iMac Mid-2011

The iMac "Core i5" 2.7 21.5-Inch Aluminum (Mid-2011) is powered by a Quad Core 2.7 GHz Intel "Core i5" I5-2500S (Sandy Bridge) processor. This CPU has a dedicated 256k level 2 cache for each core and a 6 MB shared level 3 cache. It uses a "Direct Media Interface" (DMI) instead of a system bus, which connects the processor and chipset at 5 GT/s.

The default configuration includes 4 GB of RAM (1333 MHz PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM), a 1 TB (7200 RPM) hard drive, a vertical slot-loading DVD±R DL "SuperDrive", and AMD Radeon HD 6770M graphics with 512 MB of dedicated GDDR5 memory.

It also has a built-in "FaceTime HD" video camera and stereo speakers beneath the 21.5" glossy 16:9 LED-backlit TFT Active Matrix LCD (1920x1080 native) display with "IPS technology".

Connectivity consists of four USB 2.0 ports, a Firewire "800" port, integrated AirPort Extreme, Gigabit Ethernet, an SDXC card slot, and a single "Thunderbolt" port. This port is backward compatible with Mini DisplayPort, supports an external display up to 30" (2560x1600), and allows connection of other Thunderbolt peripherals with up to 10 Gbps of bidirectional bandwidth.

Externally, the "Mid-2011" iMac line maintains the "edge-to-edge" glass design and "seamless all aluminum enclosure" of the preceding "Mid-2010" models. Internally, however, this line is equipped with faster processors and graphics, as well as the aforementioned external upgrades of a higher-resolution webcam and a Thunderbolt port.

The "Mid-2011" iMac models came with a compact aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard and a choice of either a multi-touch "Magic Mouse" or a "Magic Trackpad" for notebook-style gesture controls. An aluminum remote was also available for an additional US$19.

As the higher-end 21.5-inch model, this machine was praised for fully unleashing the power of its quad-core processor. The combination of a 2.7 GHz Core i5 processor and the more powerful AMD Radeon HD 6770M graphics created a clear performance gap with the lower-end model, making it the choice for users with more demanding workloads. The 1TB hard drive was also ample for handling growing data needs. The inclusion of a Thunderbolt port enabled high-speed connections to external storage and displays, ensuring future-proof expandability. It was a highly accomplished model with a great balance of performance, features, and price.