iMac Late 2006

The iMac "Core 2 Duo" 2.33 20-Inch is a "build-to-order" version of the iMac "Core 2 Duo" 2.16 20-Inch (Late 2006), but for clarity, it is also listed as a separate model. Besides the processor, the two models are the same.

This iMac model comes with a 2.33 GHz Intel "Core 2 Duo" processor (T7600), featuring two independent "cores" on a single silicon chip, a 4 MB shared level 2 cache, and a 667 MHz system bus. It is equipped with 1 GB of RAM (667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, PC2-5300), a 250 GB (7200 RPM) Serial ATA hard drive, and a vertically-mounted slot-loading DVD+R DL "SuperDrive". Graphics are handled by an ATI Radeon X1600 accelerator on a PCI-Express bus, which has 128 MB of GDDR3 memory. It also includes an integrated iSight video camera and built-in stereo speakers under the 20" TFT Active Matrix LCD (1680x1050 native) display, designed to "bounce sound off the desk below".

For connectivity, it provides three USB 2.0 ports, two Firewire "400" ports, built-in AirPort Extreme, and Gigabit Ethernet, along with a mini-DVI port that supports an external monitor in "extended desktop" mode rather than just "mirrored mode".

This build-to-order option was aimed at users who wanted the fastest processor available in the iMac lineup at the time. The performance increase from the 2.16 GHz model was appreciated, especially in processor-intensive tasks, although for many general users, the difference wasn't dramatic enough to justify the price gap. However, it found favor among power users seeking that extra bit of performance and those future-proofing their purchase with the best available specs. The 20-inch display and solid graphics performance made it a very capable all-in-one machine, remembered as the top-performing white polycarbonate iMac.