What is it? Apple unveiled the 24-inch iMac in April 2021 and then made us wait until October 2023 for the M3 version (with no M2 version ever launched). The redesign in 2021 represented the first major update in more than a decade, with a cleaner design and a choice of bright colors.
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 (above) or Mac Studio (below). 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? Unfortunately, the iMac prices outside the U.S. went up in January 2023, making what was already an expensive machine even more expensive. Sadly Apple didn’t drop prices when the M3 iMac arrived so the three standard configurations still start at $1,299/£1,399 (was £1,249) for the entry-level model, $1,499/£1,599 (was £1,449) for the mid-range, and $1,699/£1,799 (was £1,649) for the top of the range.
What are the specifications? The 24-inch iMac uses Apple’s M3 chip, the same M3 that features in the 14-inch MacBook Pro. There are several configurations available as well as build-to-order options:
- Apple M3 SoC with an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU; 8GB of memory; 256GB SSD, $1,299/£1,399
- Apple M3 SoC with an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU; 8GB of memory; 256GB SSD, $1,499/£1,599
- Apple M3 SoC with an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU; 8GB of memory; 512GB SSD, $1,699/£1,799
- Additional options: 16GB or 24GB unified memory and up to 2TB SSD.
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 $1,299 24-inch iMac 24 has two Thunderbolt 3 ports that also work with USB-C devices. The $1,499 and $1,699 iMacs have two additional USB-C 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.
The 24-inch iMac, unlike the older iMacs, does not have an SDXC slot. Once again, you’ll need an adapter, such as the Anker SD Card reader ($17). However, it does have a super-cool magnetic power cord.
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 $1,499 and $1,699 models. It’s not included with the $1,299 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?: Since the 24-inch iMac has the same M3 as the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro, its speed is very similar. That means it’s fast, and it’s much faster than the M1 model it replaces–its even faster than the Intel-powered iMac Pro (discontinued some years ago). It’s got all the speed general consumers need, and it can handle pro applications with no problem. However, the $1,299 model has only one fan inside its body, while the $1,499 and $1,699 models have two fans. That means the high-priced models do a better job keeping the internals cool. The $1,299 model may need to slow down its performance on heavy-duty tasks in order to maintain a proper temperature.
Macworld’s buying advice: Everything about the iMac was greatly improved with the 24-inch model, from the design to the display to its performance. More than two years on Apple finally got around to updating the chip from M1 to M3, which is great news. But, we hope rumors that Apple may launch an iMac Pro model are true. If you are buying one the sweet spot is the $1,499/£1,599 model, which gets you more ports, Touch ID, and ethernet.
