OK, so I tested my week 5 i7.
Again: i7 standard 4GB RAM, 1TB HDD
Ordered: 01/14/10
Shipped: 01/28/10
Delivered: 02/01/10
Regular shipping (not priority).
I just tested it for a few hours. I did the "yellow tint" test from the big thread here, I ran pixel checking software, I tested the iSight camera with photobooth, I hooked up external speakers, I ripped a DVD movie with MTR, I watched half of a movie, I streamed Pandora, I tested all the USB ports. My checklist I've posted here before, with my results:
1)Screen - Stuck/Dead pixels - NO
2)Screen - Flickering screen, with brief blackouts - NOT SO FAR (A FEW HOURS)
3)Screen - Yellow smudge at the bottom/elsewhere - NOT THAT I CAN SEE
4)Screen - LED backlight bleeding through in corners when screen is dark/black - NO
5)Screen - High pitch whine from screen at max brightness after 30 minutes; also after turning down brightness by 30% - NO
6)Screen - Dust or fingerprints trapped behind the monitor glass - NO
7)iSight - Dead pixels - NO
8)iMac as external monitor function not working - HAVE NOT TESTED
9)Noisy HDD - clicking or whirring, rumbling and whining - NOT SO FAR
10)Constantly running fans at high volume - NOT SO FAR
11)Intermittent hiss from external speakers hooked up - NO
12)Frequent beachballs, despite not many programs running - NO
13)Slow boot up - NO
14)Random self generated restarts while using Firefox - NOT SO FAR
15)Airport problems - NOT SO FAR
16)Bad USB ports - NO
General remarks.
The HDD is a Seagate. I intend to mount this iMac on an articulated arm, and when I do so, I'll review the arm in the appropriate thread. It will be a while before I post pictures, because I lent my friend my Nikon D300, but eventually I'll post pics of the arm and the screen to show no yellow problems (that I can see). The screen is a bit more reflective than I'd like, but such is life. YOU DO NOT WANT TO THINK ABOUT HOW THESE COMPUTERS ARE TRANSPORTED. I received mine through FedEx. Bless their hearts, but I guess those are the realities of transportation - the box this computer came in, has seen some hard times. One of the styrofoam corner-blocks inside was cracked clear through - and that sucker is thick... must've seen some hard knocks, I reckon. I'm not surprised there are a lot of cracked screens out there. Fortunately, mine is fine.
Oh, and I'm typing this on the new iMac - marvelous. Now I'm gonna mount this sucker on the articulated arm. Adios!