Apple · iMac
iMac (27-inch, Late 2012)
A 27-inch Intel all-in-one with a QHD IPS display, NVIDIA graphics, user-accessible memory and optional Fusion Drive or SSD storage.
Model history · 8 models, 2006–2012
- 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)Compare
- 2010iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010)Compare
- 2011iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011)Compare
- 2012iMac (27-inch, Late 2012)
- Type
- All-in-one
- Processor
- Intel Core i5 or i7
- Memory
- 8 GB – 32 GB
- Storage
- 768 GB – 3 TB
- Screen
- 27″
- Weight
- 9.54 kg
What reviewers say
Reviewers praised the large, less reflective display and strong processor and graphics performance. Fusion Drive or SSD configurations improved responsiveness, while the memory hatch made RAM upgrades straightforward. Internal storage remained difficult to access, and Apple's upgrade prices were high.
From arstechnica.com, macworld.com and engadget.com
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specPerformance
- Processor
- Intel Core i5-3470S, Intel Core i5-3470 or Intel Core i7-3770
- CPU cores
- 4
- CPU threads
- 4 or 8
- Graphics
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5)
- Memory
- 8 GB, 16 GB or 32 GB
- Storage
- 768 GB to 3 TB
- CPU
- 2.9 GHz quad-core Core i5 or 3.2 GHz quad-core Core i5, both with Turbo Boost up to 3.6 GHz; the upper model supports a 3.4 GHz quad-core Core i7 with Turbo Boost up to 3.9 GHz
- GPU
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M with 512 MB GDDR5 on the 2.9 GHz model; GTX 675MX with 1 GB GDDR5 on the upper model, configurable to GTX 680MX with 2 GB GDDR5
- Memory type
- 1600 MHz DDR3; 8 GB (two 4 GB modules), configurable to 16 GB (two 8 GB) or 32 GB (four 8 GB); four user-accessible SO-DIMM slots
- Storage type
- 1 TB or 3 TB 7200-rpm hard drive, 1 TB or 3 TB Fusion Drive, or 768 GB flash storage; all storage options are available with either base processor
Display
- Screen size
- 27″
- Resolution
- 2560 × 1440
- Panel
- IPS LCD
- Display type
- LED-backlit display with IPS technology and support for millions of colours
- Display features
- Fully laminated glass and anti-reflective coating; Apple does not publish brightness or refresh rate in this model's specification sheet
Connections
- Ports
- 2 × Thunderbolt, 4 × USB-A, SD card slot, Ethernet, headphone jack
- Ethernet
- 1 Gb/s
- External displays
- Up to 1
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11n
- Bluetooth
- 4.0
- Camera
- 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; DVI, VGA and dual-link DVI require separately sold adapters
- External displays
- Built-in display at full native resolution alongside one external display up to 2560 × 1600; extended desktop and video mirroring
- Speakers
- Stereo speakers; supports Apple iPhone headset with microphone
- Microphones
- Dual microphones
- Keyboard and mouse
- Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Mouse; optional Magic Trackpad
Design and power
- Type
- All-in-one
- Weight
- 9.54 kg
- Width × depth × height
- 650 × 203 × 516 mm
- Operating system
- macOS
- Size and weight detail
- Dimensions include the stand; weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process
- Power supply
- 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz, single phase
- Noise
- Apple's operator-position sound pressure: 15 dB at idle on the 2.9 GHz model, 14 dB on the 3.2 GHz model; 15 dB during hard-drive access on both
- Materials
- Recyclable aluminium and glass enclosure; arsenic-free display 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
Configurations
| Processor | Memory | Storage | Storage type | Graphics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 8 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 8 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 8 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 8 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 8 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 16 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 16 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 16 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 16 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 16 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 32 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 32 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 32 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 32 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470S | 32 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M (512 MB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 8 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 8 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 8 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 16 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 16 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 16 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 32 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 32 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 32 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 8 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 8 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 8 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 16 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 16 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 16 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 32 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 32 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-3470 | 32 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 8 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 8 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 8 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 16 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 16 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 16 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 32 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 32 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 32 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 8 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 8 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 8 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 16 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 16 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 16 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 32 GB | 3 TB | Hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 32 GB | 3 TB | Fusion Drive | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-3770 | 32 GB | 768 GB | SSD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX (2 GB GDDR5) |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Large IPS display with laminated glass and an anti-reflective coating
- Four user-accessible memory slots
- Optional Core i7, GTX 680MX graphics and SSD storage
Cons
- Storage upgrades require dismantling the computer
- No built-in optical drive
- Ports face backwards
Closest rivals
Model | Type | Processor | Memory | Storage | Screen | Weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-in-one | Intel Core i5 or i7 | 8 GB – 32 GB | 256 GB – 3 TB | 27″ | 9.54 kg | Sept 2013 | |
| All-in-one | Intel Core i5 or i7 | 8 GB – 16 GB | 1 TB | 21.5″ | 5.68 kg | Nov 2012 | |
| All-in-one | Intel Core i5 or i7 | 8 GB – 32 GB | 256 GB – 3 TB | 27″ | 9.54 kg | Oct 2014 |
Previous model: iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011). Newer model: iMac (27-inch, Late 2013).
Sources
- support.apple.com/en-gb/112433
- apple.com/uk/newsroom/2012/11/27iMac-Available-on-November-30
- apple.com/uk/newsroom/2012/10/23All-New-iMac-Features-Stunning-Design-Brilliant…
- browser.geekbench.com/macs/imac-27-inch-late-2012-intel-core-i5-3470s-2-9-ghz-4…
- browser.geekbench.com/macs/imac-27-inch-late-2012-intel-core-i5-3470-3-2-ghz-4-…
- arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/12/harder-better-faster-stronger-a-review-of-the-2…
- support.apple.com/en-gb/108054
Photo: cdsassets.apple.com
