How does the gaming performance of the "Early 2009" Aluminum iMac Core 2 Duo models compare to earlier Aluminum iMac models? How much faster are the graphics?

Please note that all iMac models mentioned in this Q&A have been discontinued. The "Early 2009" iMac models were replaced by the "Late 2009" iMac line on October 20, 2009.

Given the consumer focus of the iMac line and Apple's emphasis on improved graphics for the "Early 2009" Aluminum iMac models -- the iMac "Core 2 Duo" 2.66 20-Inch (Early 2009), 2.66 24-Inch (Early 2009), 2.93 24-Inch (Early 2009), and 3.06 24-Inch (Early 2009) -- it isn't surprising that a variety of reviewers would compare the gaming performance of the "Early 2009" Aluminum iMac to other systems.

As part of an in-depth review, PCMag hit the top-of-the-line iMac "Core 2 Duo" 3.06 24-Inch (Early 2009) with its stock NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 -- running the "Internet standard" Crysis as well as World in Conflict:

The new iMac is good enough, at least for casual players, to play both Crysis (48 fps) and World in Conflict (50 fps) at the lower 1,280-by-1,024 resolution. Hard-core gamers will want a Crysis score of 60 fps or more, as they'll start complaining that they're noticing missed frames in the 45-to-60-fps range. World in Conflict frame rates will seem steady for most gamers, since RTS (real-time strategy) games are playable at a frame rate as low as 30 fps. . . The "old" iMac had a playable WiC score (45 fps), but Crysis was mostly too jerky to play at 36 fps (you could play it, but it won't be as much fun). Therefore, the new graphics are worth it for 3D gaming, and the additional faster memory helps for everything else.

C|Net tested the entry-level 24-Inch model -- the iMac "Core 2 Duo" 2.66 24-Inch (Early 2009) (which has significantly slower NVIDIA GeForce 9400M "integrated" graphics) -- with the older Quake 4 title and was able to get it:

To run Quake 4 at 1920x1080 with all of the detail settings turned on, including 4x anti-aliasing. The results weren't 100 percent smooth, but it was certainly playable. You can expect to sacrifice image quality on more recent games like Call of Duty 4.

Speaking of Call of Duty 4, Engadget tested the mid-level iMac "Core 2 Duo" 2.93 24-Inch (Early 2009) with its stock NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 graphics processor running just that and found:

It's not much faster than the outgoing iMacs. Graphics are a similar story: the GeForce GT 120 chip in the model we have is certainly faster on paper than anything else we've tested, but playing Call of Duty 4 didn't make us feel like we had to race out and upgrade. Sure, you can up the settings slightly and still get 60fps now, but at 1920 x 1200 with everything maxed out there's essentially no difference between the new iMac and our 2007 unit -- you're looking at 8-15fps either way.

Ultimately, the "Early 2009" Aluminum iMac models churn out respectable results in gaming tests, and should be suitable for those with reasonably modest expectations. Extremely "hardcore" gamers no doubt will prefer to continue to build their own gaming boxen or fire up a dedicated console player.

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Also see: How much faster are the "Early 2009" Aluminum iMac Core 2 Duo models than the "Early 2008" models?