Apple iMac MB950LLA (Aluminum/Black)
21.5" 3.06GHz 500GB iMac desktop computer
561916819
Get the better view
It's kind of ironic that Windows called their last operating system "Vista" since that's a synonym for view. And one look at this iMac will tell you it's obviously the computer with the view. The new iMac lets you take it all in with an improved screen for cinematic viewing. This 21.5" model features a Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution. That's a lot of pixels — over two million! If you notice, that's a sweet 16:9 aspect ratio, so it's great for viewing widescreen videos. Lighting up the screen is LED technology, letting the monitor stay thin, bright, and energy-efficient. IPS technology keeps the view great from pretty much any angle. Millions of colors let you see every detail of what's on your screen. And edge-to-edge glass with black bezel provides the perfect cinematic frame for your monitor. If such a gorgeous screen still isn't enough for you, though, you could always use the DisplayPort output to send the picture to a monitor up to 30" diagonally (up to 2560 x 1600 pixels) while maintaining the native resolution of the iMac simultaneously. You can choose either extended desktop or video mirroring mode to do so. And driving all this graphical goodness is the powerful NVIDIA GeForce GPU.
Decisions, decisions
The newest generation of iMacs is the fastest yet. How much faster? Well the 20" iMac from the last generation had a 2.66GHz processor. That's pretty quick. But the new 21.5" cinematic iMac uses an Intel Core 2 Duo processor that clocks in at a blazing 3.06GHz, standard. Its speed is not in question. What is in question is what you'll use all that extra zip for. Are you going to put it to use rendering transitions and effects in Keynote? Or perhaps uploading and correcting the photos from your last trip? Maybe what you really want to do is just kick back and play Call of Duty 4. But then, since you'll finish your work so much faster, what are you going to do with all your extra time? Take up croquet? Mow the lawn? Take a nap? With the new iMac, it's up to you.
Ooh-la-la
The view of what's on the screen isn't the only one that looks really good. The computer itself is beautiful. After all, Apple products place nearly as much emphasis on the visual design as their engineering or their interface. A great product should look great, and in that area, the iMac delivers. Its aluminum unibody enclosure complements the jet black bezel perfectly. The edge-to-edge glass monitor furthers the sleek look created by the computer's narrow profile. Even the tapered pedestal makes it blend better with the desktop, as do the included wireless keyboard and Magic Mouse. This computer looks so good, your eyes will stay glued to it even once it's off.
Master of disguise
To tell you the truth, though, the aluminum unibody keeps the iMac from showing its true color — green. Apple is proud to make the world's most eco-friendly computers. For starters, the single aluminum enclosure and single panel of glass are both sought out by recycling companies. The glass is also free from dangerous Arsenic. Meanwhile, the LED bulbs powering the display are mercury-free. The computer components have been made lead-free, PVC-free, and even BFR free. It wasn't easy to build a computer without all those chemicals, but for a company committed to helping the environment, it was well worth it. On top of the actual construction, the iMac is ENERGY STAR 5.0-compliant, meaning that it meets (and exceeds) the strictest requirements for energy use. Since Apple makes most of the components used in their computers, including software, they can design smarter computers that minimize energy use by doing things like having the computer reduce power usage between keystrokes. All the extra energy saved by using an iMac also helps lower utility bills. Because of the many ways Apple reduces the iMac's environmental impact, EPEAT gave them a gold rating, the highest award they give.
No more pesky wires!
The new iMac makes your workspace a lot less cluttered by putting the computer and the monitor into one low-profile package. Seeking to reduce workspace messiness even more, they included a wireless keyboard and Magic Mouse with the iMac. The two complement each other, and the computer perfectly with equally sleek design and a similar color scheme. They connect to the computer via Bluetooth, and then you're ready to roll, scroll, click, zoom, flip through pages, and much more. After all, the Magic Mouse is the world's first Multi-Touch mouse. If Apple's designed-for-the-computer keyboard and mouse really don't suit your fancy, don't worry — with four USB ports and Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR, iMac will work with just about any keyboard or mouse you want to use. Chances are, it even has the drivers ready so you can just start using them, no install required.
Grr.
The new iMac comes with Apple's latest operating system, known as Snow Leopard. Snow Leopard provides a lot of behind-the-scenes advancements to speed up your work, offering much quicker operation than previous operating systems, as well as more hard drive space, and even better power management. But it also comes with a lot of sweet applications designed for computers like the iMac. iTunes 9, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, Quicktime X, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, and even Xcode developer tools come standard. A few minutes working with Snow Leopard and you'll want to purr.
