Apple rolls out beefed-up, wallet-conscious desktops

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Apple on Tuesday unveiled beefed-up Macintosh desktop computers in a revamped line it touts as offering more muscle for buyers’ money.

The “flagship” of the iMac line is a new 24-inch model with enhanced graphics and memory capabilities. It has the same $1,499 price tag as the previous generation’s 20-inch iMac.

Apple said that the latest version of its Mac mini is the world’s most energy-efficient desktop computer and employs NVIDIA GeForce chips that make its graphics five times better than its predecessor.

A basic Mac mini is priced at $599 while one with more memory and a larger hard drive sells for $799.

“The Mac mini is not only our most affordable Mac, it’s also the world’s most energy efficient desktop computer,” said Apple chief operating officer Tim Cook.

The new iMacs and Mac minis are being shipped and should be available in Apple stores.

Apple also rolled out a new Mac Pro model built with powerful Intel and NVIDIA chips and a design that it says delivers twice the performance as the previous generation of desktop.

New Mac Pro models will be available beginning next week in Apple stores and have starting prices of $2,499.

“The new Mac Pro is a significant upgrade and starts at $300 less than before,” said Apple senior vice president of worldwide product marketing Philip Schiller.

“The Mac Pro features an advanced system architecture, new faster processors and our best-ever graphics options to deliver a faster, more powerful system that our professional customers are going to love.”

Macintosh desktop computers come loaded with Apple’s latest software, including a “Time Machine” program that automatically backs up all files and programs.