Apple iMac Desktop with 20" Display MA877LL/A (2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, SuperDrive) Reviews

• Amazing deal for the price..

  
  By A3QJ5N97FL20L3 on 2007-08-11
  EDIT: Please note that I wrote this review very soon after these models came out to market. Some parts of this review are "outdated"..
  
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  I have upgraded from 20'' iMac (previous generation) and this is simply stunning in every way. I personally have not found any problems with it yet and my experience has been phenomenal. There are few little things to consider when buying this Mac.
  
  First of all, the verison I have comes with Intel Core 2 Extreme (I ordered the system from Apple). If you ARE planning on buying the version with Core 2 Extreme please know that it is a DUO chipset not QUAD. It has 2 cores, not 4. The difference in speed is only notable in certain applications such as games and advanced 3D apps.
  
  This iMac is beautiful visually. The "skin" really suits the system well. The black Apple logo in front and on the back make it look more stylish than it is. The iSight camera is barely visible (which is a good thing for some folks). The computer is packaged in virtually the same box as previous iMacs except with different picture on the box.
  
  The new keyboard I do not use.. I prefer my Logitech diNovo Edge(tm) which fits beautifully with this iMac. The mighty mouse is great, I have the wireless version and it tracks very smoothly. I don't have any cons with that.
  
  The screen.. wow, 24 inches! It's big, probably bigger than many people need but.. boy.. is this a work of art! Watching a movie on this amazing display is an experience I haven't had before. The only con I found here is that you wouldn't want to put this in a very bright place or near a window. It is a glossy screen and while it adds style to the Mac it will turn the computer into a mirror if the environment you are working in is too bright.
  Apple remote and Front Row are all the same. Very simple, elegant and just work. I don't use Front Row but for Front Row lovers this iMac is heaven! This IS the place where you'll want to watch your movies and photo slideshows on.
  
  As I mentioned above, all iMacs are DUO. This version (Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz) is FAST. Add an extra gig of RAM and you'll be flying in your iLife. Very good processor, I recommend Core 2 Extreme for advanced users. Don't get me wrong, 1GB is perfectly fine if all you're planning to do is work with iLife and Internet. However for the other applications such as Photoshop you'll need more RAM. Let's remember that the resolution on this thing is 1920x1200 and to run certain applications in full screen you'll need the horsepower.
  
  Just like before an iMac is NOT a gaming machine. The graphics on this computer while are not bad, (256MB Radeon 2600 HD Pro), are still not good enough for "hardcore" gamers, even with Core 2 Extreme processor. There are good news, however! If you install Bootcamp on this Mac and put Vista on it you'll have full DirectX 10 support. Still.. if you're looking for hardcore gaming look somewhere else. For casual gamers like myself this will be more than enough.
  
  Speaking of Bootcamp.. I don't think that the current drivers support the new iMacs as of yet. There will be a coming update for the beta and hopefully the new drivers will be included.
  
  Another problem with Bootcamp is that you cannot install any 64-bit Windows versions, which is a disappointment since Core 2 architecture is 64-bit. Maybe they will fix it later? I don't know. I certainly hope so because when you pay for 4GB of RAM you want to be able to use all of it, not just 3GB.
  
  iLife '08.. Great pack of applications which come with this Mac for free. Honestly.. there are some problems with the suite (minor issues) but I am sure they will be fixed with a future update from Apple. I do, however, believe that this suite was designed for this Mac.. everything is extremely fast.
  
  Overall, I strongly believe that this is an amazing deal. You get a better computer for $200 less than the previous model. If you would like a more advanced iMac with more HD space and faster processor then head over to Apple and pick one there.
  
  P/S. This goes to the reviewer who is not happy with the new design. The reason Apple chose aluminum design is because they want their computers to match the operating system visually. For example, the white finder bar and blue Aqua wallpaper in versions of Mac OS X Jaguar, Panther and Tiger look great on the white iMac.
  
  Mac OS X Leopard will be coming out in October and will not have the same desktop. A transparent finder bar, reflective dock and a green leaves wallpaper by default make it look more appealing on the aluminum version of this computer. Let's not forget that the entire Leopard OS looks as if it's made out of aluminum. The new Finder, the new looks of Control Panel applications and others make it look as a metal design. Maybe this is THE reason why Apple has the aluminum theme on their website? ;)
  
  Personally, I like the new metal look. It makes everything look very stylish and when Leopard comes out, the "desktop experience" will certainly be phenomenal.
  
  

• More downsides than previous (G5) iMac

  
  By AOBWQX84JB0NV on 2007-09-15
  This must be my eighth desktop Mac since 1991, my fourth iMac since 1998, and it's definitely my first new Mac in a good two and a half years. And although I'm certainly not sorry I shelled out the money for this beauty, I'm not as blown away by its performance as I'd imagined I would be.
  
  My previous Mac, now semi-retired to a bedroom, was a 20-inch G5, 1.8 Ghz, 2 Mb of RAM. That one was a huge step up from its predecessor. Somehow, I don't feel that way this time around.
  
  Even though my new 24'' 2.4 Ghz Intel Mac is outfitted with the maximum 4GB of RAM, speed and productivity gains seem incremental. Not that it's a snail. It's just...not that impressive, as upgrades go. At best, I notice relatively hefty speed improvements where I don't care that much -- importing CDs into iTunes is easily 40, 50% quicker -- and very little difference where it actually matters to me, Photoshop performance included.
  
  Migrating my data from the old Mac to the new one via a Firewire cable was painfully slow this time around -- something like 27 hours(!). After that, I had lots of problems with passwords not getting stored properly in Keychain Access, necessitating multiple calls to Apple's help line. Oh, and I actually lost all the data in ecto, my blog program. 1,400-plus posts mysteriously vanished. I have a backup, but still...
  
