With Apple adding its exclusive Thunderbolt ports to the new iMac machines announced today, many users will be deciding between the stationary performance of an all-in-one desktop and the limited portability of a 17-inch MacBook Pro (also with Thunderbolt).
You may remember Thunderbolt as the hyper-speed data connection that transfers movies, photos, music and more at a whirlwind 10 GBps. Previously available only on MacBook Pro notebooks, Thunderbolt now graces both the 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMac options (the larger version has two Thunderbolt ports). Thinking about a new Apple system for your home? See how the new iMac compares to the Apple laptop that's closest in size, the 17-inch MacBook Pro.
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| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Row 0 - Cell 1 | Row 0 - Cell 2 | Row 0 - Cell 3 | Row 0 - Cell 4 | Row 0 - Cell 5 |
| Size | 21.5 inches | 21.5 inches | 27 inches | 27 inches | 17 inches |
| Price | $1,119 | $1,499 | $1,699 | $1,999 | $2,499 |
| Processor | 2.5-GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 | 2.7-GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 | 2.7-GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 | 3.1-GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 | 2.2-GHz quad-Core Intel Core i7 |
| RAM | 4GB (Up to 16GB) | 4GB (Up to 16GB) | 4GB (Up to 16GB) | 4GB (Up to 16GB) | 4GB (Up to 8GB) |
| Storage | 500GB 7200 rpm | 1 TB 7200 rpm | 1 TB 7200 rpm | 1 TB 7200 rpm | 750GB 5400 rpm |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon HD 6750M (512MB) | AMD Radeon HD 6770M (512MB) | AMD Radeon HD 6770M (512MB) | AMD Radeon HD 6770M (512MB) | AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics (1GB) |
| Ports | 1 Thunderbolt, 4 USB 2.0, FireWire 800, MiniDisplay | 1 Thunderbolt, 4 USB 2.0, FireWire 800, MiniDisplay | 2 Thunderbolt, 4 USB 2.0, FireWire 800, MiniDisplay | 2 Thunderbolt, 4 USB 2.0, FireWire 800, MiniDisplay | 1 Thunderbolt, 3 USB 2.0, FireWire 800 |
| Optical | Slot-loading DVD±RW 8x SuperDrive | Slot-loading DVD±RW 8x SuperDrive | Slot-loading DVD±RW 8x SuperDrive | Slot-loading DVD±RW 8x SuperDrive | Slot-loading DVD±RW 8x SuperDrive |
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