Mac · Retina & Beyond · 2012
iMac (Slim, 2012)
A stunning redesign with a 5 mm-thin edge (achieved by friction-stir welding) and a laminated screen, plus the hybrid Fusion Drive blending SSD speed with hard-disk capacity.
iMac (Slim, 2012): key facts
When was the iMac (Slim, 2012) released?
The iMac (Slim, 2012) was released in November 2012. Apple discontinued it in September 2013.
How much did the iMac (Slim, 2012) cost?
The iMac (Slim, 2012) launched at $1,299 in 2012 — about $1,819 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What are the iMac (Slim, 2012)’s specs?
The iMac (Slim, 2012) used a Intel Core i5 running at 2.90 GHz, with 8 GB of memory and 976.6 GB of storage. It ran OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion.
Why does the iMac (Slim, 2012) matter?
Tapered to a dramatic 5 mm edge and introduced the Fusion Drive.
Full specifications
| CPU | Intel Core i5 · 2.90 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 4 |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 GB (up to 32 GB) |
| Storage | 976.6 GB |
| Display | 21.5" or 27" LED LCD |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M |
| Ports | USB 3, Thunderbolt, SD |
| Weight | 9.5 kg |
| Dimensions | 5 mm-edge all-in-one |
| Operating system | OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion |
| Released | November 2012 |
| Discontinued | September 2013 |
| Launch price | $1,299 |
How the iMac (Slim, 2012) compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 2.0× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 2.90 GHz, the clock is roughly 1.1× 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 250,000 modern phone photos — a respectable library even today.
Launched at $1,299 in 2012 — about $1,819 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 knife-thin edge was largely illusion — the back still bulged to fit the guts.
Related Mac models
Open the iMac (Slim, 2012) in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-06-25