  Compounding the problems was the fact that I upgraded to Photoshop CS3 (from CS2) the same weekend I started using my new Mac. I'm sorry to report a string of Photoshop crashes -- and whenever Photoshop goes down, in my case, it takes all the other applications with it. At that point, the entire computer, right down to the Finder, becomes unusable: the cursor vanishes for 15 or 20 seconds, then resurfaces, but no amount of clicking or force-quitting (option-command-esc) produces any results whatsoever. Hard restarts are required. I have a suspicion this is Photoshop's (Adobe's) fault, not Apple's. Regardless, it's a serious annoyance. The issue seems less lethal and less frequent since I upgraded from 1Gb to 4Gb of RAM. We'll see.
  
  The new iMac somehow also screwed up my Airport Extreme network a bit -- one of my other Macs (an oldie from 1999 or 2000) suddenly no longer sees the network and has been stubbornly offline since the day I began using its bigger, brasher brother. I guess that's another call to Apple.
  
  The screen of the new computer, though beautiful, is a mixed bag. As before, it's way too bright at night, even when you turn the brightness level all the way down. You'll need some freeware like DarkAdapted X or Shades to tame it. The screen size is impressive (lots of real estate for Photoshop's arsenal of floating palettes), the sharpness is awesome, the colors are vibrant if a little oversaturated, and the super-glossy finish that others have complained about doesn't bother me much (although there are times when I'm aware of reflections and I have to remind myself to see 'past' or 'through' them). Fingerprints are much more visible than before and, despite Apple's thoughtful inclusion of a soft cloth, difficult to wipe off. Best keep a bottle of Windex handy! The discreetly built-in iSight camera is nice though, and I'm finally iChatting and Skyping all over the place.
  
  The remote, alas, is white -- not an eyesore, but it doesn't go with the aluminum-finish look of the computer (and neither does the otherwise excellent snow white Mighty Mouse). Also, there apparently is no longer a place to stick the remote to the computer case magnetically, inviting clutter (very un-Apple-like).
  
  I don't have to look at the back of the machine much, but whenever I do, I wonder what Apple was thinking. Matte black is an asinine color for a panel that contains vital USB, Firewire, video, and other ports. Even during the day I fumble; at night, I need a little flashlight to let me see what I'm doing. With the white back, I had no such problems. Also, on the previous iMac, the ports were in a more logical place, right around the right edge of the screen, where they were more easily accessible.
  
  I do appreciate the new i-apps, especially iPhoto, which has seriously bested previous versions with great new (and long-overdue) features. For instance, the program now shows you thumbnails of the photos on your memory card BEFORE you import them.
  
  I'm perhaps most pleased with how quiet this machine is. Even in the dead of night, with almost no ambient sounds anywhere, I can barely hear the internal fan. It's easily drowned out by the soft ticking of the clock on my wall. Fantastic. My old(er) iMac was considerably noisier from the get-go and more so as the months and years went by.
  
  Is this a great new iMac? Yup. A good value? Affirmative. Is it perfection? Not by any stretch. Guess I'll try again in early 2010. ;-)
  
  UPDATE, Sept. 23: Things have gotten beter. The upgrade to 4Gb of RM has made Photoshop CS3 a lot more stable, it seems, and I'm seeing much faster performance now too. The photo-batch-processing program I use, DxO Optics Pro, now takes just 2.5 to 3 hours to power through 500-plus 10-megapixel images, as opposed to roughly seven hours on my old Mac. iPhoto, with a 4,000-image library, launches and is ready to go in five seconds flat, roughly four of five times as fast as before. On the other hand, I've had five or six instances where the colors on the screen randomly went haywire systemwide, taking on positively pyschedelic hues and appearing as if you're viewing them through some kind of sheer fabric. This seems to require a restart. Still troubleshooting that one.
  
  While I'm happy overall, this iMac has given me the most reasons to scratch my head (and call Apple) of any Macintosh I've owned in the last ten years.
  
  

• Very easy to ajust to an imac!

  
  By AFIR57I2Y901O on 2007-09-04
  This is my second imac since Jan of 2007. No my first did not break down,it's still going strong. I bought this one for myself and let my lady friend have my first one. We were both so impressed with the iMac that I wanted her to have one also.
  At first I wasn't sure about the switch from my pc,but the more I use the imac the more I like it. I still have a few things to learn about it. imacs just are more stable than any pc I have had.
  I have switched to a wireless Logitech keyboard and mouse,just can't get the hang of the mac mouse.
  The only problem i've had so far is finding as much software as pc's have.How ever if you want to install windows on your imac it can run both operating systems. The programs that came installed on my imac work excellent and are very well advanced for photography(which is my main hobby) It is so nice to not have all those wires hanging all over the desk and I think it is the best looking monitor on the market.
  If you are in doubt about switching to a Mac from a pc,take my word for it very easy. If I did it almost any one can. I am retired and have very little computer knowledge.
  
  

• Warning for color sensitive artists and pros

  
  By A295FABE4PCNKP on 2007-11-15
  I never thought there would be a day when I was anything but a Mac Evangelist and I'm sad to say that day has come. I've owned and praised macs since the 80's with my first little Mac Classic. This is the first time I would ever suggest not buying an Apple product.
  
  If you are a photographer, illustrator, graphic designer or other visual professional you do NOT want this computer.
  
  Why not? It's looks pretty, the screen is a great size for the value and it has apple's rock solid software - granted on all accounts. There is one FATAL flaw: the monitor can't be calibrated properly and Apple can't and won't help. You may have read that the monitor is super bright, well it's actually too bright. you can't get a neutral starting point and therefore you can't calibrate the monitor (using external hardware tools). I've got my brightness set all the way down and I get a reading of 187 with my Colorvision Spyder - I need 150. It's so far off that I can't get reliable color correction done and therefore I can't know that my monitor will produce accurate prints or accurate files for my clients. When your business is images you must be able to KNOW that the images you produce are correctly set.
  
