What is it? The iMac is what Apple is famous for, although the current design is as far removed from the original as you. can get. It’s the Mac to have in a living room or an office reception – somewhere you can show it off.
What’s new? In October 2024 Apple introduced the M4 version of the 24-inch iMac. Little has changed since the redesign of 2021, which represented the first major update in more than a decade, with a cleaner design and a choice of seven bright colors (slightly lighter shades for 2024).
Who’s it for? The iMac is great for both novices and demanding users. It can handle general-purpose and heavy-duty tasks equally well, although those after a replacement for a 27-inch IMac or iMac Pro might want to wait to see if the rumored iMac Pro ever materializes, or settle for a Mac mini Pro or Mac Studio. It’s ideal for someone who needs to buy a complete computer setup (keyboard, mouse or trackpad, and display) and wants to maximize workspace efficiency. The 24-inch iMac is a design icon that will look great in any office.
How much does the iMac cost? Following the June price hikes, the three standard configurations start at $1,499/£1,499 (up from $1,299/£1,299) for the entry-level model, and $1,699/£1,699 (up from $1,499/£1,499) for the mid-range.
What are the specifications? The 24-inch iMac still uses Apple’s M4 chip. Compared to other Macs, there is half the storage as standard, at 256GB. There are several configurations available as well as build-to-order options:
- Apple M4, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB memory, 256GB SSD, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, $1,499/£1,499.
- Apple M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB memory, 256GB SSD, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, $1,699/£1,699.
- Apple M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB memory, 512GB SSD, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, $1,899/£1,899.
- Apple M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, $2,099/£2,099.
- Additional options: 32GB memory; up to 2TB storage
What are the display specifications? The 24-inch 4.5K Retina display has 11.3 million pixels and supports the P3 wide color gamut, over a billion colors, 500 nits of brightness, and True Tone. Apple treats the display with an anti-reflective coating to help with readability. The display hasn’t changed since the M1 model launched.
How do I connect stuff? The $1,499 24-inch iMac 24 has two Thunderbolt 4 ports that also work with USB-C devices. The $1,699 and $1,899 iMacs have four Thunderbolt 4 ports (the previous generation had two Thunderbolt/USB 4 and two USB 3 ports). If you have a USB-A device, you need to buy an adapter, such as Apple’s ($19 / £19). If you have multiple USB-A devices and other items, consider a Thunderbolt hub. The 24-inch iMac also has a headphone jack on the side.
Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 are built-in. Apple doesn’t put a gigabit ethernet port on the 24-inch iMac—instead, it’s on the power adapter. But that ethernet-equipped power adapter comes standard with the $1,699 and $1,899 models. It’s not included with the $1,499 model, but you can select it as an option at the point of purchase—and yes, that means you’ll have to pay extra for it.
How fast is it?: The 24-inch iMac is the only Mac still using the M4 chip, so it’s not as fast as the other Macs, but it’s still got all the speed general consumers need, and it can even handle pro applications with no problem. However, the $1,499 model has only one fan inside its body, while the $1,699 and $1,899 models have two fans. That means the high-priced models do a better job of keeping the internals cool. The $1,499 model may need to slow down its performance on heavy-duty tasks in order to maintain a proper temperature.
Any other considerations? The iMac doesn’t represent particularly good value at its current price. A better buy is the MacBook Air, which offers a faster M5 chip with a 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD for $1,299/£1,299. By comparison, the iMac costs $1,499/£1,499 yet includes an older M4 chip with an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, the same 16GB of memory, and only a 256GB SSD. We feel that the iMac price is high compared to the specs on offer, but we do admire the design. We are holding out for a bigger screen. Apple is rumored to launch a M6 iMac in 2027.
Why we recommend the iMac (M4): The iMac was transformed when Apple introduced the redesigned 24-inch model in 2021, with major improvements to its design, display, and performance. If you’re buying one today, the $1,699/£1,699 model is the sweet spot, adding more ports, Touch ID, and Ethernet. We’d still love to see Apple revive the iMac Pro with a larger display, and sincerely hope one is in the pipeline.
