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The heaviest of heavyweights in the all-in-one field has seen another update, another batch of new internals to liven up the aging (but still classy) chassis. Apple unveiled its latest iMac refresh last week, surprising nobody with a new selection of AMD Radeon HD graphics cards, quad-core Intel Sandy Bridge processors, and solid-state storage options, all designed to do one thing: go faster. These latest iMacs are quite naturally the speediest yet, as you'd expect, but with the right configuration they can be  properly  quick. Faster internals plus Thunderbolt ports on the outside turn what's supposed to be a family-friendly and eye-catching machine into an unassuming powerhouse that might just be quick enough for professional users. There's a more important question, though: is this $1,999 system the right choice for you? Apple iMac (spring 2011) Hardware When Apple refreshed the iMac lineup last year we sampled the 21.5-inch model, svelte and ...

Yesterday, you saw the new 21.5-inch iMac fully specced out and up for sale on Apple's online store, and you were even treated to the sight of its 27-inch sibling pushing three displays and 11 megapixels of resolution. Today, you get to witness Apple's latest all-in-one computer fully disassembled.  iFixit  is doing the honors, as usual, and the investigation starts with the detachment of that familiar LG-produced IPS display and a Sony Optiarc optical drive, followed by the discovery of an Intel controller for the solitary Thunderbolt port on board (there are two on the larger model). Other notables include an AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics chip and a 2.5GHz Intel Core i5 CPU, but you'll have to punch the source link to see them up close and personal. iFixit

Details are spotty but Apple special forces have apparently swept into its data center, temporarily disrupting the company's ability to sell anything online. We're expecting official word of the operation from company CEO Steve Jobs, at about 08.30 Eastern Time. With any luck, a new iMac will emergeunscathed by the Nehalem menace, sporting a brand new Sandy Bridge microarchitecture -- or as we like to call it: freedom.

The last time Apple updated its iMac line we were treated to Intel Core 2010 processors. So it's no surprise -- really, no surprise at all -- to see Apple refreshing the lineup today. Prices start at $1,199 (as usual) for the 21.5-inch (1,920 x 1,080 pixel IPS panel) model with new 2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and 512MB of AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics. Prices soon jump to $1,999 for a 27-inch (2,560 x 1,440 IPS) model with 3.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 CPU and 1GB of AMD Radeon HD 6970M graphics, or optional 3.4GHz quad-core Core i7 proc and 2GB of HD 6970M graphics if you so desire. We're talking Intel Sandy Bridge, of course, but Apple never goes into specifics. New owners will also be treated to a Thunderbolt jack (one on the 21.5-inch model and two on the 27-incher) and FaceTime HD camera with 24 hours shipping. Yeah, it looks the same, but it's the insides that count. Apple iMac with Thunderbolt Apple

One Thunderbolt port on your new MacBook Pro? Pah. The new 27-inch iMac has twice that many -- two. When we got ours out of the box we just had to do the natural thing: fire up as many pixels as possible. Two 30-inch Dell displays and a couple of dual-link DVI display adapters later and we have what you see above: a wide swath of LCD covering 11,878,400 pixels. Sure, any average desktop can do this, but how many all-in-ones can push that many dots? The iMac's 27-inch, 2,560 x 1,440, LED-backlit IPS panel is definitely a highlight, but flanked by another two monsters the combination is, honestly, a little overwhelming. We tried working this way but only made it about 30 minutes before retreating to smaller fields of view. Other tid-bits we've learned about the updated iMac: those who'd rather swipe than drag can now choose to order theirs with a Magic Trackpad instead of a Magic Mouse, though we're sure Apple would surely be happy to sell you both. Additionally, the 2...