  Apple's solution for my problem was to purchase and use an external monitor that "is better suited to adjusting and calibration"...rendering the giant 24" monitor on the iMac Useless. not an economical or reasonable solution.
  
  If you MUST have accurate color and you know what monitor profiling is all about, don't buy this computer. You simply can't do what you need. It's very sad to see Apple moving away from the group that has always been their biggest support/market, but designers, photographers and visual artists should find another solution.
  
  
  
  

• We love our new iMAC! Perfect for homeschoolers!

  
  By A1F1A0QQP2XVH5 on 2007-08-10
  We are recent Mac converts and are upgrading our home computers to Apples. My wife has a MacBook Pro that she loves, and now our homeschooled kids (1st and 3rd graders)just received this new, updated iMAC. What a great computer for the home! It has an amazingly small form factor, a very bright, clear screen, but most of all is easy to use. My kids and I are no longer struggling through Windows issues; they are able to put their creativity to use without bumping up against the typical Windows hardware and software snafus. They are already creating vidoes using the new iMovie (which is incredible) and uploading the vidoes to .MAC for grandma and grandpa to see. They have also started playing with the new Magic Garage Band to exlpore music. We also bought iWork '08 for their reports. Kudos to Apple for making a great computer for the home. It's a fantastic product from a company that actually seems to care about the true usability of the products they make.
  
  
• A HUGE step backwards from the previous model.
  By A22OVOI5IT2EAQ on 2007-10-08
  The new 20" iMac is a major disappointment. There is a serious top-to-bottom gradient in screen brightness and color saturation. Objects near the lower edge of the screen appear overly bright with 'washed-out' colors and poor contrast. The effect cannot be corrected by color calibration adjustments, because it is not possible to create an ICC color profile that yields uniform color, brightness, and contrast over the entire screen. The gradients appear to be a hardware defect in the LCD panel and/or the backlight assembly.
  
  I returned my 20" iMac to the Apple retail store (expecting to exchange it for a non-defective unit) -- but every sample on the showroom floor had exactly the same brightness/color gradients. This "issue" has been widely discussed (and documented with photographs) on several internet forums. Google: iMac display gradient.
  
  Brilliant design ...excellent price/performance ...totally UNACCEPTABLE display quality.
  
  
• One Amazing Computer...
  By A3BCTL4K6S6OLG on 2007-08-23
  I'm new to Apple and am switching over from PCs. I recently got reeled in with their iPhone and their iPod, and then now this iMac - it really surprised me. I had to have one. So I bought this 24" 2.4 Ghz and bought an additional 1 GB of ram before leaving the apple store.
  
  I installed the extra ram (very easy) before I even powered up the computer for the first time. This is quite simply the coolest computer I've ever owned. The sleek, ergonomic design really simplifies your computing.
  
  I no longer have to worry about accidentally ramming my knee into the PC tower under my desk. No more fumbling under my desk on my knees with usb and connection cables. Everything is accessible on your desktop (literally!). The screen is bright and glossy, and the keyboard is so low to the desktop, it literally changes your whole typing experience.
  
  I am running Windows XP Pro on the Parallels Virtual Machine on this iMac so that I can have access to my Windows-based applications as well. (Word of caution: If you're planning to do this, you must supply the full, genuine copy of XP yourself; it does not come bundled with the iMac. Also you will have to run antivirus and anti-spyware software plus a firewall for the Windows part of your configuration just as you normally do in Windows).
  
  So with the ability to run Windows, you can get the best of both worlds. So there's really no reason at all for anyone not to buy this iMac; on o,ne hand, I'm kicking myself for not switching sooner. But on the other hand, this iMac - especially with its new sleek design and its ability to run Windows - is easily the best iMac they've put out to date.
  
  
• It's glossy!
  By A16LAT4R6WIAFX on 2007-08-22
  I really like the new design, but in my eyes Apple ruined it with the glossy display. I had to bring mine back because of the reflections. It's a shame Apple doesn't offer it with a matte/anti-glare display. The video card is a little weak too.
  
  Pros:
  Anodized aluminum design
  Comes with new Apple keyboard
  Built-in iSight
  Core 2 Duo
  Speakers sound pretty good
  
  Cons:
  Glossy screen
  Video card
  Heat (it runs pretty warm)
  
  
  
• Joy to work on iMac
  By A11UG1UN3QOZRK on 2007-08-11
  This is my first iMac and switched from Windows (XP&Vista) after many years of windows experience. iMac user experience is a sheer joy. Everything about iMac is so elegant. iLife '08 & iWork '08 is absolutely stunning.
  
  The one thing I found little inconvenient to use is the Apple mighty mouse. May be because I am so used to the Microsoft mouse.
  
  Please go ahead and enjoy the iMac user experience. These computers are very desirable to own.....
  
  
• Love the new iMac
  By A21M9QSZBW837L on 2007-08-10
  The new design is awesome. I have the 24-inch 2.4 GHZ model. Last week I bought the previous version of the iMac and loved it. When I saw the new iMac I promptly brought the old one back to the store for this one.
  
  I love the new keyboard. Some might find it difficult, but I think the new design (about 1/4-inch thick) is amazing and much more user-friendly.
  
  I use the iMac primarily for editing video and I see a considerable difference in speed from the previous version of the iMac I would estimate that the new graphics card and the bigger processor cut rendering time by 30-50%. I would recommend it to anyone that wants a computer that performs as good as it looks!
  
  
• Where is the Mac LEOPARD O/S Upgrade ???
  By A2SIW12RJPJ231 on 2007-08-13
  The new IMac is a fantastic computer and has great new features. However it ships with the OLD Tiger Operating system. The new Mac LEOPARD operating system is to be released in October 07 and is likely to be a $120+ value if you buy the upgrade later.
  If i was Apple , i would put a Free Leopard upgrade voucher in each new IMAC, but this is not happening.
  Why not wait till October and order when it ships with Leopard !
  
