Apple iMac "Core i5" 2.66 27" (Late 2009) Specs

Identifiers: Late 2009 - MB953LL/A - iMac11,1 - A1312 - 2374

All iMac Models | All 2009 Models | Dynamically Compare This Mac to Others

The iMac "Core i5" 2.66 27-Inch Aluminum (Late 2009) is powered by a 2.66 GHz Quad Core Intel "Core i5" I5-750 (Lynnfield/Nehalem) processor with a dedicated 256k level 2 cache for each core and an 8 MB shared level 3 cache.

By default, it is configured with 4 GB of RAM (1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM), a 1 TB (7200 RPM) hard drive, a vertically-mounted slot-loading DVD±R DL "SuperDrive", and ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics with 512 MB of dedicated GDDR3 memory.

It also has a built-in iSight video camera and built-in stereo speakers underneath the 27" glossy 16:9 LED-backlit TFT Active Matrix LCD (2560x1440 native) display "with IPS technology".

Connectivity includes four USB 2.0 ports, a Firewire "800" port, built-in AirPort Extreme, and Gigabit Ethernet, as well as a Mini DisplayPort, which supports an external display up to 30" (2560x1600). This model also "supports input from external DisplayPort sources" with adapters, so it can be used as an external display for DisplayPort-equipped devices as well as a computer.

The "Late 2009" iMac line looks similar to earlier Aluminum iMac models but have an "edge-to-edge" glass design and a "seamless all aluminum enclosure" (previous aluminum models have a modest aluminum border around the display and a plastic back).

Externally, the displays are enhanced with LED-backlighting and "IPS technology" for improved quality, and internally, each has four RAM slots supporting up to 16 GB of RAM (rather than two slots and 8 GB of RAM for earlier models). All "Late 2009" models also include an SD Card slot and redesigned speakers that promise "louder, clearer sound with better bass response and less distortion".

The "Late 2009" iMac models shipped with a compact aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard and a new multi-touch "Magic Mouse" where the "entire top is a seamless multi-touch surface" that allows one to "navigate using intuitive finger gestures". A new aluminum remote was offered for an additional US$19 as well.

Also see:

• What are the differences between the "Late 2009" Aluminum iMac models?
• How do the "Late 2009" Aluminum iMac models compare to the "Early 2009" models that preceded them?

Buy This Mac or Trade-In Yours at site sponsor OWC. Click for current options.

Sell Newer Macs at A+ BBB rated site sponsor Cash For Your Mac. Quick quote!

Upgrade This Mac at site sponsor OWC. Memory, storage & more.

• Tech Specs
• Ports
• Global Original Prices
• Popular Q&As

Tech Specs

Click on a category for related details. The most commonly needed info is "open" by default, but all info is important. Asterisks (*) reference data in details fields.

Expand All Details | Contract All Details

Introduction Date:

October 20, 2009

Discontinued Date:

July 27, 2010

Details:

The "Introduction Date" refers to the date a model was introduced via press release. The "Discontinued Date" refers to the date a model either was replaced by a subsequent system or production otherwise ended. Also see: All Macs introduced in 2009.

Processors:

1 (4 Cores)

Architecture:

64-Bit

Details:

Also see: All models with a 64-Bit processor courtesy of EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Sort.

Geekbench 2 (32):

6879

Geekbench 2 (64):

9717

Details:

Geekbench 2 benchmarks are in 32-bit and 64-bit modes, respectively. These numbers reflect an average of user provided 32-bit and 64-bit results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all 32-bit and 64-bit Geekbench 2 user submissions for Macs with the iMac11,1 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare Geekbench 2 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.

Geekbench 3 (32):

1972

Geekbench 3 (32):

5825

Details:

These Geekbench 3 benchmarks are in 32-bit mode and are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all 32-bit single core and multicore Geekbench 3 user submissions for Macs with the iMac11,1 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare 32-bit Geekbench 3 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.

