iMac
| iMac | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Manufacturer | Apple |
| Type | Home computers |
| publication | 1998 |
| processor |
PowerPC Intel |
| random access memory | 128 MB to 256 GB DDR-SDRAM |
| graphic |
ATI AMD Intel / Nvidia |
| Sound | Stereo speakers , microphone , jack plug |
| Disk | 40 GB Serial ATA hard drive up to 8 TB SSD |
| operating system | macOS |
| predecessor | PowerPC |
The iMac is a computer developed and produced by the US company Apple . The basic idea of the iMac was a so-called “ all-in-one ” housing that was as easy to use as possible for a target group with little technical experience. With this device, Apple followed up on earlier computers produced in the 1980s in which the computer and mini-screen were integrated in one device.
The "i" in iMac
The "i" in iMac, according to Keynote 1998, the following meanings: i nternet, i ndividual, i nstruct (instruct, mentor), i (information) nform and i nspire (inspiration). In the years that followed, it became the prefix for many Apple products, from the iPod MP3 player to the iBook laptop to the iPhone smartphone .
First generation (1998)
The primary feature of the first iMac generation was the semi-translucent ( semitranslucent ) housing made of polycarbonate , in which the screen and PC including speakers were integrated. The external keyboard and circular mouse had the same design. It was presented on May 7, 1998 and shipped on August 15, 1998. The price in Germany was DM 2,999 when it was launched (or in the USA 1,299 dollars plus VAT), which today, adjusted for inflation, would be around 2,060 euros (in the USA 2,030 dollars excluding tax).
All interfaces were dispensed with, except for the not yet widespread USB version 1.2 with a maximum of 12 Mbps. Apart from that, in addition to headphone and microphone jacks, a modem and a FastEthernet connection were built in, which achieved the goal of offering a computer for “surfing the Internet”. The lack of an integrated floppy disk drive (external drives could be purchased separately from the year 2000) and the SCSI interface previously built into all Apple models was unusual. The built-in hard drive and the built-in CD-ROM drive were connected via IDE , and there was a network and USB interface for data exchange. Floppy disks and peripheral devices from previous Macs, such as printers originally connected via a parallel port, could no longer be used or had to be replaced by USB hardware.
In the first two revisions, there was a slot on the motherboard ("mezzanine slot") that was only intended by Apple for testing the motherboard and was not officially promoted. The German company Formac found out that it was a fully-fledged PCI slot and released suitable expansion cards (iPro RAID and iPro RAID TV with SCSI or SCSI + TV tuner). In the third revision of the iMac, the corresponding socket was no longer installed, but according to an article in the computer magazine c't it could be soldered on later. Basically, the iMacs were a bit more difficult to upgrade than notebooks. Replacing the RAM modules was easy, but installing a hard drive with a larger capacity was difficult because the case was not easy to open.
The design of the iMac in particular caused a stir. The first model came on the market in the color "Bondi Blue" . Up to this point in time, computers had mostly been produced in a neutral beige, gray or black, almost all of them in rectangular, angular housings. Apple now presented a “colorful”, spherical and transparent computer and shortly thereafter expanded the range to include additional colors, including a case printed with a floral decoration.
The iMac designer Jonathan Ive started a trend in the computer industry with the colorful and translucent housing. The semi-transparent case of the first iMac inspired many designers to create similar designs for a variety of computers and their peripherals. Components such as mice, modems and routers have become transparent and colorful , and not just for the Mac market. However, it should be mentioned at this point that there were computers that used colored, translucent material for the housing even before the iMac. Examples of this are the Primergy 300 and Primergy 500 PC servers from Siemens-Nixdorf and the Scenic Pro PC family, also from Siemens-Nixdorf. The products were u. a. Because of the innovative use of materials, it received the iF product design award "Top Ten - Selection of the 10 best designs" (Primergy 300) in 1996 and the 1997 iF product design award 1997 "Best of category" (Scenic Pro).
At the Apple Expo, the manufacturer's in-house trade fair, the iMac was always a surprise product. With the idea of a simple installation of the computer and the user-friendly possibility of using the Internet in a simple manner, Apple reported - with great success - back to the consumer market, which the company had long neglected. The iMac was the beginning of Apple's commercial comeback.
The journalist and author Steven Levy described the new iMac in Newsweek , issue 131/1998: a piece of hardware that blends sci-fi shimmer with the kitsch whimsy of a cocktail umbrella).
Revision A
The first iMac, available from August 15, 1998, was initially only offered in the color "Bondi Blue". Like revision B, it is also called that because this color was later replaced by others. It had a G3 processor with a clock frequency of 233 MHz, a 15-inch CRT monitor , an ATI Rage IIc graphics card with 2 MB SDRAM graphics memory, a CD drive, two USB interfaces, a modem , Ethernet 10/100, a hard disk with a capacity of 4 GB and 32 MB PC-100-SDRAM ex works. The maximum resolution of the screen was 1024 × 768, although the image sharpness was often criticized at this resolution.
A "mezzanine slot" called a PCI slot was located on the motherboard; the CD drive was a type of drawer drive found in notebooks. The iMac also had an infrared interface.
Facelift (Revision B)
On October 17, 1998, the first revised version of the iMac appeared, which differed from the previous model only in a better graphics card, an ATI Rage Pro with 6 MB RAM.
Facelift (Revision C)
With the version published on January 5, 1999, a significant step was taken. The iMac now had a G3 processor clocked at 266 MHz and an ATI Rage Pro Turbo with 6 MB RAM. The "mezzanine slot" was no longer soldered on and the infrared interface was omitted. The iMac was now available in five different, new colors: "Strawberry" (pink), "Blueberry" (blue), "Lime" (deep green), "Grape" (purple) and "Tangerine" (orange).
Facelift (Revision D)
On April 14, 1999, with revision D, the clock frequency of the G3 processor was increased to 333 MHz.
