5 Reasons the Retina iMac 5K is going to rescue the desktop PC from itself

Apple’s three greatest obsessions, when it comes to creating and re-creating devices, are, in order of importance: , 1. Being that best looking, 2. Being the thinnest, 1. Being the fastest.

It is undeniable: the era of ugly boxes has ended at least a decade ago, and now we stand before one of the thinnest, best looking, and fastest desktop computers on the market, with a price tag that is actually attainable, for a product of this class.

There is as many as five reasons, if not more, for these new iMacs to be destined to set the bar for future consumer products, even outside the Apple ecosystem.

1. Fits your home

The purpose of a desktop PC is to be a centralized beacon to accomplish tasks more comfortably, enjoy better quality entertainment, study, explore and create, within an environment that feels almost like a home within your home.

Of course, much of that can be accomplished by the latest Retina Macbook Pro or similar device, but some users feel more comfortable with a larger screen, and a full desk setup that dominates the attention, and that is one of the main reasons for desktop PCs to exist. It is the seeming difference between listening your music with a pair of great quality headphones, versus sitting in a recliner chair, surrounded by theater-quality surround sound speakers.

In addition, the human eye needs padding, a certain amount of space around the subject of its focus, to fully appreciate details and features. This is exactly why, when it comes to desktop devices, Apple has learned very quickly that a bigger screen size is better.

2. Frees your desk

Apple is about thin devices. The iMac is a testament to the advantage of a flat, compact form factor, over bulk. An all-in-one desktop device that barely occupies the same amount of space as a flat panel LCD, allows better stationary organization, and more shareable desktop space for other tasks. In other words, the iMac is not built to dominate your desk, but to enhance it.

Picture yourself coming across a great crafting tutorial, displayed clearly on a 27 inches flat panel, at the very end of your desk, with as much as 80% of your desk, now free and available to accomplish anything from a school project, to any number of desktop-bound hobbies. That is what a desktop computer should be: an enhancement to your life.

3. Has the looks, while retaining the ability to upgrade

The desktop PC is traditionally a device that must retain the ability to upgrade its hardware, often at the cost of looks. While the iMac might not be typical, as far as upgrade options, from a consumer’s perspective, it is a device that allows its hardware to be upgraded considerably and extensibly.

Looks play an important part, especially within the home decor. For the longest time, the biggest appeal of desktop computers was performance, until the industry caught on to the fact that performance, for most consumers is a matter of perception. In short, working with a powerful but unpleasant looking, almost alien-like device, which occupies a sizable portion of a desk, makes any task twice as tedious.

4. Is aware of mobile devices

With Continuity and Handoff, Apple has made strides to ensure that its desktop products can interface and collaborate with its range of mobile devices, as seamlessly as possible. Users should not be restricted to a single device for a certain task, especially when such device isn’t available. While production-level tasks make the exception, office-level productivity shouldn’t be hindered by device dependency. The future of the desktop PC is inextricably tied to its ability to interact with mobile devices, wearable or hand-held.

Google has made extraordinary advances in allowing users to work across different devices, between the Chrome ecosystem and Android, but that is not enough. A native solution is needed, that does not require additional software.

5. It’s attainable

Power, performance and affordability don’t always go together. Yet, the new iMac comes with a Retina display, and the hardware to handle resolutions up to 5120 x 2880 pixels, with a price tag of $2500, which will seem like a steal, compared to the upcoming Dell UltraSharp 5K all-in-one, whose LCD alone, is expected to retail at around the same price, without the PC part.

Of course, not everyone can afford this type of price tag, but on a smaller scale, users who do not require such monstrous specs can easily see how lower-end devices built around the same principle will be much more attainable than the current class of desktop solutions available, outside of Apple’s ecosystem.