The 2012 iMac was unveiled on October 23 at the same event where the iPad Mini was announced.
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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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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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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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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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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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No need to yell
The dual microphones are designed to improve audio performance during FaceTime sessions.
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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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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.