Get a life . . . an iLife
The new iMac also includes the latest version of Apple's highly-praised creativity suite, iLife '09. Included in iLife '09 are iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, and Garageband. Whether you're determined to make an HD movie that will become the latest YouTube sensation, or just trying to make a slideshow of your family get-together, iLife has you covered. But you can do a lot more than that. iWeb makes creating and publishing stylish, easy-to-use web pages a cinch. iDVD lets you publish that masterpiece movie to discs for your friends complete with custom menus, titles, and chapters. And Garageband provides you the recording tools to create or record your latest musical endeavors. Whatever creative project you've got a bent for, iLife has a program for.
But that's just the beginning
Like with almost any computer, you're going to want to expand the number of programs you've got on your computer. Now, Macs have a reputation of not being able to run most software, but that's a reputation that's no longer deserved. With Boot Camp, you can buy and install a copy of Windows to your computer on a separate hard drive partition, to natively run any Windows programs. And as far as industry standards like Microsoft Office and Photoshop, you can easily snag a Mac version. Or, in the case of Office, you can use Apple's own iWork '09 software to read and write PowerPoint, Word, and Excel files that are fully compatible with Windows machines. But those won't be all you want. There are many more programs that come in both Mac and Windows versions than most people think, including games. Here's a tip: unless there's an Apple store or an Apple specialist near you, your best luck in getting all the great programs you want is online. And while you're there, you can download a lot of great applications, many of which are available for free like Mozilla Firefox web browser, Adium universal instant messaging service, or VLC media player. And downloading and installing those programs is effortless without tons of anti-virus software, pop-up warnings, and permissions needed to keep Windows computers safe.
Review
Apple iMac 500GB 21.5' monitor (July 26, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Colleen J. - Powell, WY
This is our first Apple. We have a Windows PC and several Windows laptops and one of our laptops that was used mostly as a desktop needed to be replaced. We had just remodeled our offices to be kind of a retro casino look and this is such a sleek and modern looking computer that it really makes my husbands office complete. My husband mostly does email and opens every joke and attachment and those things are what really ruined his other Windows laptop. Since I was tired of trying to diagnose and repair it from those issues, I decided to try an Apple because it should be so much better for that type of use and so far we are very pleased. There is definitely a learning curve involved, but I think it will be worth it - plus we will have an iMac that will be great for the graphics designs, etc. that I need to do for our business.
Review
21.5 IMAC (May 26, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Darlene B. - American Falls, ID
I AM SO ABSOLUTELY AMAZED WITH OUR NEW COMPUTER. IT IS SO GREAT FOR THE OFFICE WORK THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THE CHURCH.
WISH WE HAD THE MONEY FOR ANOTHER THAT WOULD RUN FOR OUR OVERHEAD PROJECTION THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO PURCHASE WHEN WE GET THE MONEY.
IT IS SO EASY TO USE AND SUCH A WONDERFUL SCREEN WITH THE COOLEST SCREENSAVER.
WE ARE SO GLAD WE GOT AN APPLE INSTEAD OF A PC AS WE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST.
Review
Desktop 21' Mac versus older models (May 23, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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Reviewed By: Audrey S. - Great Falls, MT
What a big improvement over my 10 year old I Mac which is still running. I expect the same from this new one. It has awakened new enthusiasm for using my computer. I had gotten to the point of rarely using my computer as it just wouldnt do much any more. Now I find myself using it daily. The graphics and colors are great. The dock makes using programs so simple and its uses are endless. I just need time to explore all the exciting new things. Each day, at this point is still a learning experience but it is really quite simple and the tutorials are handy. I love exploring all the goodies. I love the new mouse and keyboard except when my computer cant find the mouse, probably because I turned it off. I would highly recommend this Mac to anyone. People that I have shown it to are amazed at what it can do and cant believe the convenience and price. They are now considering Macs for the first time. I have waited several years for this and Im looking forward to all the possibilities.
Review
iMAC (May 21, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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Reviewed By: Dusty W. - BelgradeBozeman, MT
This was a great investment for our time and money. It was easy to find us a computer that fitted our needs and price and it was all done so quick. This computer is great. It is so easy to use and we now prefer the setup that the iMac offers. The graphics are awesome and the programssoftware is way better than we could have have ever thought. We will not go back to PC!! Thanks
Review
Apple iMac (May 10, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
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Reviewed By: Dan E. - Helena, MT
The iMac is everything I hoped it would be. I like the fact that all the standard apps are built right in and they work great. i love the screen for displaying pictures and streaming TV shows.. I had no problem setting everything up. I have had several older macs all the way back to the first one and they just keep getting better.
