Apple updates iMac and peripherals, with more Retina and magic

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Big day over at Apple:

There’s a new 21.5-inch Retina 4K iMac. It sits at the top of the 21.5-inch line. The 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display has also been updated. The non-Retina 27-inch machine is gone.

Apple’s still shipping 1TB, 5400rpm hard drives in the base models of each Retina iMac, which is frustrating. I really wish that the company would go all-SSD, at least on the more expensive 27-inch machine.

Note that the 21.5-inch machines still don’t ship with Intel’s Skylake chipsets. Word has it that the chipsets with the integrated graphics Apple wanted aren’t available yet. The 27-inch models do ship with Skylake, though.

Don’t miss this “iMac: Then and Now” page. I know it made me smile.

The Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse and wireless Magic Keyboard have all been revamped as well. They all have internal, rechargeable batteries now, ditching AAs forever. They charge (and pair with your Mac) when plugged in with a Lightning cable.

Mercifully, the keyboard eschews the MacBook’s new low-travel keyboard, according to Jason Snell. The whole package is smaller and flatter. I type using the keyboard Apple just replaced, and have ordered one of these to take for a spin.

I don’t use a Magic Trackpad or Magic Mouse, but the former got a big update today, including support for Force Touch.

These new accessories, and the new iMacs, can be ordered today, and are shipping this week.