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The newest iMac is a great product, and despite Apple's reputation for making pricey things, it's actually a great value, too.

The 2012 iMac is an update that pushes the needle in all the ways we’re used to from Apple – improved performance, better hardware under the hood, etc. – but it also adds the most dramatic and attractive case redesign in recent memory to the mix.

The iMac isn't going to be the best computer for everyone, especially the price-conscious. If you're looking for quad-core processors and reasonably strong graphics processors, though, the iMac continues to be a well-rounded machine that is more competitive on price than its $1,299 starting price...

Slimmer and faster, the Apple iMac 21.5-inch (Late 2012) is the desktop PC to buy if you're looking to avoid the whole touch-screen conundrum. The new iMac upgrades components, looks great, and has the power to do real work in a business or at home.

The new iMac steps into the future, with cutting-edge design (literally), updated processor and RAM, better sounding speakers, and reduced-glare (but still glossy!) screens. Unfortunately, the new iMac also follows Apple’s trend towards less repairable and upgradeable Macs.

If you want an iMac as a pretty-looking home station, there's no reason to not go for the slimmer design with better guts and the option for the fusion drive...You should also know you're not getting top-end gravel-chewing performance—for that, you'd be better off with a Retina MacBook Pro.

The 21.5-inch iMac will be a compelling lower-cost all-in-one for Mac loyalists, but you can get more capabilities from similarly priced Windows all-in-ones.

That said, if you're looking for a solid all-in-one desktop that looks stunning, performs well, and features a gorgeous display (which can be used as an external monitor by another Mac), this iMac should fit the bill.

The price aside, if you're in need of an iMac upgrade or you are considering a new desktop for the home or office, the new iMacs are worth a very long, hard stare.

If you are looking for a dedicated machine that sits there waiting for you to give it attention then this is a powerful enough, pretty enough and lovely enough servant that will serve you well.

As an everyday home computer for most day-to-day tasks, the 21.5in iMac is an excellent choice. The gorgeous design comes with some trade offs, however, including the lack of a built-in optical drive, limited upgradeability of internal components and a slow hard drive included as standard.

It is the biggest iMac product redesign in years and a largely successful one, provided some users don't mind shelling out a little extra for the optical drive or overlooking this generation's omission of Retina Display.

The iMac 2012 is superbly crafted, highly-capable and with a screen to die for. Owners of 6th-gen iMacs need not apply, nor do PC fans that equate power to price. But, for anyone requiring the best-looking desktop on the market, which is also highly capable, meet your new best friend.

Apple's 2012 21.5" iMac...has also gained in processing power and in gaming capabilities. Screen quality has been upped too and audio quality is still excellent. If you're not bothered about TV functionality and you've got cash to splash, this 21.5" iMac makes a first-rate choice.

It’s only really worth considering for those that are absolutely sure that all they require is simply the snazziest, most compact all-in-once PC currently available, whatever the price.

Apple is very keen to talk up the high-tech manufacturing magic it had to muster in order to make the new iMacs quite so slim, but it’s the end-result that really grabs the attention. The crisp lines are reminiscent of the edges of the Retina MacBook Pro line.