Mac · The Aluminum Age · 2009
iMac (Aluminum, 2009)
The iMac went all aluminium and glass and grew a gorgeous 27" 2560×1440 display — for a while you could even use it as an external monitor via Target Display Mode.
iMac (Aluminum, 2009): key facts
When was the iMac (Aluminum, 2009) released?
The iMac (Aluminum, 2009) was released in October 2009. Apple discontinued it in May 2011.
How much did the iMac (Aluminum, 2009) cost?
The iMac (Aluminum, 2009) launched at $1,199 in 2009 — about $1,787 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What are the iMac (Aluminum, 2009)’s specs?
The iMac (Aluminum, 2009) used a Intel Core 2 Duo / Core i5 running at 3.06 GHz, with 4 GB of memory and 488.3 GB of storage. It ran Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.
Why does the iMac (Aluminum, 2009) matter?
First 27" iMac and first with an edge-to-edge glass front.
Full specifications
| CPU | Intel Core 2 Duo / Core i5 · 3.06 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 4 |
| Memory (RAM) | 4 GB (up to 16 GB) |
| Storage | 488.3 GB |
| Display | 21.5" or 27" LED LCD, up to 2560×1440 |
| GPU | ATI Radeon HD |
| Ports | USB 2.0, FireWire 800, SD |
| Weight | 13.8 kg |
| Dimensions | Aluminium-and-glass all-in-one |
| Operating system | Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard |
| Released | October 2009 |
| Discontinued | May 2011 |
| Launch price | $1,199 |
How the iMac (Aluminum, 2009) compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 4.0× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 3.06 GHz, the clock is roughly 1.0× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro — and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 125,000 modern phone photos — a respectable library even today.
Launched at $1,199 in 2009 — about $1,787 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Cross-architecture speed figures are clock-only and approximate; inflation figures use US CPI.
Did you know?
The 27" panel was so good people bought iMacs just to use as displays.
Related Mac models
Open the iMac (Aluminum, 2009) in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-06-25