Apple’s new M1 iMac is now accessible and we completely perceive that you just wish to purchase one. It’s simply Apple’s coolest desktops in years, however selecting which one to purchase is about extra than simply choosing your favourite colour. So comply with our information and spend your cash correctly.
Up to date 9/10/21: Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman tweeted that the entire 24-inch iMac colours will likely be accessible on the Apple Retailer. Beforehand, the orange, purple, and yellow fashions had been solely accessible on-line.
What’s commonplace on all three iMac fashions
Earlier than we begin moving into the variations, let’s check out the options which can be the identical on all three fashions of the 24-inch iMac.
- 4.5K Retina show (assist for 1 billion colours, 500 nits brightness, P3 colour gamut, True Tone)
- M1 processsor
- 8GB RAM (16GB improve accessible)
- 1080p FaceTime HD digicam
- Six speaker system
- Three-microphone array
- 3.5mm audio jack
- Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0
That’s a variety of laptop irrespective of which mannequin you purchase. However there are key variations between the $1,299, $1,499, and $1,699 iMac fashions.
Apple
24-inch iMac: Design and colours
All the iMac fashions have the identical all-in-one design, measuring 21.5 x 18.1 x 5.8 inches and weighing about 10 kilos, which is sort of spectacular for such a robust desktop PC. However the colour choices are completely different, with the upper configurations getting a number of additional choices.
| iMac mannequin | Colours |
|---|---|
| $1,299 24-inch iMac | blue, inexperienced, pink, silver |
| $1,499 24-inch iMac | blue, inexperienced, pink, silver, orange, purple, yellow |
| $1,699 24-inch iMac | blue, inexperienced, pink, silver, orange, purple, yellow |
Presently, the orange, purple, and yellow iMacs can be found solely by Apple’s on-line retailer. Nonetheless, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman tweeted that Apple will quickly announce that the entire 24-inch iMac colours will likely be accessible on the Apple Retailer.
Our choose: In the event you completely, positively will need to have an orange iMac, you completely, positively should spend the additional money. (It does look fabulous.) Most individuals aren’t into fancy colours and can go along with the silver one. Now we have a pink one within the workplace, and whereas the entrance is pink, the again is a deep pink that appears nice.
24-inch iMac: Graphics (GPU)
All three fashions have an 8-core M1 CPU, however the graphics processor (GPU) is completely different within the $1,299 iMac.
| iMac mannequin | CPU cores | GPU cores |
|---|---|---|
| $1,299 24-inch iMac | 8 | 7 |
| $1,499 24-inch iMac | 8 | 8 |
| $1,699 24-inch iMac | 8 | 8 |
The $1,299 iMac has one fewer GPU core than the opposite two fashions. To get an concept of how the 7-core and 8-core GPU evaluate, let’s check out benchmarks from the MacBook Air evaluation by Macworld U.Ok. They examined each the $999 MacBook Air with a 7-core GPU and the $1,249 MacBook Air 8-core GPU. Right here’s how the Geekbench check outcomes evaluate.
| iMac mannequin | Geekbench 5 OpenCL | Geekbench 5 Metallic |
|---|---|---|
| 7-core GPU MacBook Air | 16804 | 19283 |
| 8-core GPU MacBook Air | 18462 | 20960 |
OpenCL and Metallic are frameworks which can be used to render graphics. These checks present how briskly every GPU can carry out. The 8-core GPU reveals a ten % enhance over the 7-core GPU in Geekbench’s OpenCL check. With Metallic, the development is 8 %. Remember that these are benchmark checks designed to emphasize out and make heavy calls for of the GPU, so when you might discover a slight distinction in case you’re enjoying an action-packed online game, in the case of on a regular basis use—internet searching, e-mail, modifying your photographs, and so forth.— you gained’t discover the distinction in any respect.
Our choose: You’re getting an awesome chip and stable graphics efficiency irrespective of which mannequin you purchase, so the GPU shouldn’t be the overwhelming issue when deciding which 24-inch iMac to purchase.
24-inch iMac: Thunderbolt and USB ports
All three 24-inch iMac fashions have two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports. Nonetheless, that’s all you get on the $1,299 mannequin. The $1,499 and $1,699 fashions even have a pair of USB 3 ports, which will likely be helpful in case you have a number of peripheral gadgets to attach. Not one of the iMac fashions have any USB-A ports, which is a bummer, however all of them have a headphone jack on the left aspect.
