Nice update but not a game changer

The Apple iMac line has achieved two milestones in the development of desktop computers. First in 1998 with the launch of the original all-in-one cathode-ray tube model, and again in 2006 when the flatscreen G5 – which had the processor ingeniously squeezed into the display panel – appeared.

The latest generation of iMacs does not match either of these in terms of groundbreaking innovation – you'd have to look to the iPad for that.

Instead it offers a very welcome update and refinement of the previous range.

I have a G5 and it's definitely showing its age. It has a creaky PPC chip rather than today's slick Intel Core 2 Duo processor and seizes up if you try to do more than one thing at a time. And it struggles to handle today's more complex software or a large iPhoto library. So the best feature of the new iMac for me is its sheer speed and ability to get things done. Tasks are completed briskly, you rarely see the hated multi-coloured spinning wheel, and programs such as iPhoto launch instantly.

I tested the version with a whopping 27-inch backlit LED screen, and I have to say it worked beautifully. Those pictures that I struggled to view at all on the G5 looked stunning on the new machine's widescreen display. Colours were bright and the clarity was outstanding, and video and games were rendered with superb definition.

This type of large display has until now tended to be used only by the likes of graphic artists, who require lots of space to work on. I'd think carefully about whether you really need such a large screen for the sort of things you do on your computer – if you plan to use your iMac in a small room you might be better off with the cheaper 21.5-inch model. You can't, for example, watch full-screen video while sitting right in front of the display, you have to move back as it's just too much.

The screen has "in-plane switching" technology, which means the picture can be viewed from any angle. The display is set behind a sheet of glass that extends right over the front of the sleek aluminium case, forming a black frame around the picture.

Some of Apple's attempts to make the updated design seem really significant are a bit silly. For example, the front edge of the stand is tapered, and a lovingly-taken photo of this is featured on the Apple Store website. But when you see and use the iMac you don't even notice the tapering – and they say PC users are nerds.

More significantly, Apple draws attention to the new model's improved environmental performance, something I suspect will appeal to the company's customer base. To complete the update, the new iMac comes with a wireless keyboard and the multi-touch Magic Mouse as standard.

- The new iMac 27-inch is available for Dh8,299 at all iStyle stores

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.