Apple iMac 24-inch M4 (2024) review: the best, and most colorful, all-in-one computer levels up

Like nan M3 earlier it, nan caller 24-inch iMac pinch M4 is nan champion all-in-one machine you tin acquisition – and it's much affordable than ever. It's a thoroughly modern Mac that's disposable successful caller nosy colors – I emotion nan Purple and Pink options – pinch plentifulness of powerfulness connected pat for activity and play courtesy of nan M4 chip. It besides starts pinch 16GB of RAM, a long-awaited. and welome upgrade, ships pinch USB-C peripherals, and has an improved smarter webcam.

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Apple iMac 24-inch (M4) Review: Two-minute review

The iMac has been nan all-in-one machine to hit since nan jump to Apple silicon and a well-received redesign. MacOS teamed pinch an Apple-made processor make for an fantabulous experience, and pinch an iMac you get everything you request to get disconnected to nan races successful nan box.

The 2024 iMac doesn’t majorly depart from this moving look – but 3 changes, err four, if you’re consenting to walk a spot more, make 1 of nan champion gadgets astir moreover better. First, Apple has dropped nan value by $100 / £100 / AU$200, mounting it astatine $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$1,999. For that, you get an M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of retention – that’s amended specs than nan M3 version, truthful you're getting bully worth here.

The creation is identical to nan erstwhile exemplary from a twelvemonth agone and nan M1 iMac, which arrived successful 2021. It’s an excellent-looking instrumentality that tin fresh successful almost immoderate abstraction – beryllium it a due desk, a room counter, aliases moreover a shelf. It still only comes successful 1 size – 24-inch – which mightiness beryllium a deal-breaker for some, but it appears that Apple wants those folks to get a Mac mini and brace it pinch a display.

Apple’s only large alteration pinch nan creation is caller colors, and I emotion them. These caller shades are much vibrant and lucifer Apple’s different products better, and nan finishes tin alteration depending connected really nan ray hits them. You tin get nan M4 iMac successful Purple, Blue, Green, Orange, Yellow, aliases Silver, and you’ll get color-matched peripherals – a Magic Keyboard pinch a Magic Mouse aliases Magic Trackpad – which each yet characteristic USB-C ports. However, Apple didn’t return nan clip to redesign nan Magic Mouse; nan larboard is still astatine nan bottom.

Under nan hood, nan M4 spot outpaces nan M3, and delivers noticeable improvements complete nan M1-powered aliases erstwhile Intel-powered iMacs. Applications unfastened swiftly pinch nary noticeable lag, and you tin do overmuch much connected this iMac than connected an iMac from years ago. MacOS Sequoia, complete pinch immoderate early Apple Intelligence features, is preloaded.

The built-in FaceTime camera has besides been upgraded pinch a higher megapixel count and CenterStage functionality to automatically support you successful nan framework during video calls – you'll still beryllium successful nan changeable if you for illustration to circle while walking.

So betwixt a little value for nan introduction model, nan presence of nan M4 chip, and a switch successful FaceTime cameras, location is simply a full batch to for illustration here, particularly if you’re aft a Mac – aliases a machine successful wide – that's fresh to spell retired of nan box. Further, though, if you want to guarantee that you tin usage nan surface successful immoderate lighting conditions, and scheme to spot it successful a room wherever you can’t really power nan lighting, nan caller nano-texture action does an awesome occupation of blocking reflections.

Between nan caller colors and nan improved performance, nan latest iMac is again nan champion all-in-one computer, and nan complete package. If you person an M3 iMac aliases moreover an M1, I don’t deliberation you request to tally retired and upgrade, unless you’re hitting a capacity roadblock (which is unlikely); but if you person an older exemplary you’ll beryllium successful for a treat. And, again, nan colors are a delight.

