Apple Introduces Updated, Cheaper iMac
Apple today announced updates to its iMac and Mac mini and Mac Pro. One of the biggest pieces of news is the 24-inch iMac priced more affordable than ever. For the same price as the previous generation 20-inch iMac ($1,499), the new 24-inch iMac delivers a 30 percent larger display with twice the memory and twice the storage space.
The 20-inch iMac starts at $1,199 with a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of DDR3 memory, a 320GB hard drive and an Nvida GeForce 9400M. The 24-inch iMac (with 1920x1200 pixel widescreen display) includes up to a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4 GB of DDR3 memory, a 640 GB or 1 TB hard drive, and Nvidia GeForce 9400M integrated graphics with Nvidia GeForce GT 130 or ATI Radeon HD 4850 discrete graphics.
Both are available now. Aesthetically, you wont see a difference, really. Same glass and aluminum casing we’ve all seen before.
Here are the pre-configured variants that Apple is now offering:
The new 20-inch 2.66 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US), includes:
- 20-inch widescreen LCD display;
- 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
- 2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
- NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
- 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- built-in iSight video camera;
- Gigabit Ethernet port;
- four USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port;
- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
- the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.
The new 24-inch 2.66 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:
- 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
- 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
- 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
- NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
- 640GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- built-in iSight video camera;
- Gigabit Ethernet port;
- four USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port;
- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
- the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.
The new 24-inch 2.93 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,799 (US), includes:
- 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
- 2.93 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
- 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
- NVIDIA GeForce GT 120; with 256MB GDDR3 SDRAM memory;
- 640GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- built-in iSight video camera;
- Gigabit Ethernet port;
- four USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port;
- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
- the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.
The new 24-inch 3.06 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $2,199 (US), includes:
- 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
- 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
- 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
- NVIDIA GeForce GT 130; with 512MB GDDR3 memory;
- 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- built-in iSight video camera;
- Gigabit Ethernet port;
- four USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port;
- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
- the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.
Build-to-order options and accessories for the iMac include: a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 8GB DDR3 SDRAM, up to 1TB Serial ATA hard drive, and NVIDIA GeForce GT 130, or ATI Radeon HD 4850 with 512MB GDDR3 memory on the 24-inch iMac, and up to 8GB DDR3 SDRAM and up to a 1TB Serial ATA hard drive on the 20-inch iMac.

did i miss something? is it as of now $1499, and the suggested retail price of $2199 is no longer valid?
I lol'd.
A lot of technical people I know really favor the NVIDIA cards, but Apple is saying the ATI is a better card. (I'm thinking for game play and things like Final Cut Studio HD video editing. Thanks for any input.
I am a small, short woman who enjoys using my 20" screen. I do not want the overwhelming 24" screen, but I want the performance of the GeForce GT 130M. So, can I get this from Apple? Apple says NO!
Not everyone thinks that bigger is better. As a computer professional, when I advise friends who are looking for a computer, and they want good graphics performance, but it needs to fit into the space they have in their house set aside for a computer, can I recommend an Apple? Not any more. 24" is too big for lots of families; they don't have the space. So, they'll go buy a Dell, and there's nothing I can do about it.
I think that Apple needs to consider the rest of the customers they should be serving. Not everyone wants a huge screen; not for their TV and not for their computer either.
HEY! This computer isnt outdated! ...It has a built-in camera!!!
/sarcasm
I've never seen anyone complain about a larger monitor on a desktop computer before. Who doesn't have the space for a 24"? If people live in mobile homes then they shouldn't buy a $1,500 computer anyways. I question your 'computer professional' credibility.
For those of you who dog Apple and its pricing, you should know by now that Apple refuses to produce an inferior product. Here is a recent report saying that the iMac is priced better than its competition http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/03/04/new_imacs_offer_more_value_than_competition_report.html
I still have not seen any Windows machine produce the kind of graphics that Apple does on all of its boxes...if you want good graphics on a Win box, then you will pay...it comes with an Apple. If you want extreme, try the Mac Pro. Granted, you cannot modify the Apple hardware, but then not everyone wants to. I prefer to write code and the Mac is just fine. If I need Windows, then I dual boot.
Is there panic in the air? Is MS loosing its market share? Take out the corporate sector and you will see MS popularity falling like a brick from heaven. I guess there should be concern from those on the side of MS...besides, what have they done new and original lately? Hmmm...not much.
Would you care to explain why Photoshop CS4 64-Bit is a PC exclusive? And becuase mac AREN'T for graphics, they cant run any 3rd party sofware unless approved by Apple, I find Mac fine for everyday computing, you apple fanboys really need to get it out of your head that Mac isnt a supermachine and most PC's offer things Macs cant. Can you upgrade a mac along the line? No. I only see mac doing good in the laptop market.
So how much were you paid to write that? I can pick out a flaw in everything you said. Macs will ONLY do good in the laptop market if Netbooks fall, based on polls Netbooks are killing MS and Apple lol. I prefer modern-day hardware; not cold-war based systems.
One big problem with MS machines is all of the crap software out there...just because there is a lot of crap available does not mean you are better. Besides, most professionals use PS, Maya, etc...all of which are ported to Macs. Anybody can write software for a Mac, you just need Apple's ok to sell it at their store. Oops.
If you like netbooks then more power to you. I like power computers with nice big monitors, not cheap toys made for third world markets. So, how many Windows machines have the same computing power of the Mac Pro? You think the Mac Pro is a cold-war based system? Wake-up man.
You guys are quick at name calling, but missed the part where I said I run a Vista 64-bit at home and use it everyday. I use my iMac everyday also, and the Mac OS is far superior...sorry, but the sun seems to be setting in Seattle. I will continue to build Windows boxes, but my computer of choice...my work machine...will be a Mac.
Oh BTW, I work in a building that has 30-5 year old eMac's that run circles around the new over 400 new Dells that they are installing. The Dells have that nice washed-out look while the older eMac's are far superior in color rendering. To compare my iMac's at work to the upper-end MS workstations is not fair. I am beginning to sense some jealousy...c'est la vie.