Apple iMac (Late 2012) Super-Thin

Dec 5, 2012

Ari ⋅ Apple, Technology ⋅ 21.5", 27", Apple, iMac ⋅ 2 comments

The first iMac was a revolution: An all-in-one computer that put everything — display, processor, graphics, storage, memory, and more — inside one simple, stylish enclosure.  Countless innovations later, Apple raised the bar yet again.  The new iMac includes the most advanced, most brilliant desktop display Apple has ever built, and it’s filled with the latest high-performance technologies.

Yet it’s just 5 mm thin at its edge with up to 40 percent less volume than the previous generation. To do all that required unprecedented feats of engineering — and imagination. Apple invented new technologies, pioneered new manufacturing techniques, and devised all-new ways to do more in less space.

One of the biggest challenges Apple faced was how to join the front and back of the new iMac. The enclosure is so thin, it’s not possible to weld the pieces using traditional methods. So they searched far and wide for other ideas, and found one in a process called friction-stir welding. It’s commonly used on airplane wings, rocket booster tanks, and other parts that simply can’t fail. This process uses a combination of intense friction-generated heat and pressure to intermix the molecules of the two aluminum surfaces — creating a seamless, precise, and superstrong join. You may not see it, but the new iMac wouldn’t be possible without it.

The new iMac starts at $1,299 for the 21.5 inch model and $1,799 for the 27 inch model.  Although, supplies have been constrained, both sizes are readily available through various online outlets.