Geekbench 3 (64):

2165

Geekbench 3 (64):

6462

Details:

These Geekbench 3 benchmarks are in 64-bit mode and are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all 64-bit single core and multicore Geekbench 3 user submissions for Macs with the iMac11,1 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare 64-bit Geekbench 3 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.

Geekbench 4 (SC):

2395

Geekbench 4 (MC):

6443

Details:

These Geekbench 4 benchmarks are are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. All Geekbench 4 benchmarks are 64-bit. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all single core and multicore Geekbench 4 user submissions for Macs with the iMac11,1 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare Geekbench 4 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.

Geekbench 5 (SC):

491

Geekbench 5 (MC):

1484

Details:

These Geekbench 5 benchmarks are are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. All Geekbench 5 benchmarks for the Mac are 64-bit. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all single core and multicore Geekbench 5 user submissions for Macs with the iMac11,1 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare Geekbench 5 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.

Processor Speed:

2.66 GHz

Processor Type:

Core i5 (I5-750)

Details:

This model is powered by a 45 nm, 64-bit "Lynnfield/Nehalem" Intel "Core i5" processor with quad cores -- four independent processor cores on a single silicon chip. Each core has a dedicated 256k level 2 cache, shares 8 MB of level 3 cache, and has an integrated memory controller (dual channel). It also supports "Turbo Boost" -- which "automatically boosts the processor speed based on workload" (so if an application is only using one of the four cores it will automatically increase the speed of the core in use and turn off the unused cores). It does not support Hyper Threading. Also see: How much faster are the high-end Core i5/Core i7-powered "Late 2009" Aluminum iMac models than the Core 2 Duo powered models? How much faster are these models than the "Early 2009" models replaced?

Turbo Boost:

3.2 GHz

Custom Speeds:

2.8 GHz (Core i7)

Details:

This model additionally could be configured with a 2.8 GHz "Core i7" processor (I7-860) for an extra US$200. The "Core i7" processor does support Hyper Threading. As requested by readers, EveryMac.com also has documented this custom configuration as its own model.

Processor Upgrade:

LGA 1156 (Socket H)

FPU:

Integrated

Details:

This model's processor uses an LGA 1156 Socket H. Also see: Is it possible to upgrade the processor in the Aluminum iMac models?

System Bus Speed:

2.5 GT/s*

Cache Bus Speed:

2.66 GHz (Built-in)

Details:

*This system has a "Direct Media Interface" (DMI) that "connects between the processor and chipset" in lieu of a traditional system bus. Intel reports that it runs at 2.5 GT/s.

ROM/Firmware Type:

EFI

EFI Architecture:

64-Bit

Details:

N/A

L1 Cache:

32k/32k x4

L2/L3 Cache:

256k (x 4), 8 MB

Details:

Each core has its own dedicated 256k level 2 cache and the system has 8 MB of shared level 3 cache.

RAM Type:

PC3-8500 DDR3

Min. RAM Speed:

1066 MHz

Details:

Supports 1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SO-DIMMs (204-pin). Also see: How do you upgrade the RAM in this Aluminum iMac model? How much RAM does it actually support?

Standard RAM:

4 GB

Maximum RAM:

32 GB*

Details:

By default, 4 GB of RAM was installed as two 2 GB SO-DIMM modules. Two slots free. *Officially, this model supports a maximum of 16 GB of RAM. However, as carefully confirmed by Other World Computing, this model can support up to 32 GB of RAM if it is running Mac OS X 10.6.3 "Snow Leopard" or higher in 64-bit mode and has been updated to use the latest EFI version. It is limited to 16 GB of RAM in 32-bit mode. In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells memory -- as well as other upgrades -- for this iMac. In the UK, site sponsor Flexx sells memory and other upgrades for this iMac. In Germany, site sponsor CompuRAM sells memory and other upgrades for this iMac. In Australia, site sponsor Upgradeable sells memory and other upgrades for this iMac. Also see: Actual Max RAM of All G3 & Later Macs.

