Thread: Apple iMac 24 inch, 2009 edition

The model we reviewed is the in-between configuration- but it's pretty powerful. At the heart lies a Core 2 Duo processor running at 2.93 Ghz, paired with 4 GB of DDR-3 RAM running at 1066 Mhz. A 640 GB hard drive and an Nvidia Geforce GT120 with 256 MB of RAM complete the hardware specifications. The external appearance hasn't changed at all, though Apple has lopped off the Firewire-400 port and replaced it with another USB port, for a total of four USB ports. It still has a FireWire-800 port, and you can plug in FW-400 devices with an adapter. The Mini¬DVI port has been changed as well, to a Mini-Display port. This can be converted to DVI with an adapter, though Apple does not supply these in the box.

The keyboard has changed though,and sadly for the worse. The number has been removed and now the keyboard just looks wrong-especially next to the huge 24-inch screen. The low-profile Chiclet keys also don't seem right, but you can get used to that. The omission of the number pad is a more grievous sin.

The mouse is the same old Mighty Mouse. Personally, we don't like it much, but that's a matter of taste.

The screen is gorgeous. It's bright, too bright in fact. We had to move the brightness slider well over to the left before it was comfortable to use. Colors are vivid, and viewing angles are much wider than standard TN-panels.