Digital Trends

Apple iMac Core Duo 17-inch

July 11th, 2006 | by Jason Tomzak

Conclusion

Having tested numerous PowerPC and Intel-based Macs in business, media and general-use scenarios, I feel confident saying that the 17" Intel iMac is one of the better systems Apple has produced.  It stays true to the sexy design that made millions fall in love with it.  It runs silently. The screen is beautiful.  The hardware and operating system are the most reliable around.  It's very fast and can handle most heavy workloads. 

Because the design and exterior features of the 17" Intel-based iMac are not rafter-shaking upgrades from the G5 iMac, it could be easy to discount how good this machine really is.  Due to the lack of Universal Binaries for some of the most popular and critical programs, the Intel iMac dominates over the G5 iMac in most, but not all real-world speed tests.  However, once all Mac programs are Universal Binaries, the Intel iMac will likely shred through speed tests with nary a bead of sweat. 

Pros

• Virtually silent
• Super-bright screen
• iSight camera built-in
• Versatile all-in-one design
• Easy to relocate this desktop computer
• Excellent for small workspaces

Cons

• 8X SuperDrive should have been 16X
• Lagged in iPhoto import speed test