAM slots | 4 slots |
| HDD | 1.000 GB |
| SSD | - |
| Optical drive | - |
| operating system | Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite |
| Display: diagonal | 27 inches |
| Display: resolution | 5.120 x 2.880 pixels |
| Display: Dot Density | 218 ppi |
| Display: touchscreen | - |
| Display: anti-glare coating | - |
| Display: maximum brightness | 419 cd/m² |
| Display: staggered contrast | 165:1 |
| Display: Horizontal viewing angle (50:1) | 176 degrees |
| Display: vertical viewing angle (50:1) | 176 degrees |
| Noise: idle | 0.2 sleep |
| Noise: When playing Full HD video | 0.3 sleep | 1.9 sleep |
| Power consumption: off | 0.1 W |
| Power Consumption: Standby (S3) | 2.2 W |
| Power consumption: idle with display off | 39.6 W |
| Power consumption: idle (desktop) | 61.8 W |
| Power consumption: full load | 193.8 W |
| Built-in TV tuner (DVB-T) | - |
| Remote control | - |
| Equipment: WLAN | 802.11b/g/n/ac |
| Equipment: LAN | 1 Gb/s |
| Equipment: Bluetooth | version 4.0 |
| Equipment: NFC | - |
| Equipment: number of USB ports (total) | 4 connectors |
| Equipment: number of USB 3.0 ports | 4 connectors |
| Equipment: Thunderbolt | 2 connectors |
| Equipment: eSATA | - |
| Equipment: card reader | SD |
| Video output: HDMI | optional |
| Video output: DVI | optional |
| Video output: VGA | optional |
| Video Output: Display Port | - |
| Video input: HDMI | - |
| Video input: DVI | - |
| Audio output: analog | Yes |
| Audio input: for microphone | - |
| Audio Input: Line-In | - |
| Audio input: optical | - |
| Webcam | Yes |
| Dimensions | 65 x 52 x 20 cm |
| Weight | 9.2 kg |
| Test: PCMark 7 | 3.852 points |
| Test: PCMark 7 - Productivity | 2.553 points |
| Test: PCMark 7 - Creativity | 5.747 points |
| Test: PCMark 7 - Entertainment | 4.435 points |
| Test: PCMark 7 - Computation | 7.915 points |
| Test: PCMark 7 - System Storage | 1.963 points |
| Test: 3DMark 11 | 7.573 points |
| Test: 3DMark 11 - Grafik | 7.850 points |
| Test: 3DMark 11 - Physik | 6.741 points. |
| Test: 3DMark 11 - Combi | 7.018 points |
| Test: Cinebench R11.5 - Open GL | 101 fps |
| Test: Cinebench R11.5 - Multi-CPU | 6.2 points |
| Test: Cinebench R11.5 - Single-CPU | 1.7 points |
| Test: Metro 2033 (native) | 17.0 fps |
Since the advent of Ultra HD monitors, it was only a matter of time before Apple started using such matrices. At the same time, it was clear that Ultra HD on desktop Macs would come in the form of a Retina display. That is, Apple will not release anything like this until the pixel density of commercially available screens allows the use of HiDPI modes with integer scaling of raster graphics and at the same time have an adequate size of objects on the screen. Apple is strictly following the path of doubling resolutions, as happened first with the iPhone and iPad, and then with the MacBook Pro with Retina display (only the iPhone 6 Plus was forced to deviate from this rule).
At a time when 4K matrices had a diagonal of 28-30 inches, if Apple had decided to release such a device, then the objects on the screen would have received the same physical size as if the monitor had a resolution of 1920x1080. Too big. An interesting candidate was the recently appeared 24-inch Ultra HD panels. But since 24 inches can accommodate a matrix with a resolution of 3840x2160, then 27 inches can accommodate a matrix with a resolution of 3840x2880. This is exactly what you need to make a “retina” desktop while maintaining the same format of the 27-inch iMac.
⇡ Retina 5K display: why?
Let us remind you what the software side of Retina display is. The position and size of objects in the Quartz 2D API, which OS X uses to draw the user interface, are defined in points—spatial coordinates independent of screen resolution. Once upon a time, a point had a physical meaning: a point is a printing point, the smallest unit of measurement in printing. The Macintosh 128K screen had an image density of 72 pixels per inch - because a point in desktop publishing systems is equivalent to 1/72 of an inch. Thus, originally, the dot size of an image was related to the pixel size as 1:1, and this was the case until the advent of “retina” screens, although pixel density has increased significantly since the days of the first Macintosh and the dot size has lost its physical meaning.
In HiPDI (Retina) mode, the pixel and dot size ratio is 2:1. Because of this, objects on a 5K iMac display are the same size as on a WQHD (2560 x 1440) iMac, but the vector graphics of the OS X interface are rendered at twice the clarity. For raster images, the software developer must prepare a duplicate at double the resolution. Otherwise, the image is scaled using linear interpolation, which at a multiple ratio of 2:1 does not cause excessive blur.
Now it’s clear why Apple couldn’t use a matrix with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels for a desktop measuring 2560x1440 pixels. The raster graphics of non-custom applications would scale less well at a non-integer factor, and developers would have to create a third copy of the graphics assets to avoid this.
It is curious that the pixel density in the new iMac (218 PPI) differs little from the MacBook Pro with Retina display 13 (227 PPI) and 15 inches (220 PPI). Thus, the objects on all three are approximately the same size, and the concept of a point in relation to the OS X interface again acquires some physical function.
⇡ Retina 5K display: how?
