I certainly wasn't expecting this today. Apple has just updated the entire iMac line to include Intel Core 2 Duo processors in each model. In addition they have added a gigantic 24 inch model to the line up, as well as lowering the price of the low end model to $999.
The iMac line up now includes 4 models: 1.83 GHz and a 2.0 GHz 17-inch, a 2.16 GHz 20-inch and the all-new 2.16 GHz 24-inch iMac with the 24 inch iMac sporting a 1920-by-1200 pixel resolution. the 24 incher can also hold up to 3 gigs of RAM (which is more than an iMac could ever have), has a 250 gig hard drive (upgradable to 500 gigs), an NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT with 128MB of GDDR3 memory (upgradable to the NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT with 256MB of GDDR3 memory), a SuperDrive, and builtin iSight. Bluetooth and Wifi are built in, and all of this starts at $1999. Not a bad price at all, of course it goes up when you upgrade the various components.
Oh, and all the new models are available... today (that was my dramatic Steve-esque pause).
Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
9-06-2006 @ 9:00AM
south said...
took me by surprise, too!
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9-06-2006 @ 9:08AM
Jacob Varghese said...
The Mac minis were updated too. Both models are now core duo.
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9-06-2006 @ 9:10AM
Jacob Varghese said...
"Oh, and all the new models are available... today"
They can't be purchased online yet.
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9-06-2006 @ 9:11AM
Chris von Eitzen said...
Did any one else notice the 160gb SATA Drive option for the mini? (Not yet on the MBP, but I have one 2.1ghz Core Duo with a 120gb drive. What I'd do for more room...)
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9-06-2006 @ 9:12AM
edmund said...
the prices are dramatically different from the last revision; better specs for lower prices. the 20-inch that is my dream just dropped from $1800 to $1500, and now comes with 1GB of ram and a 2.16 Core 2 Duo. Damn, I couldn't be happier.
nice move, Apple.
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9-06-2006 @ 9:13AM
Fuzz Martin said...
Forgive me, for I am a RAM no0b. I have a quick question... isn't RAM usually best-served in pairs, or pairs of pairs? Won't 3gb be rather inefficient?
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9-06-2006 @ 9:16AM
Shawn said...
also all of them (besides the slower 17") got their RAM bumped from 512 to 1 GB as standard.
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9-06-2006 @ 9:17AM
Fuzz Martin said...
They are available for purchase now!!! Sweet! And you can upgrade to a 2.33MHz processor on the 24"! That rocks!
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9-06-2006 @ 9:17AM
peter said...
Does anyone have an idea when the MBP processors will be upgraded to Core 2 Duo? I'm in need of a computer and been holding off for apple to upgrade these.
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9-06-2006 @ 9:19AM
Shawn said...
Does anybody know if you would be able to updgrade a Core Duo iMac to a Core 2 Duo proccessor. I remember reading that the Intel iMacs were socketed but what other complications would you have with a processor updgrade.
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9-06-2006 @ 9:24AM
Tek said...
THAT IS A HUGE, HUGE SCREEN! I cannot fathom. I didn't think the 23" rumors would come true, let alone a HUGE 24"!
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9-06-2006 @ 9:26AM
mr tipples said...
the 17" does not come with the remote anymore! its a £19 upgrade!
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9-06-2006 @ 9:34AM
JS said...
But I was hoping the 24" would be wall-mountable, and I don't see anything at the site about that. I wonder if someone can make a kit for that.
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9-06-2006 @ 9:50AM
Rolphus said...
JS, the Apple UK store has a VESA mount for the 24" iMac - I would assume that the others have one as well. Have a look under "new additions to the store".
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9-06-2006 @ 9:55AM
eM said...
The low-end iMac appears to be the new .edu iMac -- note the integrated graphics as well.
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9-06-2006 @ 9:57AM
Billy K said...
Wow. It's very easy to get a $2500 iMac now. Not insignificant, considering the top-of-the-line iMac last week was around $1600.
I'll be getting a 24" 2.33GHz with the 500GB drive and upgraded graphics card eventually, but I can only hope the prices go down a bit by then. $250 to bump the processor up to 2.33 and $200 for the larger drive seems pricey.
Also, did anyone notice the 24" comes with one firewire 400 port and one 800? I'm happy to see an 800 on there, but not at the expense of one of only two 400 ports. The 400 is a lot more useful. This strikes me as a bad idea.
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9-06-2006 @ 10:14AM
Scott H said...
I just noticed the reduced Firewire 400 on the 24" model, too. That's disappointing--only 1 400 port on a powerful model like that.
And I still think 3 USB ports is awfully stingy (the 2 on the keyboard are a wash--one goes to the mouse, the other makes up for one of the original 3 USB ports that the keyboard takes). The most basic Mac user has a printer in one, needs the other one on the back to charge an iPod, and is left with the low-power third one on the keyboard, capable of downloading photos or for flash drives. And if they have a Firewire external drive, that's it, every port on the computer's filled up (except the 800, which is really only good for video). And that's a day after it comes out of the box!
Why buy a gorgeously styled, clean-looking iMac, and then almost immediately have to buy a USB hub for it?
All that won't stop me from buying a 24" iMac when I'm ready for a new Mac, though :-)
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9-06-2006 @ 10:27AM
Chris said...
Well they did it, they just made it harder for me to move ahead with a Macbook Pro purchase. I really really really like portability but good god, a 24" iMac @ $2000 is very hard to pass up.
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9-06-2006 @ 10:49AM
edmund said...
by the way, a similarly configured Dell XPS is $500 more than the 20-inch iMac.
go Apple.
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9-06-2006 @ 10:53AM
Kyp said...
My 20" Core Duo feels old now. Old and small. *sigh* it was fun being on the cutting edge for 3 months.
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