| Quick Facts | 17-inch iMac Intel |
|---|---|
| Introduced | September 6, 2006 |
| Discontinued | Current Model |
| Part Number | MA710LL |
| Processor | 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo |
| L2 Cache | 2MB Shared |
| Frontside Bus | 667MHz |
| Memory | 512MB 667MHz DDR2 |
| Hard drive | 160GB Serial ATA, 7200 rpm |
| Optical drive | 24x Combo Drive |
| Original Price | $999 USD |
Intel | Core 2 Duo 1.83GHz | IG Late 2006
Two months following the debut of the 17-inch 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo iMac educational model, the Intel Core 2 Duo lineup arrived.
Like the previous educational model, this one also made use of the Intel GMA 950 graphics processor using shared memory. Unlike the previous model, it cost $100 more but restored the 160GB hard drive. The Apple Remote was still missing.
This is one of the broadest offerings of iMacs ever. In addition to this low-end 17-inch 1.83MHz model, customers could choose from a 17-inch 2.0GHz iMac, 20-inch 2.16GHz iMac or the eye-popping 24-inch 2.16GHz iMac flagship model.
Naturally, the most significant revision to this lineup was the inclusion of the Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, which Apple claimed had 50% more processing power than the Core Duo CPU.
The Core 2 Duo processor was accompanied by 2MB of shared L2 cache running at full processor speed, a 667MHz system bus and 512MB of PC2-5300 DDR2 memory expandable to 2GB.
The Intel CPU used SpeedStep technology, which saved power by automatically throttling back the processor speed.
The other members in this series were the real story. They came standard with SuperDrives, boosted the shared L2 cache to a whopping 4MB and upped the standard preinstalled memory to 1GB, which for the first time was expandable to 3GB.
As with all Macintosh computers, this iMac incorporated a bevy of features built-in from the start. This model had an iSight camera, Airport Extreme, IR Receiver, two FireWire 400 ports, three USB 2.0 ports, (two more USB 1.1 ports on the keyboard), DVI, VGA, S-video, composite video connections, stereo speakers, microphone, headphone output, audio line in, Ethernet, and of course, the white keyboard and Mighty Mouse.
Less than a year away, on August 7, 2007, the white plastic design would be replaced by the introduction of the aluminum iMacs.
system software
Installed OS: Mac OS X v10.4.7 “Tiger”
etymology
[1] iMac: From Internet + Mac
[2] The “i” in iMac originally stood for Internet but eventually developed into a marketing symbol for a wide range of Apple products.
[3] The Chin designation is derived from the area beneath the display resembling a square jaw.
[4] The Core 2 Duo designation is derived from this series being the first to transition from Intel Core Duo to Core 2 Duo CPUs.
[5] IG: From Integrated + Graphics
design
Photo credit: Apple
