Apple could have saved the announcement of its new iMac as its “One More Thing” that the company is famous for adding at the end of keynotes. It didn’t, but it could have. We certainly weren’t expecting an 
announcement of its weight to be thrown into Tuesday’s iPad mini event. In fact, the iMac’s slim chassis and sleek design, not to mention the updates to its insides, warrant an Apple press event of its own. Perhaps the company needs a break from huge press gatherings, seeing as yesterday’s event came a little over one month after the company announced the iPhone 5. Either way, we now have a brand new, extremely Air-thin and beautiful iMac starting at $1,300. To do this, Apple had to get rid of the iMac’s optical drive, but Apple’s Phil Schiller made sure to add that “for those who are still stuck in the past, we do offer an external optical drive.” But should you snatch up the current model before the new one hits shelves, or should you forget about Apple altogether and consider an equally impressive (and less expensive) option from Dell? Dell’s XPS One 27, starting at $1,280, offers more bang for your buck than the new 27-inch iMac, which starts at $1,800. We compared the two computers, while also throwing in the 2011 iMac model, so take a look to see how they stack up.
All three machines offer the same screen resolution (2560 x 1440) and size (27-inch), and the same amount of storage (1TB), but that’s about all that’s similar amongst the three of them. The iMac update doubles the amount of RAM, bumps up its Bluetooth connectivity to 4.0, and takes the leap to Intel’s Ivy Bridge Core i5 and i7 processors. With edges that are just 5mm thick, and Apple’s new Fusion Drive, which combines both 128GB of flash with 1TB, the updated iMac definitely stands out from its predecessor. That being said, we thought the last version was pretty great, so you may want to consider skipping the bells and whistles of the new version for a refurbished 2011 model. Clearly, the Dell PC listed on our table is considerably cheaper, but that’s generally the case when comparing Apple to Windows machines. The Dell XPS One 27 matches up closely with the 2012 iMac, so if you’re looking for a top-notch machine at a smaller price tag and want to give Windows 8 a shot, then the XPS One 27 is for you.
I had a look at the XPS One 27 on the weekend; but I just can’t get past the flimsy feeling plastic. I guess I’ve been spoilt for too long with my iMac.
The angle of the 2012 iMac photo would have been very carefully calculated to ensure it’s at its thinnest.
I am the exact same way about Dell. They have lost me as a consumer. I hate the flimsy plastic on all their systems now.
It’s a computer…who cares? Anyone who is gonna drop an extra $500 because of the plastic is a sucker. Plain and simple.
Bob, you’re obviously happy to drive around in a 1990s Hyundai. It’s reasonably reliable and gets you from A to B.
I’m not going to try and convince you otherwise; each to their own, it’s what makes the world go round. I personally care about form as well as function.
If the Hynundai had a BMW M3 engine and was spec for spec the same then only an IDIOT would pay 33% more for a worthless feature like an aluminum case.
Specs are wasted on Mac users who only care about how they look. They rarely understand how computers work other than how to open Safari. For them it’s a fashion accessory. $10 says you drive you a Jetta. Meanwhile the other guy with the WRX, which doesn’t look as pretty, smokes your ass everytime.
You’re a sheep…you probably think Apple invented everything in an iMac.
Your making such incredulous assumptions – you’re simply a PC “sheep”.
Your assumption that every Mac user doesn’t understand anything beyond the “ON” button is as outdated as your belief that a WRX is the “sickest ride, man”.
Specs are wasted on those who don’t understand that different OSes have different hardware requirements.
You owe me $10.
You blow plenty of smoke, and obviously can engage in name-calling with the best of them, but you still fail to address the fundamental issue: What is it about the new iMac that justifies paying $500 more for it than for the Dell? Do you really think that the casing justifies that additional outlay?
An extra $500 for the casing and better build quality (not to mention a nicer keyboard and mouse – although they’re both more subjective again, not the focus of the debate); in a word: Yes.
You will always pay more for better engineering. German cars are dearer because they are engineered better.
I buy what makes me happy. And quality build makes me happy. You cannot put a price tag on happiness. :D
anyone that claims a windows based all-in-one is similar to OS X and Apple doesn’t know shit about OS X and Apple.
imac! :)
like product
Imac 27 plus 680Mx^^
I want a new iMac.
Get a dual CPU workhorse instead of these toys! Linux rules – screw the Apple and Windows OS!