Apple brought its A-game to its much anticipated press event this afternoon, the one in which the world waited anxiously for confirmation of an iPad Mini device, but before unveiling the smaller sized tablet, the Cupertino outfit detailed a completely new iMac. The new generation iMac makes the previous version look downright chunky by comparison, with an edge that now measures a scant 5mm.


Upgrades abound in the new iMac. Available in 21.5-inch and 27-inch form factors, the iMac starts at $1,299 and features third generation quad-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processor options, NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M (21.5-inc), GT650M (21.5-inch) 660M (27-inch), and GTX 675M (27-inch) GPU options, 8GB of DDR3-1600 memory standard (supports up to 32GB), two Thunderbolt ports, and four USB 3.0 ports.


Perhaps most intriguing is the storage system. iMac buyers can opt for up to a 3TB hard drive, up to 768GB of flash storage, or the best of both worlds with Apple's new Fusion drive, which is essentially a hybrid solid state drive. Fusion combines 128GB of flash with a standard 1TB or 3TB hard drive to create a single storage option. The OS and pre-loaded apps reside on the flash storage space, and as you use your iMac, the Fusion drive shuttles programs and files around so that the most frequently accessed programs reside in flash storage for faster access. In doing so, Apple claims near-SSD performance with far greater storage capacity.


"With a stunning design, brilliant display and faster performance, we’ve made the world’s leading all-in-one desktop computer better in every way," said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "The all-new iMac is unbelievably thin, yet packs an incredible amount of performance and technology into our most innovative desktop."

The new iMac models will begin shipping in December.