Apple Goes Multiprocessor Across Computer Line--Faster, Larger iMacs and Faster Mac minis

Apple's entire iMac line now features the new Intel Core 2 Duo (64-bit Merom) processor in every model, running at 1.83GHz to 2.33GHz. According to Apple, the new iMacs deliver up to 50 percent faster performance than the previous top of the iMac line which used Intel's Core Duo (32-bit Yonah) CPUs. The speed up is partly due to Intel's newest CPUs (i.e., Merom vs Yonah) partly due to a higher CPU clock speed (2.33GHz vs 2GHz) and partly due to faster graphics at the high end (Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT vs ATI Radeon X1600). Check out the specs.

There is a new, fabulous 24" iMac with a brilliant 24" widescreen display in the iMac line. It joins the upgraded 17" and 20" models (still $999 to $1499 in standard configurations) at $1999.

The ability to upgrade the iMacs at purchase is improved. The CPU on the 20" and 24" iMacs can be upgraded from 2.16GHz to 2.33GHz. Even the CPU of the $1199 17" model can be upgraded from 1.83GHz to 2GHz. The 24" iMac's graphics can be upgraded from an Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT to an Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT and an additional 128MB of VRAM can be added to the 20" iMac's graphics card.

The new fully upgraded 24" iMac, a hot Mac, does a great job of filling the gap between the 20" iMac and the low end of the Mac Pro line. A top end 24" iMac with the 2.33GHz CPU and Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT graphics is $2374 while the low end 2GHz Mac Pro with Nvidia 7300 GT graphics and a 23" Cinema Display is $3198. So the 24" iMac has a faster CPU (although a dual core and not a quad core), faster graphics and larger screen for $824 less. The 24" iMac even has a fast FireWire 800 port built in.

The updated Mac minis get 1.66GHz or 1.83GHz versions of the older Intel Core Duo (Yonah) CPUs so that now all Macs, desktops and notebooks, have multiprocessors. Both updated Mac minis, still at $599 and $799 in standard configuration, can be upgraded at purchase with up to 160GB 2.5" hard drives.

To some the Mac minis may seem to lag in speed a bit more than they had hoped, even though they are now both Core Duo. However, we use a 1.66GHz Mac mini CoreDuo with a 24" flat panel monitor on a daily basis for general office tasks (email, web surfing, minor Excel tasks, making slide presentations in Keynote and occasional light image processing with Photoshop Elements) and find it to be acceptably fast for all tasks. Of course, we'd like it to be faster so we're holding out hope that a third party will sell reasonably priced CPU upgrades to 2GHz now that the Core Duo CPU prices are dropping precipitously. [Bill Fox]