New iMacs

So the updated iMacs are out. They deliver a nice bang-for-your-buck in a very attractive package. There are four models and prices range from $1,199 to $2,199 (999€ to 1,819€ in Spain).

I’m not yet sure which of the two models in the middle of the range represents the price/performance "sweet spot". Going from the 1,249€ model to the 1,499€ model gets you 4 more inches of screen real estate (20" to 24") and bumps the CPU from 2.66 GHz to 2.8 GHz. I suspect that the large screen size tips the balance in favor of the latter, just.

But even the top-of-the-range model isn’t too exorbitantly priced (as is often the case with the top-of-the-line, where you have to pay a premium in order to claim the best). It’s a 320€ step up from the previous model, but gets you a 2.8 GHz to 3.06 GHz speed bump, a chunkier hard drive (500 GB, up from 320 GB) and a better video card with double the video memory (512 MB, up from 256 MB).

In short, whatever model you pick, you basically can’t go wrong. They’re all attractive, compact, high-performance, quiet machines with reasonable price points that make them good value for money. If I were in the market for a new machine I’d definitely pick one up.