Motherboard RAM:

None

RAM Slots:

4

Details:

This model supports four 4 GB modules -- one in each slot for a maximum of 16 GB of memory.

Video Card:

Radeon HD 4850

VRAM Type:

GDDR3

Details:

This model has an ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics processor with 512 MB of dedicated GDDR3 memory. Also see: What type of video processor is provided by the Aluminum iMac systems? Is it upgradable?

Standard VRAM:

512 MB

Maximum VRAM:

512 MB

Details:

512 MB of dedicated GDDR3 video memory.

Built-in Display:

27" 16:9 Widescreen

Native Resolution:

2560x1440

Details:

This model has a 27" glossy LED-backlit 16:9 widescreen TFT active matrix display with "IPS technology" and a native resolution of 2560x1440. Apple also reports a "typical" brightness of 375 cd/m2, and viewing angle of 178 degrees horizontal and 178 degrees vertical. The contrast ratio is 1000:1 and the PPI is 109. Also see: How does the display quality of the 21.5-Inch and 27-Inch "Late 2009" Aluminum iMac models compare to previous Aluminum iMac models? In the UK, site sponsor ALB Repair offers component-level logic board repair, display repair, and other repair services for this iMac. No fix, no fee! In Spain, site sponsor iRepairs provides affordable repair and data recovery services. In-person and by mail repair services include the display, graphics card, motherboard, power supply, and more for this iMac. In Hong Kong, site sponsor iCertified provides well-reviewed repair services for the display, logic board, water damage, and more, all with a 180-day warranty; free diagnostics and estimates; and optional pickup and delivery for this iMac.

2nd Display Support:

Dual/Mirroring

2nd Max. Resolution:

2560x1600

Details:

Apple reports that this model simultaneously supports the native resolution of the built-in display and up-to a 30-inch external display (2560x1600).

Standard Storage:

1 TB HDD

Std. Storage Speed:

7200 RPM

Details:

This model also could be equipped with a 2 TB hard drive for an additional US$250. Also see: How do you upgrade the hard drive in the Aluminum iMac models? What type of hard drive do they support? Can you swap the hard drive for an SSD? In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells storage upgrades for this iMac. In the UK, site sponsor Flexx sells storage upgrades for this iMac. In Australia, site sponsor Upgradeable sells storage upgrades for this iMac. Also see: SSD Compatibility Guide for All G3 & Later Macs.

Storage Dimensions:

3.5" (26.10 mm)

Storage Interface:

Serial ATA (3 Gb/s)

Details:

This model holds a single 3.5" SATA II (3 Gb/s) hard drive or SSD.

Standard Optical:

8X DL "SuperDrive"

Standard Disk:

None

Details:

Apple reports that the slot-loading 8X "SuperDrive" with 4X double-layer burning (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) "writes DVD+R DL discs at up to 4x speed, writes DVD-R and DVD+R discs at up to 8x speed, writes DVD-RW at up to 6x and DVD+RW discs at up to 8x speed, reads DVDs at up to 8x speed, writes CD-R discs at up to 24x speed, writes CD-RW discs at up to 16x speed, [and] reads CDs at up to 24x speed." Site sponsor Other World Computing offers a "Data Doubler" mounting kit that may be of interest. It makes it simple to install a second hard drive or SSD in the optical drive bay of this iMac.

Standard Modem:

None

Standard Ethernet:

10/100/1000Base-T

Details:

N/A

Standard AirPort:

802.11a/b/g/n

Standard Bluetooth:

2.1+EDR

Details:

AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR standard. Also see: What is 802.11n? How is it different from 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11a?

USB Ports:

4 (2.0)

Firewire Ports:

1 (800)

Details:

Four USB 2.0 ports and one Firewire "800" port (7 watts).

