Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #2317 in Personal Computers
- Color: Silver
- Brand: Apple
- Model: MC814LL/A
- Dimensions: 10.00" h x
24.70" w x
30.20" l,
42.10 pounds
- CPU: Intel Core i5 3.1 GHz
- Memory: 4GB DDR3 SDRAM
- Hard Disk: 1024GB
- Graphics: Radeon HD 6770M 1GB
- Processors: 1
- Native resolution: 2560 x 1440
- Display size: 27
- Included Software: Mac OS X Snow Leopard
iLife 2011
Features
- Intel Core i5 Processor 3.1GHz
- 4GB SDRAM RAM
- 1TB Hard Drive
- 27-Inch Screen, AMD Radeon HD 6970M
- Mac OS X 10.7 Lion
Apple iMac MC814LL/A 27-Inch Desktop PC (3.1GHz Intel Core i5 Processor, 4GB RAM, 1TB HDD) (OLD VERSION)
Product Description
Introducing the new iMac. The ultimate all-in-one goes all out. The new iMac features next-generation quad-core processors and the fastest graphics ever in an all-in-one computer. It also brings Thunderbolt I/O technology to the desktop for lightning-fast data transfer. And a new FaceTime HD camera lets you make full-screen HD video calls.* All from a beautiful widescreen LED-backlit display that takes up just a sliver of your desk. It’s everything you want in a desktop. Now more powerful, more advanced, and even more incredible than before. *FaceTime requires a FaceTime-enabled iOS device with a Wi-Fi connection or a FaceTime-enabled Mac with an Internet connection and FaceTime for Mac software (may require separate purchase). Not available in all areas.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
180 of 187 people found the following review helpful.
By Samer A
A disclaimer of sorts: I write iOS and Mac apps for a living. I have written a few apps that I sell in the store, so I work full time with a Mac. I tend to buy a new computer every year, because that spinning rainbow wheel begins to eat away at my productivity as my projects grow in size, so I like to have the latest and greatest as it becomes available. I previously owned a Macbook Pro 17" (actually reviewed previously on Amazon by me) but decided to switch to a desktop for the added power and screen real estate. I used "Migration Assistant" to bring over my entire user account to the new iMac so that I was up and running in a few hours.THE SHORT VERSIONWithout going into too much back history, I can say the "short version" of this review is that it is a fantastic, speedy and powerful computer. I loaded it up with an extra 8GB of memory (Apple offers you an 8gb upgrade for a lot of money...you can buy an additional 8 to bring this machine up to 12 for half of what they charge you) and it just flies. I notice that apps that used to bounce for several seconds (sometimes 10+ bounces) now just bounce once before being fully open and operational. The screen is gorgeous, the all-in-one design is great and and the 1TB drive is spacious for all kinds of media.THE LONGER VERSION----SPEED/MEMORYAs mentioned, I have upgraded the machine to 12GB of memory. (Corsair 8 GB DDR3 Laptop Memory Kit CMSO8GX3M2A1333C9) I highly recommend to buy at least an additional 4 to put into your computer. It has 4 slots, which is great, because that's a lot of room for memory expansion. I'm letting you know all this because I haven't actually booted the computer up with only 4GB. I imagine it's still pretty speedy (thanks largely in part to the new Intel CPU) but it won't be able to load up as many apps at once with ease. Installing memory is really very simple (took about 60 seconds start to finish) so I can't recommend it enough.The new processor is unbelievable. It tears through tasks. My app projects that would literally sometimes take 1 to 2 minutes to build on my Macbook Pro take a fraction of the time on here (as fast as 10-15 seconds)--and these are projects that are really very large in size. I also noticed that ripping DVDs to mp4s was a lot smoother and faster on the new iMac. It could go through about 2 hours of video in ~20-30 minutes (at a very high quality). There are tons of benchmarks floating around on the internet, so I recommend searching around for the speed of this particular iMac. It's impressively fast.SCREENOne of the major reasons I went for an iMac over a new Macbook Pro this year was to gain access to the super high res 27" screen. Whenever I see these in the Apple store, I am always in awe at just how much you can fit, and with so much clarity. Its native resolution is 2560x1440 which is much higher than the usual "1080p" (1920x1080 or the MBP's 1920x1200). This means you can fit many windows side by side, or blow up your Safari window to full size and experience the web in a whole new way. I manage multiple windows of Xcode side by side now with ease and still have room