The screen itself used in the iMac is also far from simple. Firstly, the DisplayPort 1.2 interface's bandwidth in HBR2 mode (17.28 Gbps) is not enough to transmit images with a resolution of 5120x2880 and a frame rate of 60 Hz (22.18 Gbps). Two streams are used with a total speed of 40 Gbit/s (yes, that’s right, not 34.56), that is, a “tiled” screen. The matrix is controlled by a single timing controller (TCON) Parade Technologies DP665, specially manufactured for Apple.
The screen is manufactured by LG and is an IPS matrix “with oxide TFT technology.” Apparently this means IGZO. IGZO is the name of a semiconductor material consisting of indium, gallium, zinc and oxygen. In LCD panels, thin-film transistors are made from it on a backplane that controls liquid crystal cells.
Sharp infographic. LG does not disclose its implementation of IGZO
Compared to the prevailing amorphous silicon today, IGZO has many advantages:
- Higher current through open transistor. Hence the possibility of cell miniaturization.
- Reduced leakage on a closed transistor.
- Unlike amorphous silicon, IGZO is optically transparent, which makes it possible to save on backlight power.
As a result, the new iMac's 5K display uses 30% less power than previous WQHD displays.
Apart from IGZO, the panel has several other interesting features. Between the signal lines and cells there is a layer of organic matter that prevents electromagnetic interference. A layer of color optical filters is aligned with UV light before the liquid crystals are applied.
Finally, while IPS panels don't have any particular issues with viewing angles, LG (or Apple?) has added a film that somehow corrects the spread of light in areas away from the center of the screen so that at a viewing point lying on the normal , uniform contrast was observed.
This is the main difference between the iMac with Retina 5K display and its 2013 predecessors. The remaining changes boil down to a planned upgrade of components, so we will continue to follow the usual procedure for reviewing and testing Macs.
⇡ Packaging, delivery set
The computer comes in the familiar prismatic packaging.
Apple iMac with Retina 5K display Late 2014: packaging
In addition to the iMac itself, the package includes a power cable, a wireless keyboard and Magic Mouse, as well as paper documentation and a black microfiber cloth.
Apple iMac with Retina 5K display Late 2014: package contents
⇡ Appearance, design
Externally, the iMac has not changed at all compared to the first models in thin unibody cases. The back panel and the “chin” with the Apple logo form a monolithic part assembled using low-temperature welding - friction-stir welding. Instead of melting the material with an electric arc or flame, this technology uses a rotating tool to heat and mechanically mix layers of metal.
At the edges the case is only 5mm thick, but towards the center where the strut hinge is attached, the thickness increases. There are also holes for cooling. Air is taken in through a series of wide holes in the bottom edge of the case.
Communication connectors are grouped on the rear panel: four USB 3.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet and two Thunderbolt 2 (through which you can also connect two additional monitors with a DisplayPort interface). A mini-jack connector is provided for connecting external acoustics. Sound is recorded by a built-in dual microphone with noise reduction function. There is an SDXC format card reader.
Apple iMac with Retina 5K display Late 2014: internal structure (photo iFixit)
⇡ Technical specifications
The motherboard, in general terms, is no different from the one installed in the 2013 iMac. Apple has changed the available CPUs to models from the Haswell Refresh line. The younger configuration added 300 MHz, and the older one received a processor 500 MHz faster - Core i7-4790K with a base frequency of 4 GHz, the top of the Haswell line for the LGA1150 socket.
Apple iMac with Retina 5K display Late 2014: motherboard (photo iFixit)
The processor can still be replaced, but to do so would require breaking the warranty by cutting the foam adhesive that separates the glass bezel from the aluminum chassis. A special window gives access to the RAM.
Apple iMac with Retina 5K display Late 2014: cassette with RAM modules
After the 27-inch iMacs of 2012 and 2013, which were equipped exclusively with NVIDIA graphics, Apple again turned to AMD. There is a choice between the Radeon R9 M290X and R9 M295X adapters, built on Pitcairn and Tonga GPUs, respectively. It is likely that, as in the Mac Pro, the choice is dictated by the excellent performance of AMD chips in computing tasks. There is nothing to even think about playing any demanding games on a 5K screen with mobile graphics.
The iMac's base storage configuration is a Fusion Drive with a 1 TB hard drive and a 128 GB SSD. We recently released a detailed review testing this “hybrid”. Options are available with a 3 TB HDD, as well as exclusively SSDs with capacities of 256, 512 and 1024 GB.
Wireless network - IEEE 802.11ac adapter with three spatial streams, providing 1300 Mbps throughput at the PHY level.
⇡ Temperature, clock frequencies
We monitored the frequencies and heating of components under Windows - due to the fact that there is proven software for this.
The CPU temperature when idle is between 41-44 °C. In the Linpak test of the OCCT Perestroika utility, the chip heats up to 94 °C, the frequency stabilizes at 3691 MHz. The noise from the cooling system is almost inaudible in front of the screen.
In the FurMark test, the GPU frequency switches between 910 and 975 MHz at a graphics core temperature of 99 °C. Unlike the CPU test, in this case the cooler noise is very noticeable - no matter which way you listen to it.
The cooling system can withstand simultaneous loads from the CPU and GPU quite well in OCCT and FurMark. The GPU frequency stabilized at 910 MHz, temperature - 98 °C. The CPU frequency ranges from 3093-3492 MHz at a temperature of 95 °C.
Note that FurMark creates a “pathological load” on the GPU, which does not occur in real applications. There was no such heat or noise when working in resource-intensive applications and games.