Apple announces new iMac computers

Apple has announced a new range of iMac computers, all of which have quad-core processors.

The new iMacs make use of Intel's latest range of i5 or i7 processors, codenamed Sandy Bridge, with AMD Radeon graphics processors also coming as standard.

Prices for pre-configured iMacs start at £999, with the most expensive model coming in at £1,649. The most expensive custom configuration of the new range costs £3028.01.

Also included is a new FaceTime HD webcam that can be used for making HD video calls to other FaceTime devices such as the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and other Macs.

Apple has also added Thunderbolt ports to the new iMacs. Thunderbolt, much like USB or Firewire, is a data-transfer port. Developed by Intel, Thunderbolt could eventually replace USB as a high-speed data-transfer port with speeds of up to 10 gigabytes per second.

Intel claims this could see a full-length HD movie transfer from one Thunderbolt enabled device to another in less than 30 seconds.

The new iMacs are available in two models; 21.5-inch or a 27-inch. A number of configurations are available with different hardware options. The new iMac computers are out now; for full details, see Apple's website.