APPLE iMAC PC

              The 2011 iMac refresh brings us powerful components and the new Thunderbolt standard, but the distinctive aluminum design has remained unchanged. The CPU options are second-generation Sandy Bridge Core i5 and i7, though their integrated graphics capabilities aren’t being utilized. Instead, AMD’s mobile Radeon chips handle the graphics. Our base-level 21.5-inch review unit offers pretty good value for money, with a Core i5-2400S CPU (2.5 GHz, 4 cores, 6 MB cache) and a Radeon 6750M GPU. The higher-end 21.5-inch model comes with a 2.7 GHz CPU and Radeon 6770, plus a 1 TB hard drive rather than 500 GB, which doesn’t make the upgrade seem worth the premium. A single Thunderbolt port promises 10 Gbps data transfers, but there aren’t any peripherals out yet that can use it. USB is stuck at 2.0 speeds. Standard features include a new HD webcam, and Apple’s now-standard shrunken keyboard and Magic Mouse, both wireless. The keyboard is the most frustrating part; we still don’t know why the number pad was removed. The mouse’s small flat shape won’t appeal to everyone. Performance was impressive. We managed playable framerates in Crysis Warhead and Left 4 Dead at high settings, and real-world tests left nothing to complain about.

VERDICT: A solid Mac at an affordable price.
FOR: Excellent hardware, performance and value for money.
AGAINST: No USB 3.0 or Blu-ray, uncomfortable keyboard and mouse

SPECIFICATIONS
www.apple.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 52.8 x 45.1 x 18.85 cm;
Weight: 9.3 kg; CPU: Intel Core i5-2400S (2.5 GHz,
4 cores, 6 MB cache); Graphics: AMD Radeon 6750M,
512MB GDDR5; RAM: 4 GB DDR3; Storage: 500 GB
7200 rpm; Display: 21.5-inch 1920x1080 LED backlit;
Connectivity: Thunderbolt with mini DisplayPort, 4x
USB 2.0, FireWire 800, Gigabit Ethernet, audio in/out,
Wi-Fi N, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR