Apple today announced a new
line of iMacs that replaces the old line of plastic, all-in-one machines the company became famous for. The new line of iMacs bring along upgraded specifications as well as an all new design.
The new iMacs all ship with Intel Core 2 Duo processors running up to 2.8GHz.
Improved graphics are also provided thanks to new ATI Radeon HD 2000 series GPUs. Memory
capacities increase to a total of 4GB from the previous 2GB limit while users can configure systems with up to TB of storage space.
Apple will have two 20-inch models of the iMac and one high-end 24-inch. The entry-level 20-inch features a 2.0 GHz mobile Core 2 Duo processor, ATI Radeon HD 2400XT GPU and a 250GB SATA hard drive. Stepping up to the mid-range 20-inch model yields a 2.4 GHz mobile Core 2 Duo processor, ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro GPU and a 320GB SATA hard drive.
The stock 24-inch model has similar specifications as the $1,499 20-inch model, except with a larger screen. However, Apple offers a custom order 2.8 GHz processor upgrade, exclusive to the 24-inch model. The 2.8 GHz processor is a mobile Core 2 Extreme X7900 processor.
All models have 802.11n wireless networking capability, 1GB of system memory and 8x SuperDrives. The processors employed in the new iMacs are Merom-based processors. Apple prices the new iMacs at $1,799 for the 24-inch flagship, $1,499 for a fully loaded 20-inch and $1,199 for an entry-level model.
In terms of design, all plastic surfaces have been replaced with a full
aluminum outer shell. The display is also now glass instead of plastic. The new
design follows the recent motifs of the MacBook Pro, Mac Pro and even the iPod
Nano.
Accompanying the release of the new iMacs is a brand new wireless keyboard of
the same design. The new keyboard uses Bluetooth for connectivity and is all
aluminum -- except for the keys. Key structure is similar to that of the
keyboard found on the MacBook, with the keys popping out slightly above the
surface.