AAPL: Apple iMac Line Now Features Intel Core 2 Duo Processors In Every Model

Apple® today announced that its entire iMac® line now features the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor in every model, delivering up to 50 percent faster performance than the previous iMac.* A new 24-inch iMac with a brilliant 24-inch widescreen display joins the 17- and 20-inch models, and iMac prices now start at just $999. Every new iMac includes a built-in iSight™ video camera for video conferencing out-of-the-box; Apple’s breakthrough Front Row media experience; and iLife® ‘06, the next generation of Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications.

“Every iMac—from the $999 model up through the new dazzling 24-inch widescreen model—now features blazing Core 2 Duo performance,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “And the new 24-inch widescreen iMac is the fastest, biggest and brightest iMac we’ve ever made.”

The new iMac lineup includes four models: a 1.83 GHz and a 2.0 GHz 17-inch, a 2.16 GHz 20-inch and the all-new 2.16 GHz 24-inch iMac, and features the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor which delivers up to 50 percent faster performance than the previous 20-inch iMac running industry standard benchmarks.

Ideal for both consumers and professionals, the 24-inch iMac features a 24-inch widescreen LCD display with a 1920-by-1200 pixel resolution that offers 30 percent more screen real estate than the 20-inch model and a brighter display to make reading text and viewing images even easier. The all-new 24-inch iMac packs professional performance into the convenience of an all-in-one design and includes a 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB of shared L2 cache, 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory, a 250GB Serial ATA hard drive, NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT graphics with 128MB of GDDR3 memory and a SuperDrive™ for burning professional-quality DVDs. Delivering greater customization for performance and expansion needs, users can configure the new 24-inch iMac with a 2.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 3GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory, a 500GB Serial ATA hard drive and the NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT with 256MB of GDDR3 memory for outstanding graphics performance.

Every iMac includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing out-of-the-box using Apple’s award-winning iChat AV, or recording a video podcast or iMovie® using iLife ‘06, and the breakthrough media experience of Front Row for a simple, intuitive and powerful way for consumers to enjoy their content. Providing the latest in high-performance connectivity options, the iMac includes built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, built-in AirPort Extreme®, a total of five USB ports (three USB 2.0) and two FireWire® ports (including one FireWire 800 port on the 24-inch model).

Every iMac also comes with iLife ‘06, the next generation of Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications featuring iPhoto®, iMovie HD, iDVD®, GarageBand™ and iWeb™, the latest iLife application that makes it super-easy to create amazing websites with photos, blogs and podcasts and publish them on .Mac for viewing by anyone on the Internet with just a single click. Every iMac also comes with the latest release of the world’s most advanced operating system, Mac® OS X version 10.4.7 “Tiger” including Safari™, Mail, iCal®, iChat AV, Front Row and Photo Booth, running natively on the Intel-based desktop.

Pricing & Availability
The new iMac line is shipping today and will be available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. Apple today also increased processor speeds on both models of the Mac mini, delivering dual-core performance across the line at no additional cost. The $799 model now includes a 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up from 1.66 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, and the $599 model now includes a 1.66 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up from a 1.5 GHz Intel Core Solo processor.

The new 24-inch 2.16 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US), includes:

24-inch widescreen LCD display;
2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 3GB;
8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
PCI Express-based NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT with 128MB GDDR3 memory;
built-in iSight video camera;
built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
250GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
the infrared Apple Remote, Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.

The new 20-inch 2.16 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:

20-inch widescreen LCD display;
2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 3GB;
8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
PCI Express-based ATI Radeon X1600 with 128MB GDDR3 memory;
built-in iSight video camera;
built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
250GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
the infrared Apple Remote, Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.

The new 17-inch 2.0 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US), includes:

17-inch widescreen LCD display;
2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 3GB;
8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
PCI Express-based ATI Radeon X1600 with 128MB GDDR3 memory;
built-in iSight video camera;
built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
160GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
the infrared Apple Remote, Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.

The 17-inch 1.83 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $999 (US), includes:

17-inch widescreen LCD display;
1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 2GB;
24x Combo drive;
Intel GMA 950 graphics;
built-in iSight video camera;
built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking;
160GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.

Build-to-order options and accessories include: a 2.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 3GB DDR2 SDRAM, NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT with 256MB GDDR3 video memory and a 500GB Serial ATA hard drive on the 24-inch iMac; a 2.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 3GB DDR2 SDRAM, 256MB GGDR3 video memory and a 500GB Serial ATA hard drive on the 20-inch iMac; a 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 3GB DDR2 SRDAM and a 500GB Serial ATA hard drive on the 2.0 GHz 17-inch iMac; and up to 2GB of DDR2 SDRAM, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and Apple Remote on the 1.83 GHz 17-inch iMac. Additional build-to-order options also include: pre-installed copies of iWork™ 06, Logic® Express, Final Cut® Express and Aperture™; AirPort Express™ and AirPort Extreme Base Station; Apple Wireless Keyboard and wireless Mighty Mouse; Apple USB Modem; and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

*Based on estimated results of industry-standard SPECint and SPECfp rate tests. SPEC is a registered trademark of Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC); see http://www.apple.com/iMac for more information.