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Apple's 2012 iMac: Ready for its close-up (pictures)

We get up close and personal with the 2012 27-inch Apple iMac.

Rich Brown
Rich was the editorial lead for CNET's Home and Wellness sections, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Before moving to Louisville in 2013, Rich ran CNET's desktop computer review section for 10 years in New York City. He has worked as a tech journalist since 1994, covering everything from 3D printing to Z-Wave smart locks.
Rich Brown
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1 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Say hello to iMac

The 2012 iMac was unveiled on October 23 at the same event where the iPad Mini was announced.
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2 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

On the flipside

This is the 27-inch iMac. It's available for preorder today at configurations starting at $1,799, and begins shipping in December. The 21.5-inch iMac is available online and in stores today starting at $1,299.
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3 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Thin edges, but thicker toward the middle

The new display is 5mm thick at the edges, but the body does bulge out toward the center of the screen's rear.
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4 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Wireless keyboard, Magic Mouse

As usual, the standard Apple keyboard and Magic Mouse are onboard -- both are wireless and use Bluetooth to interface with the desktop.
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5 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Need for speed

The jack pack includes four USB 3.0 ports, two Thunderbolt ports, a Gigabit Ethernet jack, a headphone jack, and an SDXC card slot. But their location -- on the iMac's backside -- isn't convenient for fast cable or drive swaps.
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6 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Power under the hood

Hidden under that bulge is a third-generation "Ivy Bridge" Intel CPU (Core i5 or Core i7), an Nvidia GeForce graphics card (GT 640M to GTX 680MX), and 1TB to 3TB of storage (with a Fusion Drive or flash storage options as well).
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7 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

No need to yell

The dual microphones are designed to improve audio performance during FaceTime sessions.
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8 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Secret panel

The 27-inch iMac allows for user-accessible RAM upgrades; that's not an option on the 21.5-incher.
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9 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

No Retina Display, no touch screen

Despite rumors (or hopes), the 2012 iMac has the same screen resolution as the 2011 model (2,560x1,440 pixels). And, unlike new Windows 8 PCs, Macs do not offer touch-screen options.
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10 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

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