iMac and eMac Index

iMac (March 2009)

Apple has updated the iMac with Nvidia graphics as a standard feature (last year's model used Radeon graphics, although there was an Nvidia GeForce 8800 GS build-to-order option). The low-end iMacs use the same Nvidia GeForce 9400M GPU found in all MacBook models and the new Mac mini, while the high-end iMacs use GeForce GT graphics. (ATI Radeon HD 4850 is a build-to-order option on the high-end iMacs.)

The March 2009 iMacs have 4 USB 2.0 ports (one more than before), FireWire 800 (but not 400), gigabit ethernet, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and an 8x SuperDrive - as well as a slim keyboard with two USB 2.0 ports. They support up to 8 GB of RAM.

The 20" iMac has 2 GB of RAM, a 320 GB hard drive, an 8x SuperDrive, Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics, and Apple's aluminum keyboard and Mighty Mouse. 256 MB of system RAM is dedicated to video. The 24" 2.66 GHz model includes 4 GB of RAM and a 640 GB hard drive.

The 2.93 GHz iMac replaces integrated 9400M graphics with discrete GeForce GT 120 graphics with 256 MB of dedicated VRAM; this can be replaced by Radeon HD 4850 on a build-to-order basis. The top-end 3.06 GHz iMac has a 1 TB hard drive and GT 130 graphics with 512 MB of VRAM.

Note that 20" aluminum iMacs use an 18-bit LCD, which can only display 262,144 colors, not the "millions" all other iMacs can display. This should be good enough for most users.

2007 iMac

Intel-based Macs use a partitioning scheme known as GPT. Only Macintel models can boot from GPT hard drives. Both PowerPC and Intel Macs can boot from APM (Apple's old partitioning scheme) hard drives, which is the format you must use to create a universal boot drive in Leopard. PowerPC Macs running any version of the Mac OS prior to 10.4.2 cannot mount GPT volumes. PowerPC Macs won't let you install OS X to a USB drive or choose it as your startup volume, although there is a work around for that.

Details

Upgrades

Online Resources

Go to the iMac and eMac index.

About LEM Support Usage Privacy Contact

Custom Search

FollowLow End Mac on Twitter
Join Low End Macon Facebook

Low End Mac Reader Specials

Quantcast

Quantcast

Quantcast

Quantcast

Quantcast

Quantcast

Quantcast

Quantcast

Favorite Sites

MacSurfer
Cult of Mac
Shrine of Apple
MacInTouch
MyAppleMenu
InfoMac
The Mac Observer
Accelerate Your Mac
RetroMacCast
PB Central
MacWindows
The Vintage Mac Museum
Deal Brothers
DealMac
Mac2Sell
Mac Driver Museum
JAG's House
System 6 Heaven
System 7 Today
the pickle's Low-End Mac FAQ

Affiliates

Amazon.com
The iTunes Store
PC Connection Express
Macgo Blu-ray Player
Parallels Desktop for Mac
eBay

Advertise

Open Link