Apple announces updated iMac and Mac Mini devices

Firm touts ultra-thin 5mm iMacs with 21.5in or 27in screens

Apple announced updated versions of the iMac and Mac Mini during its recent unveiling in San Jose, California.

The company's new desktop offerings will look to appeal to both value Mac users and those looking for a higher-end Mac.

Apple unleashed the new announcements during a press conference which included the unveiling of new Macbooks and the new iPad Mini.

Apple's new Mac Mini, meanwhile, will come in two standard OS X versions.

The £499 Mac Mini will come with a 2.5GHz Intel Ivy Bridge i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive.

While the other version will come with a 2.3GHz Ivy Bridge i7 processor, 4GB of RAM and two 1TB hard drives. The i7 Mac Mini will cost £679.

Apple's other major desktop announcement was the new iMacs. The latest iMacs will offer both 21.5in and 27in displays.

The 21.5in iMac model comes in two options. One will come with a 2.7GHz Intel Core i5, Nvidia GeForce GT 640M graphics processor, and cost £1,499.

The other new iMac comes with a 2.9GHz Intel Core i5 processor, Nvidia GeForce GT 650M graphics processor and a suggested retail price of £1,249. The 21.5in iMacs will be available in November.

Apple's 27in model will also come in two models. The lower-priced model will cost £1,499. It will come with an Intel core i5 processor clocked at 2.9GHz and a Nnvidia GeForce GTX 660M graphics chip.

The higher end iMac model will run £1,699 and come with 3.2GHz Intel i5 CPU and Nvidia GeForce GTX 675MX graphics card. The 27in iMac model will be available in December.

Apple's new ultra-thin iMacs will come with a 1TB hard drive and 8GB of memory standard. iMac's can be upgraded with 32GB of memory and a 3TB hard drive.

The iMacs will also come with a new Fusion drive. Fusion drives combine flash storage with a traditional hard drive.

During Apple's announcement the firm touted the new iMac's ultra-thin display at just 5mm and claimed screen reflection has been reduced by 75 percent.

"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 Apple product marketing manager Philip Schiller.