I've been plugging along for about six hours on my new 2.4GHz 20" iMac. So far, I'm quite impressed. Here are my initial thoughts:
Design: I wasn't sure I'd like it when I first saw the pictures, but now I'm sold. The new iMac is a beauty! I previously owned an original Core Duo 20" and I always felt like there was way too much glossy-white plastic staring at me all the time. Plus finding non-Apple peripherals to match the thing was downright impossible. The new design might actually make it easier to create a more aesthetically-pleasing workstation as a whole despite being less "iconic."
Build Quality: My new iMac looks like a precision piece of equipment. I can find no discernable defects in its materials or workmanship.
Display: What can I say? It's great!* I believe it's already been discovered that the 20" uses a TN panel, but it really does look quite good. Colors are very vivid and saturated. Whites are crisp and bright. Yes, S-IPS is a superior technology as far as color accuracy is concerned, but I think most people will enjoy the new display regardless. It sizzles! My old iMac actually looks kinda dull and grainy in comparison.
* One caveat about the new display is that it needs proper calibration to really shine. The default ColorSync profile as supplied by Apple has gamma curves that make things too bright! The result is washed-out color and fuzzy text.
Keyboard: I really love the MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards, so I was looking forward to Apple replacing the ever-mushy "Pro" keyboard that's been with us forever. About all I can say is that the new keyboard works as good as it looks, and it looks gorgeous!
Performance: No problem in this department. The new iMac is very fast. Programs load quickly, the system is responsive under load, and graphical effects are smooth and fluid. I'd say it's noticeably faster than my CD iMac and slightly faster than my SR MacBook Pro with the same CPU. (Probably because the 8600M drivers in the latter are still a work-in-progress.) As for gaming performance, please don't ask. I gave that up years ago.
Heat and Noise: The top of new iMac does become warmer to the touch than the old one, but I haven't taken any actual readings yet. As for noise, both iMacs are virtually silent under normal conditions.
Conclusion: I think Apple will sell a lot of these!
Design: I wasn't sure I'd like it when I first saw the pictures, but now I'm sold. The new iMac is a beauty! I previously owned an original Core Duo 20" and I always felt like there was way too much glossy-white plastic staring at me all the time. Plus finding non-Apple peripherals to match the thing was downright impossible. The new design might actually make it easier to create a more aesthetically-pleasing workstation as a whole despite being less "iconic."
Build Quality: My new iMac looks like a precision piece of equipment. I can find no discernable defects in its materials or workmanship.
Display: What can I say? It's great!* I believe it's already been discovered that the 20" uses a TN panel, but it really does look quite good. Colors are very vivid and saturated. Whites are crisp and bright. Yes, S-IPS is a superior technology as far as color accuracy is concerned, but I think most people will enjoy the new display regardless. It sizzles! My old iMac actually looks kinda dull and grainy in comparison.
* One caveat about the new display is that it needs proper calibration to really shine. The default ColorSync profile as supplied by Apple has gamma curves that make things too bright! The result is washed-out color and fuzzy text.
Keyboard: I really love the MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards, so I was looking forward to Apple replacing the ever-mushy "Pro" keyboard that's been with us forever. About all I can say is that the new keyboard works as good as it looks, and it looks gorgeous!
Performance: No problem in this department. The new iMac is very fast. Programs load quickly, the system is responsive under load, and graphical effects are smooth and fluid. I'd say it's noticeably faster than my CD iMac and slightly faster than my SR MacBook Pro with the same CPU. (Probably because the 8600M drivers in the latter are still a work-in-progress.) As for gaming performance, please don't ask. I gave that up years ago.
Heat and Noise: The top of new iMac does become warmer to the touch than the old one, but I haven't taken any actual readings yet. As for noise, both iMacs are virtually silent under normal conditions.
Conclusion: I think Apple will sell a lot of these!