to space for chat programs and Twitter.The size really is enormous. You have to stand in front of one and use it to really appreciate just how much screen real estate you get when you go to this size--especially at this resolution.ALL-IN-ONE DESIGN / PORTSSo one of the other benefits to the iMac of course is its "all in one" design. The box it comes in has styrofoam (which is unfortunate, given Apple's commitment to being green) but you just pop those out, and then slide out your computer, unravel your power cord, plug in, and you're good to go. With this particular model, you get the wireless keyboard and the "magic mouse." If you can afford the extra seventy dollars, I'd pick up the trackpad. It's so much better than the mouse, and really easy to use. It also has a huge tracking surface letting you manipulate your apps in interesting ways.There are four USB ports and two thunderbolt ports. Thunderbolt is great, but it's so new that I haven't found anything to really test it. You're supposed to be able power up to two other full size screens which is awesome, but I haven't tested it personally and I also don't own any native thunderbolt devices. I'm waiting for external hard drive makers to come out with Thunderbolt enabled drives too, because it will be way faster than USB.Speaking of USB, the four are all lined up right next to each other but what's nice is that they are lined up vertically--so it's a little bit harder for a fat device to get in the way of two ports, so that's great. You'd have to have something that is very wide (which I'm sure is possible) but for the most part, the ports seem distanced enough to be able to plug in whatever you want.Oh, and finally, you get a built in SD card reader which is nice. It's below the DVD drive on the side.GRAPHICSI tested out some games running in the native resolution and they play without a hiccup of any kind. Games at 2560x1440 are incredible--it's a whole new experience, honestly. You can also search around online for benchmarks for this particular graphics card (the 6970M). It's a very capable card. (Note: The M means it's actually the mobile version of the desktop 6970, but it's still powerful and will meet most/all of your gaming needs.)MAC OS XI won't really mention too much here. Mac OS X has been around for ages, and 10.7 is right around the corner (due this summer.) I used to be a Windows guy but after using Macs for several years now, I don't see myself ever "going back." I even have converted a lot of my friends and family to the Apple world and they all love it. I especially love that all new Macs come with the latest iLife (For photos, videos, etc) and the recently introduced Mac App Store. I've loaded up my computer with tons of apps that I would have never known existed without the app store. I know Apple didn't invent software, but packaging it all in an organized store right there on your desktop is great.OTHER THOUGHTSThe first major downside to this computer is the sheer amount of heat it produces. If you touch the iMac after it's been on for a while (and actively working on it), you feel like you could cook something on it. It can get very hot.The only positive thing regarding the heat is that the computer remains whisper quiet, even while running a full Flash video in HD. (Flash is notorious for spinning up your computer's fans. The latest version is a lot nicer though, especially if the website has updated their own Flash video, because its graphics accelerated, so your CPU won't die trying to render).Another negative I read about this computer all the time is that it has no blu-ray drive. I personally don't care that it doesn't have a blu-ray drive because I prefer streaming media anyway, but I can understand why it's viewed as an important missing feature. The screen size and high resolution really would be nice to see a full 1080p video on, but I really don't think we'll ever see Apple provide a blu-ray drive, especially when they are in the game of selling movies via their iTunes store.FINAL THOUGHTSOverall, I think if you're in the market for a computer that will last you a while (or you're like me and always have to have the latest and greatest) then this is a fantastic contender. For me, I was basically instantly sold on it when I saw it uses the new "sandy bridge" Intel chips, and its high res screen. If you shop around, a 27" screen at 2560x1440 can cost upwards of one thousand dollars, so getting one built into a very powerful, capable computer seems like a steal.If you have any questions or requests for info, please let me know in the comments and I'll respond/update!
46 of 47 people found the following review helpful.
