Apple · iMac
iMac (27-inch, Late 2009)
A large IPS all-in-one with Core 2 Duo or quad-core Intel processors, dedicated Radeon graphics and Mini DisplayPort video input.
Model history · 5 models, 2006–2009
- 2006iMac (24-inch, Late 2006)Compare
- 2007iMac (24-inch, Mid 2007)Compare
- 2008iMac (24-inch, Early 2008)Compare
- 2009iMac (24-inch, Early 2009)Compare
- 2009iMac (27-inch, Late 2009)
- Type
- All-in-one
- Processor
- Intel Core 2, i5 or i7
- Memory
- 4 GB – 16 GB
- Storage
- 1 TB – 2 TB
- Screen
- 27″
- Weight
- 13.8 kg
What reviewers say
Reviews praised the large screen, viewing angles and capable everyday performance. Macworld found modest speed gains from the Core 2 Duo model; Ars Technica valued the display but noted limited upgrades and DisplayPort-only input. TechRadar criticised uneven backlighting, the glossy finish and the absence of Blu-ray.
From macworld.com, arstechnica.com and techradar.com
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specPerformance
- Processor
- Intel Core 2 Duo E7600, Intel Core 2 Duo E8600, Intel Core i5-750 or Intel Core i7-860
- CPU cores
- 2 or 4
- Graphics
- ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3) or ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3)
- Memory
- 4 GB, 8 GB or 16 GB
- Storage
- 1 TB to 2 TB
- CPU
- 3.06 GHz Core 2 Duo E7600 with 3 MB L2 or optional 3.33 GHz E8600 with 6 MB L2. Quad-core Core i5-750 runs at 2.66 GHz with up to 3.2 GHz Turbo Boost; optional Core i7-860 runs at 2.8 GHz with up to 3.46 GHz Turbo Boost and eight threads through Hyper-Threading. Both quad-core chips have 8 MB L3. Exact identities cross-checked with EveryMac; Core 2 Duo models shipped on 20 October 2009, while maker stated quad-core models would ship in November 2009.
- GPU
- Core 2 Duo models have ATI Radeon HD 4670 with 256 MB GDDR3 or optional HD 4850 with 512 MB GDDR3; quad-core models have HD 4850 with 512 MB GDDR3
- Memory type
- 4 GB standard as two 2 GB modules, with four user-accessible SO-DIMM slots supporting up to 16 GB of 1066 MHz DDR3. Macworld reports 8 and 16 GB factory upgrades for the 27-inch Core 2 Duo model; support sheet gives the same 16 GB maximum across the model.
- Storage type
- 1 TB 7200 rpm Serial ATA hard drive, configurable to 2 TB; slot-loading 8x SuperDrive with 4x double-layer DVD burning
Display
- Screen size
- 27″
- Resolution
- 2560 × 1440
- Panel
- IPS LCD
- Brightness
- 375 nits
- Display type
- Glossy LED-backlit IPS widescreen LCD, millions of colours, 178° horizontal/vertical viewing angle and maker typical brightness 375 cd/m²; refresh rate unpublished and omitted. Optional VESA mounting adapter.
Connections
- Ports
- DisplayPort, 4 × USB-A, Ethernet, SD card slot, headphone jack
- Ethernet
- 1 Gb/s
- External displays
- Up to 1
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11n
- Bluetooth
- 2.1 + EDR
- Camera
- iSight camera
- Back ports
- Mini DisplayPort video input/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.
- External displays
- Full built-in resolution and one external display up to 2560 × 1600 simultaneously. Mini DisplayPort input supports external DisplayPort sources; HDMI input is not implied. Extended desktop and mirroring, optional DVI/VGA/dual-link DVI output adapters.
- Speakers
- Built-in stereo speakers with two internal 17 W amplifiers, microphone and support for Apple Stereo Headset microphones
- Keyboard and mouse
- Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Mouse
Design and power
- Type
- All-in-one
- Weight
- 13.8 kg
- Width × depth × height
- 650 × 207 × 517 mm
- Operating system
- macOS
- Power supply
- Maximum continuous power 365 W; 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz single phase
- 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
- 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
Configurations
| Processor | Memory | Storage | Storage type | Graphics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 | 4 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 | 4 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 | 4 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 | 4 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 | 8 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 | 8 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 | 16 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 | 16 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 | 4 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 | 4 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 | 4 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 | 4 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 | 8 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 | 8 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 | 16 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4670 (256 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 | 16 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core i5-750 | 4 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core i5-750 | 4 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core i7-860 | 4 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
| Intel Core i7-860 | 4 GB | 2 TB | Hard drive | ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB GDDR3) |
Pros and cons
Pros
- 2560 × 1440 IPS display built in
- Mini DisplayPort supports video input and output
- User-accessible memory slots
Cons
- Glossy screen with no matte option
- USB ports are limited to USB 2.0
- No Blu-ray drive option
Closest rivals
Model | Type | Processor | Memory | Storage | Screen | Weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-in-one | Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 | 4 GB – 16 GB | 256 GB – 2 TB | 27″ | 13.8 kg | Jul 2010 | |
| All-in-one | Intel Core 2 | 2 GB – 8 GB | 320 GB – 1 TB | 20″ | 9.1 kg | Mar 2009 | |
| All-in-one | Intel Core 2 | 4 GB – 8 GB | 500 GB – 2 TB | 21.5″ | 9.3 kg | Oct 2009 |
Previous model: iMac (24-inch, Early 2009). Newer model: iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010).
Sources
- support.apple.com/en-gb/112564
- apple.com/uk/newsroom/2009/10/20Apple-Unveils-New-iMac-With-21-5-and-27-inch-Di…
- everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/index-imac.html
- macworld.com/article/200866/imacs-oct2009.html
Photo: cdsassets.apple.com