  
• This computer is AWESOME!!
  By A1CCCLQ7VILOKA on 2007-08-17
  I bought this to upgrade my iMac G5 1.7 ghz computer. This computer is so much faster. It is also silent. The only thing I can hear is the superdrive when it is writing or reading a DVD/CD. Ram is super easy to upgrade. I recommend putting in another 1 GB stick. It only cost me about $55 to add 1 GB of ram. The keyboard is great. I did not think I would like it but when I am work (on a PC), I really miss the keyboard. I also did not think I would like the glossy screen but I really love it. The screen does not come calibrated correctly so after a little calibration (which again is really easy to do) it looks great! This thing is so super thin too! It makes my older iMac look fat! Also, If you want to wait for the new OS software, purchase this in October after they release it. Otherwise be antsy like me and buy it now. I think I will wait until an update to OS 10.5 comes out anyways to work out the bugs. I have no complaints about this computer.
  
  
• Awesome. Simply Awesome
  By A27Y2U5QTXJ5BE on 2007-09-01
  I have been a PC Guy since 1983 using the old IBM XT and AT's and use XP on a daily basis. I have become so fed up with the Microsoft handcuffs and the slow as a snail performance. I needed a new computer and I could not find one that I wanted with XP because the majority of them come with Vista.
  
  I bought this for the kids and I bought a Mac Book Pro for the kids. The speed and the ease of use is incredible. Being a tech weenie I know tha the underlying system that Mac OS is built on is Unix. Who needs Linux when you have the Mac with OS X.
  
  The iMac is sleek and sets up in a jiff. The 20" screen with the 2.4 ghz is a great combination. This machine can multitask. I was able to import 6400 photos into iPhoto, while downloading firefox, and installing iWork, Notebook and a few other programs. Simply unbelievable.
  
  The keyboard and mouse setup is real nice and the only complaint is that with the resolution of the monitor set at its highest of 1680 x 1050 there is quite a bit of screen and the mouse tracks slower than I would like. It is also the same on my Mac Book Pro. I guess I have to get use to using the command shortcuts.
  
  I am also impressed with the aluminum frame of the iMac. It is very sturd with that modern Neo Industrial look. It does get warm during heavy use but you really don't hear anything. It is very quiet with the exception to when the DVD is whirling. You can hear it, but it is not overly loud.
  
  
  
  
• very dissapointed
  By AQYWUN0XVCA8N on 2007-10-10
  Very faulty machine, the company I work for purchased 5 (all having these issues listed below).
  Pros:
  VERY Quiet, too quiet, systems gets very hot as fans barely move air
  Thin and uses little desk space.
  That's the pros.
  
  Cons:
  Can't read disks if they have a label usually, these machines can't read even a third of the CDs/DVDs we have
  
  Most machines have difficulty turning on, faulty on/off button?
  
  Others won't shut down! very funny.
  
  Granted OSX has little or no backward compatiblity even with it's own updates, most software is very slow on these machines even with the extreme dual core... (often when OSX updates to a new version you have to get it to run the software that was written to run just in the updated OS!
  
  you will have to buy a new operating system soon as this doesn't include a free upgrade to Leopard or whatever the next feline is that is coming out soon!?
  
  If a disk is stuck in it's drive you can't eject it as there is NO emegency eject hole! Must try to relaunch finder or shut down..
  
  Disks that can be read or burned will be VERY hot as the system has very poor cooling!
  
  If you need a mac, the tower may be better, but can't speak from experience as I haven't used a new tower
  
  Monitor is very sad! Very bright and very shiny, you can see reflections of yourself and bright objects behind you!!
  
  
• Why did I give low rating for this great machine ? Read this !
  By A381HM3XAV5SA on 2007-12-02
  I had really thought this iMac would be an upgrade from the previous one. It certainly IS NOT...
  
  I owned the previous generation 20" iMac (white one with Intel). This is not much of an upgrade other than the screen size increase.
  
  Yes, the exterior is different. It is certainly THINNER and made of recycled aluminum cans.
  
  Why did I gave a low rating ?__
  
  Well, for some strange reason, Apple has decided to offer iMacs with GLOSSY filmed screens which totally MESSED UP the whole viewing experience. You MUST be in absolute day light environment and sitting right in front of the screen, taking the light from front-end in order to view anything on the screen properly. It is impossible to view the images if you are not sitting right in front of the screen. Side viewing is not possible by your friends sitting next to you. Glossiness makes this not very photo editing friendly.
  
  EVERYTHING IS REFLECTED FROM THE DARK PIXELS BACK LIKE A MIRROR.
  
  What is wrong Apple? Decided to not sell iMacs?
  
  Apple will probably not accept return request for a full refund, and charge %10 restocking fee for this. So, I will keep mu iMac to enjoy it as an OFFICE MIRROR.
  
  The Leopard is not substantially different from Tiger (which is a good think). It is still superior to Vista.
  
  Machine is well designed externally.
  
  You will need a few extra Gigs of RAM. No need to order it from APPLE. Get it with default 1 GB RAM, then insert another later at the cost of $30 (instead of the $135 APPLE charges).
  
  Again, great machine this would be, if it was not for the glossy screen.
  
  Buy or NOT Buy It ?
  
  I would strongly urge potential buyers to WAIT until Apple brings out the NON-glossy version soon. I really think they will, as these screen proven to be failure.
  