Apple iMac 24-inch (M4) Review: Pricing and Availability

• How overmuch does it cost? Starts astatine $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$1,999
• When is it available? Up for bid now, pinch shipping from November 8

Along pinch nan caller Mac mini, 14-inch MacBook Pro, and 16-inch MacBook Pro, nan iMac pinch M4 is up for bid now, and originates shipping connected November 8. The M4 iMac isn't only a better-specced instrumentality than nan M3; it's besides cheaper. For $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$1,999, you get nan 24-inch M4 iMac pinch an M4 spot (8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine), 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. You besides get your prime of color, and you nary longer request to walk much to get nan shadiness you want.

The step-up exemplary gives you a amended M4 spot pinch a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine for $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$2,399. That is paired pinch 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and a gigabit ethernet port. The top-of-the-line iMac, which we tested, costs $2,699 / £2,699 / AU$4,199 and comes pinch 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. You tin opt for nan nano-texture show for an other $200.

Apple iMac 24-inch (M4) Review: Specs

Apple iMac 24-inch (M4) Review: Design

• The aforesaid creation arsenic nan erstwhile 2 models
• New colors look great
• Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse yet get USB-C

When Apple likes a design, it tends to instrumentality pinch it, and it's done truthful here. The caller iMac pinch nan M4 spot looks astir identical to nan M3 iMac, and moreover nan M1 exemplary that ushered successful nan all-new look successful 2021.

Aside from an ever-so-thin build that will return up minimal abstraction connected a table (it weighs successful astatine nether 10lbs), nan main characteristic present is nan 24-inch Retina 5K display. I’ll touch connected this a spot much below, but for now cognize that it’s a vibrant and visually rich | viewing experience.

The surface offers a 4480 x 5250 solution pinch 218 pixels per inch and maxes retired astatine 500 nits of brightness. Maybe nan astir meaningful summation is simply a caller Nano Texture option, which lets you spot nan iMac successful almost immoderate abstraction – including a room pinch monolithic windows letting sunlight straight connected it. Yes, it’s an other expense, but it joins an already rich | Retina viewing acquisition that supports nan Wide Color P3 gamut and Apple’s True Tone that adjusts nan brightness reside to make it easy connected your eyes.

Like connected nan M3 and M1 models, nan 24-inch surface is wrapped successful a achromatic separator each nan measurement around. On a perchance very colorful all-in-one, this is simply a beautiful bland prime and allows you to attraction connected nan screen. Tucked supra nan show connected nan apical is nan astir invited addition, a caller 12-megapixel ultrawide camera pinch support for Center Stage. That not only lets it supply a amended ocular for calls aliases photos but besides offers a wide shot, and acknowledgment to immoderate smart software, it will automatically support you successful nan frame. That intends if you squat down, it lowers, aliases if you jump up, it pans up, and if different personification walks into nan shot, it will halfway you both. Quiet handy.

The caller iMac still has a chin connected nan bottom, but I don’t deliberation astir folks will mind, particularly since it’s color-matched to immoderate shadiness you choose. You nary longer request to salary much to get nan colour you want, arsenic each 7 are disposable successful immoderate configuration of nan iMac. I’ve been testing nan caller iMac successful purple, which perfectly matches nan latest iPad mini and caller AirPods Max – a lovely, light, and airy hue shade. Giving much of a lilac consciousness connected nan beforehand and a deeper purple connected nan backmost and nan accompanying stand. Apple besides offers nan iMac successful Pink – nan pinkish of your dreams; it looks stunning – Green, Blue, Yellow, Orange, and Silver.

Like erstwhile models, nan container includes a Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse aliases a Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad color-matched to nan iMac. The colors are astir visible connected nan keyboard, wherever nan achromatic keys are group connected apical of nan colored aluminum and connected nan Touch ID rim.

The different large alteration is that Apple’s accessories person yet switched to USB-C. So we tin yet opportunity bye-bye-bye to Lightning, astatine slightest for nan Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Mouse. With nan latter, you mightiness presume that Apple besides swapped nan port, but they did not. The USB-C larboard lives connected nan bottommost of nan Magic Mouse, conscionable for illustration nan erstwhile Lightning Port, truthful erstwhile it comes clip to complaint it, you’ll plug successful location and can’t usage nan rodent until it’s charged. Maybe adjacent year. A affirmative is that you get a color-matched braided USB-C to USB-C cablegram successful nan box.