Facelift (iMac DV)
Another big step was taken with the iMac DV (“Digital Video”) from October 5, 1999. This was now the first model with a FireWire interface, a DVD drive and the new iMovie from Apple, suitable for processing digital videos from video cameras or devices based on the MiniDV standard. Furthermore, the old drawer drive gave way to a slot-in drive . It was also possible to retrofit an Apple WLAN card for the first time. The new hardware design was able to do without fans by taking advantage of free convection ; the processors were passively cooled by heat sinks .
In addition to the iMac DV, there was a similar but cheaper version that was only available in the color "Blueberry". The G3 processor was clocked at 350 MHz instead of 400 MHz, the FireWire interface was also missing and a slot-in CD-ROM drive was installed. Both had an ATI Rage 128 VR with 8 MB RAM as a graphics card. The RAM has been increased to 64 and 128 MB respectively. In addition to the previous colors, there was a “Special Edition” of the iMac DV in gray called “Graphite”.
Facelift (2000/2001)
The iMacs released on July 19, 2000 now all had a DVD-ROM drive, a newer ATI Rage 128 Pro with 8 MB RAM and, except for the cheapest model, a FireWire connection and upgradeable WLAN. In addition, the available case colors have been changed to “Graphite” (gray), “Ruby” (ruby red), “Snow” (opaque white), “Indigo” (dark blue) and “Sage” (light green). The cheapest model with 350 MHz was only available in the color "Indigo", the others had a G3 clocked at 400, 450 and 500 MHz.
With the models offered from February 22, 2001, the housing colors were changed again. In addition to the tried and tested “Graphite” and “Indigo”, iMacs printed with the “Blue Dalmatian” and “Flower Power” patterns were now available. The CPU clock frequency was increased to 400, 500 and 600 MHz, but a CD burner was installed in all models instead of the DVD-ROM drive, and the cheapest model, again exclusively in Indigo, only had a CD-ROM drive. All models from 500 MHz onwards also had an ATI Rage 128 Ultra with 16 MB as a graphics card.
On July 18, 2001, the last revision of the first generation appeared, with the same tube monitor and dimensions as Revision A. The G3 processors were now clocked at 500, 600 and 700 MHz, the graphics in all the ATI Rage 128 Ultra and the RAM 64, 128 or 256 MB. The most expensive model was discontinued in January 2002 in favor of the new iMac generation, the other models were still available as cheap alternatives until March 2003.
Second generation (2002, PowerMac4, x / 6, x)
The successful design was completely replaced in January 2002. The multicolor gave way to a plain white. The CRT monitor was replaced by a liquid crystal screen (LCD ) attached to a three-way arm (goose neck) , in the hemispherical base of which the entire computer including power supply unit, hard drive, interfaces and optical drive is located. Previously conceived ideas to accommodate the entire computer vertically in the housing of a flat screen were discarded for technical reasons in the iMac G4 , but were ultimately implemented in the iMac G5 . The original iMac design was carried over to the eMac . The second generation was offered with processor speeds between 700 MHz and 1.25 GHz. The sizes of the LC screens started at 15 inches and ended with 20 inches, which were very large for the time.
Third generation (2004/2005)
Since the third generation, the actual computer has been completely behind the flat screen.
Revision A (PowerMac8,1)
On August 31, 2004, the new “iMac G5” (later referred to as Rev A) was presented at the “Apple Expo” in Paris. The device was delivered from mid-September of the same year. The design has been completely changed again: The computer is now with the LCD screen (17 "and 20") in a housing and each with a 64-bit - G5 equipped. Although the optical drive and power supply are also integrated, this new iMac is only 5.5 cm thin.
Technically, the iMac G5 (Rev A) is based on the then new U3lite / Shasta chipset, which was also used in the (base model) Power Mac G5 "Late 2004" with a single processor. Revision A is known for its somewhat louder fans, which Apple replaced during the warranty period (fan and / or circuit board). Hard drives with 80 GB or 160 GB were installed. Mini-VGA was used as the graphics output .
Model upgrade (Revision B, PowerMac8,2)
In May 2005 the iMac G5 (Rev B) received a slightly redesigned motherboard, u. a. with gigabit ethernet, and a faster graphics card.
Furthermore, a new version of the Shasta I / O controller was used in Rev B. In the new Shasta data transfer problems ("bottleneck") of the internal S-ATA interface have been resolved. These models were shipped with 160 GB and 250 GB hard drives.
Model upgrade (Revision C, PowerMac12.1)
The last version of the iMac G5 came out in mid-October 2005 (Rev C). An iSight camera has now been integrated into the housing. In conjunction with the new program Photo Booth , the iMac was the photo booth with lots of possibilities for image processing. The second novelty is called " Front Row ": With a small remote control that is included , you can directly access your pictures, songs, videos and DVDs. The iMac is also a bit slimmer (~ 4 cm), quieter and faster thanks to DDR2 RAM and the new PCI Express graphics card.
Technically, the iMac in the Rev C is now based on the same chipset K2 / U4 as the new Dual Core Power Macs presented at the same time. This is a further development of the previous Power Mac chipset K2 / U3, with which Apple finally gave up the "cheap chipset" Shasta / U3lite. On the other hand, the last chipset for G5 computers inherited the System Management Unit (SMU) from the Shasta / U3lite combination, all other computers had a Power Management Unit (PMU).
Fourth generation (2006)
Early 2006
In January 2006, the first Apple Macintosh with an Intel processor was presented. The device offers about the same range of functions as the model presented in October 2005, but it is equipped with an Intel Core Duo and, according to Apple benchmarks, is two to three times faster than a G5 iMac.
As a further innovation, the mini-VGA connection has been replaced by a mini-DVI connection , which now also allows a second monitor to be used to expand the desktop. The built-in webcam iSight , introduced at the end of the third generation (Rev C), is also available again in this generation.
Education iMac (Mid 2006)
In July 2006, a special version of the 17-inch iMac was introduced that has less powerful graphics hardware (the version does not have a graphics card, instead the graphics in the Intel chipset are used), and instead of the DVD burner (“super drive ") A" combo drive "installed. In contrast to the standard model, the Apple Remote control and the integrated Bluetooth module are also missing . Because of these savings, the price for the iMac is 938 euros. It is advertised as an iMac for customers in the education sector, for example schools.