  
  
• After 25 years of PC I finally got a Mac
  By A1GNXNPZOJO7OF on 2007-08-26
  I agonized for weeks over switching from my PC to a iMac. I mostly use my computer to surf the net, manage photos and music. I surfed the web of hours on end trying to make my decision and I finally got up the nerve to get the iMac after 25 years of PCs. I wish I would have done it sooner! I love this thing! It is taking a little getting used to, but it is well worth it! To start, it is so simple and elegant a machine. No cumbersome wires and accessories. I was booted up and ready to go in less than 5 minutes. The software is AWESOME! iPhoto is so much better than any photo software I have used. Simple and powerful and well organized. Garage Band is fun to play around and make music, but it takes some getting used to (Apple had instructional videos for everything that really helps!) This iMac comes with so much! Safari browser is so much easier to used than Explorer (I don't miss Explorer a bit and get a little sad when I have to use Explorer at work wishing I had my iMac). iDVD and iMovie are great! you can make awesome, I mean AWESOME movies so easily and upload them to share in minutes. The iMac comes with almost everything you need and if you want games and other neat applications, you can download stuff from Apple for free in most cases. The sound is GREAT! (love the little remote control that I can use to control volume, song selection and more). The screen is BIG and BRIGHT. Maybe a little too big and bright, my eyes hurt a little after a while, but I guess I could sit further away from it or adjust the screen some. You can do almost everything PC on a iMac, including Word and Excel (though that will cost you extra). Overall, I am very happy I switched! The only "negatives" is that it does not have a card reader built in, but those cost next to nothing if you need one and it takes a little practice to learn to think the Apple way after so many years of PC, but it is so worth it!
  
  ps. the RSS feed screen saver is a cool way to keep up with news and other info if you are a internet junkie like myself. Also, make sure you look for some rebate offers. I got a $199 rebate towards a new iPod. You can check out some of the rebates available and features of the new iMac at Apple.com
  
  
• Great Computer
  By AUFM312TQX1WI on 2007-12-27
  Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R27IF7ZPS6VUHJ imac, leopard
  
  
• New iMac is a winner!
  By AEX4BM6L3TRNF on 2007-09-05
  After almost 15 years of using PCs and Windows, I decided to take the plunge and pick up the new iMac. The main attraction for me was the all-in-one and compact design, due to a small space. The screen is a bit reflective, but not a problem unless you have a very bright room that it sits in. Also, the tilt angle will most likely get rid of it. The 2.0Ghz model is a little slower then its counterparts, but it is a significant savings for 0.4Ghz less processor and a smaller graphics card.
  
  Right out of the box, as I surmise Mac owners are used to, it detected all my external hardware perfectly and quickly. I have had zero compatibility issues thus far. The iLife '08 suite mine comes with is excellent, and lets you do some neat pro-sumer quality stuff. It isn't Photoshop or Final Cut, but its cool to use. I also purchased iWork '08, which is superior in many ways to the Office suite. I have been able to open my word documents, but unsure how it will do to saving Office documents, we'll see.
  
  The iMacs right now come pre-loaded with Mac OS 10.4 which is Tiger. It is unclear what they plan to do for people when Leopard comes out. If you wait until October you most likely will get it pre-loaded with the new OS. For me, it didn't matter because I don't know how to use either!
  
  All in all, definately worth the price. The value of this machine I can already tell will be way higher then any PC over time. You won't be dissapointed.
  
  
• The look, the screen, they are NOT that bad...actually, not bad at all
  By A187VIILQK989F on 2007-10-18
  There are so many people critizing the glossy screen and the new look, especially the black border. I was in doubt myself before. However, after owning a 24 inch MAC for a couple of days, I would offer my two cents for perspective buyers:
  
  1) Glossy screen: yes, when it is powered down and only showing a BLACK screen, it is an iMirror. However, as soon as you start it, all the reflections are gone. The screen is just beautiful to look at with crisp image and astonishing colors.
  2) New look: yes I was, for one, very into the old white look. Thought that was sleek and was put off a little by this new look and the black border. But now it is growing on me. I felt I actually start to really like the new design because it matches all my other electronics and computers at home. The black border conceals the built-in camera well and also makes the colors on screen pop by contrast. Plus, the old white look is too plastic, like a toy, not a $2000 computer.
  
  As far as the performance goes, very smooth. Setup is a breeze and all applications run very well. User interface is so much better the PCs. I just hope I don't run into the freezing issues many people are complaining about. All in all, once you own it, you will love it. A lot of people who said Apple made the wrong choice by going with a glossy screen and the new design actually don't own the new mac and didn't have the opportunity to try it out to learn to enjoy it. It does take some time to get used to but once you do, you will appreicate the updates.
  
  I am taking one star off because with such an expensive product Apple is still holding off. 2G RAM gives this computer such a big boost in performance and Apple only offers 1G in standard model which was the industry standard RAM a couple of years ago. Come on, additional 1G memory only costs about $40 nowadays. Also, the sound system is not that great. Volume is really low even after I maxed it.
  
  
• New IMac's with an OLD operating system
  By AZ1ZDUANJZQR2 on 2007-08-13
  What ? Selling new IMac's with the Old Tiger Operating system and no free upgrade to the Mac OSX Leopard Operating system which will ship in October. Whoa boys...... order this in October , and hope that Apple will have the IMac's in all White by then. This new aluminum look is a disappointment from the Apple Classic White..
  Great PC , shipping with an obsolete O/S for now....
  
  
• Sweeeeeet!
  By A3AMRBCBFAAAN4 on 2007-09-10
  My first Mac and I love it! Got it on Amazon for $50 less than Apple store after shipping and taxes. To others thinking about getting a Mac - go for it, you won't be disappointed! I was worried about not being able to find the software selection I was used to on a PC but there is a huge selection of downloadable freeware out there for a Mac that will do everything you need and then some. I bought a HP PC a month ago with Vista and even though it has twice as fast CPU (3800+ AMD dual core) and 2GB of RAM compared to a 2GHz dual core with 1GB of RAM on the iMac, the iMac feels twice as snappy as the "faster" HP machine. I thought I'd need to upgrade the Mac to 2GB of RAM but everything works fine with 1GB. I am going to get an external USB hard drive since the 200GB can fill up fast with digital backups though. The Mac powered up, found my home wireless network, and allowed me to browse shared Windows PCs on the network. Everything was up and running in five minutes. No pre-loaded crapware like on the HP or any other Windows machine either which is a nice change. It comes with iLife08 which is very nice too.
  
