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The 2024 iMac appears exactly as it always does, but there is an upgrade that might drastically change the selection. Though that's wonderful, it is not the M4 processor. No, I'm referring about the increase in base memory that at last raises the entry-level devices from an appalling 8GB to 16GB. That, together with the upgraded CPUs, aims to finally make the $1,299 iMac cost reasonable for most consumers.
A few more changes include an optional nano-coated display, a revised 12-megapixel webcam, and a rainbow of fresh colors. Otherwise, things are much the same as last year, which would make you question if the upgrade is worth it. Having tested one for content production, gaming and productivity, I can assure you the response is very certainly yes.
What Fresh Features The Most Recent Imac?
The 2023 and 2024 iMacs seem side by side to be very similar. The 24-inch 4.5K 500-nit display and the computer itself are encased in the same compact 0.43-inch (11.5mm) thick chassis. It still stands on an exquisite stand that tilts but lacks an adjustable height adjustment. While tilt-only is a standard design on all-in-one PCs, at this point it would be wonderful to see Apple perform even a basic height adjustment like it did with the Studio Display. Elsewhere, there are two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the base model and four on the more costly variants, along with a magnetic power connector and 3.5mm headphone jack on the left side — all the same as before.
What is new is the higher-quality 12MP webcam that’s a significant jump forward from earlier generations. It finally produces crisp and color-accurate video worthy of the rest of the computer, to help you appear your best while on FaceTime or Zoom. It supports Apple’s Center Stage function that auto-centers the subject during video conversations, even if you’re moving around. The new webcam also works with the new Desk View function that allows you show off anything below your screen.
You can now order the iMac with optional nano-textured display glass that filters glare, even with a light aiming straight at it. Though it does somewhat compromise sharpness, I’d recommend it if you can afford the extra $200. Otherwise, it’s the same crisp and vivid display with 500 nits of brightness, a broad P3 gamut and a resolution of 4,480 x 2,250, which are all the same as before. The 24-inch size may be too tiny for some, but I found it enough for most tasks, although I’m used to two 32-inch displays. Still, considering that the iMac is Apple’s only desktop model with an integrated display, it would be good to see a 27- or even 32-inch option on future generations, even if it makes it less small and portable.
The iMac M4’s color pallet also got a modest makeover. Though it still comes in the same seven hues as previously, they’re now in somewhat milder tints that Apple terms “fresh.” Indeed, the one I tried has a very pale green that is so delicate it’s hard to even detect in weak light. I’m a lover of understated tones, but anyone looking for a blast of brilliant color may be disappointed.
The accessories have also been upgraded. Both the new Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard (with optional Touch ID) now charge via USB-C rather than Lightning like the iMac M3, removing a significant criticism in our earlier review. As usual, all the accessories, including the cords, match the color of your iMac - a lovely touch.
I adore the feel of Apple’s keyboard for quick typing, as I’m not a mechanical keyboard guy. The Magic Mouse is an acquired taste, but the somewhat firm click pressure and precision fit my taste and I appreciate the flexibility to scroll side-to-side as well as up and down. Yes, the charging connector is on the bottom, which is a bit of a design mistake, but it can last a month between charges — and you only need to put it in for a few minutes to receive enough juice to last a workday.
The significant upgrades are inside with the M4 CPU, which is available in two configurations. The base $1,299 model comes with an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and two Thunderbolt 4 connections. All other models include 10-core CPUs, 10-core GPUs and four Thunderbolt connections, beginning at $1,499 with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There’s no M4 Pro option, and hence no Thunderbolt 5 ports on any 2024 iMac. Every version bar the basic model additionally features gigabit ethernet (on the power brick) and Touch ID on the Magic Keyboard.