After the new iMac was initially available for a few days in Apple's "Education Store", it was only available directly from educational institutions shortly thereafter.
Late 2006
In September 2006, Apple again presented revised models of the iMac. For the first time, a device with a 24-inch screen was offered. The devices with 17 ″ and 20 ″ screen diagonal remain in the range. The Education iMac is now available as an official, inexpensive entry-level device (“low end”) for private customers. The devices are all equipped with the Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which contains the 64-bit command extension Intel 64 . As a real innovation, initially only with the iMac 24 ″, all important parts of the computer are interchangeable, which means that you can order the 24 ″ model with different components. However, components such as B. the graphics card is soldered, which means that it is not possible for the end user to subsequently replace the components (excluding RAM memory).
Fifth generation (2007)
Mid 2007
On August 7, 2007, Steve Jobs introduced a new generation of iMacs. The case of the iMac is now made of aluminum and glass. Compared to the previous models, the new generation is thinner and only has one screw (instead of two previously) on the housing, with which the RAM can be installed and removed. The back is made of matte black plastic with the Apple logo embossed in a glossy finish. The iMac is available with a 20- or 24-inch widescreen monitor and comes with a new, flat USB keyboard in aluminum design and with special buttons for extended functions. In the new iMac it is now possible to build in 4 GB of RAM (instead of 3 GB before) and the 20 ″ device for the first time has a Firewire 800 port in addition to a Firewire 400 port.
Known problems and criticisms
- In the 20 ″ model, only a simple TN panel is installed.
- Since the EFI update, numerous users have complained about slow systems in connection with the USB interface.
- The magnet, by means of which the remote control could simply be attached to the housing in the fourth generation, has been omitted.
- The display is now high-gloss, which means that the image can be affected very quickly by any dirt. In connection with sunlight, there are also disturbing reflections from the environment. However, the background lighting is so strong that in other lighting conditions, any reflections are usually not perceived.
Early 2008
On April 28, 2008, a new version of the iMac was released, which among other things offers up to 3.06 GHz in the top model. An ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT (in the 20 ″ model with 2.4 GHz), an ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO (20 ″ with 2.66 GHz and 24 ″) or optionally an Nvidia GeForce 8800 GS (which is in In reality an 8800M GTS is used. The prices for the entry-level model with a 20 ″ screen have been reduced to 999 euros and the CPU speed has been increased from 2.0 to 2.4 GHz. In addition, Penryn processors are now used, which include an L2 cache that has been increased from 4 to 6 MB.
Early 2009
On March 3, 2009 another version of the iMac was released. The CPU clock of the entry-level model has been increased to 2.66 GHz, the top model still offers 3.06 GHz. The graphics cards are an Nvidia GeForce 9400M (20 ″ and 24 ″ model with 2.66 GHz), an Nvidia GeForce GT 120 (in the 24 ″ model with 2.93 GHz) and an Nvidia GeForce GT 130 (in the 24 ″ - 3.06 GHz model). An ATI Radeon HD 4850 512 MB is also available at an additional cost. The prices for the 20 ″ model were raised again to 1,099 euros. The Penryn processors are also used in the iMac . The standard memory (RAM) has been increased to 2 GB (20-inch models) or 4 GB (24-inch models). Furthermore, the main memory was changed from DDR2 to DDR3, so the main memory can be expanded to up to 8 GB RAM, previously only 4 GB were possible. Apart from the now flat base and the connections, instead of FireWire 400 now 800, on the back, the exterior of the iMac has not changed.
Sixth generation (2009)
end of 2009
On October 20, 2009, Apple Inc. introduced a new generation of iMacs. The smallest model now offers a 21.5 "(1920 × 1080) display and a 500 GB hard disk, the largest has a 27" (2560 × 1440) display and a 1 TB or 2 TB hard disk. All models have IPS displays with LED backlighting. The 21.5 ″ iMac and the cheapest 27 ″ model have a 3.06 GHz or an optional 3.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor as standard. The second 27 ″ model with the 2.66 GHz Core i5 or the optionally available 2.8 GHz Core i7 processor from Intel is the first iMac with a quad-core CPU.
All iMacs now have four slots for the main memory and are equipped with 4 GB of RAM ex works, which can be expanded to up to 16 GB in the 21.5 ″ and 27 ″ models. In addition, the graphics performance has been improved with the Nvidia GeForce 9400M from Nvidia in the cheapest iMac and the ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics processor in the other models. The Radeon HD 4850 graphics card is already built into the quad-core iMac from the factory.
From this series onwards, the housing is completely milled from one piece of aluminum (“unibody”), so that the rear of the iMac is no longer black, but also aluminum-colored.
The iMac comes standard with a wireless keyboard and Magic Mouse . Starting with this version, Apple is also installing an SD card slot in the iMac.
Mid 2010
On July 27, 2010 a new revision of the iMac was presented. There were no external changes. Intel Core i processors are now installed in all models . The cheapest model has a 500 GB hard drive, all others have a capacity of 1 TB. In the more powerful model with a 27 ″ screen, an Intel Core i5 (quad-core) with 2.8 GHz and an ATI Radeon 5750 are used as standard . An Intel Core i7 with 2.93 GHz is optionally available for an extra charge. All other models have a Core i3 (dual-core) with 3.2 GHz and an ATI Radeon 4670 (low-end model), or Core i5 (dual-core) with 3.6 GHz and an ATI Radeon 5670 . A new feature of this model is the option of having an SSD installed in addition to the conventional hard disk and the superdrive, which allows programs and the computer itself to be started up significantly faster when the operating system is installed on it.
Mid 2011
On May 3, 2011, a new revision of the iMac was presented. There were no external changes, again the facelift focuses on updating the built-in components. Current Intel Quad-Core i processors of the Sandy Bridge micro -architecture are now installed in all models and the graphics chips are updated to the current AMD GPU generation. Furthermore, Intel's universal Thunderbolt interface was installed instead of the Mini DisplayPort . After the MacBook Pro , the iMac is now the second model series from Apple with this connection. The iMac also has a built-in FaceTime HD camera.
