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iMac 20-inch Core 2 Duo, 2.66GHz, 2GB RAM, 320GB HDD, GeForce 9400M/SD |  | Brand: Apple
Category: CE
This item is no longer available
Rating:  reviews
Sales Rank: 27292
Media: Electronics
Shipping Weight (lbs): 20.1
Dimensions (in): 23.3 x 21.7 x 8.8
MPN: MB417B/A
Model: MB417B/A
UPC: 885909220052
EAN: 0885909220052
ASIN: B001UGY400
Release Date: March 3, 2009
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| Customer Reviews:
The desktop computer as an artform July 9, 2009
M. Harrison (London, UK)
29 out of 30 found this review helpful
You'll probably be considering this computer for one of two reasons. Either you are a PC user who is considering converting to a Mac. Or you are a Mac user and you are weighing up the 20" vs the 24" - or perhaps the merits of going from laptop to desktop.
If you are the former you are probably already weary of Mac evangelists preaching to you. All I will say is this: for the last 15 years I have used a PC at work and a Mac at home; and every morning at work I turn on my computer and sigh with disappointment. I know my work PC will do most of what I need, but doing it will be an utterly joyless experience. Frequently, if I have more ambitious computer-based projects to do, I will come and work on my Mac at home. It will be faster, more elegant, more fun, and more effective. Why? Because Apple seem to predict the needs of the multitasker so well. They assume you will want to perform lots of parallel tasks, all of them quickly, and that you will want to move between them. So that's what it is designed to do - and to do it intuitively and attractively. Furthermore, you can run Microsoft programmes on Mac - but not the other way around. So it's easy to bring the PC-based office home.
If you are a Mac user already, then perhaps you are like me. I began to find the memory on my MacBook Pro too limiting, so went for the iMac, with memory upgraded to 1Tb - leaving my laptop for when I am on the move. 20" or 24"? My answer is: if you are working at a desk, close to the screen the 20" is just fine. If you want to use your iMac as a media centre, watching lots of movies and video, you will find this 20" a little disappointing - so go for the 24".
A couple of other tips:
Amazingly Macs come with no wordprocessing software. So pre-buy Office for Mac or some such for around £100 to avoid frustration.
Transfering the content of your existing Mac to this one is an absolute doddle - just follow the easy on screen instructions on initial start up. However the first option offered is through Firewire, and the iMac is now Firewire 800. I found all my existing Firewire devices were 400 - and so, therefore, were their cables. You can get an 800-400 adapter on Amazon for a tenner, so you'd feel smug if you had pre-bought it. Alternatively, panic not - it offers an ethernet-based transfer as an alternative (though again, no cable supplied).
The wireless keyboard offered for the iMac is cheap, lovely, and the simplest thing to connect - again just follow the instructions. It's a very worthwhile extra.
The front of the iMac is a thing of beauty - but that's because all the ports are around the back. This is a bit annoying for things like memory sticks that you quickly connect and disconnect. I found it best to use a cheap little USB2.0 extension lead to hang off the back onto the desk. Mine's a 4-way, so it also increases the total number of available ports from 4 to 7.
If you ask Apple to preload any software, you will have to register it when you first open it. The registration numbers are supplied, but note that in the mix of letters and numbers in the very long number it is easy to confuse the letter O with a 0 (or zero). You'll save yourself a call to the helpline if you are alert to this.
And overall: a beautiful bright screen, with the harddrive built it, making the whole device low impact. A joy to use. Apple kit just gets better and better - of course the next version will be more gorgeous still. So to own is also to yearn..
I'm a Mac June 21, 2009
AH
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Strangely if you asked me if I liked macs 8 years ago I would of said a big fat 'No'. Now however its quite the opposite. I am amazed with how good these computers are. They are logical and have very few errors unlike windows current operating system Vista. I grew up with windows since 1995 when windows 95 came out. So over time I have used the windows 95, 98 and XP. It was all going swimmingly until the year 2008 came along when I much needed new computer. As I was going to college I thought a laptop would be a good idea. So I got a cheapish HP laptop. Big mistake. In just over a year it had so many problems that I almost felt like throwing it out of a window. It overheated and turned itself off, couldn't recognize the CD drive, slowed down and one of the USBs stopped working and when you only have 3 slots thats a bit deal. Plus many more problems that could go on forever. All these problems are mainly because of the biggest mistake of an operating system ever. Windows Vista.
So obviously I needed a new machine. I didn't trust Vista or cheap laptops so a desktop without Vista was needed. After using one year old iMacs at college I decided to purchase this iMac. BTW it wasn't off Amazon as I am a student and I couldn't ignore the amazing discount from Apple. I got not only this computer but also an 8GB iPod touch and 3 years extended warranty as it should of cost well over £1200 but I got the lot for £900 because of my student discount. Thats cheaper than the RRP cost of the iMac alone! Fantastic.
Now to the review. The iMac is very quick to set up. Simply and put the Mac on the desk plug the power, mouse and keyboard cables in, switch it on, Fill in a few details and your ready to go. Internet ready and everything. Operation is very smooth and fast and I have even played AoE III well on it. Ironically a game made by microsoft. The screen is great. Bright, crisp and plenty big enough. I don't know why anyone would want the 24" version. To me that would be too huge. Sound quality is brilliant. I love using Garageband that comes for free and it is such a logical and cool program to use. This iMac is way better than any Windows OS computer because you don't get the overwhelming error messages and problems that happen for no apparent reason. OK so Macs are a bit over priced especially without the student discount. I think I might of thought twice if I didn't have the discount and obviously at the same price you can get a higher specs windows computer. But again Vista adds so many problems that even XP didn't have. So overall I started off as a windows lover. But now it is the 21st Century and I'm using a PC for the 21st century an iMac.
Apple a day keeps PC away June 18, 2009
M. Cope (Sussex, UK.)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I have had this 20" Imac for two weeks now and so far so good. It does everything I ask of it and it simply has not missed a beat. I have always owned PC's and this is my first ever Apple product. I was nervous of the change at first but after a few days it was easy. The build quality and functions are superb. Everything just works the way it should. The best way I can describe it is like driving a new BMW after driving an old Ford. It's not cheap but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. I would recommend it to anyone.
Superb June 1, 2009
M. Morton (UK)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
A superb machine. Admittedly more expensive than a comparable PC, but - if you can afford it - well worth the extra expense. Easy to set up. Simple to use. Fast and trouble free operation. Also, the screen quality is outstanding, as is the styling. I heartily recommend this machine to anyone who requires a desk-based computer that does what it says on the tin!
iMac 20inch May 8, 2009
Mobee (U.K)
15 out of 17 found this review helpful
What can I say... after years of using a PC at both work and home, the iMac is pure pleasure to use...powering up and ready to go is virtually within seconds. I could go on and on with all the reasons for praising the iMac, but I'll leave those surprises for whoever wants to make the switch for themselves. I wouldn't say anything bad about the PC as it has served me well for years, the most recent being Vista, However all I will say is the iMac is, I believe in a totally different league.
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