Home > Consumer Reviews > Apple iMac Desktop with 17" M8935LL/A (1.0-GHz PowerPC G4, 256 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, DVD-RW/CD-RW Drive)

This review is a bit long but if you're even slightly interested in switching to the iMac please take the time to read it (you don't want to spend $2K on just any old computer do you?)
1st of all the individuals who wrote the 1* reviews obviously don't own an iMac and probably own a lot of MS stock so they are Apple bashing. I am in the military and have used PC's since there were PC's. I spent one tour as the IT manager for my command. My only experience w/ Macs had been at my kid's school and with my minister. I was extremely skeptical of Apple and researched for several months before deciding on the iMac. I was tired of having the BBB (big beige box) next to my desk. I had seen the new iMac in the news during its intro and was immediately smitten. I ask you why in the yr 2K3 do computers still look like they did 20 years ago? Apple broke the mold with the original iMac and then vaporized it with the new iMac. I've had mine for about one week now and my wife is about ready to divorce me. The engineering and design that went into the iMac make it the most usable computer on the market. Try moving a regular LCD monitor with one finger to position it precisely where you want it. I can bring the iMac?s monitor right over the keyboard for typing and surfing or put it up high to watch DVD?s with my kids, truly awesome. The 16X9 aspect ratio is great for everything, especially browsing w/ two windows open, one on each side of the screen. I get so tired of hearing how you can't upgrade it. How many average PC users actually crack a case and upgrade their PC's? Not many I'll wager. If you're worried about the iMac's 1GHz processor vs a 2.x GHz PC clone, don't. I run a 2.4 GHz at work and I see no difference in everyday apps. I suppose if you're a game freak you'll want a PC but my kids and I play games on consoles now and use the computer for important things like the wonderfully educational and preloaded World Book encyclopedia. If you're really interested read up on how the G4 chip processes in comparison w/ the PC chips. Set up was a breeze, about 15 mins including unpacking. The speakers look & sound incredible, and there's no power cord! Do you really need a subwoofer w/ a computer (more wires)? I was unsure of the Apple one button mouse but now I'm sure, no carpel tunnel as I move my hand around more the only thing it lacks is a wheel as you can hold the control key and pop up a menu window anywhere (you can add a multi-button mouse if you want). I love the "Dock" that holds all frequently used program icons, it makes opening an app a delight as each icon blows up when moused over. I have yet to use the super drive for burning DVD's or CD's but it plays/loads them fast and fine. The iMac is very quiet and just wait until you see it sleeping for the first time, way cool. Lastly if you know your way around MS Windows then don't fear Mac OS. I estimate it took an hour to familiarize myself w/ the important parts of the system. Go look at the iMac, talk to Mac users, read the switch testimonies and make you choice. Anyone who doesn't give the iMac a test drive and buys a clone will miss a great opportunity to own a truly useful home computer.

I'm writing this review on my brand new iMac 17" and I'm grinning ear to ear. I do wish I'd made the switch long ago. I have to admit that I sat on the fence for almost a year before making the move over to Apple. The iPod is what finally pushed me over (more about that in another review).

I won't rehash what other folks have already written. What also makes the iMac worth the money is the software that's packaged (free) with the deal. Off the shelf it's sold as iLife and it includes iTunes, iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto. Trust me - you won't have to buy additional software for the iMac unless you're computing for a living. The included Appleworks suite is all you need for most publishing applications. And with the included browser, calendar, address book you're set for email and web browsing.

Set up was a cinch - I timed it - 10 minutes flat and I was surfing the web and had my email set up. Of course I already had an ISP service and I'm a bit of geek, but it was remarkably easy.

The only reason I can't give the iMac a perfect 5 is because of the pitiful mouse and keyboard. I've been spoiled with my ergonomic keyboard from Microsoft and their intellipoint trackball mouse. Once you've used these you can't go back to anything less. I really hoped I could avoid sending more money to Bill, but ...

One other note of caution - please note that only one of the memory slots is accessable to the consumer. Therefore if you need 1 GB of RAM you will have to have the 256 MB RAM chip replaced by an authorized service center. Otherwise the most RAM you can install yourself is 512 MB in the user accessible slot bringing the total to 768 MB. Not an issue for most users, but something to consider. The only way around this is to buy direct from the Apple store. The other bonus from buying direct from Apple is that the units from the store have Bluetooth built in! The downside here is delivery time - it took almost 2 weeks to receive my iMac from California to North Carolina. A wait made even more agonizing by the fact that my iPod was delivered in two days from Amazon!

