All-in-One Mac · The Digital Hub · 2006
iMac (Intel, early 2006)
The Intel transition begins on the desktop: same iMac G5 body, but two to three times faster inside, and now able to boot Windows.
One of the first two Intel Macs, announced the same day as the MacBook Pro.
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iMac (Intel, early 2006): key facts
When was the iMac (Intel, early 2006) released?
The iMac (Intel, early 2006) arrived on January 10, 2006. Apple discontinued it in September 2006.
How much did the iMac (Intel, early 2006) cost?
The iMac (Intel, early 2006) launched at $1,299 in 2006, about $2,065 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Intel Core Duo at 1.83 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 156.3 GB storage, 17" or 20" LCD, all-in-one display.
Why does the iMac (Intel, early 2006) matter?
One of the first two Intel Macs, announced the same day as the MacBook Pro.
Full specifications
| CPU | Intel Core Duo · 1.83 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 2 |
| Memory (RAM) | 512 MB (up to 2 GB) |
| Storage | 156.3 GB |
| Display | 17" or 20" LCD, all-in-one |
| GPU | ATI Radeon X1600 |
| Ports | USB 2.0, FireWire, Ethernet |
| Weight | 9.1 kg |
| Dimensions | Flat-panel all-in-one |
| Operating system | Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger |
| Released | January 10, 2006 |
| Discontinued | September 2006 |
| Launch price | $1,299 |
How the iMac (Intel, early 2006) compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 32× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 1.83 GHz, the clock is roughly 1.7× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 40,000 modern phone photos, a respectable library even today.
Launched at $1,299 in 2006, about $2,065 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Method note: clock comparisons use frequency only; price conversions use US CPI.
Sources
Specs checked against Apple technical specifications archive, EveryMac, Mactracker, Wikimedia Commons image credits.
Did you know?
It shipped running PowerPC apps through Apple’s "Rosetta" translation layer.
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Last updated: 2026-08-11