By Customer Vote Addict
The other reviews have hit it right on and I'm not sure I can add anything more, but I'll give it a shot.This computer is amazing. Not only is it a sleek and sexy machine, but wow is it powerful! I upgraded from an older Macbook mainly because I wanted a Mac with a powerful video card for video editing, photo editing and even some gaming. So far this computer has handled everything I've thrown at it. It's fast, quiet and takes the imac to the next level. I was going back and forth between this and the cheaper versions and even the smaller screen. I'm glad I made the choice I did and got the 27". After spending a few hours on the computer, looking at my Samsung 1080p looks the way standard definition did after you first saw HD! The clarity of the ultra high resolution monitor is by far the best looking screen on the market. I finally decided if you are going to spend the money, go for the best. Sure there is one model higher that can be purchased directly from Apple, but as usual Amazon delivered on the best price out there! For all the Mac haters out there that question the premium price Apple charges, there is a reason they can command the $$$ they do. They are powerful machines and works of art. No Windows based machine has the same lines as these beautiful machines. Apple has by far the best designers and engineers in the world.The computer is much heavier than I expected, mainly because the aluminum case is solid. The great part is even though it is a heavy computer, it tilts with the push of a finger and stays exactly where you moved it. I've read complaints that this computer doesn't come in a matte screen. Sure the glossy screen does cause reflections in bright light, but so far I think the reflections are worth the trade off for the absolute dazzle the glossy screen provides.Immediately on its arrival I upgraded the RAM to 16 gigs. It's as easy as removing 3 screws, popping out the old memory and filling all 4 slots with 4 gigs of DDR3 1333 mhz RAM.The only negatives I can even list are that the computer runs hot. I did buy an app to monitor the temps and so far it's in line with my macbook. I think it just seems hotter because the aluminum disperses the heat through the top of the computer. When you touch the top of the computer you are amazed at the heat coming out. I also wish Apple supplied this computer with a wireless keyboard with the number pad. They do sell the corded version with the number pad, but I really wanted to stay wireless. I do miss the number pad, I'm not going to lie. Entering passwords is weird using the numbers on the regular keyboard! At some point I hope they offer a wireless keyboard with the number pad. The sound is also not overly amazing but I always use external speakers anyway so it's not a problem. It's a step up from the sound out of a macbook for sure, but it is aimed downward and not at you. The bass is decent though for built in sound if you don't want to add 2.1 speakers.I can't end my review on a negative note though. The built in isight camera in HD is an awesome touch. I can't believe the quality of the camera to be honest. I look at myself on the screen and every imperfection of my face is captured. Do I really look that old!I expect this computer to last me the next 5 years and I'm sure it will have no problem doing just that! I can't wait to see what accessories the Thunderbolt ports wind up supporting. I'd love to run and additional 2 27" screens at the same resolution using the ports eventually. Apple is usually way ahead of the curve so I have no doubt it is a technology that will catch on and will be amazing! There are many manufactures with products in the pipeline that will support Thunderbolt so I hope to see stuff hitting the market in the next few months.You only live once, and life is short. You deserve the best, and this machine will not disappoint!!Update: I upgraded to the same memory that JFLY referenced in his post. It was cheap, it is fast, and I have no complaints at all about it! Better than paying Apple $600 for a 16 gig memory upgrade! Also I can't wait to see what this computer will do with the newest version of OS X being released in July! No one really has mentioned that this computer is truly a 64 bit machine. I've installed windows 7 64 bit and I am amazed at how it also runs on this computer. XP on my older macbook was never 100%. It was good, it just never seemed natural. Windows 7 on this machine running in bootcamp is amazing.
47 of 51 people found the following review helpful.
By Jared D. Lane
I am a long time PC user. I had my doubts about switching to a Mac but I have had such good luck out of iPhones and iPads it seemed like it was worth the risk, I just wish I had done it sooner. The 27" iMac is a thing of beauty. No cables for keyboard, mouse, and Internet keeps a tidy work/play space. The screen is HUGE and the colors are beautiful. I opted to purchase an additional 8 MB of RAM from cossair and installed it before I even plugged the thing in. Installation took minutes and this thing is very speedy. I do a lot of amateur photography using lightroom 3. My pictures look great on the screen and lightroom responds super fast. Some people have complained about the glossy screen, and I see where they are coming from. But I do all my editing in low light so it just doesn't make any difference to me. The operating system is actually very easy to use and the transition from windows has been painless. It is AWESOME to be able to use my computer without constant popups, antivirus updates, or the plethora of unwanted programs that love to run in the background of a windows system. The best way to describe the experience is clean. If I want it, it is there, if I dont, it stays out of the way. The only issue I have had is some Internet connectivity problems. The iMac connected to my wireless network with no problems but I would sporadically lose connection while browsing the web. A ten minute call to apple support had the problem resolved. I didn't drop any stars because I am actually glad that I got an opportunity to call on apple support. The experience is by far the best I have ever had with ANY technical support. I went to the apple website, used "express lane support". The website asked for the type of equipment I was using, what type of problem I was having, and the serial number of the computer. They then gave an option to have a technician call me (no waiting on hold!). I opted for someone to call me "now". Literally the phone was ringing before I could get up from the computer and find it. The tech was from the US, very knowledgeable, and had the problem fixed in minutes. I was so impressed I signed up for the 3 year warranty over the phone. I have nothing but good things to say about the entire experience. I am now a Mac user for life.
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