Apple cuts another Intel tie by discontinuing 21.5-inch iMac

Apple has discontinued the 21.5-inch iMac. The Intel-powered Mac’s demise means that the only remaining iMacs are now the colorful, M1-equipped 24-inchers and the 27-inch version, which is still on Intel.

As reported by MacRumors on Saturday, Apple confirmed that it has discontinued the 21.5-inch iMac. This news comes after the removal of several configurations of the iMac in March and dwindling supply in April. The 21.5-inch iMac is no longer available from Apple’s online or physical Apple stores unless you get a refurbished one. You may still be able to find unused machines at third-party sellers, MacRumors noted.

Some customers were disappointed that Apple didn’t announce a new iMac at the company’s Unleashed event earlier this month. In March, Apple also discontinued the 27-inch iMac Pro. Now, the company has further reduced its selection of iMacs.

The 21.5-inch iMac came with a 7th-Gen Intel Core i5 CPU running at up to 2.3 GHz with 2 cores and Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640. Apple has been enthusiastic about cutting its dependence on Intel and has put the M1 chip in MacBooks, the iPad Pro, the Mac mini, and the 24-inch iMac.

In addition to its internals, the 24-inch iMac offers notable external improvements over the 21.5-inch model, even beyond its size and delicious selection of colorful chassis. Despite its larger screen space, the 24-inch iMac is 50 percent smaller in volume than the discontinued machine and has bezels that are half the size. The higher resolution of the 24-incher (4480×2520 versus 4096×2304) keeps pixel density comparable (214 pixels per inch versus 218.58). Plus, the larger iMac has a higher-resolution webcam (1080p versus 720p).

Meanwhile, the 27-inch iMac still features an Intel CPU but represents a larger alternative. There have been rumors of Apple updating the iMac lineup with a new 27-inch option in 2022, and we’ve also heard reports of an upcoming 30-inch option.