The Magnificent 2020 Apple iMac (21.5-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage)
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- 21.5-inch (diagonal) 1920-by-1080 resolution display
- Seventh-generation dual-core Intel Core i5 processor
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
- Ultrafast SSD storage
- Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
Do you want to get the most bang for your buck with an iMac? In this guide, we’ll look under the hood of one of Apple’s last Intel-based iMacs before we expect future releases to include the new M1 chip. So, are Intel-based iMacs still worthwhile to purchase, and how does the iMac 4K 21.5-inch 2020 compare to the 2019 model and the 5K 27-inch variant? Continue reading to find out.
Let’s start with the specifications of the 2020 iMac 21.5 inch 4K release. For the sake of this article, we’ll be talking about the top-of-the-line iMac 21.5-inch 4K 2020 model, which costs $1499.
When Apple comes to the design of the iMac 4K 21.5-inch (or the 5K 27-inch version for that matter), there’s nothing new to write about; it’s the same as prior versions of iMac, which isn’t necessarily a negative thing. Except for one thing, the clean iMac design is something Apple fans have grown to adore, so there’s no practical reason to modify it (much).
For the first time in August 2020, Apple changed the base configuration of 21.5-inch iMacs to include SSDs as standard throughout the range. Customers may still select to have a Fusion Drive installed in their 21.5-inch iMac. Aside from that, the 21.5-inch versions’ performance hasn’t improved significantly. In comparison to the 2019 edition of the 21.5-inch model, the iMac is more customizable.
Basic video editing and online surfing are possible with the 6-core Intel CPU. The cheapest iMac only has four cores, making it ideal for folks who simply need to accomplish basic things like browsing the web and listening to music. By default, the Radeon Pro 555X or Radeon Pro 560X GPU is used in the mid-range 21.5-inch iMac. The 555X really lagged behind the GTX 1060 (3GB) during some basic tests. So, if you want to play some heavy games, then we recommend you go for the Vega 20 GPU version, which costs an extra $350.The RAM on the 21.5-inch model is rather basic. This model comes with 8GB of RAM which is very standard and expected these days. It is a shame that Apple didn’t up this to at least 16GB as standard considering that software and games are becoming more and more demanding. You can upgrade your iMac to 32GB but it’s going to cost you an extra $600. Storage on the iMac 21.5 inch 2020 is very good, as you’d expect. At 256GB you’ll have plenty of space to store thousands of files. If you need more space, you can configure your iMac up to 1TB with Fusion Drive.The Retina display at 4096×2304 means you’ll have a crisp screen that boasts up to one million colors. The brightness goes up to 500 nits so you’ll always see colors at their best. This Retina screen is great for animation work, for example, but you may have to upgrade your RAM to get the right software to run smoothly.Inside the box, you’ll get a Magic Keyboard and Apple’s Magic Mouse 2 so no difference here from the 2019 model.
The 21.5-inch 4K 2020 variant of the iMac is a fantastic (nearly) all-around computer. This model is for you if you want a speedy and attractive computer to complete your schoolwork or surf the internet on. This mid-range model is suitable for occasional iMac users and those who want a slice of Apple’s elegance. If you want to play high-resolution games and edit professional-quality videos, the 27-inch 5K iMac is the way to go. You could end up buying extra RAM, storage, and apps if you don’t.
