My first exposure to the Mac was around 2000 at a local computer shop in Georgia. My granddad was shopping for his first computer after the college where he taught started requiring internet access at home. I didn’t actually see an iMac, just a colorful poster that caught my 10-year-old eye…
We ended up taking home a Hewlett-Packard personal computer that day.
I didn’t actually see an Apple computer in person until around 2008 when my high school populated our library with iMacs. By then, the iMac had lost its color in favor of the cold silver aluminum finish just like my first Apple computer, the 2009 13-inch MacBook Pro.
All that’s to say that I’ve never actually owned a Macintosh splashed with color, but my nostalgia for one is strong based on that poster. That was the computer I hoped my granddad would buy. Twenty years later, it’s now possible for me to buy a very modern version of what I saw then.
Bringing color back to the iMac is wonderful. Computers are utilities, but the new finishes allow for personality and expression. Introducing the new iMac lineup to my friends has been so much fun too.
The initial reaction is something like “Wow, color is back!” or “Ohhh, those are so pretty.” Next, the question of which color everyone would choose comes up. Blue, green, pink, silver, yellow, orange, or purple? It’s great hearing not only hearing which color people are choosing, but why!
My preference is orange. The back has space shuttle/NASA flight suit vibes that I love, and the front is a calmer tone that makes me think of orange cream soda. These are all positive associations for me.
This color and a few others are only available in the $1,499 and up model and not the $1,299 iMac. Fortunately, the mid-range 24-inch iMac fits my needs. Of course, I wouldn’t turn down USB-A ports on the back and an SD card slot on the side, but I already use a Thunderbolt dock to bring those ports to my MacBook Air. I’m also confident in the iMac’s performance based on months of using the M1 MacBook Air.
Finally, the color-matched Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Magic Mouse or Trackpad that comes in the box is also a terrific touch. Not only does this iMac introduce Touch ID fingerprint recognition to a desktop for the first time, but it does so with a splash of personality.
I’m certainly curious about how I would feel about a black bezel and lack of chin in favor of an overall thicker iMac. Perhaps the Apple Silicon version of the larger iMac will opt for black bezels, and the rumored affordable Apple display will drop the chin. For now, I’m very eager to sit behind a colorful iMac for the first time and get to work!
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