Apple upgrades Macs, tweaks MacBook, introduces mouse

Jake Widman
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 00:49

Your IT - Home IT

Apple has introduced new iMacs with larger screens and faster processors and a slightly rejuggled pricing structure. The company also introduced a wireless mouse with multitouch capabilities, tweaked the specs of the low-end MacBook, bumped up the Mac mini, and packaged a new lightweight server option.

The iMac line now starts with a 21.5-inch model featuring a 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo chip, 4 GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard disk.

That's up from the previous entry-level model with a 20-inch screen, 2.66GHz chip, 2 GB of memory, and 320 GB of storage. The price, however, remains the same: US$1,199, AU$1,599.

The other end of the iMac line now comes with a 27-inch screen, up from the previous 24 inches. The top model as of today features a 3.06GHz chip, 4 GB of RAM, and a 1.0TB hard drive -- the same specs as the top-of-the-line 24-inch model yesterday.

But in addition to a larger screen, the top iMac has also seen a dramatic price drop. That 27-inch model lists for US$1,699 and AU$2,199 -- in the U.S., that's $500 cheaper than the 24-inch model sold for.

If you can wait for November, you'll be able to get get a 27-inch model with a 2.66GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 chip -- same memory and storage. That will sell for US$1,999, AU$2,599.

The new 27-inch iMac. Click for larger image. Courtesy Apple.

In the middle of the line, any price reduction is a little muddier. US$1,499 used to buy a 24-inch model with a 2.66GHz chip, 4 GB of memory, and a 640GB hard drive.

Now that price (or AU$1,999) gets you a faster chip (3.06 GHz), more storage (1 TB), and a higher-end graphics chip, but the smaller 21.5-inch screen.

For MacBook, mini, and mouse updates, continue to Page 2.