August 8, 2007
Apple has finally updated the aging design of the iMac. The all-in-one desktop which used to be white with a trademark rimshot glass case is now aluminum and glass. The body of the new iMac is akin to the iMacs since the G5. It stayed with the introduction of the Intel processors and now it’s been updated, this time with a totally new look that leaves me with mixed feelings. Gone is the color scheme of white and grey — enter grey and black, a color scheme that is similar to many PCs.
The Design
I’m not very impressed by the new design. The color scheme matches my Gateway tower, as well as my sister’s Compaq tower (with the exception of the red logo and blinding green LED light). Grey and black in my mind associates with PCs, whereas white and grey was Apple’s trademark color scheme on most of their hardware since the introduction of the space-age looking iMac.
But enough about my gripes. After all, it’s just a color scheme right? Unfortunately, I’m not liking the large black border around the display either. It makes the iMac’s design less simplistic and I think the contrasting aluminum chin would be distracting. On the plus side, the iSight is now effectively hidden in that black border.
The choice to make the display’s exterior glass is also something I’m not a big fan of, but apparently there are a ton of consumers who love the glossy display. This is purely a personal preference which I won’t knock.
On the good side though, the depth of the iMac is thinner. It makes me wonder how Apple manages to stuff all the hardware that is in there in such a sleek package.
The Hardware
Inside the iMac, it’s insides are near similar to the iMac of previous generation. There isn’t that much of a speed boost and the 1GB standard offering of RAM is the same from last time.
Besides the fun circuitry and modules inside the iMac, Apple is offering a newly designed keyboard with their iMacs. It’s heavily influenced by the keyboard on the Macbook, thus giving it a very sleek profile. There’s also a wireless Bluetooth version available as well, incomplete without a number pad.
Concluding Thoughts
Personally, I’m not a fan of the new design of the iMac. It’s color scheme is the trend of many common desktop PCs and the large black border makes the overall design less simple. With similar power beneath the case as well as an odd offering of new laptop-style keyboards, I’m glad I bought an iMac of last-gen. Besides, it matches the style of my iBook.
With the current design of the PC-like grey and black iMac, I think this logo slapped on there (along with a corresponding screenshot) seems a little more appropriate:
