iMac Early 2008

The iMac "Core 2 Duo" 2.66 20-Inch Aluminum (Early 2008/Penryn) is powered by a 2.66 GHz Intel "Core 2 Duo" processor (E8335). This CPU has two independent cores on one chip, a 6 MB shared level 2 cache, and a 1066 MHz system bus. The system includes 2 GB of RAM (800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, PC2-6400), a 320 GB (7200 RPM) Serial ATA hard drive, and a vertical slot-loading DVD±R DL "SuperDrive". It also features an ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO graphics accelerator with 256 MB of GDDR3 memory, an integrated iSight video camera, and built-in stereo speakers beneath the 20" glossy TFT Active Matrix LCD (1680x1050 native) display.

Connectivity options comprise three USB 2.0 ports, one Firewire "400" port, one Firewire "800" port, built-in AirPort Extreme, and Gigabit Ethernet, as well as a mini-DVI port for external display support in "extended desktop" mode.

From the outside, the iMac "Core 2 Duo" Aluminum (Early 2008/Penryn) models are essentially unchanged from the original Aluminum models they replaced, retaining the same housing and the glass cover that "joins precisely to the aluminum enclosure creating a virtually seamless front surface." These models also shipped with the same "ultra-thin alumium" Apple Keyboard.

Internally, however, the "Early 2008/Penryn" refresh introduced more efficient and faster 45 nm "Penryn" processors, an upgrade from the 65 nm "Merom" chips in the original "Aluminum" line. This revision also brought larger level 2 caches (6 MB up from 4 MB), a faster frontside bus (1066 MHz up from 800 MHz), and quicker memory (PC2-6400 up from PC2-5300). Some configurations were also equipped with more RAM by default.

As the higher-end 20-inch model featuring the Penryn architecture, this machine was praised for its significant performance gains. The combination of a 2.66 GHz processor, faster memory, and the ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO graphics provided more than enough power for most users. The inclusion of 2 GB of RAM as standard was particularly well-received, as it enabled a smoother multitasking experience. Although the design remained unchanged from the previous model, the substantial performance boost from the refreshed internal architecture solidified its position as a powerful and reliable mainstream machine.