Apple announced a new entry-level iMac today that will be feature a slower processor and less storage space, but will be $200 cheaper than other variants.
The $1,099 iMac will be powered by the less powerful 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 500GB storage. There is a downgrade in the graphics arena as well as instead of the Intel Iris Pro Graphics the new iMac will have Intel HD Graphics 5000.
Apple isn’t going to offer a whole lot of upgrade options. Users can opt for better storage – 1TB hard drive will cost an extra $50; a 1TB Fusion drive will cost an extra $250; or a 256GB flash drive will cost an extra $250.
Apple calls the new iMac as “the perfect entry-level Mac desktop”, but considering the limitations in lieu of the ‘small’ $200 price difference is something that doesn’t sit well.
Considering for example the faster 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor; Iris Pro graphics; and 1TB hard drive comes as standard for a small difference of $200 – which option would you go for?
Other things include the option to upgrade to 16GB RAM and 512GB flash storage – this is something that the new 21.5-inch iMac doesn’t provide. The only strong point of the new desktop as compared to the MacBook Air seems to be the 8GB RAM that comes as standard, but this doesn’t bring in a lot of weight if we consider the 256GB flash drive which comes as standard in the MacBook Air.
