What are the differences between the consumer iMac "Core Duo" models?

Please note that all systems mentioned in this Q&A have been discontinued. The iMac "Core Duo" models were replaced by the "White" iMac Core 2 Duo line.

The "consumer" iMac "Core Duo" models, which also were available to the education market along with an education-only model, use the same 17-Inch and 20-Inch enclosures as the iMac G5 "iSight" models before them, and likewise, have the entire computer tucked discreetly behind the flat-panel display.

Photo Credit: Apple Computer

Both models have Intel "Core Duo" processors -- with two independent processor "cores" on a single silicon chip and a 2 MB shared level 2 cache -- which makes them members of the the first desktop Mac series to feature Intel processors. In addition, the iMac "Core Duo" models feature a 667 MHz system bus and 667 MHz PC2-5300 DDR SDRAM.

Both models shipped equipped with 512 MB of RAM, a vertically-mounted slot-loading 8X SuperDrive (with 2.4X dual-layer burn speed), ATI Radeon X1600 graphics acceleration with 128 MB of GDDR3 memory (PCI-Express), a built-in iSight video camera, built-in stereo speakers, three USB 2.0 ports, two Firewire "400" ports, built-in AirPort Extreme, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, and Gigabit Ethernet, as well as mini-DVI, which for the first time on an iMac officially supports an external display in "extended desktop" mode (rather than "mirrored mode").

Both models were bundled with the programmable Apple Mighty Mouse and six-button Apple Remote, as well as compatible versions of MacOS X 10.4 "Tiger", Apple "Front Row", which provides users with a "simple, intuitive and powerful way to play their music, enjoy their photo slideshows, and watch their DVDs and iMovies" using the included remote, and "Photo Booth", a basic photography program that uses the integrated iSight camera.

There are differences between the systems as well, which are summarized in this handy chart:

For detailed technical, configuration, and pricing information for both models, please refer to the specs page of interest.

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