As I sit in front of my shiny new 24-inch iMac writing this review, I'm reminded of why I love Apple products - they just work. I had the machine set up, running, and was checking my email within a matter of minutes after the package arrived at my house. Now for the true test - can it handle my pro applications and manage my ever-complicated home entertainment needs?
Look & Feel
Bar none, this is the most sophisticated iMac to date. There is a very clean, almost surgical, feel to it that makes my entire home office more livable. With its aluminum casing, high-gloss screen, and slim build, the machine is jaw-droppingly beautiful. I admit the size of the screen was overwhelming at first - bright, big, and seemingly too close - but once properly adjusted, it delivers so much more than the 20-inch model.
24-inch Apple iMac
The Keyboard
There is a lot of interest in the new keyboard Apple has designed. It's much thinner than their previous keyboard (which was pretty slick itself), has two USB 2.0 ports, and feels exactly like typing on the new MacBook keys. Compared to a Dell or Microsoft keyboard, it's much nicer to use and takes up hardly any desk space. My only complaint is that it's next to impossible to plug in a USB flash drive because the USB ports sit to low to the desk. Besides the mouse, I can't imagine plugging anything else into the other port which, to me, renders it useless.
New Apple keyboard
Running Windows
Having the choice to run both the Mac OS and Microsoft Windows opens the machine up to an entirely new level. I wanted the ability to boot Windows natively using the free Boot Camp software Apple released, as well as run it virtually within the Mac OS (so that I could test software, etc. without having to reboot). After finding out this was possible by using the $80 Parallels 3.0 software, I went out and got a copy of Windows Vista Ultimate and was on my way.
Windows running via Parallels
Installing Windows via Boot Camp is really no different than installing Windows on a Dell or HP. Once installed however, it runs much better on a Mac than any PC (especially Vista, which looks great on the 24-inch iMac screen). Booting back into the Mac OS, I installed Parallels 3.0 which found my Boot Camp installation and let me run Windows within the Mac environment. The only problem I had with this setup was with regard to Windows activation which I had to do twice (once in Boot Camp and the other in Parallels).
Test #1: Pro Applications
I'm a Final Cut Pro Certified editor and use the software on a daily basis. For the past year I've been running it on my 12-inch Powerbook, so I immediately noticed a big difference in screen size. Rendering and exporting were also greatly improved, cutting my time spent on both in half. Soundtrack, Motion, and DVD Studio Pro all run a lot smoother and snappier too.
Test #2: Home Entertainment
While watching a full-screen video, encoding a video in the virtual Windows world (via Parallels), while at the same time my wife was streaming iTunes to her laptop, I realized this is much more than a computer - it's the hub of all things digital in my house. And with enough hard drive space and power to store everything neatly, managing my photos, music, and downloaded movies has never been easier.
Bottom-line
The iMac is a workhorse. When it comes to work and play it's hands-down the best machine on the market for the price. Like a drug, once you get your hands on it, you yearn for more.
This review is based on the 24-inch 2.8GHz standard iMac package offered by Apple for $2299.
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