EXCLUSIVE BETA Shopper.com is new and improved! Please enjoy a sneak preview of the beta site!Please tell us what you think

Apple iMac (20-inch, 2.4GHz) comparison

Remove from comparison Remove Remove Remove Remove Remove
Product name

Apple iMac (20-inch, 2.4GHz)

Apple iMac (20-inch, 2.4GHz)
Play CNET Video
Close

Apple iMac (24-inch, 2.8GHz)

Apple iMac (24-inch, 2.8GHz)
Play CNET Video
Close

Sony Vaio JS190J (silver)

Sony Vaio JS190J (silver)
Play CNET Video
Close

Gateway DX4200-UB001A

Gateway DX4200-UB001A
Play CNET Video
Close

HP TouchSmart IQ506

HP TouchSmart IQ506
Play CNET Video
Close
Price $1,169 to $1,213 at 12 stores $1,779 to $1,949 at 11 stores $649 at 1 store $1,374 to $1,799 at 17 stores
CNET editors' rating
4.0 stars Excellent
Editors' choice 4.0 stars Excellent
Editors' choice 4.0 stars Excellent
Editors' choice 3.5 stars Very good
3.5 stars Very good
Average user rating 4.0 stars out of 4 reviews 4.0 stars out of 28 reviews 3.5 stars out of 3 reviews 3.0 stars out of 6 reviews 3.5 stars out of 7 reviews
Release date April 28, 2008 April 28, 2008 September 03, 2008 July 08, 2008 July 13, 2008
The Bottom Line Apple's smaller-scale iMac remains our favorite all-in-one. And while its looks, its ease of use, and its performance are all selling points, Windows PCs are starting to catch up (at least with the latter). A few components could also stand an update, but in general you'll find the 20-inch iMac a remarkable computer for its price. A slight bump to the specifications for the same price in addition to a much appreciated option to upgrade the graphics means the 24-inch iMac keeps the Editors' Choice it earned last year when the brushed-aluminum-and-glass design was first introduced. By virtue of its price, its desktop processor, and its Blu-ray drive, the Sony Vaio JS190J makes a case for itself as the new king of the all-in-ones. Its screen might be a bit smaller than some, but no other all-in-one, including Apple's iMac, can do as much, as fast, for the same price. We can forgive Gateway for cramming the DX4200 with more memory than it needs simply because its specs and overall performance are the best in its price class. Of the various do-it-all lower midrange PCs out there, this one gets our nod. HP's new-and-improved TouchSmart all-in-one PC refines the touch-based concept it introduced last year. Faster all-in-ones, and Apple's iPhone, make the TouchSmart seem a bit behind the times, but the convenient software and its kitchen-friendly design offer functionality that's unavailable elsewhere.

Basic specs

Features See What's the Same or What's different
Graphics Controller PCI Express x16 - ATI Radeon HD 2400XT - 128 MB
PCI Express x16 - ATI Radeon HD 2600PRO - 256 MB
Intel GMA X4500HD
ATI Radeon HD 3450 - 256 MB
NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS - 256 MB
Storage Removable None
None
None
None
None
TV Tuner Type Info unavailable Info unavailable None
None
Digital and analog TV - ATSC - NTSC
Floppy Drive None
None
Info unavailable Info unavailable None
Optical Storage (2nd) None
None
Info unavailable None
None
Storage Controller Serial ATA ( Serial ATA-300 )
Serial ATA ( Serial ATA-300 )
Serial ATA
Serial ATA ( Serial ATA-300 )
Serial ATA
Type Personal computer
Personal computer
Personal computer
Personal computer
Personal computer
Hard Drive (2nd) - None
- None