The 5 Coolest Apple Products Of 2017

Apple In 2017

Even without the launch of a redesigned iPhone, the iPhone X, 2017 would've marked a blockbuster year for Apple in terms of product launches. The company unveiled an array of new products across its Mac and iPad lines during its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, and then followed that up with the introductions of three new iPhones and a next-gen Apple Watch in September. To give a snapshot of the year in Apple products, the CRN Test Center has narrowed the 2017 Apple portfolio down to five products that have seen the company breaking the most ground.

What follows are Apple's five coolest new products of 2017.

iMac Pro

Released on Dec. 14, the iMac Pro may actually turn out to be the best example of Apple pushing the envelope in 2017. The iMac Pro aims to provide performance that's so far been unheard of in the history of the Mac. The iMac Pro features Intel Xeon processors -- with 8-core, 10-core, or 18-core options -- for what Apple is terming "workstation-class performance." The all-in-one is also configurable with a huge amount of memory (up to 128GB), and includes AMD's cutting-edge Radeon Vega graphics. Meanwhile, the iMac Pro display measures 27 inches and features 5K resolution, and the AIO includes up to 1 TB of storage as well as four Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports.

iPad Pro 10.5-inch

Apple had gone more than a year without updating the iPad Pro, which had a 9.7-inch display size for the base-level model. During WWDC, the company introduced a new 10.5-inch model to replace the 9.7-inch model in the lineup. Importantly, Apple has minimized the borders around the display, so the overall size of the 10.5-inch iPad Pro is on par with the size of the 9.7-inch edition (and the tablet still weighs just a pound). Additionally, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro comes with a speedier processor, the A10X, touted as 40 percent faster than the A9X—while graphics performance has gotten a 40 percent boost as well.

Apple Watch Series 3

The third generation of the Apple Watch goes beyond its predecessors -- and catches up with smartwatches from rivals such as Samsung -- with the addition of cellular connectivity. That means the smartwatch won't need proximity to an iPhone any longer, including for uses such as making phone calls and using Siri. Other changes in the third-gen Apple Watch include a new dual-core processor that offers a 70 percent improvement in performance. Plus, along with being "swim-proof" like the previous generation, the Series 3 case is not any larger than the second-gen model.

iPhone 8

Even though it's been overshadowed by the iPhone X, there's plenty that makes the iPhone 8 (and its larger-screened counterpart, the iPhone 8 Plus) a worthy upgrade. In any other year, the iPhone 8 would've been the big news, thanks to its introduction of new features such as Qi wireless charging; improved performance (via the new A11 Bionic processor) and battery life; an appealing new glass-backed design; the inclusion of True Tone Display technology for more-vibrant color; and enhanced augmented-reality capabilities.

iPhone X

While it's ignited plenty of debate, there's no question the iPhone X represents a milestone in Apple history. At 5.8 inches, the iPhone X has the largest display ever on an iPhone, and also features the first "edge-to-edge" iPhone design (aside from the camera notch at the top). Additionally, the display switches to OLED technology for improved colors and contrast. The iPhone X also removes the home button and TouchID fingerprint recognition, instead introducing FaceID facial recognition technology for unlocking the device. Meanwhile, like the iPhone 8, the iPhone X comes with wireless charging and improved augmented-reality capabilities, as well as a dual-camera setup and the speedy A11 Bionic processor.