Apple iMac 20 inch – Impressive performance
The Apple iMac 20 inch is the lowest end desktop from Apple but still it is an expensive machine as compared to the Windows counter parts. This system costs more than $1,000 and is powered by a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo chip this is complemented by 1 GB RAM and 250 GB hard drive which is quite which makes the machine very powerful for even the most demanding applications out there.
The price of the Apple iMac 20 inch may be a bit higher but in my labs, this system really proved its worth. The performance of this machine is much better than standard Windows desktops. Multitasking achievements too were pretty impressive. If you yearn for good performance and if high price tag is not a problem, I would readily recommend you this system.
There is Apple’s BootCamp which can be used to boot this system either through OSx or Windows XP or Windows Vista. The problem here is this system has just one GB memory. I recommend at least 2 GB memory to run Windows XP or Windows Vista in all its glory.
If you are going to use Vista on this machine, I would recommend you to add some memory. The memory can be upgraded but you will have to pay a lot of money for it. Increasing memory on Windows computers is a lot cheaper. This is one of the major drawbacks of Apple systems; it costs a lot to upgrade hardware the internal components. On the flip side, this system doesn’t have a lot of parts that can be upgraded.
The 250 GB hard disk of the Apple iMac 20 inch is relatively smaller as compared to what other systems in the market are offering for this price point. Apple should have been more generous here. Above the display, there is a Webcam for video chatting, and on the sides, there is a slot loading DVD drive.
The Apple iMac 20 inch looks really pretty from the back too, everything is nice and clean. There are a basic row of ports on the bottom – a couple of USB, audio in and out, FireWire 800, Apple’s proprietary video jack and Ethernet port for wired internet connectivity. This is an all-in-one system and hence doesn’t occupy a lot of space. The performance of this machine is also much better than any other Windows based desktops in this price range.
Apple gives a wired mouse and keyboard with this machine. The keyboard has a minimalist design and looks really attractive. However, the mouse could have been better. The stubborn single button design and impressive scrolling nub annoyed me a lot of times. You can opt for a wireless mouse for around $20 and a wireless keyboard will cost you $30.
Apple iMac 20 inch comes with one year labor and parts warranty which is on par with what competition is offering. I was not much impressed by the 90 day phone support, it is like an insult. On the manufacturer’s Website, you will find product information, FAQs and manuals.
