iMac 27-inch

The basics

A monster in every sense. A capacious 27-inch screen, paired with slick, slimline design and features to satisfy even the most fastidious tech fancier, the iMac is Apple’s crowning glory and the computer for those who want great looks matched with breezy software and stacks of power.

The entry-level model comes in at £1,429 with a 3.2GHz Intel Core i3 chip, ATI Radeon graphics, a massive 1TB hard drive and 4GB of memory.

The good

The 27-inch iMac is all about the screen. Its 2560x1440 pixel panel makes watching HD content an absolute joy and looks every bit as sharp as most TVs. If you’re into video editing and tinkering with your photos, the screen real estate is invaluable, even if you do need to sit some way back to appreciate it and stop your eyes going squiffy.

Connectivity is peachy, with four USB ports and HDMI as standard, as well as Firewire. The all-metal finish is Jonny Ive’s towering achievement, as much a work of art as a sleek and straightforward computer.

The bad

Again, it’s down to price. £1,429 is a huge amount in anyone’s book. The Intel processor could be a better i7 for that amount and perhaps even the hard drive could push itself beyond 1TB. It’s also massive, so if space is limited, maybe take a look at the 21.5-inch version.

The bottom line

It’s hard to argue against the iMac when it comes to desktop PCs. Nothing quite measures up to its great looks and the peerless OS X Snow Leopard, which makes everything so easy to handle. You’ll need to be prepared for your bank balance to take a battering, but if you love gadgets, wasn’t that always the case?