Apple iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009) vs Apple iMac (24-inch, Early 2009)

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iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009) compared with iMac (24-inch, Early 2009)

	AppleiMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009)	AppleiMac (24-inch, Early 2009)
Overview
Released
Released	October 2009	March 2009
Performance
Processor
Processor	Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 or Intel Core 2 Duo E8600	Intel Core 2 Duo E8135, Intel Core 2 Duo E8335 or Intel Core 2 Duo E8435
CPU cores
CPU cores	2	2
Graphics
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce 9400M (256 MB shared DDR3) or ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3)	NVIDIA GeForce 9400M (256 MB shared DDR3), NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 (256 MB GDDR3), NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 (512 MB GDDR3) or ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3)
Memory
Memory	4 GB or 8 GB	4 GB or 8 GB
Storage
Storage	500 GB to 2 TB (better)	640 GB to 1 TB
CPU
CPU	3.06 GHz Core 2 Duo E7600 with 3 MB shared L2 cache or optional 3.33 GHz E8600 with 6 MB; exact identities cross-checked with EveryMac	2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo E8135, 2.93 GHz E8335 or 3.06 GHz E8435; all with 6 MB shared L2 cache and 1066 MHz frontside bus. Exact chip identities cross-checked with EveryMac.
GPU
GPU	Base model has NVIDIA GeForce 9400M with at least 256 MB DDR3 shared with system memory; higher model has ATI Radeon HD 4670 with 256 MB dedicated GDDR3	2.66 GHz model has NVIDIA GeForce 9400M with 256 MB shared DDR3. 2.93 GHz model has GeForce GT 120 with 256 MB GDDR3, configurable to GT 130 or ATI Radeon HD 4850 with 512 MB GDDR3. Maker lists 3.06 GHz with GT 130 or HD 4850; unsupported 3.06 GHz/GT 120 combinations omitted.
Memory type
Memory type	4 GB standard as two 2 GB modules of 1066 MHz DDR3; four user-accessible SO-DIMM slots support up to 16 GB. Macworld and Macwelt report an 8 GB factory option for this size, distinct from the maker's 16 GB supported maximum.	Two user-accessible SO-DIMM slots for 1066 MHz DDR3; 4 GB standard, factory upgrade to 8 GB
Storage type
Storage type	Base model has a 500 GB 7200 rpm hard drive; higher model has 1 TB, configurable to 2 TB. The model-specific storage upgrade division is cross-checked with Macworld. Slot-loading 8x SuperDrive with 4x double-layer DVD burning.	2.66 and 2.93 GHz models have 640 GB 7200 rpm Serial ATA drives, configurable to 1 TB; maker storage section lists 3.06 GHz with 1 TB. Conservative rows retain those explicit combinations; slot-loading 8x SuperDrive with 4x double-layer DVD burning
Display
Screen size
Screen size	21.5″	24″
Resolution
Resolution	1920 × 1080	1920 × 1200 (better)
Panel
Panel	IPS LCD	–
Brightness
Brightness	320 nits	385 nits (better)
Display type
Display type	Glossy LED-backlit IPS widescreen LCD, millions of colours, 178° horizontal/vertical viewing angle and maker typical brightness 320 cd/m²; refresh rate unpublished and omitted	Glossy widescreen TFT active-matrix LCD, millions of colours; maker typical brightness 385 cd/m², contrast 750:1 and 178° horizontal/vertical viewing angle. Panel technology and refresh rate unpublished and omitted.
Connections
Ports
Ports	DisplayPort, 4 × USB-A, Ethernet, SD card slot, headphone jack	DisplayPort, 4 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack
Ethernet
Ethernet	1 Gb/s	1 Gb/s
External displays
External displays	Up to 1	Up to 1
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	802.11n	802.11n draft
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	2.1 + EDR	2.1 + EDR
Camera
Camera	iSight camera	iSight camera
Back ports
Back ports	Mini DisplayPort video output, four USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 800 at 7 W, Gigabit Ethernet, SD card slot, headphone/optical digital output and line-in/optical digital input. FireWire and audio input described here; the SD slot is not labelled SDXC.	Four USB 2.0 ports on the computer, plus two on the supplied wired keyboard; one FireWire 800 port at 7 W, Mini DisplayPort output, Gigabit Ethernet, headphone/optical digital output and line-in/optical digital input. FireWire and audio input described here; no SD slot.
External displays
External displays	Full built-in resolution and one external display up to 2560 × 1600 simultaneously; extended desktop and mirroring, optional DVI/VGA/dual-link DVI adapters	Full built-in resolution and one external display up to 2560 × 1600 simultaneously; extended desktop and mirroring, optional DVI/VGA/dual-link DVI adapters
Speakers
Speakers	Built-in stereo speakers with two internal 17 W amplifiers, microphone and support for Apple Stereo Headset microphones	Built-in stereo speakers with internal 24 W digital amplifier, microphone and support for Apple Stereo Headset microphones
Keyboard and mouse
Keyboard and mouse	Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Mouse	Apple Keyboard and Mighty Mouse; numeric-keypad keyboard, wireless keyboard or wireless Mighty Mouse available as options
Design and power
Type
Type	All-in-one	All-in-one
Weight
Weight	9.3 kg (better)	11.5 kg
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	528 × 188.5 × 451 mm	569 × 207 × 520 mm
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Power supply
Power supply	Maximum continuous power 241 W; 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz single phase	Maximum continuous power 280 W; 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz single phase
Materials
Materials	Aluminium and glass enclosure, arsenic-free display glass and mercury-free LED backlight; BFR-free and PVC-free components, with PVC-free external cables in North America only	Aluminium and glass enclosure with arsenic-free display glass, BFR-free components and PVC-free internal cables
In the box
In the box	iMac, Apple Wireless Keyboard, Magic Mouse, cleaning cloth, power cord, install/restore DVDs and documentation; Mac OS X Snow Leopard and iLife '09	iMac, Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse, cleaning cloth, power cord, install/restore DVDs and documentation; Mac OS X Leopard and iLife '09