Apple iMac G5 (2.0GHz, 17in.): a first look
Published: 13 May 2005
Apple's three iMac G5 models now ship with the new Tiger OS, a slew of new hardware and, in the case of the 20in. model, a lower price. The low-end £899 (inc. VAT) model features a 1.8GHz PowerPC G5 processor and a 17in.screen, while the mid-range £999 (inc. VAT) model features a 2.0GHz processor and a 17in. screen. The 20in. model's price has dropped £150 to £1,199 (inc. VAT) and includes the 2.0GHz processor.
All three models boast twice the memory of the previous iMac G5 lineup, larger hard drives, better graphics and Gigabit Ethernet. We've criticised Apple in the past for including only 256MB for its standard configurations; now 512MB is the standard allotment across the board. Also standard are 160GB hard drives for the two 17in. iMacs and a 250GB drive for the 20in. model. ATI's mid-range Radeon 9600 graphics card replaces Nvidia's budget GeForce FX 5200 card. Also, all three models ship with wireless AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth, two features you had to pay extra for previously. The SuperDrive on the two 2.0GHz G5-based models is now an 8X double-layer drive.
There's not much in the way of negatives to report with the iMac G5's upgrades. We still don't like Apple's one-button mouse or the fact that the one-year warranty supplies only 90 days of free phone support. And although we appreciate the graphics boost, we wish Apple provided other graphics card options.
Apple has addressed our chief concern by making 512MB the standard memory allotment for all three iMac G5 models. Faster processors, better graphics, larger hard drives and wireless features are also welcome. With the host of hardware upgrades, the Tiger OS-based iMac G5 definitely brings more to the table. Check back soon for our review of the 2.0GHz 17in. iMac G5.
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