The model I’m examining reveals that Apple’s updates are still excessively pricey. It has a 10-core M4, 24GB of RAM, 1TB of storage and four Thunderbolt 4 connections, coupled with the nano-textured screen. Those three choices (the extra 8GB of RAM, 1TB of storage and the upgraded screen) catapult the $1,299 price up to $2,299. The good news, though, is that not buying them won’t leave you with an unreasonable quantity of memory as previously.
In Use: Outstanding Performance And Pleasant Characteristics
Desktop PCs don’t get much more practical than the iMac M4. Installing it is as straightforward as setting it on a surface and plugging it in, then running through a pretty brief setup. With everything incorporated in the display, you may set it on your desk, in a kid’s bedroom or anywhere else with a minimal amount of space. It’s simple to transport, too, as there are no cords other than electricity and weighs just 9.74 pounds.
Performance was a pleasant surprise, greater than I expected on jobs ranging from video editing to games. The core benchmarks indicate huge increases over the iMac M3 in processing, graphics performance and AI, ranging from 20 percent on single CPU tests to over 30 percent on the GPU side.
The iMac M4 is really a little faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4, but pokier than the 16-inch variant with an M4 Pro CPU, particularly when it comes to graphics. In reality, GPU performance is much lower than the Mac Mini and even the MacBook Pro M3 Pro versions. Still, integrated graphics are significantly more powerful than they used to be, and the iMac M4 trumps most competing Windows PCs in that area, even the Surface with a Snapdragon X Elite CPU. However, it sits considerably below PCs with dedicated graphics from NVIDIA and AMD.
Read Also: Review of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
Gaming reveals the iMac’s GPU inadequacies, with resolution limited to a maximum of 1080p for titles like Resident Evil 7 Biohazard and Baldur’s Gate 3 to have viable frame rates over 30 fps. Still, it’s not a bad gaming machine for an AIO that’s largely built to run Excel spreadsheets or make Zoom calls.
It’s surprisingly solid for content development, too. That’s supported by the speedy storage speeds (2.94/5.14 GB/s read/write), integrated video decoding and speedier CPU. For instance, I don’t anticipate a lot of iMac users to edit 8K 24p video on Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve, but you can certainly do that. It also handled Premiere Pro, Photoshop and Lightroom Classic projects effectively. The only place it faltered was on RAW 8K video playback, which is a pretty large ask for an all-in-one. My 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro can handle that owing to the additional cores, but it’s roughly $1,000 more.
With that bright, crisp display, the iMac M4 is also fantastic for entertainment. It can play 4K HDR video and supports Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio owing to the six speaker configuration with two force-canceling woofers. Of course it’s best to use high-quality headphones, but the sound right out of speakers is better than any AIO I’ve used previously. When watching movies and series on Netflix and Prime Video (The Diplomat and Don’t Look Up), the iMac M4 presented a vivid, immersive viewing experience.
Finally, AI was a significant selling feature of the M4 Macs during its unofficial Mac Week presentation. The iMac M4 did well in that area with a 51,421 Geekbench 6 quantized AI score, roughly matching findings from the M4 Pro and M4 Max (all M4 CPUs contain 16 “Neural Engine” AI cores). As a more realistic test, I transcribed a 69-minute Engadget podcast episode using the Whisper Transcription software, which took three minutes and four seconds. That was the same as the MacBook Pro M4, but a minute slower than the M4 Pro model.
Should you buy the iMac M4?
With an unaltered design, there would seem to be no need to buy or upgrade to the iMac M4. I disagree for one reason: Apple’s shift to 16GB of basic memory allows you to accomplish more than ever on an entry-level iMac, including strenuous activities like 4K video editing and AAA gaming. In fact, I would only consider acquiring an M3 or earlier model if getting one with 16GB of RAM is less than the iMac M4.
I would still avoid the base model if at all feasible, though. For me, the sweet spot is currently the $1,499 variant that comes with 256GB of storage, four Thunderbolt 4 ports (to quickly add additional storage) and the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. That’s still not cheap, but provides you a very competent and extensible laptop for $400 less than the minimum price we advised last year.