Apple Releases New More Affordable iMac Model

While WWDC came and went earlier this month with no new hardware announcements, Apple did finally announce on Tuesday the much-rumored more affordable iMac models.

The new iMac’s entry-level price point is $1,099 – a $200 savings off the $1299 previous base model from Apple. The key differences in the new lower-end iMac are:

• 500GB vs. 1.0TB HDD
• HD 5000 Graphics vs. higher-end Iris Pro Graphics
• 1.4GHz Dual-Core i5 Processor with 2.7GHz single-core Turbo Boost vs. 2.7GHz i5 Quad-Core with 3.2GHz dual-core Turbo Boost

Our tear down and testing later today will confirm whether there is a difference in the factory memory offering as well. The memory is slotted in the $1,299 model, and Apple offers a factory upgrade option to 16GB on the $1,299 model (OWC also offers an aftermarket option to 16GB), but 8GB is the only option for the new low-end $1,099 model. The question is whether the memory is soldered into the $1,099 low-end model or is it still socketed – making it either a marketing choice by Apple to not offer a 16GB option or an actual new limitation.

New Price Point
With these new more affordable iMacs priced at $1,099, Apple seems to have missed out on the “sweet spot” price point of $999. And to some, the sacrifices may be too steep to justify “only” a $200 discount from Apple’s $1,299 models featuring a 2.7GHz Quad-Core processor. However, the discount may be substantial enough to users who are not likely to use a 2.7GHz processor to its full capabilities. The previous low-end iMac prices begin at $1,299 and are still available in the Apple Store.

What do you think of the new more affordable iMac models? Let us know in the comments section.

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