At least as far as the internal hardware, the iMac hasn't changed that much. The new CPU and graphics card are only generational updates, but they help Apple bring strong performance.
The biggest improvement, specs-wise, is in the iMac's new 802.11n Wi-Fi adaptor. 802.11n gives you roughly twice the range and between two and three times as much practical data bandwidth as the older 802.11a, b or g standards. Of course, you'll need a compatible wireless router to get the benefits of 802.11n, and because the Draft N standard hasn't been completely standardised yet (which is why you'll see it referred to as "Draft" N), your best bet is an N router from the same manufacturer as your N Wi-Fi adaptor.
Fortunately, Apple has just updated its Airport Express router to the N standard. For our own testing, we successfully connected the iMac to an older 802.11b router, but your mileage may vary, depending on the make and model of your networking hardware. If you spec out a system from any other PC vendor, you'll get within £50 or so of a comparable iMac, but of all the major computer vendors, only Apple offers Draft N wireless in a desktop.
In addition to 802.11n wireless, Apple also increased the bandwidth of wired data transfers -- as well as the usual FireWire 400 connection, there's now also a FireWire 800 port on the back of the unit. No Windows PC offers this, either. FireWire 800 should particularly benefit digital video editors who need to transfer HD movies via a digital camcorder -- or really, anyone that needs to move large amounts of data from an external device. FireWire 800 was formerly an exclusive to Apple's Mac Pro, but by bringing it to the iMac, Apple makes its mainstream desktop even friendlier to professional customers.
Apple has also included its new iLife '08 media software suite, which gives you all manner of tools for organising and editing digital photos and videos.
Performance
Now that the Intel-compatible Mac version of Photoshop CS3 is out, Apple can compete on a level playing field with Windows desktops. And as expected, the new iMac dominates on Photoshop and on multimedia multitasking, and it also does very well on iTunes and CineBench, the latter as much a measure of overall multicore processing power as it is an indicator of a system's ability to process movie files. Compared to a wide range of competing mainstream desktops, the new Apple iMac more than holds its own, with one typical exception: gaming.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
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dockerx 13 May 2008
Good: the cheek of the company - rip off
Bad: It doesnt do anything simply
Comment: Bought a 20 inch imac - mainly wanted it to burn DVD easily. Was attracted by apples claim that it is good for media!!
In fact won't do the most simple action related to DVD. Apple infer that people should not try to copy protected material, but the comments above apply to your own dvd non-copyrighted items. In their rush to protect the big media companies from piracy they have deliberately (for a price?) 'sabotaged' their own machine so it doesn't copy anything. It won't even erase discs!! extreme paranoia - don't buy one. Buy a stand alone dvd burner an d avoid this expensive rip off!! Something should be done about this rip off
Hughespipe 24 February 2008
Good: The super sllek elegant design combined with a superb OS and amazing specs PERFECT
Bad: A slight lack of compatability
Comment: I think that this wonderfull new system which combines elegance and performance, with maybee a slight blow to the bank balance, is a must have for the likes of anyone intersted in the more high demanding aspects of the computing world such as editing and graphic design to web programming and music production. This spectacular device ships with ilife 08 which matches iMac in quality and design perfectly. Not only tat buy they al work seemlesly with each other with each application linking in some way to another eg. iphoto has its own upload buttin to iweb and so on. I love this computer and is a must have.
Waz 3 January 2008
Good: Design is amazing (everything is built in), high specs available, mac os x leopard is great and keyboard is a joy to use.
Bad: Lack of support for mac programs + games.
Comment: I got my imac this christmas and it has been nothing but a joy to use. I was new to the whole apple concept but i find mac os x leopard so much easier to use than xp or vista.
Ilife is so powerful, video, music and photo editing has never been so easy.
Everything about it is great!
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