The standard of SATA III (6 GBit / s) was introduced. Two connections for HDD / SSD are available. The third data bus (SATA II - 3 GBit / s) is used for the SuperDrive.
Seventh generation (2012)
at the end of 2012
On October 23, 2012, Apple Inc. introduced a new generation of iMacs. The smallest model has a 21.5 "(1920 × 1080) display and a 1 TB hard disk, the largest model has a 27" (2560 × 1440) display and either a 1 TB or 3 TB hard disk, 1 TB or 3 TB Fusion Drive or 768 GB of flash storage. All models have IPS displays with LED backlighting. The smallest 21.5 "iMac comes with a 2.7 GHz Core i5 as standard , then increases to 2.9 GHz Core i5 with the option to 3.1 GHz Core i7 . The smallest 27" iMac starts at 2, 9 GHz Core i5 , the top model has a 3.2 GHz Core i5 as standard , which can be reconfigured in the Apple Store to become a 3.4 GHz Core i7 processor from Intel .
All iMacs have four slots for the main memory and are equipped with 8 GB of RAM ex works, which can be expanded to 16 GB in the 21.5 "model and up to 32 GB in the 27" model. Only in the 27 ″ model can the working memory be expanded without removing the display. In addition, the graphics performance has been improved with the Nvidia GeForce GT 640M from Nvidia in the cheapest iMac and the GeForce GT 675MX graphics processor in the other models. Alternatively, a GeForce GT 680MX with 2 GB of dedicated memory can be selected in the 27 "model.
The iMac comes with a wireless keyboard and an input device ( magic mouse or trackpad) as standard . Due to the thinner design of the display, there is no optical drive.
On March 14, 2013, Apple Inc. expanded the current iMac generation with a new version that has a VESA mount option. They are delivered without a stand as standard and are available in the two standard versions with 21.5 and 27 inch screens, each for an extra 40 euros compared to the version with stand.
the end of 2013
On September 24, 2013, Apple updated the iMacs with new WLAN cards that support the 802.11ac standard . All models now have Intel Core i5 processors of the Intel Haswell microarchitecture (optionally also available with Intel Core i7). A likewise optional SSD or the Fusion Drive are based on PCIe in the new models. The smallest 21.5 ″ iMac has an Intel Iris Pro graphics unit, all other models have an Nvidia Nvidia GeForce graphics card. The top model with 21.5 "has an Nvidia GeForce GT 750M, the smallest 27" model an Nvidia GeForce GT 755M and the largest 27 "iMac is operated by an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M with 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 graphics memory. Furthermore, OS X Mavericks preinstalled as standard since October 22, 2013, versions with a VESA -Mount mounting option are available which are supplied without a base.
in the middle of 2014
On June 18, 2014, a cheaper entry-level model was presented, which has a 21.5-inch display, a weaker 1.4 GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core processor, only a 500 GB hard drive and no additional graphics card.
Late 2015
The 27 ″ models without a Retina screen have been withdrawn from sale. Except for the updated entry-level model, all iMacs have a Retina screen. This model without a Retina screen has new 5th generation Intel processors and faster working memory.
2017
The entry-level model has new 7th generation processors and DDR4 RAM.
Eighth generation (2014)
Late 2014
On October 16, 2014, Apple presented the new iMac 27 "Retina 5K display, a model equipped with a 5K Retina screen and improved hardware specifications.
Late 2015
Since October 13, 2015 Apple has been selling the iMac 21.5 ″ with a Retina 4K display that has a resolution of 4096 × 2304 pixels. In addition to the new 4K iMac, Apple has made other changes to the iMac range and has taken the 27 ″ iMacs without 5K display from sale. The hardware of the models has been improved. The main memory has a clock rate of 1867 MHz in all models. The 27 ″ model now has 4 SO-DIMM slots and can therefore be upgraded to 64 GB of RAM - even if not officially supported by Apple. All 21.5 "models now offer Intel processors of the Broadwell generation, all 27" models those of the newer Skylake architecture. The models with Retina display offer a P3 color space that offers 25% more colors than sRGB. The starting price of the 5K model has been reduced to € 2,099 and a third, cheaper variant has been added.
Along with this, Apple also introduced the Magic Mouse 2 , the Magic Keyboard and the Magic Trackpad 2 . All three no longer get their power from AA batteries , but from an integrated rechargeable battery, which receives its energy via the Lightning connection also used on the iPhone and iPad , and they have Bluetooth 4.2. As a result, all devices have become thinner overall. The Magic Mouse also received a redesigned underside, which should ensure smoother operation and more stability. It's also gotten longer and lighter. The keys of the Magic Keyboard have been adjusted and its size reduced by 13%. In addition, the stability of the keys has been increased by 33% thanks to an improved mechanism. The input area of the Magic Trackpad 2 has been enlarged by 29%. It received the " Force Touch " function known from the MacBook 2015 and MacBook Pro 2015 . A Magic Keyboard and a Magic Mouse 2 are included with every new iMac (Magic Trackpad 2 for an extra charge).
