Tonight, Apple released updated Core 2 Duo iMacs, including a brand new iMac in a 24 inch form factor.

The specifcations are as follows:

• 17 inch 1.83GHz Core 2 Duo, 2MB L2 cache, 512MB RAM (up to 2GB), Intel GMA 950, 160GB HDD - $1549 (EDU $1393);
• 17 inch 2.0GHz (up to 2.16GHz) Core 2 Duo, 4MB L2 cache, 1GB RAM (up to 3GB), 128MB x1600, 160GB HDD (up to 500GB) - $1849 (EDU $1664);
• 20 inch 2.16GHz (up to 2.33GHz) Core 2 Duo, 4MB L2 cache, 1GB RAM (up to 3GB), 128MB x1600 (up to 256MB), 250GB HDD (up to 500GB) - $2299 (EDU $2069);
• 24 inch 2.16GHz (up to 2.33GHz) Core 2 Duo, 4MB L2 cache, 1GB RAM (up to 3GB), 7300GT (up to 7600GT), 250GB HDD (up to 500GB), Firewire 800 - $2999 (EDU $2699).

The 24 inch model has a screen with a resolution 1920x1200 pixels that Apple claims to be 40 per cent brighter than the previous 20 inch model. The 24 inch iMac is also the only iMac to have an optional ($48) VESA-compliant mounting adapter, an option not seen since the original iMac G5.

All of the iMacs come with the usual refinements (built-in iSights and Front Row, Apple Remotes, Airport Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, Apple keyboard and mighty mouse).

The Mac Mini was also speed bumped to 1.66GHz and 1.83GHz Core Duos, respectively.

Further tech specs of the iMac can be found at the iMac website. The Core 2 Duo chips used in the iMacs are the mobile 'Merom' chips, rather than the desktop-based 'Conroe' chips.

Discuss in the forums.