Can I run Mac OS 10.6 on my intel mac?

As already stated, you can use Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6+) on any Mac computer that runs on an Intel processor. While the program does, indeed, operate more smoothly with at least 2GB of RAM, it's true minimum requirement is a mere 1GB of RAM. Please note, too, that you need a minimum of 5GB of disk space on your hard drive before you can do a clean install. Another important thing is that the processor speed needs to be higher than 1.6GHz for Snow Leopard's media to function properly, although that ought not be an issue with an Intel iMac, even an early 2006 edition. (It may be of serious interest to anyone wanting to install Snow Leopard on a partitioned PC, though, which is actually why I thought I'd make mention of it here.)

It may seem obvious, but you do need to be sure that you have the correct Snow Leopard installation disk. The upgrade disk requires that you already have latest edition of Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5.8) installed on your computer before you can install Snow Leopard. A full installation disk differs in that it can be used on any Intel Mac computer, regardless of the operating system it is currently running.

While you did not really ask, I thought I'd also mention a few other things you may find of some genuine interest. First of all, you will probably want to use some care with the various versions of the programs that are available to be run on Snow Leopard. An early 2006 iMac may have some inherent, built-in limitations that may not be obvious, but which make some program versions almost, if not literally impossible to use. Such iMacs use a Core Duo processor, rather than the Core Two Duo processor most people will simply presume it to be running. This means that it is a 32-bit computer, and so may not be able to access some of the more complex, graphic-laden programs the newer equipment can handle. Many graphic programs, even those published by Apple, will run off Snow Leopard, but will also need 64-bit color, plus, your system should have at least 128MB of available VRAM memory. I'm pretty sure your iMac has that much, but before investing in any costly software, make certain to check the "Graphics/Display" section in your computer's "System Profiler."

One last thing- the early 2006 iMac should have shipped with a DL SuperDrive. While it is not completely necessary, if, for any reason, your iMac has a Combo Drive, or one of the early SuperDrives that does not have dual layer ("DL") burning capabilities, you may quickly find it valuable to upgrade.

Not to create a "war of good intentions" (::warm smile::), but if one checks Apple's own technical specs, the 1.6GHz recommendation can be found for Snow Leopard under the "Feature Specific Requirements," in this case, for DVD playing. What the specs say is that DVD programs run under Snow Leopard require a 1.6GHz processor or faster for improved deinterlacing." (Deinterlacing is a type of video signal conversion, and is what helps prevent analog TV and 1080i HDTV signals from doing crazy things on your digital TV screen- like bending and/or blending the visual field.)

One can choose to use a processor with less speed, of course, and many have done so for years with no discernible problem. The 1.6GHz number is merely Apple's recommended baseline. But under all versions of Mac OS X 10.6, if a slower processor is used, it should be done so with an understanding that there will likely be a loss of some quality when viewing most types of DVD recordings- most especially analog video. Just how much of an effect it may truly have, who but Apple can really say? It must be measurable, though, else the recommendation would surely not continue to stand. Fortunately, this may be completely insignificant for most of those using a slower system, but with the numbers of people using a household computer to integrate their audio/video systems steadily on the rise, it is definitely something one should keep in mind, especially if building such a system from the case-bottom up.

Oh, and to clarify my comments on the two versions of the installation disk, the upgrade disk that requires a previous install of Mac OS X 10.5.8 comes bundled with a number of other Apple upgrades. It is not sold individually, but only as a bundled retail product. (I no longer have the box from my original upgrade bundle, but the info on the disk reads Version 10.6 2Z691-6431-A.) The disk that costs $29 is, indeed, the full retail installation program. I mentioned the two versions only because there are so many of them out there of both versions now, enough that it behooves one to be aware of just exactly which version he or she is getting, especially if buying on the used market.