EmailBest Reviewed
Apple Laptops and Desktops
- Best Apple laptop 13-inch 2.26 GHz MacBook Pro *Est. $1200
- Best desktop replacement 17-inch 2.8 GHz MacBook Pro *Est. $2500
- Apple desktop for general use 24-inch 2.66 GHz iMac *Est. $1500
- Apple desktop for professional use Quad-Core Mac Pro *Est. $2500
- Budget Apple desktop 2 GHz 120 GB Mac mini *Est. $600
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- Compact, one-piece design
- Good performance
- Solid build quality
- Glossy display
- Limited expandability
- Limited free tech support
Reviewers and users give the Apple iMac lots of praise for its performance. Though the one-piece design doesn't thrill everyone, it does a better job of reducing desktop clutter than traditional desktop computers. One negative is that expansion is nearly impossible. Another is that you are locked into the standard display, which has a few warts in the form of a glossy screen and limited viewing angles. A 24-inch version of the iMac (*est. $1,800 and up) is available, and reviews say its display is a bit nicer. Although the iMac is a good performer, the Mac Pro desktop (*est. $2,800 and up) is notably faster and more expandable, making it a better choice for power users.
The iMac is extensively reviewed and well received. However, most reporting predates an upgrade in processor technology that only made things better and faster. Macworld and CNET offer some insights into how much better performance has become, and good reviews of the older iMacs can be read at PCMag.com and especially ArsTechnica.com. Lots of user reviews of the latest models can be found at Amazon.com.
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Our Sources
In this report on the latest version of the iMac, Roman Loyola says that outwardly nothing has changed in Apple's latest update of this all-in-one computer. But Macworld puts the various versions through their paces and says the "under the hood" changes result in faster performance.
Review: Review: 20- and 24-Inch Aluminum iMacs (2008 Edition), Roman Loyola, May 7, 2008
2. CNET
CNET only touches lightly on the changes introduced by Apple in its processor update earlier this year, but does comment that in addition to getting a speed boost (from 2.4 GHz to 2.8 GHz), memory has doubled (to 2 GB) without an increase in price. Full performance testing is done for the 2.8 GHz, 24-inch version of the iMac.
Review: Apple iMac (20-inch, 2.66GHz), Matthew Elliott, May 4, 2008
PCMag.com hasn't updated its coverage since Apple upgraded the processers in its iMac line. However, they are clearly impressed with the iMac, giving it an Editors' Choice award.
Review: Apple iMac (20-Inch Aluminum) Review, Joel Santo Domingo, Aug. 13, 2007
ArsTechnica.com provides one of the most detailed reviews of the iMac. Performance testing is done, but because the review predates a more recent processor upgrade, it is only marginally helpful. More useful are the discussions of usability, etc. that remain unchanged.
Review: Aluminum and Glass: A Review of the New iMac, Eric Bangeman, Aug. 9, 2007
5. Amazon.com
More than 150 users weigh in with opinions about the 2.66 GHz Apple iMac. All but a handful have rated it four stars or greater, with the vast majority giving it a perfect five out of five stars.
Review: Apple iMac MB324LL/A20-inch Desktop PC, Contributors to Amazon.com
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