2017
The iMac 2017 was presented by Apple on June 5th at WWDC and offers the 7th generation of the Intel Core i5 and i7 processors (Kaby Lake) with DDR4 SODIMM memory (2400 MHz) and the new graphics cards from AMD (AMD Radeon Pro 5 series). With the exception of the entry-level model with 2.5 GHz and 21.5 ″, the iMacs have a revised 4K and 5K display from LG. The higher-resolution displays now shine with 500 nit / 500 cd, offer the large P3 color space and 10-bit dithering. For the first time since 2012, the connections have also been changed slightly and the two Thunderbolt 2 connections from the previous model have been replaced by Thunderbolt 3 in USB-C format. The working memory of the 27 ″ is expandable, with the 21.5 ″ model, like its predecessor, modular SODIMM RAM was installed so that the working memory can also be swapped after removing the display. The CPUs of both models can theoretically be replaced by every 7th generation i5 and i7 ( Kaby Lake ; Socket 1151). Not all iMacs from this year come with Apple's Fusion Drive technology in the standard configuration. The two smallest 21.5 ″ models are both equipped with a 1 TB 2.5 ″ hard disk with 5,400 revolutions / minute. The higher configured devices have Fusion Drive 1 or 2 TB in connection with 32 GB SSD, the configurable SSD capacity for the 21.5 ″ iMac is from 256 GB to 1 TB, for the 27 ″ iMac from 1 to 2 TB. The existing microphone was placed in the loudspeaker bar instead of on the back as before. The included input devices have also changed slightly. The standard scope of delivery includes Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Keyboard. The Magic Keyboard with numeric keypad is available for an extra charge of € 30, and the Magic Trackpad 2 is also available for € 60 extra.
2019
The iMac 2019 was presented by Apple on March 19 in an updated version without an event. The iMac 21.5 ″ now has a 6-core processor of the 8th Intel Core i5 or i7 generation. The 27 ″ iMac is available with a maximum of an 8 ‑ core Intel Core i9 processor. Both models can be equipped with a Radeon Pro Vega graphics card.
On July 9, 2019, the prices of SSD options larger than 256 GB were reduced.
iMac Pro
In June 2017, Apple released a new model of the iMac, also at WWDC: The iMac Pro , which is primarily intended for professional users.
The exterior design of the iMac Pro does not differ much from the seventh generation, except for the space gray color. However, Apple has significantly redesigned the interior design of the desktop computer . An iMac Pro can be equipped with up to an 18-core 2.3 GHz Intel Xeon W processor and the main memory is available for the first time in a 128 GB DDR4 ECC variant with 2666 MHz. The slots can also be retrofitted by Apple or an Apple-authorized repair center . The hard drive configuration is 1 TB to 4 TB, excluding SSD. The monitor size is 27 inches with a number of 5120 x 2880 pixels and up to two additional external 5K monitors (with appropriate adapters) can be connected. Further innovations are revised connections (10 GB Ethernet connection, SD card slot with UHS-II support), as well as the option of a Vega 56 or Vega 64 Radeon Pro graphic .
The iMac Pro was especially praised for the quiet activity that results from the improved ventilation , but also for the high performance. The complicated repair of the iMac Pro, the few options for upgrading and the high price were criticized .
On July 9, 2019, the prices of the SSD options were reduced.
Executions
Tube monitor (CRT)
- iMac G3 Summer 2001 - 500, 600 or 700 MHz PPC 750 G3
- iMac G3 early 2001 - 400, 500, or 600 MHz PPC 750 G3
- iMac G3 Summer 2000 - 350, 400, 450 or 500 MHz PPC 750 G3
- iMac G3 DV slot loading - 350 or 400 MHz PPC 750 G3
- iMac G3 5 colors - 266 or 333 MHz PPC 750 G3
- iMac G3 "Bondi Blue" 1998 - 233 MHz PPC 750 G3
Flat screen (LCD)
| model | Display | model | model | Order- | processor | bus | R.A.M. | HDD | optical | introduction | ||||
| identification | number | number | Type | Tact | Tact | Type | size | Max. | drive | date | Price (US $) | |||
| iMac (Flat Panel) | 15 " | PowerMac4.2 | M6498 | M8672xx / B | PPC 7450 (G4) | 700 MHz | 100 MHz | PC133 SDRAM |
128 MB | 1 GB | 40 GB | 10x CD-RW | 2002-01 | 1299 |
| M7677xx / B | 256 MB | combo | 1499 | |||||||||||
| M8535xx / B | 800 MHz | 60 GB | 2x SuperDrive | 1799 | ||||||||||