  
• So Glad That I Switched Over From PC to Mac !!
  By A19KS6J6X4FJEQ on 2007-10-28
  I was a PC owner for 15 years before I recently made up my mind, took the plunge, and made the switch over to Mac OS X. That means Operating System Version 10 (Roman Numeral X). I got so frustrated with the new Windows Vista that I decided to visit an Apple Store and I'm glad that I did. (thank you Windows Vista). I was also EXTREMELY frustrated with PC technical telephone persons who can not speak good English. I had never seen a Mac computer before and the Apple salesperson was very helpful and polite, so I bought the very nice looking aluminum iMac Model MA876LL/A with the 20" screen and the very thin aluminum keyboard, and it is now the nicest looking thing in our house. See my picture posted here on Amazon. The built in stereo speakers sound very good too. There are not as many wires and cables back there either as there are with PCs because the complete computer is built inside of the 20" monitor and I like that. Also there is a CD/DVD slot that is located in the right side of the monitor, no tray to have to open, and I like that too. The switch over was a little frustrating at first because of a few different terminologies and slightly different usage that I had to learn, but not a big deal. For instance, what PC calls Internet Explorer, iMac calls it Safari, and what Microsoft calls Office and WORD, Apple calls it iWork and Pages, etc......instead of clicking on start in the lower left corner, you click on an apple icon in the upper left corner....it just takes a little getting used to but I am beginning to learn that I like iMacs much better than PCs. I've owned my iMac for over three weeks now and I am getting used to it and I really like it much better than any PC that I've owned in the past. I am 58 years old and I'm getting mind lazy and I did not want to learn iWork Pages so I bought the Microsoft Office 2004 for iMac.....and it is just what I'm already used to with PCs. I can only think of one disappointment, and that is Netflix does not support Mac OS X, so I can no longer watch Netflix movies on my computer.....not a big deal because it never did work very well on my PC anyway......Netflix says they are working on it and they are going to support Mac owners soon......I have called Apple several times for guidance and they have always been very friendly and very helpful.....and so far, they also speak good English too.....I also bought the new Kodak 5100 All-In-One printer/copier/scanner that I like very much so far. The ink cartridges cost only half as much and they last twice longer than any of the other brands. This Kodak printer is very nice too and it gives very nice photo prints. It is a little bit bigger than other printers but seems to be built much better, just like the iMac seems to also be built much better than the PC brands. I recommend both of these nice units. Bottom line is, after comparing the oranges and the apples, I'm glad that I went ahead and threw away the oranges and kept the Apple. You may be too.....I recommend Apple's iMac computer
  
  
• Great - until it's not.
  By A1583KBN3TRPB on 2007-11-26
  I've been an Apple fan since my first Mac Classic in '89. I own and use XP machines for work, not a problem, but I prefer to use Apple stuff when I can. I own or have owned Ipods, Ibooks, Powerbooks (including 540, 5300, and 2 different G3s), Power Macs (8600, G3, G4 and G5 towers), a Mac Mini, just about everything but a Newton and an iPhone. I've had great luck with my Apple gear through the years and continue to rely on their machines for work. With the advent of the Intel Macs, I could run Windows using Parallels so I can use those programs I need that are only available on XP and get the best of both worlds. Hard to resist, and I replaced an old HP tower with a 24" Intel Imac.
  
  The screen is great. The performance is strong. Everything looks and feels really nice, just right, as I expect from Apple products. It's very quiet, I didn't realize how much noise that older computer was making, and it's even quieter than the AMD-based laptop and the G5 tower it shares office space with. With a little extra memory, it runs XP great, right next to MacOS, I love it.
  
  However... the display died before I'd had it 4 weeks. When I finally heard back from my authorized repair center, they were expecting it to take about 8 weeks to fix. With some guidance from the repair center and diligent phone calls to Apple, I chopped that to under 5 weeks. Still pretty horrible for a brand new and not-cheap computer. As soon as I got it back and started using it again, I realized that the internal sound had stopped working. After the normal phone ordeal, they called it back in for repair. It was the logic board, and it took a week and a half to diagnose it, get the part, and replace it. Based on downtime, it's easily the worst computer I've ever owned, even if it never breaks again. As of 01.14.08, the date I'm updating this review, it's been about 6 trouble-free weeks. I've never had to think about the reliability of any other computer in terms of how many weeks its been since it broken last, and I hope I'll eventually forget to count the weeks with this machine. Maybe it's fine now.
  
  If you like the design, the machine is great when it works. (Consider an aftermarket mouse if you right-click much, I'm not a fan of the included mouse.) If you like MacOS but need to run Windows for at least some stuff, it's performs just fine. I'm not a high-end gamer, though, so your mileage may vary, but I edit photos and videos without any problem. If you need strong performance in a compact and quiet package, it's great. It was naive for me to think - as I did - that almost 20 years of loyalty would matter to a big faceless company when push came to shove, but for me, I expected more from Apple for some reason. The mistake was mine - their superiority on the service side was all in my head. Very few people "need" MacOS for their work, and I'm not one of them, so if I go down the Apple path again when I swap out this computer, it will be with my eyes wide open.
  
  I've had Canon just replace stuff older than that and even pay for the shipping, but 7+ weeks on the bench is just fine as far as Apple is concerned. Hell, in my state, 30 business days in the shop is enough to get your car repurchased when it's under warranty. (Don't ask me how I know.) To be fair, I was eventually told that if I had it in several more times for the same problems, they'd consider something. Thanks, Apple.
  
