Apple iMac (21.5-inch, Early 2013) vs Apple iMac Pro (2017)
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleiMac (21.5-inch, Early 2013) | AppleiMac Pro (2017) | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | March 2013 | December 2017 |
| Performance | ||
| Processor | Intel Core i3 3.3 GHz (iMac Early 2013) | Intel Xeon W-2140B, Intel Xeon W-2150B, Intel Xeon W-2170B or Intel Xeon W-2191B |
| CPU cores | 2 | 8, 10, 14 or 18 |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | Radeon Pro Vega 56 (8 GB HBM2), Radeon Pro Vega 64 (16 GB HBM2) or Radeon Pro Vega 64X (16 GB HBM2) |
| Memory | 4 GB | 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB or 256 GB (better) |
| Storage | 500 GB | 1 TB to 4 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. | Xeon W at 3.2 GHz with 8 cores (Turbo Boost 4.2 GHz), 3.0 GHz with 10 cores (4.5 GHz), 2.5 GHz with 14 cores (4.3 GHz) or 2.3 GHz with 18 cores (4.3 GHz). Exact W-B CPU identities follow Geekbench. The 8/10-core versions launched first; Macworld reports later January 2018 availability for 14/18-core options. Apple changed the standard configuration to 10 cores in August 2020. |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 4000, sharing system memory; maker price list confirms the graphics model. | Radeon Pro Vega 56 with 8 GB HBM2, optionally Vega 64 or Vega 64X with 16 GB HBM2. Vega 64X is a later option included in Apple’s current specification sheet, absent from the launch reviews. |
| 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. | Quad-channel 2666 MHz DDR4 ECC; 32 GB standard, configurable to 64/128/256 GB. The current maker sheet includes the later 256 GB option; launch reviews cover up to 128 GB. No user-accessible memory door. |
| 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. | 1 TB SSD, configurable to 2 or 4 TB |
| Display | ||
| Screen size | 21.5″ | 27″ |
| Resolution | 1920 × 1080 | 5120 × 2880 (better) |
| Panel | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| 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. | LED-backlit Retina 5K display; IPS panel confirmed by EveryMac. Native refresh rate omitted because Apple does not publish it in the specification sheet. |
| Display features | – | Wide colour (P3); supports one billion colours |
| Connections | ||
| Ports | 4 × USB-A, 2 × Thunderbolt, Ethernet, SD card slot, headphone jack | 4 × Thunderbolt 3, 4 × USB-A, SD card slot, Ethernet, headphone jack |
| Ethernet | 1 Gb/s | 10 Gb/s (better) |
| External displays | – | Up to 4 |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11n (EveryMac) | 802.11ac |
| 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. | Four USB-A ports; four Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports with DisplayPort 1.2, Thunderbolt up to 40 Gb/s and USB 3.1 Gen 2 up to 10 Gb/s; UHS-II SDXC, Nbase-T Ethernet supporting 1/2.5/5/10Gb and 3.5 mm headphone jack. Thunderbolt 2, HDMI, DVI and VGA require adapters. |
| External displays | – | Two 5120 × 2880 displays at 60 Hz with one billion colours, four 3840 × 2160 displays at 60 Hz with one billion colours, or four 4096 × 2304 displays at 60 Hz with millions of colours, alongside the built-in display |
| Speakers | Built-in stereo speakers and dual microphones, according to EveryMac. | Stereo speakers |
| Microphones | – | Four microphones; supports Hey Siri |
| Keyboard and mouse | Wired Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad and traditional Apple Mouse, according to EveryMac. | Space grey Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad and Magic Mouse 2; optional space grey Magic Trackpad 2 |
| Design and power | ||
| Type | All-in-one | All-in-one |
| Weight | – | 9.7 kg |
| Width × depth × height | – | 650 × 203 × 516 mm |
| Operating system | macOS | macOS |
| Size and weight detail | – | Dimensions include the stand; weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process. Optional VESA mount adapter kit. |
| Power supply | – | 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz, single phase |
| Materials | – | Recyclable aluminium enclosure; arsenic-free glass and mercury-free LED backlight |
| 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 Pro, space grey Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, space grey Magic Mouse 2, Lightning to USB cable and power lead |
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