| iMac (17 "Flat Panel) | 17 " | PowerMac4.5 | M6498 | M8812xx / A | 80 GB | 2x SuperDrive | 2002-07 | 1999 | ||||||
| iMac (15 "Spring 2003) | 15 " | PowerMac4.2 | A6498 | M9105xx / A | PPC 7450 (G4) | 800 MHz | 100 MHz | PC133 SDRAM |
256 MB | 1 GB | 60 GB | 32x combo | 2003-02 | 1299 |
| iMac (17 "Flat Panel, 1 GHz) | 17 " | PowerMac 6.1 | A6498 | M8935xx / A | PPC 7455 (G4) | 1 GHz | 133 MHz | 80 GB | 4x SuperDrive | 1799 | ||||
| iMac (15 "USB 2.0) | 15 " | PowerMac 6.1 | - | M9285xx / A | PPC 7455 (G4) | 1 GHz | 167 MHz | PC2700 DDR |
256 MB | 1 GB | 80 GB | 32x combo | 2003-09 | 1299 |
| iMac (17 "USB 2.0) | 17 " | - | M9168xx / A | 1.25 GHz | 4x SuperDrive | 1799 | ||||||||
| iMac (20 "USB 2.0) | 20 " | PowerMac6.3 | - | M9290xx / A | 2003-11 | 2199 | ||||||||
| iMac G5 (17 ") | 17 " | PowerMac8.1 | A1058 | M9248xx / A | PowerPC 970fx (G5) | 1.6 GHz | 533 MHz | PC3200 DDR |
256 MB | 2 GB | 80 GB | 8x combo | 2004-08 | 1299 |
| M9249xx / A | 1.8 GHz | 600 MHz | 4x SuperDrive | 1499 | ||||||||||
| iMac G5 (20 ") | 20 " | A1076 | M9250xx / A | 160 GB | 1899 | |||||||||
| iMac G5 (17 "AS) | 17 " | PowerMac8.2 | A1058 | M9843xx / A | PowerPC 970fx (G5) | 1.8 GHz | 600 MHz | PC3200 DDR |
512 MB | 2 GB | 160 GB | 8x combo | 2005-05 | 1299 |
| M9844xx / A | 2 GHz | 667 MHz | 4x SuperDrive | 1499 | ||||||||||
| iMac G5 (20 "AS) | 20 " | A1076 | M9845xx / A | 1799 | ||||||||||
| iMac G5 (17 "iSight) | 17 " | PowerMac12.1 | A1144 | MA063xx / A | PowerPC 970fx (G5) | 1.9 GHz | 633 MHz | PC2-4200 DDR-2 |
512 MB | 2.5 GB | 160 GB | 8x DL SuperDrive | 2005-10 | 1299 |
| iMac G5 (20 "iSight) | 20 " | A1145 | MA064xx / A | 2.1 GHz | 700 MHz | 250 GB | 1699 | |||||||
| iMac (17 "Early 2006) | 17 " | iMac4.1 | A1173 | MA199xx | Intel Core Duo T2400 (Yonah) | 1.83 GHz | 667 MHz | PC2-5300 DDR-2 |
512 MB | 2 GB | 160 GB | 8x DL SuperDrive | 2006-01 | 1299 |
| iMac (20 "Early 2006) | 20 " | A1174 | MA200xx | Intel Core Duo T2500 (Yonah) | 2 GHz | 250 GB | 1699 | |||||||
| iMac (17 "Mid 2006) | 17 " | iMac4.2 | A1195 | MA406xx / A | Intel Core Duo T2400 (Yonah) | 1.83 GHz | 667 MHz | PC2-5300 DDR-2 |
512 MB | 2 GB | 80 GB | DVD-ROM / CD-RW | 2006-07 | 899 |
| iMac (17 "Late 2006 CD) | 17 " | iMac5.2 | A1195 | MA710xx | Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 (Merom) | 1.83 GHz | 667 MHz | PC2-5300 DDR-2 |
512 MB | 2 GB | 160 GB | 24x combo | 2006-09 | 999 |
| iMac (17 "Late 2006) | iMac5.1 | A1208 | MA590xx | Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 (Merom) | 2 GHz | 1 GB | 3 GB | 8x DL SuperDrive | 1199 | |||||
| Intel Core 2 Duo T7400 (Merom) | 2.16 GHz | 1299 | ||||||||||||
| iMac (20 "Late 2006) | 20 " | A1207 | MA589xx | Intel Core 2 Duo T7400 (Merom) [Intel Core 2 Duo T7600 (Merom)] |
2.16 GHz [2.33 GHz] |
250 GB | 1499 [1749] | |||||||
| iMac (24 "Late 2006) | 24 " | iMac6.1 | A1200 | MA456xx | 1999 [2249] | |||||||||
| iMac (20 "Mid 2007) | 20 " | iMac7.1 | A1224 | MA876xx | Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 (Merom) | 2 GHz | 800 MHz | PC2-5300 DDR-2 |
1 GB | 4 GB | 250 GB | 8x DL SuperDrive | 2007-08 | 1199 |
| MA877xx | Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 (Merom) | 2.4 GHz | 320 GB | 1499 | ||||||||||
| iMac (24 "Mid 2007) | 24 " | A1225 | MA878xx | Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 (Merom) | 1 GB | 1799 | ||||||||
| Core 2 Extreme T7900 (Merom) | 2.8 GHz | 2 GB | 500 GB | 2299 | ||||||||||
| iMac (20 "Early 2008) | 20 " | iMac8.1 | A1224 | MA323xx / A | Intel Core 2 Duo E8135 (Penryn) | 2.4 GHz | 1066 MHz | PC2-6400 DDR-2 |
1 GB | 4 GB | 250 GB | 8x DL SuperDrive | 2008-04 | 1199 |
| MA324xx / A | Intel Core 2 Duo E8335 (Penryn) | 2.66 GHz | 2 GB | 320 GB | 1499 | |||||||||
| iMac (24 "Early 2008) | 24 " | A1225 | MA325xx / A | Intel Core 2 Duo E8235 (Penryn) | 2.8 GHz | 1799 | ||||||||
| Intel Core 2 Duo E8435 (Penryn) | 3.06 GHz | 500 GB | 2199 | |||||||||||
| iMac (20 "Early 2009) | 20 " | iMac9.1 | A1224 | MA417xx / A | Intel Core 2 Duo E8135 (Penryn) | 2.66 GHz | 1066 MHz | PC2-8500 DDR-3 |
2 GB | 8 GB | 320 GB | 8x DL SuperDrive | 2009-03 | 1199 |
| iMac (24 "Early 2009) | 24 " | A1225 | MA418xx / A | 4 GB | 640 GB | 1499 | ||||||||
| MA419xx / A | Intel Core 2 Duo E8335 (Penryn) | 2.93 GHz | 1799 | |||||||||||
| MA420xx / A | Intel Core 2 Duo E8435 (Penryn) | 3.06 GHz | 1 TB | 2199 | ||||||||||
