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iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) vs iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)

iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)1iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)2

Quick look

Quick look: iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) against iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)
FigureiMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)1iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)2
Price£1,2493launch price£1,2494launch price
ChipCore i33.6GHz quad-core IntelCore i53.0GHz quad-core Intel
CPU4-coreCPU4-coreCPU
Memory8GBmemory, base8GBmemory, base
Storage256GBstorage, base1TBstorage, base
Display21.5-inchdisplay21.5-inchdisplay
Released19 March 20195Available online; Apple gave no in-store day7 June 20174ReleasedIn Apple Stores; orderable online from 5 June 2017.
Security updatesNot available6Security updates15 September 20257Security updates ended
Price
The iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) is £1,249 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK); the iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017) is £1,249 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK).

True to scale

iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) · 528 × 450 mm frontiMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017) · 528 × 450 mm front

Front faces, from Apple’s published dimensions, drawn to one scale and superposed. Corner rounding is our drawing convention, not a measurement.

Specifications

Each figure is from the source marked by its Mac’s name unless it carries its own small number, which links to where that figure was read.

Body

Body: Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) against Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)
SpecificationiMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)1iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)2
Dimensions450 x 528 x 175 mm450 x 528 x 175 mm
Weight5.48 kg5.66 kg
PortsTwo Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, four USB-A ports, SDXC card slot, Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45), 3.5 mm headphone jackTwo Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, four USB 3 ports, SDXC card slot, Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45), 3.5 mm headphone jack
Thunderbolt ports22
Thunderbolt versionThunderbolt 3Thunderbolt 3
USB-A ports44
HDMINo HDMI port.8No HDMI port.9
SD card slotYesYes
Headphone jackYesYes
KeyboardMagic KeyboardMagic Keyboard
Touch IDNo Touch ID.8No Touch ID.9

Display

Display: Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) against Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)
SpecificationiMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)1iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)2
Display size21.5 in21.5 in
Resolution4096 x 23044096 x 2304
Display typeRetina 4K displayRetina 4K display
Brightness500 nits500 nits
Wide colour (P3)YesYes

Chip and memory

Chip and memory: Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) against Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)
SpecificationiMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)1iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)2
Chip3.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i33.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i5
Apple siliconIntel processor, not Apple silicon.10Intel processor, not Apple silicon.11
CPU cores44
GraphicsRadeon Pro 555X with 2GB of GDDR5 memoryRadeon Pro 555 with 2GB of VRAM
Chip options3.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i3, 3.0GHz 6-core Intel Core i5, or 3.2GHz 6-core Intel Core i73.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, or 3.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Memory (base)8GB8GB
Memory (maximum)32GB32GB
Memory options8GB, 16GB or 32GB8GB, 16GB or 32GB
Memory upgradeable by userNo, as Apple documents12No, as Apple documents12
Storage (base)256GB1TB
Storage (maximum)1TB1TB
Storage options256GB SSD or 1TB Fusion Drive1TB hard drive, 1TB Fusion Drive, or 256GB, 512GB or 1TB SSD

Connectivity

Connectivity: Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) against Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)
SpecificationiMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)1iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)2
Wi-Fi802.11ac Wi-Fi802.11ac Wi-Fi
Bluetooth4.24.2
Ethernet10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45)10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45)
External displays (base)22

Camera and audio

Camera and audio: Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) against Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)
SpecificationiMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)1iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)2
CameraFaceTime HD cameraFaceTime HD camera
SpeakersStereo speakersStereo speakers
MicrophonesMicrophoneMicrophone

Platform

Platform: Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) against Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)
SpecificationiMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)1iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)2
Shipped withmacOS Mojave13Not available14
Newest macOSmacOS Sequoia15macOS Ventura15
Model identifieriMac19,215iMac18,215
Model year20192017

Benchmarks

Benchmarks: Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) against Apple iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)
SpecificationiMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)1iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)2
Geekbench 7 (CPU, single-core)1,169161,07216
Geekbench 7 (CPU, multi-core)3,336162,89216

Sources

  1. Apple Support (UK) — iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) - Technical Specifications · Default for iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  2. Apple Support (UK) — iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications · Default for iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017) · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  3. Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac gets a 2x performance boost · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  4. Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac receives major update featuring more powerful graphics, faster processors, Thunderbolt 3 and brighter displays · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  5. Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac gets a 2x performance boost · Apple’s figure · read 22 Sep 2026

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  6. Security updates: no end date published. Checked: endoflife.date. Read 22 Sep 2026

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  7. endoflife.date — Apple macOS · third-party figure · read 2 Oct 2026

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  8. iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019): No HDMI port. No Touch ID. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) - Technical Specifications. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  9. iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017): No HDMI port. No Touch ID. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  10. iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019): Intel processor, not Apple silicon. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) - Technical Specifications. Read 15 Sep 2026

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  11. iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017): Intel processor, not Apple silicon. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications. Read 15 Sep 2026

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  12. Apple Support (UK) — Install memory in an iMac · Apple’s figure · read 18 Oct 2026

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  13. Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac gets a 2x performance boost · Apple’s figure · read 9 Oct 2026

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  14. Not published by Apple. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your iMac model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac receives major update featuring more powerful graphics, faster processors, Thunderbolt 3 and brighter displays. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  15. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your iMac model · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  16. Geekbench Browser (Primate Labs) · third-party figure · read 11 Oct 2026

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Not published by Apple

iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019). Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: colours, pixel density, refresh rate, nano-texture option, GPU cores, storage upgradeable by user, maximum continuous power. Geekbench 7 Metal: the Mac chart has no Metal score for this Mac (chart read 10 Oct 2026). Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) - Technical Specifications; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your iMac model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac gets a 2x performance boost, read 9 Oct 2026.

iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017). Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: colours, pixel density, refresh rate, nano-texture option, GPU cores, storage upgradeable by user, maximum continuous power. Geekbench 7 Metal: the Mac chart has no Metal score for this Mac (chart read 10 Oct 2026). Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your iMac model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac receives major update featuring more powerful graphics, faster processors, Thunderbolt 3 and brighter displays, read 9 Oct 2026.

If you own one of them

Whether to move is a different question from which is better. Each Mac has a page on it: what its successor changes (the newest Mac in its line where Apple sells one, otherwise the Mac this site treats as its replacement, which can be in another line), what it fetches and whether it still gets updates. Should I upgrade my iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)? · Should I upgrade my iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)?

The pairs a buyer of either Mac would also weigh. Any two Macs in the catalogue can be compared from the chooser.