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Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) · Apple Newsroom press image. Explicitly captioned 21.5-inch and 27-inch pair; internal configuration unspecified. Supplied full canvas and background retained.
Apple · iMac
iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)
A 21.5-inch Intel all-in-one with a 4K display, four- or six-core processors and separate Radeon Pro graphics.
Model history · 3 models, 2015–2019
- 2015iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015)Compare
- 2017iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)Compare
- 2019iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)
- Type
- All-in-one
- Processor
- Intel Core i3, i7 or i5
- Memory
- 8 GB – 32 GB
- Storage
- 256 GB – 1 TB
- Screen
- 21.5″
- Weight
- 5.48 kg
What reviewers say
Reviewers praised the sharp 4K display and improved multicore performance, but criticised the unchanged bezels, fixed-height stand and difficult memory access. They generally recommended SSD storage. Tom’s Guide found the optional Vega graphics capable for creative work, while TechRadar found the standard graphics limited for demanding games.
From macworld.com, techradar.com, techradar.com and tomsguide.com
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specPerformance
- Processor
- Intel Core i3-8100, Intel Core i7-8700 or Intel Core i5-8500
- CPU cores
- 4 or 6
- CPU threads
- 4, 6 or 12
- Graphics
- Radeon Pro 555X (2 GB GDDR5), Radeon Pro 560X (4 GB GDDR5) or Radeon Pro Vega 20 (4 GB HBM2)
- Memory
- 8 GB, 16 GB or 32 GB
- Storage
- 256 GB to 1 TB
- CPU
- 3.6 GHz quad-core Core i3 without Turbo Boost, or 3.0 GHz six-core Core i5 with Turbo Boost up to 4.1 GHz; both configurable to 3.2 GHz six-core Core i7 with Turbo Boost up to 4.6 GHz
- GPU
- Radeon Pro 555X with 2 GB GDDR5 in the lower base; Radeon Pro 560X with 4 GB GDDR5 in the upper base, configurable to Radeon Pro Vega 20 with 4 GB HBM2
- Memory type
- 8 GB standard, configurable to 16/32 GB; lower base uses 2400 MHz DDR4 and upper base 2666 MHz DDR4. Memory is not readily user-accessible.
- Storage type
- The current Apple sheet lists 256 GB SSD or 1 TB Fusion Drive for both bases, and these are the configurations shown. Apple made SSD storage standard in August 2020. Launch reviews describe a 1 TB hard drive in the lower base and 1 TB Fusion Drive in the upper base, with larger SSD options (Macworld and TechRadar); these historical options are not flattened into the current matrix.
Display
- Screen size
- 21.5″
- Resolution
- 4096 × 2304
- Panel
- IPS LCD
- Brightness
- 500 nits
- Display type
- LED-backlit Retina 4K display; IPS panel confirmed by EveryMac; Apple does not publish native refresh rate in this model’s specification sheet
- Display features
- Wide colour (P3); supports one billion colours
Connections
- Ports
- 2 × Thunderbolt 3, 4 × USB-A, SD card slot, Ethernet, headphone jack
- Ethernet
- 1 Gb/s
- External displays
- Up to 2
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11ac
- Bluetooth
- 4.2
- Camera
- FaceTime HD
- Back ports
- Four USB-A ports; two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports with DisplayPort, Thunderbolt up to 40 Gb/s and USB 3.1 Gen 2 up to 10 Gb/s; SDXC, Gigabit Ethernet and 3.5 mm headphone jack; Kensington lock slot. Thunderbolt 2, HDMI, DVI and VGA require separately sold adapters.
- External displays
- Built-in display at full native resolution alongside one 5120 × 2880 display at 60 Hz with one billion colours, two 3840 × 2160 displays at 60 Hz with one billion colours, or two 4096 × 2304 displays at 60 Hz with millions of colours
- Speakers
- Stereo speakers
- Microphones
- Built-in microphone
- Keyboard and mouse
- Rechargeable Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse 2; optional Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad and Magic Trackpad 2
Design and power
- Type
- All-in-one
- Weight
- 5.48 kg
- Width × depth × height
- 528 × 175 × 450 mm
- Operating system
- macOS
- Size and weight detail
- Dimensions include the stand; current Apple sheet lists 5.48 kg and warns that weight varies by configuration. Launch reviews tested heavier hard-drive/Fusion configurations. A built-in VESA mount version was also available.