First off, I should say I am an avid user of both popular operating systems: MAC OS and Windows OS. I hope my review adds some use to those of you who are on the fence. Before I try to explain the advantages of one system over the other, I thought a short description of my feelings of the iMac was in order.

The iMac 17inch wide screen computer is simply amazing. The OSX operating system is unequaled. It is so far ahead of anything like it one wonders if an alien is working at Apple. Not only is the interface the most visually appealing, it is also the most flexible. Further updates can only make it more appealing to the user who invests their money. Integration with multimedia standards like MP3, AAC, MPEG 4, PDF are outstanding.

My only disappointment, out of the box, were the speakers. The Mac powered speakers that come with the iMac should have been standard on the base eMac version. The speakers that come with the iMac do not equal the 2-speakers - 1 sub woofer 3rd party speakers you can buy for 60$ on the PC. You can upgrade to a better USB based set of speakers for about 100$.

I don't have much space for a full review, so let's get to the nitty gritty.

YOU SHOULD BUY AN IMAC IF: You are looking for an easy way to surf the net, send e-mail, do design work, looking for out-of-box ease. The graphics are unsurpassed, the 17 inch - thin - monitor is beautiful to behold. If you are worried about compatibility with Microsoft Office I suggest you pick up Office for OSX. With this package you have it all. The multimedia applications that come with the iMAC are so beyond the clunky 3rd party versions for the PC, it will make you laugh. Add to this that you get a Super Drive, a combo CD/DVD RW device (something that you can't get with the base Dell or Gateway system without paying even more) and you are set.

YOU SHOULD NOT BUY AN IMAC IF: You (or your kids) are game enthusiasts. There is no getting around it, games are made for Windows first. It takes months, sometimes a year, for game companies to port (translate) the same game for the MAC. If you expect to share files with every other PC user on your block, or want to have your kids acclimated to what their local school is using (providing they are using Windows -check it out first), then get a Windows based machine. As much as it pains me to say it, this is the truth, don't let any MAC fanatic tell you otherwise.

SUMMATION: If you are regular user and you don't care about games, if you are not worried about every file or application that you share being Windows compatible, get this iMAC. The important thing to remember is that Office files (Word, Excel, Power point ) can be shared eith a Mac or PC. If this is your concern, buy the Mac OSX version of Office and be done with it. The value of the iMac, in these terms, outweigh any PC.

The unseen value of your purchase of an iMac will be to strike a blow against the concept of a one-choice (only choice) Windows world and help create a competitive enviroment that all will benefit from.

Otto

Apple is quite simply the best and most innovative computer manufacturer. Their various Macintosh computers are very user-friendly: easy to set up and use and (unlike most PCs) seldom crash or malfunction. Furthermore, the new iMac computers, although full-featured, are very compact and, thus, take up little desk space. The new iMacs all have adjustable flat-panel displays with exceptionally bright, sharp images. Now Apple has increased the processor speeds of these strikingly-attractive new iMacs and reduced their prices. This model has a 17" display -- which has about the same surface area as a typical 19" CRT monitor -- plus a 1 GHz G4 processor, yet costs $... less than its predecessor. Please don't be put off by the fact that the processor clock-speed is "only" 1 GHz. The G4 processor accomplishes more than twice as much per clock cycle as Pentium 4s do and, thus, is faster than a 2 GHz Pentium 4. All things considered, this new iMac is a terrific computer at a quite reasonable price. Highly recommended.

Apple's 1 GHz 17-inch iMac may not seem to keep up with the PC big boys, but the reality is that the elegance of the hardware and software really makes up the difference. The screen is beautiful, and you'll never want to go back to a "normal" (i.e. non-widescreen) monitor once you've used it. Otherwise, the hardware is so-so: The speakers aren't great, and the keyboard and mouse are sub-par. On the software side, Mac OS X 10.2 is solid and fast, and the iLife applications are good (iMovie, iPhoto) to excellent (iTunes, iDVD). You'll want a copy of Microsoft Office v.X to round out the software selection, and that's expensive, unfortunately.

All in all, an excellent all around computer, especially for those interested in multimedia, though you can spend half as much on a speedier Dell system. But that's not the point, is it? The iMac has the grace, elegance and--dare I say it--innovation to keep fans happy. Worth considering if the price tag doesn't scare you off.