Apple iMac 21.5" 2017, Core i5, 8GB, 1TB HDD, Radeon Pro 555, Silver
The 3.0 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost up to 3.5 GHz and the AMD Radeon Pro 555 discrete GPU handle everyday tasks and light creative work smoothly. Its 3840 x 2560 UHD display and 8 GB RAM (upgradable to 32 GB) make it a solid choice for detailed visuals and multitasking. Best for home office users who need a reliable, refurbished all-in-one for productivity and media consumption.
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Snapshot
The 30-Second Version
A gorgeous 4K display trapped in a 2017 body with a hard drive that belongs in a museum. Fine for light Mac work, painful for everything else.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- That 4K display is still stunning for the price 99th
- Apple build quality and reliability are near the top of the charts 90th
- Thunderbolt and plenty of USB-A ports for older peripherals
- Refurbished price makes it a cheap Mac entry point
Cons
- 8GB of RAM is one of the worst configs we've seen
- Spinning 1TB HDD feels ancient in an SSD world
- Radeon Pro 555 is a mid-pack GPU at best
- No upgrade path for the CPU or GPU
What owners think
The Word on the Street
How owner sentiment changed over time
ExclusiveBased on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.
- Q1 202485/100
Buyers praised the machine's performance and condition but found the included keyboard and mouse cheap and clumsy.
- The iMac works perfectly even as used/refurbished, performing well after upgrades.
- The included keyboard and mouse are cheap, clumsy, and barely usable.
- The display is loved by users.
- Q4 202392/100
Buyers are highly satisfied with the purchase, praising its condition, performance, and value. Minor issues include cheap accessories and Bluetooth connectivity.
- Device performance, condition, and value praised.
- Offered accessories are cheap; used wireless peripherals have Bluetooth issues.
- Excellent for business or personal use; multiple units ordered.
- Refurbished unit arrives clean; works well after setup.
- Q3 202359/100
Mixed feedback: some buyers praise it as great value and perfect for basic use, but others warn it's outdated, slow, and warn against buying.
- Several users find the iMac perfect for their needs, fast, and a great bargain.
- Revived complaints about the included keyboard and mouse being of poor quality or missing.
- Multiple reviews call the iMac outdated, slow for a child, and not worth buying.
- One review describes it as described but also notes it's outdated hardware.
- Q1 2023100/100
All reviewers are fully satisfied, highlighting savings, daily functionality, and easy setup of a refurbished iMac.
- Excellent value; buyers saved money compared to new models.
- Performs well for both work and personal daily use.
- Easy setup process; computer matches description exactly.
- No defects reported; reliability not a concern in this period.
- Q3 202240/100
Mixed reviews: some praise the picture and sound, but others report long shipping delays and a destroyed hard drive.
- Good picture, sound, and ease of use for desk setup.
- Shipping took 2 months, unacceptable wait time.
- Hard drive was destroyed upon arrival, unusable.
- Uncomfortable and not worth the price for some users.
- Q1 202243/100
Mixed period: half of buyers thrilled with value and performance, others report severe slowness, a boot failure, and misleading sales support for RAM upgrades.
- Boot failure after a few months; unit will not turn on.
- Extreme slowness during setup and basic tasks, force quits needed.
- Geek Squad could not install RAM as promised; misleading online chat.
- Great value, easy setup, works great, extra peripherals included.
- Q4 202127/100
Mixed reviews: one excellent performance, two major issues with updates, power cord, and peripherals.
- Device won't update despite multiple attempts.
- Wrong power cord and poor-quality Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.
- iMac performs all tasks well and exceeds expectations.
- Bluetooth keyboard non-functional, causing frustration.
Based on 45 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.
The proof
Performance
The 3.0GHz quad-core i5 handles everyday tasks fine, but that 1TB HDD is the bottleneck that drags everything down. Booting macOS, launching apps, even opening Finder windows feels sluggish compared to any modern SSD-based machine. The Radeon Pro 555 is a mid-pack performer at best, fine for light photo editing but not much else. The 8GB of RAM lands in the bottom 10% of all desktops we track, which is rough for multitasking in 2025.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Intel 7th Generation Core i5 |
| Cores | 4 |
| Frequency | 3.0 GHz |
Graphics
| GPU | AMD Radeon Pro 555 |
| Type | Discrete |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 8 GB |
| RAM Generation | DDR4 |
| Storage | 1 TB |
| Storage Type | HDD |
Build
| Form Factor | aio |
| Weight | 5.7 kg / 12.5 lbs |
Connectivity
| USB-C Ports | 2 |
| USB Ports | 4 |
| Thunderbolt | 2 x Thunderbolt 3 |
| HDMI | 0 |
| Wi-Fi | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ |
| Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet |
System
| OS | macOS |
vs Competition
Against something like the Minisforum UM760 Slim or GMKtec Nucbox K8 Plus, this iMac gets absolutely smoked on raw performance and modern connectivity. Those mini PCs come with faster CPUs, NVMe storage, and more RAM for similar money. The HP OmniDesk and Dell Tower desktops also offer better upgradeability. But none of them run macOS, and none have a 4K display built in. If you specifically want a Mac with a great screen, this is your cheapest ticket. If you just want a fast desktop, look elsewhere.
