The new iMacs are here! The new iMacs are here!

Apple just announced that they are now selling 24-inch…yes that’s 24-inch iMacs. Comes stock with a 2.16 Intel Core 2 Duo. Wow, that’s a lot of iMac! As well it should be since they’re charging 2 grand for this beast. Want a slightly faster processor (2.33 for $250)? More memory (2 gigs for $175..3 gigs for $750???)? Bigger Hard Drive (500 gb for $200)? Let’s not forget AppleCare for an additional $169. Fully loaded you can get over $3000 easy for this machine. Anyone see where I’m going with this?

A Mac Pro stock you can get for about $2500. This includes two (yes two) Intel Core Duos running at 2.66 Ghz. This includes a better video card, more memory options, the ability to put up to four hard drives, and expansion slots up the wazoo. I like the new iMac for consumers. I just wish Apple would charge consumer prices for it.

Speaking of iMacs, they are now selling what was essentially the education iMac to anyone with $999. Good move and this is not a bad price for what you get. Of course there are trade-offs as well. No DVD burner and Intel integrated graphics card with sucks memory from your main board as compared to dedicated memory for most other graphics cards. Don’t think of it as a crippled iMac however. Think of it as a faster Mac mini with a built-in monitor for about $200 more. For what most people use their computers for, this is a great machine. The previous low-end iMac is now a little faster and $100 cheaper. The previous high-end is the same deal. This is the new sweet spot for iMacs.

The Mac minis have been upgraded as well, but no price breaks. Too bad since the new cheapie iMac blows them out of the water. Unless you’re looking for a media centric machine or already have all the peripherals that you need, I wouldn’t bother with a Mac mini at these prices.

If you’re looking for a REAL bargain, check out Apple’s Deal page. A 20-inch iMac Intel Core Duo (not the Core 2 Duo) for under $1200! I have a feeling these won’t last long, so if you’re in the market, check it out fast.

These announcements have me feeling kinda strange. The next Apple event is planned for September 12th. After all these upgrades, what could Apple be planning on pulling out of their hat?