  
• Spotted Cat or Not, Amazon Offers the Best Deal on the Best Machine
  By A6FIAB28IS79 on 2007-11-24
  I've never regretted changing computers every 2-3 years: the improvements are instantly noticeable at the practical level. This particular iMac model definitely offers the most bang for the buck, but I was holding off for the announcement that Leopard would come installed with the machine. At least it would seem feasible for Amazon to offer to purchasers of this model a special deal on the new OS. On the positive side, this machine does comes with iLife '08, but the retention of Tiger will likely lead the prospective buyer to consider the competing offer from Apple Store, which does advertise this machine postage-free with Leopard installed.
  
  It's really a close call, possibly coming down to as small a matter as the sales tax charged by Apple Store. If you factor in the latter, the Amazon deal with the rebate is still almost a hundred less than Apple Store's best price (to students and educators). But if you're serious about purchasing and installing Leopard, they're practically even, with Apple Store pricing out at about 20 less. On the other hand, if you factor in Amazon Visa's 3-point per dollar incentive, Amazon (computer + Leopard) comes in at 20 under Apple Store's best price. But what about the intangibles? Frankly, I like Amazon better than Apple Store, Bezos better than Jobs. Amazon's return policy is more "no-nonsense" with less small print, they don't try to hit you up with all of the "extra's" (extended service contracts, added RAM, Airport, etc.), and unlike Apple Store they're not going to have employees calling you on the phone pushing a service contract or selling more time on the one you have. The choice is clear if you're not a student or educator: go with Amazon. If you're a scholar or pedagogue, it's admittedly a closer call. I've purchased computers from both places, most recently from Amazon. The latter gets my business once again.
  
  As for models, unless you're a professional photographer or planning to use your computer as a substitute for an HD TV set, 20" is more screen than most of us need. The 20" with the 2.4 Ghz processor, 320 Gig hard drive, and better graphic specs--even though it's 300 extra--gives you practically the same specs as the 24" giant-screen models. Especially if you plan to hang on to the computer for several or more years, the extra expense is probably worth it. As for some other reviewers' criticisms of this latest iMac, I was able to transfer everything from my previous iMac to this one in less than an hour via firewire cable, and I've never heard of anyone "complaining" about an overly bright screen. (I'd call it an improvement, but simply adjust it to your liking.) I did have a bit of difficulty re-synching my external storage drive (no big deal), and, yes, I did notice some diminution of the Airport signal to my notebook computer (I suspect that the new version of Airport Extreme--the square-shaped base with the so-called "draft n" protocol rather than the dome-shaped base--will readily fix this).
  
  Finally, a few surprises: 1. Amazon included a disc of the new OS, Leopard (Bless them! An extra, fairly sizable savings--not even an extra $10 charge, and I'd expected to spend an addition $110); 2. the keyboard is so paper-thin that it sinks down too far in my desk's pull-out tray, making it necessary to construct an elevated bed for the thin metal slab to be accessible to my itchy fingers; 3. this 20" iMac is actually lighter in weight than the 4-year-old 17" iMac it's replacing; 4. lastly, the internal speakers produce incredible sound, even to this musician's ears. Unless you insist on sub-sonic bass frequencies vibrating your chair, plan on disconnecting your component stereo from your computer; 5. Amazon takes all of the grief and uncertainty out of rebates by enabling you to apply for them on-line, no little pieces of cardboard to cut out and "gotcha" surprises (i.e. invalidation of the rebate due to a slip-up on your part). In conclusion, Tiger, Leopard, or both, you can't go wrong taking your Safari to Amazon.
  
  
• Very disappointed. Apple is slipping
  By A3HBD3WPKV3UTH on 2007-11-30
  I have heard great things about iMac for a long time. Many people said it is the best for making home movies (camcorder to DVD). This is the main reason that I bought the iMac. Well, I was so disappointed that I return the unit. Here are some details:
  
  When I tried to set up the iMac, it would not recognize my wireless network password. I had to move it to another room and connect it by ethernet cable. After the initial setup, I found system preferences, which asks for a choice of 64 vs 128-bit WEP password. My password worked after selecting 128-bit WEP. Why wasn't this choice available at the initial setup? It is obviously a poor software design.
  
  When I got into iMovie08, I found several major problems. 1) It has problem reading some of the AVI files from Windows MovieMaker. 2) I had to put these AVI files back onto miniDV tape and then capture into iMovie08. Even then, iMovie08 would hang on some of the tapes. 3) Apple took out the ability to place chapter marks in the video. This is a feature that was available in iMovie06. I heard that Apple took it out to force people to buy their Final Cut software. This is very greedy of them. Instead of selling software, they lost a customer.
  
  Apparently, so many people are upset about this, and Apple was force to make iMovie06 available to iMovie08 owners. I tried iMovie06 and it had the same AVI file compatibility and camcorder capture crash problems. Besides, why should I pay top dollar for 2-year old technology?
  
  (By the way, I downloaded trial version of Adobe Premiere Elements for my PC and had no problems reading the AVI files or capturing the miniDV tapes. So, I just order it from Amazon and staying with the PC platform.)
  
  Another thing that upsets me is that I bought the iMac after the release of Leopard. Apple made me pay another $10 for Leopard. If I had bought the iMac at the Apple Store, I would have been given the Leopard disc for free. This does not make sense to me. Amazon is listed as an authorized dealer. Why should Amazon be a second-class dealer and take a back seat to Apple's own store?
  
  This was a very bad experience overall in dealing with Apple. I'm sure the early iPhone buyers feel even worse. Apple is just getting too greedy and have lost sight of what made them great.
  
  I do want to say that I would like to give Amazon a million stars. They accepted my return with no questions asked and even reimbursed me for shipping. I bought a Canon PIXMA MX700 printer that I'm not happy with. But I'm keeping it just because I don't want to burden Amazon with another return.
  
