New Low-Cost iMac 40% Slower in Multi-Core, Comparable in Single-Core BenchmarksFollowing today's launch of a
new entry-level iMac model featuring an ultra-low voltage Intel processor actually used in the MacBook Air, the new iMac
appears to have shown up in Geekbench's benchmarking database. The use of an ultra-low voltage chip in the iMac is a somewhat curious move for Apple, as the company has traditionally used much more powerful desktop processors in the line.
As expected, the new machine posts relatively low 32-bit scores of 2820 in single-core mode and 5435 in multi-core mode. These scores are marginally better than the 2476/4690 scores posted by the current-generation MacBook Air running the same chip and actually fairly close to single-core scores from the previous low-end iMac model, which remains available, at 2882.
But where this new low-end iMac falls far short of the previous low-end model is in multi-core performance, where the older model clocks in at 9204. This major difference is due primarily to the chip used in the new low-end model being a dual-core chip, while the older low-end chip is quad-core.
The new low-end iMac comes in
$200 cheaper than the previous entry-level model, but for that savings users will sacrifice some CPU and graphics performance and will have a 500 GB hard drive rather than the 1 TB drive included in the more expensive low-end model.
Update 12:25 PM: Primate Labs' John Poole has
shared a blog post putting the new low-end iMac's performance in perspective compared to other iMac models and highlighting a <a hrwf="
https://twitter.com/AndrewWrites/statuses/479262179938795520">Tweet[/url] from
Ars Technica's Andrew Cunningham noting that Apple's decision to use a chip from its MacBook Air line may have been made for graphics reasons.<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I'd say Apple used an Ultrabook CPU in the new iMac to avoid shipping Intel's HD 4600 GPU in anything. No desktop CPUs include HD 5000.</p>— Andrew Cunningham (@AndrewWrites)
June 18, 2014 <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>
Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories •
Adobe Announces Creative Cloud Updates, Expanded Creative Profile •
Wikipad Announces 'Gamevice' iOS Game Controller for iPad Mini •
10 Mac Apps in Summer 'Name Your Own Price' Bundle and MacBook Air in Giveaway •
New Apple TV Beta, iOS 8 Beta 2 Lay Groundwork for Upcoming Family Sharing Feature •
Halfbrick's Entire Library of Games is Now Free, Including Fruit Ninja, Monster Dash •
Facebook Launches New 'Slingshot' Messaging App •
OS X Yosemite's 'Dark Mode' Now Available via Terminal Command •
Garmin Launches 'Viago' Navigation App for iOS with Speed Limits, Lane Assist, and More<img width='1' height='1' src='
http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/35070/f/648327/s/3ba22973/sc/28/mf.gif' border='0'/><br clear='all'/>
<a href="
http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119832282/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3ba22973/sc/28/rc/1/rc.htm" rel="nofollow"><img src="
http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119832282/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3ba22973/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img" border="0"/>[/url]
<a href="
http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119832282/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3ba22973/sc/28/rc/2/rc.htm" rel="nofollow"><img src="
http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119832282/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3ba22973/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img" border="0"/>[/url]
<a href="
http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119832282/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3ba22973/sc/28/rc/3/rc.htm" rel="nofollow"><img src="
http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119832282/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3ba22973/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img" border="0"/>[/url]
<img src="[url]http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119832282/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3ba22973/sc/28/a2.img" border="0"/>[/url]<img width="1" height="1" src="
http://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199119832282/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3ba22973/sc/28/a2t.img" border="0"/><div class="feedflare">
<img src="[url]http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/MacRumors-Front?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img>[/url]
<img src="[url]http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/MacRumors-Front?d=6W8y8wAjSf4" border="0"></img>[/url]
<img src="[url]http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/MacRumors-Front?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img>[/url]
</div><img src="
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MacRumors-Front/~4/2nUmKHl8-5Q" height="1" width="1"/>
Source:
New Low-Cost iMac 40% Slower in Multi-Core, Comparable in Single-Core Benchmarks