Apple iMac (21.5-inch, Early 2013) vs Apple iMac 24″ (M1)
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleiMac (21.5-inch, Early 2013) | AppleiMac 24″ (M1) | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | March 2013 | May 2021 |
| Performance | ||
| Processor | Intel Core i3 3.3 GHz (iMac Early 2013) | Apple M1 |
| CPU cores | 2 | 8 |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 7-core GPU or 8-core GPU |
| Memory | 4 GB | 8 GB or 16 GB (better) |
| Storage | 500 GB | 256 GB to 2 TB (better) |
| CPU | 3.3 GHz dual-core Core i3 confirmed by the US maker education price list and contemporary Apple-store coverage. A conflicting New York state price-list row says 3.1 GHz; the corroborated US maker row is used. Exact secondary EveryMac identifies i3-3225, but the chip record retains the maker clock name. | 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 4000, sharing system memory; maker price list confirms the graphics model. | 7-core GPU in the two-port model; 8-core GPU in the four-port model |
| AI engine | – | 16-core Neural Engine |
| Memory type | 4 GB in two 2 GB modules confirmed by the maker price list; 1600 MHz DDR3 and internal-only memory access according to EveryMac. Secondary reports of higher memory options are not expanded into an unverified factory matrix. | – |
| Storage type | 500 GB hard drive confirmed by the maker price list; EveryMac specifies 5400 rpm Serial ATA. No built-in optical drive. Unspecified alternative storage capacities are omitted. | SSD; two-port model configurable to 512 GB or 1 TB, four-port model to 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB |
| Display | ||
| Screen size | 21.5″ | 24″ |
| Resolution | 1920 × 1080 | 4480 × 2520 (better) |
| Panel | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Refresh rate | – | 60 Hz |
| Brightness | – | 500 nits |
| Display type | EveryMac specifies an IPS LED-backlit display with laminated cover glass and antireflective coating. No retained exact maker technical sheet was found; panel technology comes from this named exact-model secondary source. Brightness and refresh rate are unpublished. | 4.5K Retina display; actual diagonal 23.5 inches; IPS panel and 60 Hz refresh rate confirmed by Notebookcheck |
| Pixel density | – | 218 ppi |
| Display features | – | 1 billion colours; wide colour (P3); True Tone; anti-reflective coating |
| Connections | ||
| Ports | 4 × USB-A, 2 × Thunderbolt, Ethernet, SD card slot, headphone jack | 2 × USB4, headphone jack |
| External displays | – | Up to 1 |
| Ethernet | 1 Gb/s | – |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11n (EveryMac) | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 (EveryMac) | 5.0 |
| Camera | FaceTime HD camera (EveryMac) | 1080p FaceTime HD |
| Back ports | According to EveryMac: four USB 3 ports, two first-generation Thunderbolt ports, SDXC card slot, Gigabit Ethernet and headphone/optical digital output with iPhone headset microphone support. | Two-port model: two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports with DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4 up to 40 Gb/s, and USB 3.1 Gen 2 up to 10 Gb/s; optional Gigabit Ethernet. Four-port model adds two USB 3 ports up to 10 Gb/s and includes Gigabit Ethernet. Both have a 3.5 mm headphone jack. |
| External displays | – | One external display up to 6K 60 Hz, alongside the built-in display at full resolution |
| Camera | – | 1080p FaceTime HD camera; advanced image signal processor with computational video |
| Speakers | Built-in stereo speakers and dual microphones, according to EveryMac. | High-fidelity six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers; wide stereo sound; spatial audio with Dolby Atmos |
| Microphones | – | Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming; Hey Siri |
| Keyboard and mouse | Wired Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad and traditional Apple Mouse, according to EveryMac. | Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard; keyboard has Touch ID on the four-port model and optionally on the two-port model; Magic Trackpad and Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad available instead |
| Design and power | ||
| Type | All-in-one | All-in-one |
| Weight | – | 4.46 kg |
| Width × depth × height | – | 547 × 147 × 461 mm |
| Operating system | macOS | macOS |
| Power supply | – | 143 W external power adapter with magnetic connection; Gigabit Ethernet built into the adapter where fitted |
| Noise | – | 7 dBA sound pressure at idle and during Apple's wireless web test (operator position) |
| Materials | – | Recyclable, low-carbon aluminium enclosure |
| Colours | – | Two-port model: Blue, Green, Pink, Silver. Four-port model also comes in Yellow, Orange and Purple. |
| In the box | Education-only model confirmed by Apple documentation. Maker price list confirms the stock 3.3 GHz/4 GB/500 GB configuration; other detailed figures come from the named exact-model EveryMac source. March 2013 month precision follows contemporary Apple-store coverage and maker pricing; initial orders quoted 5–7 business days, not confirmed delivery on 5 March. | iMac, Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, 143 W power adapter, 2 m power lead, USB-C to Lightning cable |
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