Reviewing Apple’s new 20-inch iMac for PC Magazine, Troy Dreier calls the flat-panel all-in-one system “almost too striking to relegate to a desktop.” The 20-inch iMac merited a 4/5 rating from the editor.
Calling the system’s display “a joy to view” regardless of what task it’s being used for, Dreier suggests that the iMac “marks a high point” for Apple’s mid-range desktops. He also thinks the big-screen iMac may find difficulty establishing a market for itself since the 20-inch iMac’s specifications are virtually identical to its 17-inch sibling except for the larger screen, which adds US$400 to the price.
The iMac takes knocks for having “lean” specifications compared to PC-compatible all-in-ones in the same class (as judged by a recent roundup ), but Dreier notes that users can order their iMacs with Bluetooth and can install extra RAM and AirPort Extreme wireless networking themselves if they want.
Still, that display earns plenty of kudos from Dreier, who said that it “produces a sharp, vivid picture with a wide viewing angle” and adjusts easily. “The 20-inch iMac is not a powerhouse under the hood — it’s for those who want to get the big, beautiful picture,” he concludes.