The $1,299 M1 iMac (left) has two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports. Tthe $1,499 and $1,699 M1 iMac (proper) has those self same ports, along with two USB-3 ports.
Apple
Our take: Clearly, if you’re solely connecting one or two objects to your Mac, two ports will suffice. However two ports on a desktop machine is extraordinarily limiting, so that you’ll probably must spend money on a Thunderbolt hub, a tool that’s primarily a field that has a number of completely different ports on it, performing as an adapter on your gadgets. For instance, we reviewed the Corsair TBT100 Thunderbolt 3 Dock ($250), that you can connect with the iMac’s Thunderbolt port, and it’ll then give you two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, a gigabit ethernet connector, two HDMI video jacks, and an SD card slot. In the event you simply want extra USB-C ports, we love the OWC Thunderbolt Hub, which provides two additional Thunderbolt 4 ports and a USB-A port.
24-inch iMac: Storage
The 24-inch iMac has the standard storage upgrades, going as much as 2TB on the upper configurations.
| iMac mannequin | Commonplace configuration | Improve choices |
|---|---|---|
| $1,299 24-inch iMac | 256GB | 512GB ($200), 1TB ($400) |
| $1,499 24-inch iMac | 256GB | 512GB ($200), 1TB ($400), 2TB ($800) |
| $1,699 24-inch iMac | 512GB | 1TB ($200), 2TB ($600) |
Our choose: With cloud storage (iCloud, Dropbox, Field, OneDrive) turning into extra prevalent, a 256GB SSD will in all probability be sufficient for most individuals. Content material creators who cope with giant recordsdata will need extra onboard storage, which implies they’ll in all probability wish to improve to one of many greater fashions.
24-inch iMac: Gigabit ethernet
Most individuals are utilizing Wi-Fi connections to a community and the web, however energy customers will favor a wired reference to an ethernet port to make sure prime speeds and low latency. The 24-inch iMac doesn’t have a gigabit ethernet jack on it per se, however you do get one on the ability adapter, as you may see under. That ethernet-equipped adapter doesn’t include the $1,299 24-inch iMac, nevertheless. You’ll be able to decide to get one, however it’ll value an additional $30.
You get an influence adapter with the $1,299 M1 M1, however it’s not this one with gigabit ethernet.
Apple
Our choose: The ethernet energy adapter is a cool resolution to remove desktop cable muddle, however you’ll must spend $30 on prime of the $1,299 iMac. So if you really want wired web, you’ll in all probability need at the very least a few of the different options on the $1,499 mannequin too.
24-inch iMac: Contact ID
Contact ID is lastly on a desktop Mac! Apple made a super-cool keyboard particularly for the 24-inch iMac in seven colours to match each hue, and it has Apple’s fingerprint sensor within the prime proper nook. With Contact ID enabled, any time you’ll want to enter a password, a immediate seems and also you merely lay your finger on the Contact ID button to authenticate.
Nonetheless, the Magic Keyboard with Contact ID is barely accessible on the $1,499 and $1,699 fashions. The $1,299 mannequin doesn’t embody Contact ID, which is a bummer. As an alternative, it has a typical wi-fi Magic Keyboard that may be upgraded to a Contact ID keyboard for a $50 payment.
The Magic Keyboard with Contact ID is commonplace with the $1,499 and $1,699 M1 iMac.
Apple
Our choose: We’re massive followers of Contact ID on our MacBooks, so we undoubtedly suggest getting it, whether or not you pay additional or bounce to the $1,499 mannequin. A $50 payment isn’t an enormous expense, it represents 25 % of the distinction between the low-end iMac and the center possibility. So that you may as properly spring for the upper mannequin.
24-inch iMac: Our purchasing recommendation
It’s good that the 24-inch iMac begins on the similar $1,299 because it did earlier than, however with only a $200 distinction between it and the subsequent mannequin, we suggest saving up for the higher-priced one. The $1,499 24-inch iMac has the proper combos of options for the value: You get a complete of 4 ports for connecting cables and gadgets, the Magic Keyboard with Contact ID, gigabit ethernet, extra colour selections, and a bit little bit of a lift with graphics processing. If you need Contact ID and ethernet, you’ll want so as to add $80 to the value of the $1,299 iMac, so that you’re solely saving $120. We expect that cash is properly spent on the upper mannequin.
Roman has lined know-how for the reason that early Nineties. His profession began at MacUser, and he is labored for MacAddict, Mac|Life, and TechTV.
