Product Reviews

Swapping white plastic for aluminium while keeping roughly the same shape, the iMac's latest makeover is more modest than those of previous reincarnations, but significant changes have been made to the two areas that'll have the greatest impact on every user: the screen and the keyboard.

The transition from matt to glossy LCD wasn't exactly a surprise, given the industry shift towards glossy screens on laptops (including Apple's), but this version has extra sheen because it's coated in glass. And therein lies a problem. Glossy screens tend to be highly reflective; glass-coated glossy screens could give shaving mirrors a run for their money. Using this 20-inch iMac under fluorescent lights takes a great deal of getting used to. And if you have a window behind you, forget it. At home, with subdued lighting, DVDs look fantastic. But its specification makes this iMac ideal as a production workhorse and photo or video editing workstation, and in those environments the glossy screen is going to be an issue. Still, we can't deny that it looks bling.

The other big change will be more universally welcomed: the keyboard is a joy to use. Keys are generously spaced, comfortable, and have just the right amount of travel. There are no gaps to clog up with toast crumbs (the original white iMac keyboard was basically an ashtray with keys) and no less than 19 function keys, several pre-programmed to launch Mac OS X features. The two USB ports on either side of the keyboard are now, at long last, USB 2.0. Sadly, their positioning, tucked under a lip, means you'll probably still have to plug in your flash memory sticks round the back.

The mouse is still Apple's Mighty Mouse. With five buttons and a scroll ball, it's great in principle, but in practice

ADVERTISEMENT

glitchy and uncomfortable to use.

Connecting service

Though slimmer than its white plastic forebear, this Mac has a distinct bulge in its rear. A quick scan of that rear reveals a power switch and an impressive array of ports. There are three USB 2.0, one each for FireWire 400 and FireWire 800, a Gigabit Ethernet socket, and a connector for Apple's proprietary video adaptor, which allows you to connect the iMac to an external monitor, either to reproduce the display or to extend your desktop across two screens. Alongside these ports are 3.5mm jacks for digital and analogue audio input and output. And there's built-in support for WiFi in the shape of Apple's Airport Extreme, which supports the latest draft 802.11n, and Bluetooth 2. While FireWire 800 is a good way to attach external hard disks, an eSATA port would have been faster; you can't upgrade the built-in drive.

Round the front, the iSight camera can be used as a webcam or to feed video to iMovie or QuickTime Player. The iMac's stand is robust, but only rotates vertically. You can't swivel it or adjust its height.

The standard amount of RAM fitted is 1GB, which will struggle less with Mac OS X than it would under Windows Vista but isn't generous. It can be upgraded to a maximum of 4GB, an easy job to do yourself, but 2GB would have been a better default.

The iMac comes with Mac OS X Tiger. If you can wait a few weeks, Macs should start shipping with the new version of OS X, Leopard, saving you around £100 in upgrade costs. Already included is Apple's excellent software suite, iLife 08, comprising applications for organising and editing photos, audio and video, authoring DVDs and building basic websites. These programs are far better than the accessories supplied with Windows Vista. If you want a word processor and spreadsheet, though, the iWork package costs £55 extra.

For £950 you could by a PC from the likes of Dell or Mesh with twice the iMac's memory, a larger hard disk, a bigger display, speakers and a TV tuner. But it won't be anything like as stylish or compact, and it won't run Mac OS X. The iMac, on the other hand, is quite happy to run Windows Vista if you need to and don't mind paying for your own copy, and considering the quality of its design and construction it doesn't seem overpriced.