Apple iMac Blue Dalmatian 15 in. (M8347LL/A) Mac Desktop

In the late 1990s two things saved Apple, 150 million from Bill Gate$, and the iMac. The latest incarnation of the iMac is definitely a professional level machine and has been since in reached 500 MHz in speed and came with 128 MB of RAM standard. The current 2001 model iMac SE comes with a 600 MHz G3 processor. The current G3 processor now comes with level 2 cache on the chip which runs at full processor speed. Combining that with the generous 128 MB of RAM, this machine is able to render Adobe and Macromedia graphics with ease.

The slot loading CD-RW is the new standard in desktop computing virtually replacing the Zip and Jaz drives for many users. It is also a cheaper alternative than using tape drives for backup and the CD-R and CD-RW media have come down drastically in price. The speakers are adequate for desktop use but if you want to use the computer as a stereo, get the Harmon Kardon speakers and sub-woofer so you can blast your neighbors and possibly get a noise citation ($215.00 dollar fine where I live).

With firewire, USB, 10/100 ethernet, 56k modem, and video mirroring capabilities, this compact computer has all the ports most users will need. Unlike the original iMac, this model and several ones before it, do not have a door which covers the ports. That stupid door was almost impossible to open...thank God Apple ditched the port door!.The iMac SE does lack infared and older Apple serial ports but most will not find that a problem.If you have older Apple serial peripherals, you can buy adapters which will make them work with the iMac SE but not very well. Most adapters are expensive and one is bettter off buying a printer, scanner or other peripherals which have USB or firewire ports.

Since the machine is a one piece unit, the handle makes transporting this 30 pound machine relatively easy. When carrying the computer (or any with a handle), be cautious and keep one hand under the machine. I have heard about the handle breaking on an iMac during transport. This is very rare but computer technicians like me have seen or heard it all.

Looks is one reason a person will buy a computer and the iMac has a tendency to impress or repel. I prefer the original graphite coloring of the iMac SE over the hideous blue dalmation or flower power color schemes. One of my computer repair clients has a previous iMac SE 500 MHz model in Snow. Too bad Apple discontinued that color.

My only gripe about this iMac or any other iMac I have seen since its inception in 1998 is the monitor. For some reason, it never seems to be as sharp as the Sony Trinitron CRT I have hooked up to my PowerMac. I have seen NEC, Hitachi, and Viewsonic CRT monitors which were as good as my Trinitron. The iMac's monitor is as bad as the out of focus eMachines entry level monitor or Compaq Presario monitors. I wish Apple would get a better CRT or make an iMac with a built in LCD (which has been a much rumored idea for the iMac and especially for the iMac SE for at least two years now). I have religiously followed the rumor sites and they are right half the time. Depending on how you look at it, that can be good or bad. Follow closely to other sources besides Apple concerning the iMac SE before you decide to buy. At this moment, the iMac is the only computer Apple sells with a CRT since the stand alone CRTs which went with the G4 computer lines (PowerMac and Cube) is now retired.

With USB 2.0 here and firewire 2.0 on the front burner, it is hard to predict the current iMac SE's future. The computer world is also quickly moving toward LCDs as the standard. One can buy the iMac SE with a 3 year extended warranty ($149.00)... but as a technician, I strongly caution against it since Apple will likely radically change the entire iMac format in the near future due to the industry changes I mentioned.

So for now, if you buy the iMac SE, keep the extra $149.00 and pass on the extended warranty.It is best to get an extended warranty when you buy a machine with components which are rather new to the industry with no major changes on the horizon...many of us know people who have bought a machine ready for retirement with a 3 year warranty only to buy the "new" and improved model six months later...so be careful when it comes to extended warranties.

Stating that, for $1499.00, the iMac SE is worth a close look.

Update July 2001:

Now the iMac SE is 700 MHz with a 60 GB hard drive for the same price. The snow color has been brought back and the flower power and blue dalmation color schemes have been dropped.

The new default operating system is OS X and Apple still has included OS 9.1 for those of us who are still more comfortable with the classic Mac environment. I will have to say this machine gets 5 stars now...but I will keep the original 4 star rating for original review.