| Spec | Apple iMac 21.5" | HP OmniDesk M02-0234 | Dell ECT ECT1250 | Lenovo ThinkCentre M70q Gen 5 | Minisforum DeskMini UM880 Plus | GMKtec Nucbox K8 Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel 7th Generation Core i5 | AMD Ryzen 7 8700G | Intel Core Ultra 7 265 | Intel Core i5 14400T | AMD Ryzen 7 255 | AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS |
| RAM (GB) | 8 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 32 | 32 |
| Storage (GB) | 1024 | 1536 | 1024 | 512 | 1024 | 2048 |
| GPU | AMD Radeon Pro 555 | AMD Radeon 780M | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 | Intel UHD Graphics 730 | AMD Radeon 780M | AMD Radeon 780M |
| Form Factor | aio | mini-tower | mid-tower | mini | mini | mini |
| Psu W | - | 280 | 180 | 90 | 120 | 120 |
| OS | macOS | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Pro | Windows | Windows 11 Pro |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | CPU | GPU | RAM | Ports | Storage | Reliability | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple iMac 21.5" | 19.5 | 51.1 | 9.2 | 50.1 | 46.3 | 99.3 | 90.2 |
| HP OmniDesk M02-0234 Compare | 71.9 | 63.1 | 51.4 | 94.7 | 79.9 | 70 | 98.2 |
| Dell ECT ECT1250 Compare | 88.4 | 68.7 | 54.1 | 87.1 | 69 | 70 | 70.5 |
| Lenovo ThinkCentre M70q Gen 5 Compare | 52.7 | 35.6 | 49.8 | 84.2 | 40.9 | 70 | 95.6 |
| Minisforum DeskMini UM880 Plus Compare | 65.2 | 63.1 | 81.8 | 65.3 | 53.6 | 11.6 | 94.3 |
| GMKtec Nucbox K8 Plus Compare | 64.6 | 63.1 | 81.8 | 85.5 | 90.1 | 11.6 | 95.6 |
Price
Value & Pricing
At $350, you're paying for the display and the Apple logo more than the performance. If you need a Mac for light browsing, email, and maybe some casual photo work, it's not a terrible deal. But you'll want to budget for an external SSD or a RAM upgrade immediately, which eats into the savings fast.
Price History
Read more
Overview
This is a 2017 iMac wearing a nice suit. The 21.5-inch 4K display is still gorgeous, and Apple's build quality remains top-notch, but the internals are showing their age in ways that matter. The 8GB of RAM and a spinning 1TB hard drive are the real story here, not the pretty aluminum shell. At $350 refurbished, it's a tempting entry into the Mac ecosystem, but you need to know exactly what you're signing up for.
Common Questions
Q: Can I upgrade the RAM on this iMac?
Yes, but it's a pain. The 21.5-inch model requires removing the display to access the RAM slots, which is not a casual DIY job. It supports up to 32GB, but most people will want a professional to do it.
Q: Is the 1TB hard drive really that bad?
Honestly, yes. It's a 5400 RPM spinning drive in a world where even budget laptops ship with NVMe SSDs. Boot times and app launches will feel slow. An external SSD via USB-C or Thunderbolt is the easiest fix.
Q: Can this iMac run the latest macOS?
It depends on the version. This 2017 model has been dropped from the newest macOS releases, so you'll be stuck on an older version. That means no more security updates eventually, which is worth considering for a machine you plan to keep.
Who Should Skip This
If you're looking for a fast, modern desktop for gaming, video editing, or heavy multitasking, this isn't it. Go get a Minisforum UM760 Slim or a GMKtec Nucbox K8 Plus instead. You'll get way more performance for the same money, just without the pretty Apple display.
Verdict
Buy this if you want a beautiful 4K Mac for light tasks and you're willing to live with slow storage and limited RAM. Skip it if you need anything resembling modern performance. The display is the star, the internals are the supporting cast that keeps forgetting their lines.
Usage Scores
- Overall54.2
- AI/LLM22
- Gaming44.5
- Portability39
- Creator45.1
- Business60.8
- Developer43.2
- Home Office54.8
- Workstation39.7
