iMacs: how popular models differ

The Cupertino team produced monoblock personal computers long before the more popular gadget, the Apple laptop, appeared. The company presented the first iMac monoblock in 1998. Visually and in terms of technical characteristics, the devices were very different from the latest models.

Until the last major update in 2020, the company had not released a new line of monoblocks since 2014. Instead, the brand focused on actively working with the Apple Macbook.

The first upgrade after 2014 was made in 2019, then the company improved only the stuffing. A year later, the manufacturer also revised the design. In the article we will tell you about the computers that are now presented in stores.

iMac 2019

In 2019, the “apple” company presented monoblocks with improved stuffing. The devices are available in two formats – it can be a display with a diagonal of 21.5 inches or 27 inches. The former supports Ultra HD 4K resolution, while the latter supports 5K resolution. The 5K resolution monitors are claimed to be the best in the monoblock family due to their ability to capture the finest details.

RAM capacity

In terms of performance, even the basic configuration of a desktop computer is noticeably superior to a Macbook. The factory RAM capacity is 8GB. It’s expandable up to 32GB on the 21.5-inch model. If you choose the 27-inch version, you can expand the memory up to 64GB.

Video card

Devices with a more compact display are equipped with 4 GB Intel Iris graphics. The model with a large display has an AMD Radeon graphics chip, also with 4 GB, but the capacity can be independently expanded up to 8 GB.

Hard disk

The brand offers two options – iMac with Fusion Drive or SSD drive. Fusion Drive is a special drive that combines the properties of hard disks and flash memory.

SSD drive is a more conventional option with advanced upgrade options, which increases the price of devices with this drive. The maximum capacity, regardless of layout, is 1TB.

iMac Pro

Like the Apple Macbook, the monoblock computer has a Pro version. Monoblocks are available in these configurations:

iMac Mini. The device is based on the Intel Core i5 processor. Users can choose from three modifications. In the first, the chip is overclocked to 1.4 GHz, 4 GB of RAM and 500 GB of external memory are available. In the second, the CPU is significantly more powerful and runs at a frequency of up to 2.6 GHz, the maximum amount of RAM – 8 GB, SSD capacity – 1 TB. The most powerful modification received a CPU running at up to 2.8 GHz, 8 GB of RAM and 1 TB of built-in memory. Only instead of SSD is installed Fusion Drive-storage. On the body there are 4 USB 3.0 ports, HDMI and Thunderbolt 2.0 interface.
iMac with a 27-inch diagonal and Retina display. The brand started releasing devices with Retina display in 2014. From the usual Retina-screen is distinguished by increased pixel density. A 4-core Intel Core i5 processor with a frequency of up to 3.3 GHz is responsible for the performance of the monoblocks. As a storage device, a Fusion disk with a capacity of 2TB is used. High-quality graphics are provided by AMD Radeon R9 graphics card. Users have access to 2 GB of graphics memory.
The 21.5-inch iMac has a Retina display. The compact monoblock also has a Retina version. The screen resolution is 4096×2304 pixels, which means the model supports Ultra HD 4K quality. The central processor is slightly less powerful – it is still the same Intel Core i5, but with an operating frequency of 3.1 GHz. For the construction of graphics is responsible for the integrated adapter Intel Iris Pro 6200.
iMac with a diagonal of 21.5 inches. Version with Full HD screen. The maximum resolution is 1920×1080 pixels. The graphics adapter is the same as in the previous version, but the processor capabilities here are cut down even more. You can buy a monoblock with a 4-core chip that runs at a frequency of up to 2.8 GHz, or 2-core with a frequency of 1.6 GHz.

The Pro lineup is more powerful than the base lineup. Like Apple’s macbooks, monoblocks from the advanced series are chosen for gaming or professional work with complex programs.

iMac 2020

The company did a complete overhaul of its monoblock devices in 2020. The Apple team introduced the iMac with a 24-inch screen. The model has an ultra-thin body – only 11.5 mm. The computer weighs less than 5 kilograms.

It was possible to make the monitor so thin and light thanks to the transition to the proprietary M1 chip. This is a central processor developed in Cupertino. The chip is created specifically for Apple Mac, the price of devices although the price has increased after the introduction of the new processor, but absolutely justified. The M1 has these specifications:

• 8 cores – of which 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores.
• Support for a 7- or 8-core graphics processor (depends on the selected configuration).
• Neural Engine system for 16 cores.

The gadget doesn’t need a separate graphics adapter. The M1 chip combines the CPU, graphics and some other components necessary for the computer.

By the way, iMac has changed visually not only because of the ultra-thin case. Until 2020, the color scheme of monoblocks was restrained. With the release of the new model, 7 colors of the case became available to users: blue, green, pink, yellow, orange, purple and silver.

The monitor sits on a perfectly balanced stand. Ultra-fast Thunderbolt ports are integrated into the case. The power adapter is magnetically attached and the braided cable is made to match the case.

The Retina 4.5K display is responsible for the juicy graphics. The picture is displayed as clearly as possible, every detail is visible. Realistic color reproduction is provided by a wide color gamut – P3. The maximum brightness of the monitor is 500 cd/m2. To reduce eye strain, the display has an anti-reflective coating. The color temperature adapts to ambient light through True Tone technology. The monoblock also includes a studio-grade microphone and a FaceTime HD 1080p camera.