| iMac (20 "Mid 2009 Edu) | 20 " | iMac9.1 | A1224 | MC015xx / A | Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 (Penryn) | 2 GHz | 1066 MHz | PC2-8500 DDR-3 |
1 GB | 8 GB | 160 GB | 8x DL SuperDrive | 2009-04 | 899 |
| MC015xx / B | Intel Core 2 Duo P7550 (Penryn) | 2.26 GHz | 2010-03 | |||||||||||
| MC015xx / C | 2 GB | 2011-05 | ||||||||||||
| iMac (21.5 "Late 2009) | 21.5 " | iMac10.1 | A1311 | MB950xx / A | Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 (Wolfdale) [Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 (Wolfdale)] |
3.06 GHz [3.33 GHz] |
1066 MHz | PC2-8500 DDR-3 |
4 GB | 16 GB | 500 GB | 8x DL SuperDrive | 2009-10 | 1199 [1399] |
| MC413xx / A | 1 TB | 1499 [1699] | ||||||||||||
| iMac (27 "Late 2009) | 27 " | A1312 | MB952xx / A | 1699 [1899] | ||||||||||
| iMac11.1 | MB953xx / A | Core i5-750 (Lynnfield) | 2.66 GHz | DMI | 1999 | |||||||||
| Core i7-860 (Lynnfield) | 2.8 GHz | 2199 | ||||||||||||
| iMac (21.5 "Mid 2010) | 21.5 " | iMac11.2 | A1311 | MC508xx / A | Core i3-540 (Clarkdale) | 3.06 GHz | DMI | PC3-10600 DDR-3 |
4 GB | 16 GB | 500 GB | 8x DL SuperDrive | 2010-07 | 1199 |
| MC509xx / A | Core i3-550 (Clarkdale) [Core i5-680 (Clarkdale)] |
3.2 GHz [3.6 GHz] |
1 TB | 1499 [1699] | ||||||||||
| iMac (27 "Mid 2010) | 27 " | iMac11.3 | A1312 | MC510xx / A | 1699 [1899] | |||||||||
| MC511xx / A | Core i5-760 (Lynnfield) | 2.8 GHz | 1999 | |||||||||||
| Core i7-870 (Lynnfield) | 2.93 GHz | 2199 | ||||||||||||
| iMac (21.5 "Mid 2011) | 21.5 " | iMac12.1 | A1311 | MC309xx / A | Core i5-2400S (Sandy Bridge) | 2.5 GHz | DMI | PC3-10600 DDR-3 |
4 GB | 16 GB | 500 GB | 8x DL SuperDrive | 2011-05 | 1199 |
| MC812xx / A | Core i5-2500S (Sandy Bridge) | 2.7 GHz | 1 TB | 1499 | ||||||||||
| Core i7-2600S (Sandy Bridge) | 2.8 GHz | 1699 | ||||||||||||
| iMac (27 "Mid 2011) | 27 " | iMac12.2 | A1312 | MC813xx / A | Core i5-2500S (Sandy Bridge) | 2.7 GHz | 1699 | |||||||
| MC814xx / A | Core i5-2400 (Sandy Bridge) | 3.1 GHz | 1999 | |||||||||||
| Core i7-2600 (Sandy Bridge) | 3.4 GHz | 2199 | ||||||||||||
| iMac (21.5 "Late 2011 Edu) | 21.5 " | iMac12.1 | A1311 | MC978xx / A | Core i3-2100 (Sandy Bridge) | 3.1 GHz | DMI | PC3-10600 DDR-3 |
2 GB | 8 GB | 250 GB | 8x DL SuperDrive | 2011-08 | 999 |
| iMac (21.5 "Late 2012) | 21.5 " | iMac13.1 | A1418 | MD093xx / A | Core i5-3335S (Ivy Bridge) | 2.7 GHz | DMI | PC3-12800 DDR-3 |
8 GB | 16 GB | 1 TB | none | 2012-10 | 1299 |
| MD094xx / A | Core i5-3470S (Ivy Bridge) | 2.9 GHz | 1499 | |||||||||||
| Core i7-3770S (Ivy Bridge) | 3.1 GHz | 1699 | ||||||||||||
| iMac (27 "Late 2012) | 27 " | iMac13.2 | A1419 | MD095xx / A | Core i5-3470S (Ivy Bridge) | 2.9 GHz | 32 GB | 1799 | ||||||
| MD096xx / A | Core i5-3470 (Ivy Bridge) | 3.2 GHz | 1999 | |||||||||||
| Core i7-3770S (Ivy Bridge) | 3.4 GHz | 2199 | ||||||||||||
| iMac (21.5 "Early 2013 Edu) | 21.5 " | iMac13.1 | A1418 | ME699xx / A | Core i3-3225 (Ivy Bridge) | 3.3 GHz | DMI | PC3-12800 DDR-3 |
4 GB | 16 GB | 500 GB | none | 2013-03 | 1099 |
| iMac (21.5 "Late 2013) | 21.5 " | iMac14.1 | A1418 | ME086xx / A | Core i5-4570R (Haswell) | 2.7 GHz | DMI | PC3-12800 DDR-3 |
8 GB | 16 GB | 1 TB | none | 2013-09 | 1299 |
| ME087xx / A | Core i5-4570S (Haswell) | 2.9 GHz | 1499 | |||||||||||
| Core i7-4770S (Haswell) | 3.1 GHz | 1699 | ||||||||||||
| iMac (27 "Late 2013) | 27 " | iMac14.2 | A1419 | ME088xx / A | Core i5-4570 (Haswell) | 3.2 GHz | 32 GB | 1799 | ||||||
| ME089xx / A | Core i5-4670 (Haswell) | 3.4 GHz | 1999 | |||||||||||
| Core i7-4771 (Haswell) | 3.5 GHz | 2199 | ||||||||||||
| iMac (21.5 "Mid 2014) | 21.5 " | iMac14.4 | A1418 | MF883D / A | Core i5-4260U (Haswell) | 1.4 GHz | DMI | PC3-12800 DDR-3 |
8 GB | 16 GB | 500 GB | none | 2014-06 | 1099 |
| iMac Retina 5K (27 "Late 2014) | 27 " | iMac15.1 | A1419 | MMF886XX / A | Core i5-4690 (Haswell) | 3.5 GHz | DMI | PC3-12800 DDR-3 |
8 GB | 32 GB | 1 TB | none | 2014-10 | 2499 |
| iMac Retina 5K (27 "Mid 2015) | MMF885XX / A | Core i5-4590 (Haswell) | 3.3 GHz | 2015-05 | 1999 | |||||||||
| iMac (21.5 "Late 2015) | 21.5 " | iMac16.1 | A1418 | MK142XX / A | Core i5-5250U (Broadwell) | 1.6 GHz | DMI | PC3-14900 DDR-3 |
8 GB | 16 GB | 1 TB | none | 2015-10 | 1099 |
| MK442XX / A | Core i5-5575R (Broadwell) | 2.8 GHz | 1299 | |||||||||||
| iMac Retina 4K (21.5 "Late 2015) | iMac16.2 | MK452XX / A | Core i5-5675R (Broadwell) | 3.1 GHz | 1499 | |||||||||
| BTO | Core i7-5775R (Broadwell) | 3.3 GHz | 1699 | |||||||||||