Review
Apple Desktops (March 25, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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Reviewed By: Gayle A Real - Whitehall, MT
We are extremely happy with the Apple Desktops we purchased. After having been users since 1994, this was the best purchase decision that we made. Have been recommending Apples to everyone we know.
Review
Apple Desktop 21.5' iMac (March 06, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: David M. - Bozeman, MT
The best value for my money!!!! The staff was very helpful and kind. I will highly recommend Vanns to anyone looking to buy an iMac! The price for the unit I purchased was the best, not just in town, but anywhere I looked! Way to go Vanns.....Keep up the great work!
Review
21.5' i-Mac (February 20, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
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Reviewed By: Karen H. - Billings, MT
We are Apple Computer fans so there was no hesitation in making this purchase. And it has not disappointed us. This new version is so much faster when surfing the web and opening e-mail and attachments. The graphics are exceptional. It is very easy to use. We had Tiger OS before, but the Snow Leopard has so much more to offer. We are having fun learning all the things we can do with this. A great computer for pictures, video and music.
Review
Love My Mac (February 15, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Rosemary W. - Billings, MT
Ive owned 3 iMACs over the last 13 yrs. and would never change! I love, love, love them!!!!! Very user friendly!
Rose
Review
Vann's the MAN (February 12, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Joseph S. - Hamburg, NY
I purchased my imac online with Vanns and it came to my home in a very timely fashion. The customer service was 2nd to none!. Very proffesional and extremeley friendly. I went to the closest Imac store to get a look at what I had purchased and was greeted by an Imac Rep. who was miffed about the purchase at Vanns with no tax. which I immediately saved over 120.00. which made it a win win situation for myself and Vanns because I will certainly purchase all my electronics, etc from Vanns
Joe Syracuse
Review
iMac 21.5 desktop (February 11, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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Reviewed By: Walter N. - Helena, MO
After purchasing the iMac I took it home and it took about 15 minutes to unpack, and about 10 minutes more til I was up and running.
I have had no trouble at all and I love my new iMac.
All I can say is It just works.
Should have done this years ago.
Review
Excellent Computer (February 11, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: William C. - Youngstown, NY
I have been an Apple user since 1984. The beauty of contemporary Macs are the dual platform abilities. With Parallels, one can simultaneously operate Windows OS programs while remaining in the serene and relatively safe world of Macintosh. This machine is fast and provides the necessary for the intermediate user or beginner. External peripherals can be added seemingly with relative ease. I operate 2 - 1 TB HDs externally for backup of sensitive data with no lag in performance. Great machine. Vanns.com free shipping and NO TAX should be the seller as the prices of these machines are set by Apple. Enjoy a great machine should you choose to heed the advice of a man that loves Macs in a PC world.
Comparison Specifications
- 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache
- 500GB, 7200 RPM built-in Serial ATA hard drive
- 4GB (two 2GB SO-DIMMs) of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM; supports up to 16GB RAM
- Slot-loading 8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
- SD card slot
- Built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking (802.11a/b/g compatible)
- 4 USB v2.0 ports, 1 FireWire 800 port
- NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory
- Built-in stereo speakers with two internal 17W high-efficiency amplifiers
- Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard installed
Additional Specifications
- Built-in Bluetooth 2.1 + Enhanced Data Rate
- Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)
- Headphone/optical digital audio output (minijack); Audio line in/optical digital audio input (minijack)
- Built-in microphone
- Support for Apple Stereo Headset with microphone
- 21.5" glossy widescreen TFT active-matrix LCD with IPS technology
- 1920 x 1080 pixels; 16:9 aspect ratio; Millions of colors at all resolutions
- 178° vertical x 178° horizontal viewing angle; 320 cd/m2 brightness
- Built-in iSight video camera
- Mini DisplayPort output with support for DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI (with separate adapters
Manufacturer Specifications
- Support for extended desktop and video mirroring modes; simultaneously supports full native resolution on display and up to 30" (2560 x 1600) external display
- Includes iLife '09
- ENERGY STAR 5.0 certified
- EPEAT Gold award winner
- Arsenic-free display glass
- BFR- and PVC-free
- Highly recyclable aluminum unibody and glass screen
- 18dB idle loudness rating
Dimensional Specifications
- Dimensions: 20.80" W x 17.75" H x 7.42" D
- Weight: 20.5 lbs
Apple iMac MB950LLA Warranty Details
1-year limited manufacturer's parts and labor warranty
