Apple iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013) vs Apple iMac Pro (2017)
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleiMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013) | AppleiMac Pro (2017) | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | September 2013 | December 2017 |
| Performance | ||
| Processor | Intel Core i5-4570R, Intel Core i5-4570S or Intel Core i7-4770S | Intel Xeon W-2140B, Intel Xeon W-2150B, Intel Xeon W-2170B or Intel Xeon W-2191B |
| CPU cores | 4 | 8, 10, 14 or 18 |
| CPU threads | 4 or 8 | – |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 or NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M (1 GB GDDR5) | Radeon Pro Vega 56 (8 GB HBM2), Radeon Pro Vega 64 (16 GB HBM2) or Radeon Pro Vega 64X (16 GB HBM2) |
| Memory | 8 GB or 16 GB | 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB or 256 GB (better) |
| Storage | 256 GB to 1 TB | 1 TB to 4 TB (better) |
| CPU | 2.7 GHz quad-core Core i5 with Turbo Boost up to 3.2 GHz, or 2.9 GHz quad-core Core i5 with Turbo Boost up to 3.6 GHz; the upper configuration supports a 3.1 GHz quad-core Core i7 with Turbo Boost up to 3.9 GHz | 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 | Integrated Intel Iris Pro graphics on the 2.7 GHz configuration; NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M with 1 GB GDDR5 on the 2.9 GHz and optional Core i7 configurations | 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 | 1600 MHz DDR3; 8 GB (two 4 GB modules), configurable to 16 GB (two 8 GB modules) at purchase; memory is not user-accessible | 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 | 1 TB 5400-rpm hard drive; optional 1 TB Fusion Drive or 256 GB or 512 GB flash storage on either base processor. Apple's launch notice confirms PCIe flash storage. | 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 | LED-backlit display with IPS technology and support for millions of colours | 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 | Fully laminated glass and anti-reflective coating; Target Display Mode via a separately sold Thunderbolt cable. Apple does not publish brightness or refresh rate in the model's specification sheet. | Wide colour (P3); supports one billion colours |
| Connections | ||
| Ports | 2 × Thunderbolt, 4 × USB-A, SD card slot, Ethernet, 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 1 | Up to 4 (better) |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11ac | 802.11ac |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Camera | FaceTime HD | 1080p FaceTime HD |
| Back ports | Four USB 3 ports, two Thunderbolt ports with Mini DisplayPort output, SDXC card slot, Gigabit Ethernet, headphone and optical digital audio output; Kensington lock slot. DVI, VGA and dual-link DVI need separately sold adapters. | 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 | Built-in display at native resolution alongside one external display up to 2560 × 1600; extended desktop and video mirroring | 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 | Stereo speakers; supports Apple iPhone headset with microphone | Stereo speakers |
| Microphones | Dual microphones | Four microphones; supports Hey Siri |
| Keyboard and mouse | Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Mouse; optional Magic Trackpad | 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 | 5.68 kg (better) | 9.7 kg |
| Width × depth × height | 528 × 175 × 450 mm | 650 × 203 × 516 mm |
| Operating system | macOS | macOS |
| Size and weight detail | Dimensions include the stand; weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process. A built-in VESA mount version was also available. | 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 | 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz, single phase |
| Noise | Apple's operator-position sound pressure: 12 dB at idle and during hard-drive access | – |
| Materials | Recyclable aluminium and glass enclosure; arsenic-free display glass and mercury-free LED backlight | Recyclable aluminium enclosure; arsenic-free glass and mercury-free LED backlight |
| In the box | iMac, Apple Wireless Keyboard, Magic Mouse and power lead; OS X Mountain Lion and iLife were included at launch | 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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