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Intel Unveils 10th-Generation 'Comet Lake' Processors Appropriate for Updated iMacs

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Intel today officially announced its lineup of 10th-generation "Comet Lake" desktop processors, which includes a number of chips that would be appropriate for the iMac. AnandTech details all 32 of the new processors in organized tables, but only a handful of the chips would make their way into the iMac.

intel_comet_lake_desktop.png

At the top of the list is the flagship Core i9-10900K that Intel calls the world's fastest gaming processor. The i9-10900K features 10 cores and a base frequency of 3.7 GHz, while Intel's Thermal Velocity Boost can push single-core speeds to 5.3 GHz. It's also the successor to the i9-9900K chip currently used in the highest-end iMac configurations, so it's likely the new chip will make its way into Apple's lineup.

The current iMac family, with the exception of the outdated low-end model, uses a combination of 8th- and 9th-generation "Coffee Lake" chips, all of which have natural replacements in the new Comet Lake generation.

Natural replacements for the 21.5-inch iMac lineup include the new Core i3-10100, Core i5-10500, and Core i7-10700, while the 27-inch iMacs would see the Core i5-10500, Core i5-10600, and Core i5-10600K, in addition to the high-end i9 option.

While these are reasonable guesses at what we might see in the next-generation iMac, there's no guarantee that Apple will go with direct successor chips at each spot in the lineup. That's particularly true since rumors are pointing to a "substantial" refresh of the lineup with a potential redesign, including a rumored 23-inch model.

Timing for the iMac update remains uncertain, as the 23-inch model rumor claimed the new machine will be coming in the second half of the year, while reliable leaker "CoinX" cryptically said in March that both iMac and Mac mini updates would be coming "soon." The Mac mini update did come two weeks later, but we've yet to see anything official about new iMacs.

Intel says the new 10th-generation Comet Lake desktop chips will be available at retail and in desktop machines starting in May.

Article Link: Intel Unveils 10th-Generation 'Comet Lake' Processors Appropriate for Updated iMacs
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/04/30/intel-comet-lake-desktop/
MacRumors said:
Natural replacements for the 21.5-inch iMac lineup include the new Core i3-10100, Core i5-10500, and Core i7-10700, while the 27-inch iMacs would see the Core i5-10500, Core i5-10600, and Core i5-10600K, in addition to the high-end i9 option.
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Why wouldn't the 27-inch iMac have a 10th gen i7 but the 21.5" would?
 
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Intel blew it, their years of complacency allowed AMD to catch up and eclipse them. Now with rumors of Apple using their own CPUs in MacBooks, which will suck for those who like Intel based Macs (great for running MacOS and Windows), Intel can brag all they want about how their chips are great for Macs, but I think Apple has had enough of their complacency.
 
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calzon65 said:
Intel blew it, their years of complacency allowed AMD to catch up and eclipse them. Now with rumors of Apple using their own CPUs in MacBooks, which will suck for those who like Intel based Macs (great for running MacOS and Windows), Intel can brag all they want about how their chips are great for Macs, but I think Apple has had enough of their complacency.
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AMD have got some fantastic products but their chip's don't fully "eclipse" anything Intel has gone unless you've getting one of their 32 core chips and you have an app optimised to make use of multi cores like that. Again it's application dependant but if AMD can sort that single core speed they can beat Intel for gaming and if they could just create a high-end graphics card that can outscore Nvidia they could win there too!
 
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macfan90 said:
about time. constant articles about mobile devices is getting old. remember when apple got chips early & had a regular release cycle. let's home this years iMac update is a chassis overhaul & not just for some budget 23" baby version
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whats so... bad about the chassis...? :'(

(other than the smaller models not having a damn user accessible RAM slot...)
 
Intel has milked the Skylake architecture at 14 NM for all its worth. Yes, there have been optimizations, but sure hasn’t given me enough reason run out and get a new notebook over the past 5 years. Still on the original 14 NM Broadwell that’s running in my Early 2015 MacBook Pro. I am concerned about 10 NM and the inability to have it ready for a broader set of devices. Then again, I shouldn’t really care, since I won’t be upgrading until 2023. But its just the fact that, even when we do eventually get 10 NM in the mainstream, its gonna be rinse and repeat with optimizations for years to come. That further means, don’t expect any shrinkage (7 NM) until 2025, 2026?

By that time, Apple will likely be fully on A Series across their entire notebook line and consumer iMacs.
 
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ArtOfWarfare said:
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the possibility that Apple is already done with putting Intel CPUs into the iMac. Apple might decide to switch the iMac over to an A-series ARM instead.
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Possible but I think that’s still a little premature considering we haven’t heard anything official about ARM in Macs yet. But who knows, maybe they will surprise us with an ARM model at WWDC.
 
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calzon65 said:
Intel blew it, their years of complacency allowed AMD to catch up and eclipse them. Now with rumors of Apple using their own CPUs in MacBooks, which will suck for those who like Intel based Macs (great for running MacOS and Windows), Intel can brag all they want about how their chips are great for Macs, but I think Apple has had enough of their complacency.
Click to expand...
What makes you think it’s complacency? The impression I got (from a position of complete ignorance mind you) was that they hit technical problems they’re tried but really struggled to get past.
 
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