The plastic iMac is no more. Apple has offered a special, low-price “educational” Mac for a while now. First the machine was the eMac, then a special version of the iMac — usually with a smaller screen and slower processor than those found in the regular, consumer versions.

Even after the introduction of the aluminum iMac, Apple continued selling the plastic-bodied version as their education model. Now, Ars Technica reports that the plastic iMac’s days are coming to an end. Apple has announced that the educational iMac will be upgraded to a new, low-end aluminum model featuring a 20-inch screen.

The new iMac will also feature a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of RAM, and a SuperDrive, all for $899. The only way to purchase one is through a special institutional buyer — so even individual students or education professionals can’t buy one.

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