• Playdead 27s Inside Mack
• Playdead 27s Inside Macbook Air

Apple's summer surprise is not the first ARM-based Mac. It's not a new Mac Mini, nor the return of the 12-inch MacBook. It's a new 27-inch iMac. Yes, it looks the same as the last 27-inch iMac, and the one before that, and so on. It even keeps the same starting prices as before, with base models at $1,799, $1,999 and $2,299. (International prices start at £1,799 or AU$2,799.)

And yet, almost everything under its shell is new, making this one of the most comprehensive Mac makeovers since the 2018 MacBook Air.

Those new specs include 10th-gen Intel CPUs (up to a 10-core Core i9!) and even newer AMD Radeon 5000-series graphics cards. If you're editing 4K or 8K video or high-res photos, or working in CAD programs, you probably already know if you need an upgrade like that. But frankly what I was most excited about, at least during my first 24 hours with the new 27-inch iMac, is one of the oldest, most-ignored pieces of computer tech, the humble webcam.

About (Face)time

• Inside Full Game for Mac OS X. Dear MacGamesBox visitors, today proudly present the most downloaded adventure – puzzle game released in 2016 available now for Apple MacBooks and iMacs. Inside Full Game for Mac OS X has arrived and any mac owner can download it. The game has been converted for Macintosh few days ago after many hours of work.
• Mac; Inside soundtrack came from within an actual human skull. The sound designer and composer for Playdead’s Inside wanted a different yet familiar soundscape for the indie.

Video calls have become the new norm, and now we're all turning into webcam experts. We've also discovered that even high-end machines such as the MacBook Pro (and previous iMacs) have webcams that are merely OK. Join the corporate masses in all-day, every day Zoom meetings (or Skype, WebEx, etc.) and all of a sudden these lower-res 720p cameras aren't doing us any favors. Six months ago, few of us gave much thought to webcam audio and video quality. Now it's an obsession that's spawned endless articles full of tips on improving your virtual meeting presence.

That's why, after I turned on the new iMac, I immediately jumped into a Zoom call, did a live TV hit and later recorded the video accompanying this article, all from the built-in webcam. Normally, I capture video in 4K via a phone, and with an external mic. Since even the mics are upgraded here, using the same better-than-average set found on the excellent 16-inch MacBook Pro, I just used those.

The video quality was impressive for a computer webcam. The audio was ...ok. Good enough for a webcam call, but no really for a talking-head style video. If I had to do it all over again, I would have hooked up my external mic instead.

Using Apple's T2 chip, the company says the iMac webcam can also spot faces in the frame and optimize for them. That seems to mean adjusting exposure to flatter faces over backgrounds. With that kind of ability, I'd expect to have facial recognition login features (such as Face ID on the iPhone) or at least the ability to track faces and follow them. It doesn't do either of those things, but the improvement over a standard Mac webcam was immediately obvious. Until now, you had to get an iMac Pro for a 1080p FaceTime camera.

You can now play Playdead’s award-winning indie adventure game on your iOS device. INSIDE is a dark, narrative-driven platformer combining intense action with challenging puzzles. It has been critically acclaimed for its moody art-style, ambient soundtrack and unsettling atmosphere. Playdead’s INSIDE is a game where once you have passed a game, you can not play it again, but the challenges ahead are never over, and you never know what is waiting for you. Game support for both PC, PS4, Xbox One (charged) and iOS (free). Inside is the second title from PlayDead, creators of the breakthrough game Limbo. Hunted and alone, a boy finds himself drawn into the center of a dark project.

The speakers are physically unchanged since the 2014 version of the iMac, according to Apple. But new variable EQ software (non-user adjustable, however) adds some audio tweaks, especially at low volumes. Lots of computer-makers rely on software EQ systems to tweak audio: Actually putting bigger speakers in a computer requires a bigger computer, after all, and that's not the direction computer design generally goes in.

