iMac (2019)
Up to 8 cores and Vega graphics in the familiar iMac body.
Overview
The 2019 iMac was a pure performance update. Coffee Lake processors gave the 4K 21.5-inch model six cores starting at $1,299, and the 27-inch could be configured with an eight-core Core i9 at 3.6 GHz.
Graphics were the headline: the 27-inch offered up to the Radeon Pro Vega 48 with 8 GB of memory, a major leap for creative work, and the 21.5-inch could be configured with a Vega 20. The 27-inch started at $1,799 with a 3.0 GHz six-core Core i5 and a Radeon Pro 570X, and memory could go up to 64 GB.
Ports matched 2017 with four USB-A, two Thunderbolt 3 ports and an SDXC slot. The design was unchanged.
Why it mattered
It kept the Intel iMac competitive for pros by bringing eight cores and Vega graphics.
At a glance
- Announced
- March 19, 2019
- Released
- March 19, 2019
- Launch price
- $1,299
- Chip / processor
- Intel Core i5 six-core, 3.0 GHz
- Display
- 21.5" or 27"
- Storage
- 1 TB Fusion Drive
- Status
- Available
Highlights
- Up to 8-core Core i9 on the 27-inch
- Radeon Pro Vega graphics options
- Retina 4K and 5K displays
- Up to 64 GB of memory
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Display
- Size
- 21.5-inch Retina 4K or 27-inch Retina 5K
- Type
- IPS LCD with P3 wide color
- Resolution
- 4096 x 2304 or 5120 x 2880
Chip
- Chip
- Intel Core i5 3.0 GHz six-core (27-inch); options to Core i9 8-core
- CPU cores
- 6 to 8
Memory
- RAM
- 8 GB DDR4, up to 32 GB (21.5-inch) or 64 GB (27-inch)
- Storage options
- 1 TB Fusion Drive; SSD options up to 2 TB
Graphics
- GPU
- Radeon Pro 570X (27-inch); options up to Radeon Pro Vega 48, 8 GB
Ports
- Ports
- 4 USB 3.0, 2 Thunderbolt 3, SDXC, Gigabit Ethernet
Camera
- Camera
- 720p FaceTime HD
Software
- Launch OS
- macOS Mojave 10.14.4
Availability
- Announced
- March 19, 2019
- Released
- March 19, 2019
- Launch price
- $1,299
Colors
- Finishes
- Silver
How it compares
More in the iMac family
iMac (Early 2006)
The first Intel Mac, in the familiar white iMac G5 body.
iMac (Mid 2007)
The all-aluminum, glass-front iMac arrives.
iMac (Late 2009)
The first 27-inch iMac and the first Magic Mouse.
iMac (Mid 2011)
Quad-core Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt in the iMac.
iMac (Late 2012)
Five millimeters thin at the edge, with no optical drive.
iMac with Retina 5K Display (Late 2014)
Fourteen and a half million pixels in one 27-inch screen.
iMac (Late 2015)
A 4K Retina display comes to the 21.5-inch iMac, plus wide color.
iMac (Mid 2017)
Kaby Lake, Thunderbolt 3 and brighter, wider displays.
iMac (27-inch, 2020)
The last Intel iMac, with a 1080p camera and a nano-texture option.
iMac 24-inch (M1)
Seven colors, 11.5 mm thin, and an M1 chip behind a 4.5K screen.
iMac 24-inch (M3)
Same colorful slab, now with the 3-nanometer M3 chip.
iMac 24-inch (M4)
M4, 16 GB of memory and a nano-texture glass option.