  
• iMac Ships with TIGER
  By A2PSK00ROM9CMP on 2007-12-12
  So, I just got this for my son...and it shipped with Tiger. Evidently, you need to buy the Leopard upgrade for $10 from Apple (which I will now have to wait for who knows how long to get). It was a real stretch for me to buy an Apple from Amazon but I've had generally good success. In this case, it was a mistake. I wish I had just bought it from Apple or a reseller that would have sorted out the Leopard upgrade over a month after is was released. It should really ship with the Leopard installers...even as a separate pack. Amazon is big enough to sort this out...and they should have. If you are buying for Christmas...make sure you order early or make sure you are getting Leopard _included_.
  
  
• Just switched from PC to Mac......And I'm never going back!!
  By A1QA9EKTFTXF2K on 2008-03-26
  A little background first: I had been using an underpowered laptop computer (as my desktop) for the last 2.5 years. During that time, I noticed a continual decline in performance...to the point where if left idle, the computer would be tremendously slow as if waking up from a deep slumber. If I remained logged on overnight, forget about it....I would have to shut it down and restart. Half the time it wouldn't even shut down and required me to hard shut it and reboot. Lockups were common and there were even occasions when the computer would just turn off out of nowhere. I finally had enough of the PC nightmare 2 weeks ago when the computer simply would not open Word nor could it print the important document that was needed right away....that was the last straw...I was getting a Mac!!
  
  Now that you've read my diatribe, to the good stuff we go. I bought the 20" iMac with the 2.4 GHz processor. I opted to add an additional gig of memory - bringing the RAM up to 2GHz. This computer is amazing! I don't know why it took me so long to see the light. Every application is lightning-fast and easy to use. During my computer research, I consulted many friends who own Macs and highly recommeneded them. At first, I was a bit apprehensive toward learning an entirely new computer system. I can say now, however, those fears have been put completely to rest. The computer itself is incredibly intuitive and I really get a sense that it "knows" what you are hoping to accomplish when you are trying to install or download something. For example, I remember installing my printer on the laptop. This required me to download the software and appropriate driver from a CD to get the printer. When I plugged this same printer into the Mac, it recognized it immediately and was ready to print. Amazing!
  
  In order to keep some of the PC functions, I purchased VMware Fusion to run Windows. I opted for this over BootCamp because it will allow me to run OS X and Windows at the same time and switch back and forth without a need to shut the computer down and log into one or the other. As an amateur Mac user, I was a little worried about the installation process. I was pleased to discover that it is about 100 times easier than anything I've ever installed on a PC. All you have to do is hit the install button and follow the instructions. Easy! And now I essentially have a super fast Mac and a super fast PC all-in-one!
  
  Moving files from the old computer to the Mac is easy as well. I simply connected the laptop to my external hard drive and uploaded the files I wanted onto it. I then plugged the external drive into my Mac and downloaded the same data....which was very easy. The only issue I had with this process was when I first plugged in the external drive, the computer attempted to set it up for the TimeMachine program without prompting. However, it was easy to cancel that operation.
  
  My only complaints are the brightness of the screen (which can be intense) and the mouse which feels a little funny in my hand. Other than that, this computer is an absolute dream.
  
  
• Too Glossy
  By A1TAP54WFAII37 on 2007-09-08
  When I first heard about the new 24" iMacs I had my credit card ready. It was time to upgrade my 3-year old G5 20" iMac and this was just the excuse to go out and buy a new one.
  
  But with the new glossy glass display I had my doubts. And after reading the many forums and seeing the display in person, it was confirmed - the screen is just too reflective and visually distracting for my taste. In addition, many are having trouble calibrating the monitor and getting good results with matching what is onscreen (exaggerated blacks) and what they are getting from their printer.
  
  I'm sure it is a fine machine for most, but for me I prefer the matte screen of the previous white Intel iMac.
  
  
• The best desktop i've ever had.
  By A2G2XFMX6U2YWZ on 2007-09-17
  This is by far, the best desktop i have ever owned (and i've owned plenty). For starters it has terrific looks. I paired it with the Klipsch Ultra 2.0 speakers and it looks even more impressive. The screen quality and definition is fantastic (way better than my PC's Viewsonic). Performance is great specially running CPU demanding applications like Photoshop. I also installed Business Vista on it with the Parallel Desktop virtualization software. It is my best mac ever and my best PC at the same time. The new keyboard is a little bit sticky but you get used to it. This is really a great machine and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
  
  
• Perfect Personal Computer
  By A20535WAMJUP3U on 2007-12-27
  I just received my Apple iMac 24" and wanted to give everyone a quick review:
  
  A W E S O M E !
  
  This is an absolutely fantastic computer. Fit and finish are superb, the operating system (Leopard) works very well, and the performance of the machine is "natural" -- so fast that there is little to no delay in any actions.
  
  Two caveats when ordering and installing:
  
  1. Don't order the iMac with additional memory built in; purchase the additional memory separately and install it yourself. You'll save hundreds of dollars (I purchased 2GB of additional memory from Crucial via Amazon for $70 -- compared to the $300+ you'll pay for Apple to pre-install the memory). BTW, this is a 5-minute upgrade that requires the removal of a single Philips screw.
  
  2. The Leopard Migration Assistant worked flawlessly, migrating all files and applications from my older iMac G5 to the new unit. I ran into a problem with five or six licensed applications (third party) where the licensing information was reset on the new machine, but by performing a fresh install of each affected app on the new iMac, everything worked out fine. Purchase the $0.99 Fireware Cable (transparent) listed on Amazon to perform the transfer.
  
  Only other thing that I can say is that this has been, hands down, the best computer purchase I've ever made. I am absolutely thrilled with this computer.
  
  

• Apple iWork '08
• Apple Mac OS X Version 10.5.1 Leopard [5-User Family Pack]
• Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Home & Student Edition
• Apple iLife '08
• Apple .Mac 5.0 [OLD VERSION]

• AppleCare Protection Plan MA520LL/A for iMac
• Apple iWork '08
• Kingston - Memory - 2 GB - SO DIMM 200-pin - DDR II - 667 MHz / PC2-5300 - unbuffered
• VMware Fusion
• Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Home & Student Edition