Apple unveiled today a new lower-cost 21.5-inch iMac starting at $1.099. Previously the entry level iMac started at $1,299. The new entry-level iMac comes with a 1.4GHz dual-core Intel i5 processor with Turbo Boost Speeds up to 2.7 GHz, a 500GB hard drive, 8GB of memory, and an Intel HD 5000 Graphics chip. It also has 802.11ac Wi-Fi, two Thunderbolt ports and four USB 3.0 ports. Customers can also choose to include a 1TB hard drive, a 1TB Fusion Drive, or 256GB of flash storage on build to order options.
The new entry-level iMac model features the ultra-low voltage Intel processor that’s also used in the MacBook Air. The iMac already appears in Geekbench’s benchmarking database and, as expected, the new entry-level iMac scores marginally better than the current generation MacBook Air ( 2476/4690 ).
The new low-end iMac falls short in multi-core performances, where the older model clocks in at 9204. This huge difference is due primarily to the dual-core chip used in the new low-end model, while the older low-end model comes with a quad-core chip.
Apple’s new entry-level iMac is available today through Apple’s various retail locations and online store, and shows an availability of “within 24 hours.”