| iMac Retina 5K (27 "Late 2015) | 27 " | iMac17.1 | A1419 | MK462XX / A | Core i5-6500 (Skylake) | 3.2 GHz | PC3L-14900 DDR-3 |
8 GB | 32 GB | 1799 | ||||
| MK472XX / A | Core i5-6600 (Skylake) | 3.3 GHz | 1999 | |||||||||||
| MK482XX / A | Core i7-6700 (Skylake) | 4 GHz | 2299 | |||||||||||
| iMac (21.5 "Mid 2017) | 21.5 " | iMac18.1 | A1418 | MMQA2LL / A | Core i5 (Kaby Lake) | 2.3 GHz | DMI | PC4-17000 DDR-4 | 8 GB | 16 GB | 1 TB | none | 2017-06 | 1299 |
| iMac Retina 4K (21.5 "2017) | iMac18.2 | MNDY2xx / A | Core i5 (Kaby Lake) | 3 GHz | PC4-19200 DDR-4 | 1499 | ||||||||
| MNE02xx / A | Core i5 (Kaby Lake) | 3.4 GHz | 32 GB | 1699 | ||||||||||
| iMac Retina 5K (27 "2017) | 27 " | iMac18.3 | A1419 | MNE92xx / A | Core i5 (Kaby Lake) | 3.4 GHz | 2099 | |||||||
| MNEA2xx / A | Core i5 (Kaby Lake) | 3.5 GHz | 64 GB | 2299 | ||||||||||
| MNED2xx / A | Core i5 (Kaby Lake) | 3.8 GHz | 2 TB | 2599 | ||||||||||
| iMac Retina 4K (21.5 "2019) | 21.5 " | iMac19.1 | ? | MRT32D / A | Core i3 (Coffee Lake) | 3.6 GHz | DMI | PC4-21300 DDR-4 | 8 GB | ? | 1 TB | none | 2019-03 | 1499 |
| ? | MRT42D / A | Core i5-8500 (Coffee Lake) | 3 GHz | ? | 1699 | |||||||||
| iMac Retina 5K (27 "2019) | 27 " | iMac19.2 | ? | MRQY2D / A | Core i5-8500 (Coffee Lake) | 3.0 GHz | 64 GB | 2099 | ||||||
| ? | MRR02D / A | Core i5-8600 (Coffee Lake) | 3.1 GHz | 64 GB | 2299 | |||||||||
| ? | MRR12D / A | Core i5-9600K (Coffee Lake Refresh) | 3.7 GHz | 64 GB | 2 TB | 2599 | ||||||||
| ? | BTO / CTO |
Core i9-9900K
(Coffee Lake) |
3.6
GHz |
64
GB |
3699 | |||||||||
Web links
- Official iMac homepage from Apple Germany
- Apple homepage for the introduction of the first iMac ( Memento from May 9, 1998 in the Internet Archive )
- Apple History , an overview of all Apple products
- Ben Schwan: 20 years ago: The (i) Mac that saved Apple. In: Heise online . May 6, 2018 . Retrieved May 6, 2018.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Keynote excerpt on YouTube , excerpt from the 1998 keynote on which the iMac was presented.
- ↑ Walter Isaacson, Great Innovators: Benjamin Franklin, Einstein Steve Jobs , ISBN 978-1-4516-7760-7 , Simon and Schuster, 2011, p. 355 . In English
- ↑ New iMac: RAM permanently installed in the small model http://www.macwelt.de/news/iMac-2012-Neuer-iMac-RAM-beim-kleinen-Modell-fest-verbaut-6953587.html Accessed on January 3rd 2013.
- ↑ Apple Special Event, October 2012.Retrieved December 1, 2012
- ↑ Apple releases new iMac with 5K Retina display - information, innovations and video. In: apfellike.com. Retrieved October 17, 2014 .
- ↑ http://www.maclife.de/news/27-zoll-imac-5k-display-apple-erlaubt-gigantischen-arbeitsspeicher-10070633.html
- ↑ 4K and 5K iMacs: New models almost exclusively with Retina display
- ↑ Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2 are available now
- ↑ Apple is updating the iMac with new 8-core processors. March 19, 2019, accessed on March 19, 2019 (Swiss Standard German).
- ↑ Benjamin Mayo: Apple significantly lower Mac SSD upgrade pricing, 1 TB MacBook Air now available. In: 9to5Mac. July 9, 2019, Retrieved July 9, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ Peter Müller: Who Needs an iMac Pro? In: Macwelt . ( macwelt.de [accessed on September 14, 2018]).
- ↑ a b c iMac Pro Specifications. Retrieved September 14, 2018 (German).
- ↑ a b Jason Snell, translation by Simon Lohmann: iMac Pro 2017 in the test: Mac Pro hidden in an iMac . In: Macwelt . ( macwelt.de [accessed on September 14, 2018]).
- ↑ Stephan Wiesend: First user reports: iMac Pro significantly quieter than 5K iMac . In: Macwelt . ( macwelt.de [accessed on September 14, 2018]).
- ↑ First reviews of the iMac Pro: Impressive performance in many areas . In: MacTechNews.de . ( mactechnews.de [accessed on September 14, 2018]).
- ↑ Teardown: iMac Pro is difficult to repair | ZDNet.de . In: ZDNet.de . January 4, 2018 ( zdnet.de [accessed September 14, 2018]).
- ↑ Apple iMac Pro 27 "(2017) in the test 2018 | Testberichte.de. Retrieved on September 14, 2018 .
- ↑ Benjamin Mayo: Apple significantly lower Mac SSD upgrade pricing, 1 TB MacBook Air now available. In: 9to5Mac. July 9, 2019, Retrieved July 9, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ iMac 27-Inch "Core i9" 3.6 (5K, 2019) Specs (Retina 5K, 27-Inch, 2019, BTO / CTO, iMac19,1, A2115, 3194): EveryMac.com. Retrieved March 26, 2020 .