The Apple iMac 20-inch Early 2008 is a personal computer produced by Apple from 2008 to 2009 as part of the iMac series. Launched on April 28, 2008, the starting price for this model was $1,199.
Apple revamped its all-in-one iMac lineup, equipping it with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors and the most robust graphics ever seen in an iMac. Starting at $1,199, the iMac boasted faster processors with 6 MB L2 cache, a speedier 1066 MHz front-side bus across the entire line, and 2 GB of memory as standard in most configurations.
Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, commented, “The iMac’s stunning aluminum and glass all-in-one design has resonated incredibly well with our customers, contributing to Mac sales growing three and a half times faster than PC sales. With the latest Intel processors, enhanced graphics options, and expanded memory, customers now have even more reasons to appreciate the iMac.”
Combining dual-core performance with a sleek all-in-one design, the new iMac boasted faster Intel Core 2 Duo processors across the lineup, a 1066 MHz front-side bus, up to 4 GB of 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory, and a widescreen flat-panel display supporting millions of colors. Connectivity options were advanced, with built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi networking offering up to five times the performance of 802.11g, along with Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, built-in iSight video camera, five USB 2.0 ports, and one FireWire 400 and one FireWire 800 port.
Apple demonstrated its commitment to environmental sustainability with the iMac, using highly recyclable and durable materials such as scratch-resistant glass and professional-grade aluminum. Each model in the iMac line was rated EPEAT Silver, and the energy-efficient iMac met the stringent Energy Star 4.0 requirements for power consumption. Additionally, customers could recycle their old PC or Mac for free through the Apple Recycling Program upon purchasing any qualifying Apple computer.
Included with every Mac in the Apple lineup was iLife ‘08, a significant update to Apple’s suite of digital lifestyle applications, featuring notable upgrades to iPhoto and iMovie, seamlessly integrated with the new .Mac Web Gallery for online photo and video sharing. Moreover, each Mac came with Leopard, the sixth major release of the macOS, featuring Time Machine for automated backups, a redesigned Finder for easy file sharing between multiple Macs, Quick Look for instant file previews, Spaces for organizing applications, and Stacks for convenient file access from the Dock.
The specifications of the iMac 20-inch Early 2008 included a choice of 2.4 GHz or 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1 GB or 2 GB of RAM, 20-inch LCD TFT Display, 250 GB or 320 GB hard drive, slot-loading 8x DVD-R/CD-RW dual-layer “SuperDrive”, Ambient Light Sensor, iSight camera, built-in Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, USB 2.0 ports, and 128 MB ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT graphics in the base model.
This particular iMac model was discontinued on March 3, 2009. As of today, the iMac 20-inch Early 2008 celebrates its 16-year anniversary!
iMac 20-inch Early 2008 Details
| Introduced | April 28, 2008 – 16 years ago |
| Discontinued | March 3, 2009 – 15 years ago |
| Last Software Update | July 18, 2016 – 8 years ago |
| Time on the Market | 309 days (10 months) |
| Time of Support | 98 months (8 years) |
| Model Identifier | iMac8,1 |
| Model Number | A1224 |
| EMC | 2210 |
| Order Number | MB323LL/A (2.4 GHz) MB324LL/A (2.66 GHz) |
| Original Price | $1,199 $1,499 |
| Colors | Aluminum |
| Weight | 20 Ibs. 9.071 KG |
| Dimensions | 18.5” H x 19.1” W x 7.4” D 47 cm H x 48.51 cm W x 18.79 cm D |
iMac 20-inch Tech Specs
Processor
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo E8135 “Penryn” (2.4 GHz) Intel Core 2 Duo E8335 “Penryn” (2.66 GHz) |
| Processor Speed | 2.4 GHz 2.66 GHz |
| Architecture | 64-bit |
| Number of Cores | 2 |
| System Bus | 1066 MHz |
| Cache | 6 MB shared L2 at full processor speed |
Storage & Media
| Storage | 250 GB (2.4 GHz only) 320 GB 500 GB 750 GB |
| Media | 1 – 8x DVD-R/CD-RW dual-layer “SuperDrive” slot-loading drive |
Memory
| Built-in Memory | 1 GB 2 GB |
| Maximum Memory | 4 GB (Apple) 6 GB (Actual) |
| Memory Slots | 2 – PC2-6400 200-pin DDR2 SO-DIMM 800 MHz |
| Interleaving Support | Yes |
Display
| Built-in Display | 20″ TFT LCD glossy widescreen Display |
| Brightness | 290 cd/m² |
| Resolutions | 640 x 480 800 x 500 800 x 600 840 x 524 1024 x 640 1024 x 768 1280 x 800 1344 x 840 1680 x 1050 (Native) |
Graphics
| Graphics Card | ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO |
| Graphics Memory | 128 MB GDDR3 (ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT) 256 MB GDDR3 (ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO) |
| Display Connection | 1 – Mini-DVI (DVI, VGA, Composite, and S-video with adapter) |
| Display Modes | Dual display extended and video mirroring |
| External Resolution | Up to 1920 x 1200 pixels on Digital Up to 2045 x 1536 pixels on Analog |
| Camera | iSight |
Expansion
| Expansion Slots | None |
| Optical Drive Interface | Ultra ATA/100 |
| Hard Drive Interface | 3 Gbps Serial ATA (SATA) |
Connections
| Ethernet | 10/100/1000BASE-T (RJ-45 – support for jumbo frames) |
| Modem | Apple USB Modem MA034Z/A (Optional) |
| Wi-Fi | AirPort Extreme Card 802.11a/b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR |
| USB | 3 – 480 Mbps (USB 2.0) |
| FireWire | 1 – 400 Mbps 1 – 800 Mbps |
| Infrared | 1 – For Apple Remote only |
| Audio In | 1 – 3.5-mm analog/optical combo jack 1 – Built-in microphone |
| Audio Out | 1 – 3.5-mm analog/optical combo jack 2 – Built-in speakers |
| Display | 1 – Mini-DVI (DVI, VGA, Composite, and S-video with adapter) |
Keyboard and Mouse
Software
| Original OS | Mac OS X 10.5.2 |
| Later OS | Mac OS X 10.5.4 |
| Maximum OS | OS X 10.11.6 |
| Firmware | Intel Extensible Firmware Interface |
| Bundled Software | Mac OS X 10.5 iLife ’08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand) iWork ’08 (30-day trial) |
Power
| Backup Battery | 3 V CR2032 Lithium |
| Maximum Continuous Power | 200 W |
| Line Voltage | 100-240 V AC |