- 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
- iMac, Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse 2, power lead and Lightning to USB cable
Configurations
| Processor | Memory | Storage | Storage type | Graphics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Core i3-8100 | 8 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro 555X (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i3-8100 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro 555X (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i3-8100 | 16 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro 555X (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i3-8100 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro 555X (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i3-8100 | 32 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro 555X (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i3-8100 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro 555X (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 8 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro 555X (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro 555X (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 16 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro 555X (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro 555X (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 32 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro 555X (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro 555X (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-8500 | 8 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro 560X (4 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-8500 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro 560X (4 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-8500 | 16 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro 560X (4 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-8500 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro 560X (4 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-8500 | 32 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro 560X (4 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-8500 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro 560X (4 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i5-8500 | 8 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro Vega 20 (4 GB HBM2) |
| Intel Core i5-8500 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro Vega 20 (4 GB HBM2) |
| Intel Core i5-8500 | 16 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro Vega 20 (4 GB HBM2) |
| Intel Core i5-8500 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro Vega 20 (4 GB HBM2) |
| Intel Core i5-8500 | 32 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro Vega 20 (4 GB HBM2) |
| Intel Core i5-8500 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro Vega 20 (4 GB HBM2) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 8 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro 560X (4 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro 560X (4 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 16 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro 560X (4 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro 560X (4 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 32 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro 560X (4 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro 560X (4 GB GDDR5) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 8 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro Vega 20 (4 GB HBM2) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 8 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro Vega 20 (4 GB HBM2) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 16 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro Vega 20 (4 GB HBM2) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 16 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro Vega 20 (4 GB HBM2) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 32 GB | 256 GB | SSD | Radeon Pro Vega 20 (4 GB HBM2) |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 32 GB | 1 TB | Fusion Drive | Radeon Pro Vega 20 (4 GB HBM2) |
Pros and cons
Pros
- 4K display with P3 colour and 500-nit brightness
- Six-core CPU and Radeon Pro Vega 20 options
- Two Thunderbolt 3 ports alongside four USB ports
Cons
- Memory upgrades require opening the desktop
- Stand has no height adjustment
- Launch configurations used a hard drive or Fusion Drive
Closest rivals
Model | Type | Processor | Memory | Storage | Screen | Weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-in-one | Intel Core i5 or i7 | 8 GB – 32 GB | 256 GB – 1 TB | 21.5″ | 5.66 kg | Jun 2017 | |
| All-in-one | Intel Core i5 or i9 | 8 GB – 64 GB | 256 GB – 3 TB | 27″ | 9.42 kg | Mar 2019 | |
| All-in-one | Intel Core i5 | 8 GB – 16 GB | 256 GB – 1 TB | 21.5″ | 5.44 kg | Jun 2017 |
Previous model: iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017). Newer model: iMac 24″ (M1).
Sources
- support.apple.com/en-gb/111963
- apple.com/uk/newsroom/2019/03/imac-gets-a-2x-performance-boost
- apple.com/uk/newsroom/2020/08/27-inch-imac-gets-a-major-update
- macworld.com/article/667903/imac-21-5in-2019-review.html
- techradar.com/reviews/apple-imac-215-inch-2019-review
- everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/imac-aluminum-tapered-edge-faq/differences-betw…
- An iMac from Apple’s 2019 Retina desktop launch family viewed from the front with keyboard and mouse.: Apple Newsroom press image. Published shared 2019 21.5-inch Retina 4K / 27-inch Retina 5K launch-family image; depicted size and internal configuration unspecified. Supplied full canvas and background retained.
- An iMac from Apple’s 2019 Retina desktop launch family displaying the Mac App Store.: Apple Newsroom press image. Published shared 2019 21.5-inch Retina 4K / 27-inch Retina 5K launch-family image; depicted size and internal configuration unspecified. Supplied full canvas and background retained.
- An iMac from Apple’s 2019 Retina desktop launch family in a three-quarter view displaying photo editing software.: Apple Newsroom press image. Published shared 2019 21.5-inch Retina 4K / 27-inch Retina 5K launch-family image; depicted size and internal configuration unspecified. Supplied full canvas and background retained.
- An iMac from Apple’s 2019 Retina desktop launch family displaying macOS Dark Mode and an image editor.: Apple Newsroom press image. Published shared 2019 21.5-inch Retina 4K / 27-inch Retina 5K launch-family image; depicted size and internal configuration unspecified. Supplied full canvas and background retained.
- A professional working at an iMac with an additional monitor in an editing studio.: Apple Newsroom press image. Published shared 2019 21.5-inch Retina 4K / 27-inch Retina 5K launch-family image; depicted size and internal configuration unspecified. Supplied full canvas and background retained.
- An iMac on a desk in a small business office.: Apple Newsroom press image. Published shared 2019 21.5-inch Retina 4K / 27-inch Retina 5K launch-family image; depicted size and internal configuration unspecified. Supplied full canvas and background retained.
- A father and daughter using an iMac in their home.: Apple Newsroom press image. Published shared 2019 21.5-inch Retina 4K / 27-inch Retina 5K launch-family image; depicted size and internal configuration unspecified. Supplied full canvas and background retained.
- An iMac on a desk in a home office.: Apple Newsroom press image. Published shared 2019 21.5-inch Retina 4K / 27-inch Retina 5K launch-family image; depicted size and internal configuration unspecified. Supplied full canvas and background retained.
- An iMac with additional monitors in a video editing studio.: Apple Newsroom press image. Published shared 2019 21.5-inch Retina 4K / 27-inch Retina 5K launch-family image; depicted size and internal configuration unspecified. Supplied full canvas and background retained.
