iMac Mid-2011

The iMac "Core i5" 3.1 27-Inch Aluminum (Mid-2011) is powered by a Quad Core 3.1 GHz Intel "Core i5" I5-2400 (Sandy Bridge) processor, which features a dedicated 256k level 2 cache per core and a 6 MB shared level 3 cache. It uses a "Direct Media Interface" (DMI) that connects the processor and chipset at 5 GT/s, in place of a system bus.

Its 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 6970M graphics with 1 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory.

This model also has a built-in "FaceTime HD" video camera and stereo speakers located under the 27" glossy 16:9 LED-backlit TFT Active Matrix LCD (2560x1440 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 dual "Thunderbolt" ports. These ports are backward compatible with Mini DisplayPort, each supporting an external display up to 30" (2560x1600), and also support other Thunderbolt peripherals with up to 10 Gbps of bidirectional bandwidth.

Externally, the "Mid-2011" iMac line uses the same "edge-to-edge" glass and "seamless all aluminum enclosure" as the preceding "Mid-2010" models. Internally, however, the "Mid-2011" series is equipped with faster processors and graphics, plus external enhancements like a higher-resolution webcam and Thunderbolt.

The "Mid-2011" iMacs were supplied with a compact aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard and a choice between 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 27-inch model, this machine received extremely high praise for its Sandy Bridge quad-core i5 and powerful AMD Radeon HD 6970M graphics. [39] With 1GB of VRAM, this GPU was top-of-the-line for an iMac at the time, comfortably handling professional creative work and the latest 3D games. [4] The dual Thunderbolt ports were a major draw for pro users needing to connect high-speed RAID storage or multiple displays. [31] Despite the change in Target Display Mode specifications, its overwhelming performance and expandability more than compensated, making it a flagship model worthy of its title.