Big news for nano-texture

There's another high-end feature for the new iMac, but unlike the webcam and mics, it doesn't come standard on any of the base model 27-inch iMacs. For an additional $500, you can add the nano-texture glass option, designed to minimize screen glare. Having seen and used an Apple Pro Display without the nano-texture, and now seeing this new 27-inch iMac with the nano-texture, I'm sold. If you're making a big investment in a long-term work tool, it might be worth splurging on, much as it pains me to say that.

Unlike matte screen coatings, which can cause dull, washed-out images, the nano-texture is etched right into the glass (at the nanometer level, Apple says, hence the name).

I live (and now work) in an apartment that gets a lot of afternoon sun from its westward-facing windows, so I know all about screen glare. I'm always moving out of the way of the light, and my TV is unwatchable for a big chunk of the day because of it. The matte-like nano-texture screen, however, was nearly glare-proof. At extreme angles, I still caught some reflection, but it's a big improvement over what I'm used to.

I've just started digging into the new 27-inch iMac, so stay tuned for benchmark scores and more hands-on impressions, as well as a full review. In the meantime, the biggest changes to note over the previous model are below.

Biggest changes to the 27-inch iMac

• A jump to 10th-gen Intel CPUs, up to a 10-core Core i9
• Radeon Pro 5000-series graphics from AMD
• Standard SSDs across the line (no more hybrid drives) -- up to 8TB (doubling the previous top capacity)
• Up to 128GB of DDR4 RAM
• Adds Apple's T2 security chip, which enables 'Hey, Siri' and a host of camera functionality improvements
• True Tone display
• The same improved studio mics as in the 16-inch MacBook Pro

Inside is a puzzle-platformer from the developers of Limbo that released for the Xbox One on June 29, 2016 and for the PC on July 6, 2016. The game offers a side-scrolling adventure in which the player controls a young boy and primarily moves right or left as they traverse through multiple areas in an effort to not get killed by numerous enemies. There are various puzzle aspects to the game which challenge players to figure out the best way to make it through a specific area while also avoiding death.

While Inside isn’t a long game, the difficulty of the puzzles increases as you delve further into the title. In addition, there are 14 collectible orbs hidden throughout the game, and you can unlock a secret ending as well. We’ve divided the walkthrough into areas of the game which should be easily recognizable.

Inside Tips

How to Unlock the Secret Ending
Find out what you need to do to get the secret ending for Inside!

Find All 14 Secret Orb Locations
Discover the location of all 14 hidden orbs so you can unlock the secret ending to Inside.

Inside Walkthrough

The Forest
Avoid cars and humans as you make your way through the opening area of the game.

The Farm
Deal with dead pigs and take control of humanoids as you push through the farm area.

The Factory
Operate heavy machinery as you navigate wooden platforms and ladders!

The Subway
Make your way through the subway and down to the submarine so you can explore the depths below.

The Depths
Navigate the depths in your submarine as you run from another mysterious enemy.

The Mines
Collect a mob of humanoids so you can make it through the intricate Mines area.

The Bridge
Avoid the continuous shockwave pulses as you make your way through the Bridge!

Flooded Base
Take a dive as you swim through the Flooded Base are in search of secret orbs and a way out.

Facility Entrance
Make your way through the opening area of the Facility as you gain the help of a few more humanoids.

Research Facility
Find out what’s really going on in the game as you’ve made it to the end.

Inside PC Requirements

Playdead 27s Inside Mack

Minimum Requirements:

Playdead 27s Inside Macbook Air

• OS: Windows 7/8/10 (64-bit required)
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 2.4 GHz, AMD FX 8120 @ 3.1 GHz
• Memory: 4 GB RAM
• Graphics Card: GeForce 250 GTS, AMD Radeon HD6570 or equivalent
• DirectX: Version 9.0c
• Storage: 3 GB available space

Recommended Requirements:

• OS: Windows 7/8/10 (64-bit required)
• Processor: Intel i7 920 @ 2.7 GHz, AMD Phenom II 945 @ 3.0 GHz
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics Card: GeForce GTX 660, Radeon R9-270
• DirectX: Version 11
• Storage: 3 GB available space