Computers

Apple’s all-in-one iMac gets M4 upgrade

Comes in new colors, Supercharged by Apple Intelligence 

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Apple iMac M4 (2024)

In what seems to be the first in a staggered, three-day online rollout event for new Macs, Apple introduced an all-new iMac today, October 28.    

The update brings the latest version of Apple Silicon, M4, to its popular all-in-one desktop as well as Apple Intelligence, a new personal intelligence system, which Apple also officially made available to users today. 

M4 Chip

The $1299 entry level model comes with 16GB of RAM, an 8-core CPU and two Thunderbolt ports while higher end models start at $1499, and have a 10-core CPU and four Thunderbolt 4 ports. 

New Colors

Pink M4 iMac vs Pink M3 iMac

Comparison between Pink iMac M4 vs Pink iMac M3, which actually had a red back

The new 2024 iMac is still available in the same 6 colors plus silver, but with a slight refresh. Pink is actually now pink instead of red, green is a richer, more vibrant shade, while purple, blue, yellow and orange are lighter and less intense. 

Nano-Texture Display Option

Similar to last year’s model, the 2024 iMac sports a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display. 

This year Apple is offering a $200 nano-texture display option which reduces reflections and glare while maintaining image quality.

We saw this option recently on the Studio Display and most recently its new iPad Pro lineup. We could also see it as an option if/when Apple upgrades the MacBook Pro later this week. 

Users looking for a larger display may have to opt for an external monitor like the Apple Studio Display. These new iMacs now support up to two external 6K displays at 60Hz or 1 external display at 120Hz.   

Center Stage Camera

 

Video calling also gets an upgrade on the 2024 iMac thanks to a new 12MP Center Stage Camera which replaces the FaceTime HD camera seen on older models. Center Stage is a feature available on most new iPads that shifts the camera as you move around the frame, or expands it when more people come into view. 

The Center Stage camera also supports desk view which offers a top down view of your desk.  

Goodbye Lightning

Apple also quietly updated its Mac accessories bringing USB-C connectivity to the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad. Completing its transition away from the Lightning Port. 

Color-matched accessories are available with the purchase of one of these iMacs. While the usual standalone white and black models with USB-C are also now available from Apple.   

The new 2024 iMac starts at the $1299 price tag as last year’s M3 iMac but comes with double the base RAM (16GB). Pre-orders start today with in store availability set for November 8, Friday.

Computers

3D printing made accessible: Bambu Lab moves closer to everyday consumers

Empowering consumers to create tangible objects

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Photos from Rodneil Quiteles

China-based brand Bambu Lab makes an effort to move closer to everyday consumers in the Philippines with a new retail partner by holding a media and creators roundtable in the Philippines. This was a bid to reshape how consumers perceive and use 3D printing technology.

Established in Shenzhen, China in 2020, Bambu Lab aims to make 3D printing more accessible, practical, and relevant to daily life through printers and other supplies.

The goal is to support practical home use, creative hobbies, product design, and even specialized tools, while putting emphasis on ease of use.

With such optics, Bambu Lab is trying to make consumers feel that there is less deep technical knowledge required and that they can actually create physical objects with 3D printing.

One of their products is the entry-level Bambu Lab A1 mini, which is compact enough to fit on a small desk.

The brand also has more advanced models which are capable of printing multiple colors and materials on a single run.

To complement the hardware ecosystem, Bambu Lab’s open platform MakerWorld lets users browse, select, and print from an extensive library of shared 3D designs directly from their own desktops.

The platform features a wide variety of objects across multiple categories. There’s household items, DIY tools, children’s toys, props, and educational materials.

In the Philippines, Bambu Lab will open its first concept store at One Ayala, Makati City. The concept corner will give mallgoers the opportunity to see the range of 3D printers and consumables firsthand.

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Computers

Next-gen AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D desktop processor out soon

Built for the most demanding titles

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The next-generation AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D desktop processor will be available for sale starting January 29. It has a standard pricing of US$ 499.

Built for enthusiasts, the latest AMD Ryzen 9000 series processor features a +400MHz improvement to the boost clock, building on the legacy of the 9800X3D.

This makes the “world’s fastest gaming processor” even faster. AMD says their offering boasts of an average 27% gaming performance improvement over the Intel Core Ultra 9 285k.

On paper, the Ryzen 7 9850X3D has a maximum boost clock speed of up to 5.6GHz, and a base clock speed of 4.7GHz.

The new 8-core, 16-thread processor is aided by 2nd Gen 3D V-Cache technology, so a high-frequency memory is not required.

Across an average of more than 30 games played, the FPS difference between a DDR5-4800 and a  DDR5-6000 was below 1%.

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is ideal for running demanding titles, i.e. AAA games, at maximum FPS. Initial checks also suggest the processor stays efficient in spite of higher speeds.

For connectivity, the processor has two memory channels for a maximum 192GB of DDR5 memory. It can also support four USB 3.2 Gen 2s and a USB 2.0.

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Computers

Acer introduces Ryzen AI Max-powered Veriton mini workstation

Built to support the heaviest workloads

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Acer has officially expanded its lineup of Veriton desktop computers with the release of the Acer Veriton RA100 AI mini workstation.

This Copilot+ PC is powered by AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processors to support even the heaviest of workloads for gamers, creators, and other professionals.

Armed with AMD Radeon 8060S graphics, 50 TOPS NPU, and 60 TFLOPS, the Veriton RA100 delivers up to 120 billion parameters for demanding workloads.

These include running AI models, developing and deploying generative AI applications, 3D design, and content creation at high resolutions.

The RA100 accelerates such tasks, and optimizes design, coding, and even gaming with the help of AI.

In addition, the RA100 also supports ultra-fast and high storage capacity. It has a four channel memory of up to 128GB DDR5 and up to 4TB SSD storage.

The workstation comes with adaptive performance modes to allow users to adjust the power. There’s Silent Mode for general tasks, balanced Mode for lightweight multitasking, and Performance Mode for the extra juice for AI computing and AAA gaming.

For connectivity, the RA100 comes with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, plus an RJ45 port and Kensington lock slot.

Acer Veriton desktops also launched

Acer has also launched new Acer Veriton AIO desktops — the Vero 4000 and Vero 6000 — alongside the RA100.

These all-in-one desktops blend strong AI performance with robust security in a sleek design for modern workplaces.

They are powered by Intel Core Ultra 9 Series 2 processors, with up to 64GB memory and up to 2TB storage.

The Veriton Vero 4000 sports Intel Graphics, while the Vero 6000 comes with Intel vPro for enhanced capabilities.

Both AIOs feature a 23.8-inch 144Hz FHD touch display. The ergo stand and VESA mount support flexible workspace setups as well.

Additional features include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, RJ45, and a 5MP infrared webcam.

Acer Veriton 2000 large tower, AIO

Lastly, Acer has also introduced the Veriton 2000 Large Tower and Veriton 2000 All-In-One for further options.

The large tower likewise comes with Intel Core Ultra 9 Series processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 graphics, making it a high-performance desktop PC.

It is designed to streamline AI-assisted content creation and other everyday productivity tasks. With NVIDIA Blackwell, the GeForce RTX 50 series GPUs bring game-changing capabilities to gamers and creators.

Meanwhile, the Veriton 2000 AIO has Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 processors, Intel Graphics, and ample memory and storage.

It has a 23.8-inch FHD display as well, with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 250 nits brightness.

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