Expansion Slots:

SD Card

Expansion Bays:

None

Details:

In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells a wide variety of external expansion options and hand-picked accessories like external storage, stands, keyboards, cables, adapters, speakers, and more for this iMac.

Incl. Keyboard:

Apple Wireless Keyboard

Incl. Input:

Magic Mouse

Details:

This model shipped with a small aluminum "ultrathin, compact wireless keyboard" (no numeric keypad) and a new wireless "Magic Mouse", where the "entire top is a seamless multi-touch surface" that allows one to "navigate using intuitive finger gestures". Also see: How does the "ultra thin" keyboard provided with the "Aluminum" iMac models compare to a more traditional desktop keyboard? How does it feel?

Case Type:

All-in-One

Form Factor:

iMac (Late 2009)

Details:

The cases used by the "Late 2009" iMac models look similar to the one used by previous "Aluminum" models, but the "Late 2009" design has "edge-to-edge glass" for the display and a "seamless all aluminum enclosure" (the earlier models had a plastic back).

Apple Order No:

MB953LL/A

Apple Subfamily:

Late 2009

Details:

The Apple order number should be unique to this system.

Apple Model No:

A1312 (EMC 2374)

Model ID:

iMac11,1

Details:

Please note that these identifiers often refer to more than one model. Also see: All Macs with the A1312 Model Number, the 2374 EMC Number, and the iMac11,1 Model Identifier. For more about these identifiers and how to locate them on each Mac, please refer to EveryMac.com's Mac Identification section.

Battery Type:

N/A

Battery Life:

N/A

Details:

N/A

Pre-Installed MacOS:

X 10.6.2 (10C2234)

Maximum MacOS:

X 10.13.x*

Details:

*This system fully supports the last version of OS X 10.8 "Mountain Lion," OS X 10.9 "Mavericks," and OS X 10.10 "Yosemite" except for Power Nap and AirPlay Mirroring functionality (which also requires an Apple TV 2nd Gen or later). It also supports the last version of OS X 10.11 "El Capitan" -- including Mac-to-Mac AirDrop capability -- but no other advanced features are supported like Metal graphics acceleration. It is capable of running macOS Sierra (10.12) as well, although it does not support the Universal Clipboard, Auto Unlock, or Apple Pay features. Finally, this model is capable of running macOS High Sierra (10.13), and it supports HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding), but it does not support hardware accelerated HEVC. It is not compatible with macOS Mojave (10.14) or later versions of the operating system. Additionally, please note that OS X "Lion" 10.7 and subsequent versions of OS X are not capable of running Mac OS X apps originally written for the PowerPC processor as these operating systems do not support the "Rosetta" environment. To run PowerPC applications on this Mac, it will be necessary to use Mac OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard". Also see: Which Macs are compatible with macOS High Sierra (10.13)? What are the system requirements? Which Macs support HEVC?

Minimum Windows:

XP SP2 (32-Bit)*

Maximum Windows:

7 (64-Bit)*

Details:

*Apple's Boot Camp 4 supports the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 on this model. However, the system does meet Microsoft's minimum requirements for Windows 8 and readers have reported successfully running the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of this operating system with appropriate drivers.

MacOS 9 Support:

None

Windows Support:

Boot/Virtualization

Details:

Also see: Are there any third-party programs to run Mac OS 9/Classic applications on Intel Macs? For more on running Windows on Intel Macs, please refer to the exhaustive Windows on Mac Q&A.

Dimensions:

20.4 x 25.6 x 8.15

Avg. Weight:

30.5 lbs. (13.8 kg)

Details:

In inches - height by width by depth, (51.7 cm, 65.0 cm, 20.7 cm).

Original Price (US):

US$1999

Est. Current Retail:

US$100-US$150

Details:

Photo Credit: Apple Computer.

Ports

Click on a category for additional details. The most commonly needed info is "open" by default, but all info is important. The icons correspond with the icons for each port on the computer.

