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Apple Launches New Cheaper 21.5-Inch iMac Starting at $1,099

So basically a non portable MacBook Air with with a bigger screen, an HDD, and 8 GB RAM?
 
Dual-core? Rubbish. They could've made the current bottom-spec iMac cheaper, and update the top-end. Instead they update the bottom-end with the least powerful iMac shipped in 4 years, and keep the rest the same price & specs.

So much for being opposed to shipping junk.
 
jacobj said:
Apple's method of securing lower income markets seems to be, take a high end device, leave the expensive design, casing, screen, etc in place and then rip out as much of the guts as possible so as to maintain margins. It's an awful comprimise between wanting a lower end market and being unwilling to actually design products from scratch that are specific to it for fear of seeming to lower the finish of the image.

We pay premiums for the fit and finish of Apple products because we are going for the higher end device and once there, are happy to pay the extra for the finish: thus securing form and function.

This is form and no function.

I hope this fails.

Apple, design something from scratch or stay out of the market. As this stands you are giving weight to the often cited criticism that "Apple is just overpriced parts in a slick body".
Click to expand...
I wasn't aware that Apple has ever tried to secure the lower end market of the market.

In this case though I'm surprised they didn't price it at $999.
 
ArtOfWarfare said:
1.4 GHz in a desktop computer at this price?

Surely that's a typo...

Just checked Apple's store and it says the same thing.

1.4 GHz for $1099 or 2.7 GHz for $1299. They're the same line of CPU, so it's an apples to apples comparison. For an 18% increase in price, you double the CPU and the storage capacity.
Click to expand...

There's a group of jobs for which people will pick the absolute cheapest iMac.

Retail cash registers. Elementary school web terminals. Office receptionists. They'll all be fine with this machine, but it doesn't even matter. This is what their boss will buy no matter what specs it has.

But Apple wants to make damn sure that NO ONE who looks at specs buys this thing. They can give those aforementioned customers something cheap without cutting in half the market for frugal-but-standing-in-the-apple-store kind of customers. Your post here is probably the script Apple handed to their retail employees already.

Honestly it's a good strategy.


EDIT: Although in truth I wish they'd bring back the 'eMac' name for this machine. It would make things a LOT clearer.
 
tomhumphrey said:
The fact that none of the iMacs come standard with a SSD at this point is shocking. I would never buy or use a computer without one now.
Click to expand...

Indeed. Such a nice computer only castrated by spinning drive, thus greatly degrading overall experience and impression.

That's just bad business in my opinion.
 
jacobj said:
Apple, design something from scratch or stay out of the market. As this stands you are giving weight to the often cited criticism that "Apple is just overpriced parts in a slick body".
Click to expand...

If Mac OS X and Apple's ecosystem has no value to you then a Mac might not be worth it to you. They know you can buy a generic Windows box for much less.
 
The processor is fine for most people. My only gripe is the lack of a fusion drive. All it needs is 64 GB SSD for OS and Apps and it will make the experience 100% better.
 
Gotta agree, when I saw the specs I had to check the year on my calendar, and yup, it's still 2014. Checking education pricing, it's $1049. You're really better off getting the 2.7GHz w/ 1TB HDD and Intel Iris Pro Graphics for $1249 education price, yet that still seems a bit much.
 
While I wouldn't buy this, this would be an okay setup for someone that just needs a computer to browse websites, homework, light picture/video editing. The price point is a little much though for what the internals are. I would have liked to see this at $999 or a bit cheaper.
 
JaySoul said:
When will Apple release touchscreen iMacs?
Click to expand...

I don't see it happening anytime soon. For that to happen, you would have to completely redesign the UI for Mac OS X so that it would work comfortably with a person's fingers. Look at how Windows 8 is doing, it still has the desktop view because it has the ability to attach a mouse and keyboard but what M$ is trying to sell you is really a tablet in a PC's clothing. Don't be fooled. That's why the iPhone was in part revolutionary, because the UI was tailored specifically for touch input, something that hadn't been done before. Try opening the Apple Menu with your finger without tapping the desktop. Kinda hard.
 
Mentally, hitting $999 would have been huge. Surprised they couldn't make that happen.
 
Well done.....

Apple....:D....This entry level Mac is in almost any spec on par with similar offers in the PC side. And even with expensive laptops in that market....I am not clear about the specs in the 27-incher, but anyways, a good entry level computer. And it is interesting see how Apple stick to their mantras: No doing "cheap" hardware and making quality products....

I can see good markets in China, India and even Latin America.....:D


:):apple:
 
Small White Car said:
There's a group of jobs for which people will pick the absolute cheapest iMac.

Retail cash registers. Elementary school web terminals. Office receptionists. They'll all be fine with this machine, but it doesn't even matter. This is what their boss will buy no matter what specs it has.

But Apple wants to make damn sure that NO ONE who looks at specs buys this thing. They can give those aforementioned customers something cheap without cutting in half the market for frugal-but-standing-in-the-apple-store kind of customers. Your post here is probably the script Apple handed to their retail employees already.

Honestly it's a good strategy.


EDIT: Although in truth I wish they'd bring back the 'eMac' name for this machine. It would make things a LOT clearer.
Click to expand...

Agree fully. This isn't meant to entice anyone beyond the buyer who wants the cheapest possible imac.
 
chrfr said:
But if you're buying a couple classrooms worth, I bet they'll knock it below $1000.
Click to expand...

Sure, in bulk - the edu pricing is for students.

But still - what a completely cynical rip-off.

What they should have done was make this $799 and drop the price of the former base 21.5" to $1099, and the models above that by $100 or $200.

Congratulations, Apple - you've released a desktop that is slower than the oldest laptop in your lineup, and is more expensive to boot.
 
Naimfan said:
I'm very surprised - this strikes me as nothing short of a terrible move. A dual core ULV iMac that is still on the wrong side of $1000?

Absurd.

And far too expensive for what it is.
Click to expand...

Yes, it's a bit funny. I understand Apple wanting those tasty profit margins but with that processor, surely $990 would've been a possibility? Such a price carries an important psychological factor with it too.
 
Is not fair, only 200$ down But you compromise from 2.7 ghz quad core to 1.4 DUAL CORE, half of storage, HD5000 instead of Iris Pro?

I really thought for that hardware the price will be 1000$
 
ArtOfWarfare said:
1.4 GHz in a desktop computer at this price?

Surely that's a typo...

Just checked Apple's store and it says the same thing.

1.4 GHz for $1099 or 2.7 GHz for $1299. They're the same line of CPU, so it's an apples to apples comparison. For an 18% increase in price, you double the CPU and the storage capacity. The GPU also changes, but it changes lines entirely so there's no easy way to say how much better one is than the other.
Click to expand...

pgiguere1 said:
They put a MacBook Air (15W) CPU inside a desktop computer meant for 65W CPUs? Without making it thinner?

Hmmm, pretty weird. Would have been cheaper for them to go with a less efficient, more powerful chip.
Click to expand...
How horrifying. We have some full circle and we have mobile processors in the iMac, again.

http://ark.intel.com/products/75030
 
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