Back in October 2009, Apple made significant updates to the iMac's form factor. This mid-2010 refresh is externally identical, but its components have had a major boost.

This is no incremental upgrade. All iMacs now use Core i-series processors, and this entry-level model has a discrete graphics chip, where before it relied on an integrated chipset.

The SD card reader now supports SDXC, and can therefore read cards with a theoretical maximum capacity of 2TB.The screen is still a gorgeous high-definition IPS display.

We liked:

The move to the new Core-i processors is very welcome. The Core i3's Hyper Threading facilities mean the new mid-2010 iMac is great at multitasking, and running applications that use more than one core.

Discrete graphics is very welcome, with the machine's ATI Radeon HD 4670 adding much to its multimedia and gaming capabilities. The screen is as excellent as ever, and can be viewed from almost any angle without the colours shifting, and iLife remains a very useful software bundle.

Even though the new iMac costs £999, it isn't overpriced given the quality of its components.

We disliked:

The battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD has long been settled in favour of the former, so it's utterly ridiculous that Apple doesn't include a Blu-Ray drive in its Mac range.

With no OS-level Blu-ray support, there's little point in adding your own. We realise Apple feels the future of HD movies lies in downloads rather than optical discs, but surely that's a decision for the consumers to make?

Many Mac owners have Blu-ray players in their living room. It's pretty spiteful not to let us watch our Blu-ray movie on our Macs. It's about time Apple turned its attentions to USB 3.0 too, and maybe offer an anti-glare screen as a customisation option.

Verdict:

At a quid shy of a thousand pounds, the entry-level iMac isn't cheap – but given the quality of the components and performance, it isn't outrageously expensive either.

The mid-2010 refresh is more than an incremental upgrade. Despite retaining the previous generation's form factor, the new Core i-series processors and great new graphics capabilities take the iMac a significant step forwards.

Even this, the cheapest entry-level model, offers an excellent performance. It's a great multimedia machine, a credible (if imperfect) gaming rig and a superb all-round home computer.

Only Apple's insane refusal to offer a Blu-ray drive and a few omissions like USB 3.0 and an anti-glare screen keep it from near-perfection.