Expand All Details | Contract All Details

Video (Monitor):

1* (Mini DisplayPort w/ Audio)

Floppy (Ext.):

None

Details:

Supports external display in dual display and mirroring modes. Mini DisplayPort also supports DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI with optional adapters. The 27-Inch models also accept "input from external DisplayPort sources" with an adapter, so it is possible to use these models as an external display for a DisplayPort-equipped Mac or Blu-ray player, for example. *Note that unlike earlier iMac models, the Mini DisplayPort on this system passes audio signals as well as video.

ADB:

None

SCSI:

None

Details:

N/A

Serial (Standard):

None

Serial (Geoport):

None

Details:

N/A

USB:

4 (2.0)

Firewire:

1 (800)

Details:

Four USB 2.0 ports and one Firewire "800" port (7 watts).

Modem:

None

Ethernet:

1 (RJ-45)

Details:

No internal modem. Gigabit Ethernet, AirPort Extreme (802.11g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR standard.

S-Video Input:

None

S-Video Output:

None

Details:

N/A

Microphone:

1 (Built-in)

Sound In:

1

Details:

Combined "audio line in/optical digital audio input (minijack)."

Sound Out:

1

Headphone:

1

Details:

Single shared "headphone/optical digital audio output (minijack)".

Security (Lock):

1

Joystick (PC):

None

Details:

N/A

Power:

1

Power Adapter:

None

Details:

100V-240V, 241W maximum for 21.5-Inch models, 365W maximum for 27-Inch models.

Global Original Prices

Global original prices for the iMac "Core i5" 2.66 27" (Late 2009) in 34 different countries and territories follow; organized alphabetically by region.

For global original prices for Intel Macs in one particular country on a single page, please refer to EveryMac.com's Global Original Prices section.

Original Prices - North & South America

Canada:

C$2099

Brazil:

R$7.399

Mexico:

N/A

United States:

US$1999

Original Prices - Europe

Austria:

€1799

Belgium:

€1799

Denmark:

DKK 13,799

Finland:

€1799

France:

€1799

Germany:

€1799

Ireland:

€1799

Italy:

€1799

Luxembourg:

N/A

Netherlands:

€1799

Norway:

NOK 15.490

Portugal:

€1799

Spain:

€1749

Sweden:

SEK 19.495

Switzerland:

CHF 2'399

United Kingdom:

£1599

Original Prices - Asia

China:

RMB 15,998

Hong Kong:

HK$15,488

India:

Rs 106,900

Indonesia:

N/A

Japan:

¥198,800

Korea:

KRW 2,689,000

Malaysia:

N/A

The Philippines:

N/A

Singapore:

N/A

Taiwan:

NT$69,900

Thailand:

N/A

Vietnam:

N/A

Original Prices - Australia & New Zealand

Australia:

A$2599

New Zealand:

NZ$3399

If you have additional original prices for this model, please get in touch. Thank you.

Popular Q&As

Ten of the most popular Q&As about the iMac models follow.

Permalink | Report an Error/Typo | Sign Up for Site Update Notices

<< iMac (Home) | Also see: iMac FAQ

Established in 1996, EveryMac.com has been created by experts with decades of experience with Apple hardware. EveryMac.com includes, and always has included, original research incorporating detailed, hands-on inspection of packaging, computers, and devices as well as extensive real-world use. All information is provided in good faith, but no website or person is perfect. Accordingly, EveryMac.com is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind whatsoever. EveryMac.com, and the authors thereof, shall not be held responsible or liable, under any circumstances, for any damages resulting from the use or inability to use the information within. For complete disclaimer and copyright information please read and understand the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy before using EveryMac.com. Copying, scraping, or use of any content without expressed permission is not allowed, although links to any page are welcomed and appreciated.

Contact - EveryMac.com - Kyle Media LLC - Advertising Info - All Rights Reserved - Copyright © 1996