Apple iMac 21.5" Certified Refurbished Silver 2017
The 21.5-inch 4K display delivers a sharp 3840 x 2560 resolution, powered by a 3.0 GHz Intel Core i5 and Radeon Pro 555 graphics for solid entry-level photo editing. Its extensive connectivity includes six USB-A ports and dual Thunderbolt 3 ports, a rare find in modern all-in-ones, though the 1TB HDD feels sluggish by current standards. This refurbished desktop is best for students or home-office users needing a crisp macOS display for productivity tasks, not for AI workloads or heavy video rendering.
Snapshot
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong reliability (99th percentile) 99th
- Strong social proof (92nd percentile) 92nd
- Strong port selection (74th percentile) 74th
Cons
- Below average ram (10th percentile)
What owners think
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Mixed feedback: some buyers praise it as great value and perfect for basic use, but others warn it's outdated, slow, and warn against buying.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- Multiple reviews call the iMac outdated, slow for a child, and not worth buying.
- One review describes it as described but also notes it's outdated hardware.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
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 | 1000 GB |
| Storage Type | HDD |
Build
| Form Factor | aio |
| Weight | 5.7 kg / 12.5 lbs |
Connectivity
| USB-C Ports | 2 |
| USB Ports | 6 |
| Thunderbolt | 2 x Thunderbolt 3 |
| HDMI | 0 |
| Wi-Fi | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ |
| Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet |
System
| OS | macOS |
vs Competition
| Spec | Apple iMac 21.5" Certified Refurbished | Lenovo Legion 90Y6003JUS | HP OMEN GT22-3080 | Dell Tower ECT1250 | MSI MEG Vision X AI VisXAI2NVZ9045 | CLX SET TGMSETRTU5204BM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel 7th Generation Core i5 | Intel Core Ultra 9 | Intel Core Ultra 7 265K | Intel Core Ultra 7 265 | Intel Core Ultra 9 | Intel Core i9 14900KF |
| RAM (GB) | 8 | 64 | 32 | 32 | 64 | 64 |
| Storage (GB) | 1000 | 3072 | 2048 | 2000 | 2048 | 8000 |
| GPU | AMD Radeon Pro 555 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | Intel UHD Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 |
| Form Factor | aio | mid-tower | mid-tower | mid-tower | mid-tower | mid-tower |
| Psu W | - | 1200 | 850 | 180 | 1300 | 850 |
| OS | macOS | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Home |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | CPU | GPU | RAM | Ports | Storage | Reliability | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple iMac 21.5" Certified Refurbished | 51.3 | 47.6 | 9.9 | 73.9 | 47.6 | 99.3 | 91.6 |
| Lenovo Legion 90Y6003JUS Compare | 97.3 | 90 | 96.5 | 91.9 | 96.5 | 70.1 | 84.7 |
| HP OMEN GT22-3080 Compare | 95.7 | 90 | 79.5 | 93.4 | 92 | 70.1 | 86.4 |
| Dell Tower ECT1250 Compare | 89.5 | 34.8 | 83 | 86.7 | 83 | 70.1 | 99.2 |
| MSI MEG Vision X AI VisXAI2NVZ9045 Compare | 97.3 | 91.8 | 97.5 | 98.3 | 92 | 37.4 | 87.4 |
| CLX SET TGMSETRTU5204BM Compare | 94 | 83.6 | 96.5 | 86.7 | 99.3 | 11.7 | 95 |
Usage Scores
A full written review is coming soon. The specs, scores, prices and charts above are always up to date.