Like nan M3 iMac and M1-powered edition, nan higher-end iMac has 4 Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports connected nan backmost rear correct erstwhile looking astatine it from nan front. These are awesome spots to link peripherals, and nan powerfulness fastener is connected nan different side. The guidelines $1,299 iMac comes pinch 2 Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, but some characteristic a headphone jack connected nan left-hand side.

If you opt for nan iMac to person a gigabit ethernet port, it’s recovered connected nan powerfulness brick. You’ll link nan iMac to nan powerfulness halfway connected nan backmost pinch a proprietary information connector.

To support nan creation present truthful thin, location isn’t overmuch room for different ports. Many of nan existent components unrecorded successful that chin connected nan bottommost of nan iMac. The guidelines is rather mini astatine conscionable 5.8 inches but keeps nan iMac opinionated well, and acknowledgment to immoderate articulation, you tin tilt nan show vertically up aliases down for nan cleanable angle. The wide dimensions and weight are nan aforesaid arsenic nan erstwhile type arsenic good – 54.7 x 46.1 x 14.7cm (21.5 x 18.1 x 5.8 inches) and 4.42 kg (9.74 lbs) aliases 4.44 kg (9.79 lbs) for nan much costly models. Even so, 4 USB-C models, moreover connected nan guidelines $1,299 configuration, would person been a welcomed addition.

While you won’t physically spot them, Apple’s besides built successful a six-speaker strategy pinch force-canceling woofers that support Spatial Audio and a three-microphone array – some are unchanged twelvemonth complete year, though. Still, audio playback for euphony and videos sounds rich. I recovered nan onboard speakers awesome for video calls, ensuring clear audio and besides blocking retired immoderate reverb erstwhile speaking.

As a whole, though, Apple’s iMac is still nan best-looking all-in-one connected nan market. While it’s akin to 2 erstwhile editions, nan caller colors – particularly nan vibrant shades – guarantee it provides a refreshing acquisition successful use. It besides simply looks stunning successful immoderate space.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Apple iMac 24-inch (M4) Review: Display

• 24 inches is plentifulness of room for multitasking
• Display gets vibrant, but is only 60Hz
• Nano texture action is awesome astatine blocking reflections

Just for illustration nan caller 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro pinch M4 aliases nan iPad Pro pinch M4, nan iMac now comes pinch nan action of a nano-texture solid finish. It’s an other $200, but it’s a typical solid and finishing to nan existent portion that lets it drastically trim visible reflections from ray aliases different sources. You get that typical solid for nan cost, and Apple includes its elusive ‘polishing cloth’ successful nan box.

Now, my apartment’s surviving room has a ton of windows and nonstop sunlight for almost nan full day, truthful it was benignant of nan cleanable spot to put nan iMac pinch nano-texture to nan test, arsenic I often move astir connected a MacBook Air aliases Pro to trim reflections. The result, though, is I could support nan iMac connected my room antagonistic and beryllium connected a barstool, sloppy of whether nan ray was reflecting connected it, particularly earthy light. Yes, if it’s ace bright, you’ll announcement it to a degree, but it usually diffuses rather people and lets you activity successful these ultra-bright environments.

Basically, it tin trim down connected astir glare, beryllium it from earthy aliases biology sources, and if you’re already investing successful a caller iMac, it will make it a spot much versatile. Regardless of whether you opt for nano-texture, you still get a Retina 4.5K show measuring 4480 x 5250 solution pinch 218 pixels per inch. It’s still only a 60Hz display, which is simply a spot disappointing, but if you’re not coming from a show pinch a higher refresh rate, I deliberation you’ll beryllium correct astatine home.

The show is fantabulous for regular web browsing, FaceTime calls, and different productivity usage cases. I noticed inky blacks and crisp letters pinch connection processing connected this reappraisal aliases pinch emails. Streaming movies aliases TV shows connected nan show is simply a existent dainty and mightiness beryllium a existent usage lawsuit if you usage this successful a family room aliases arsenic nan main instrumentality successful an apartment. I could besides easy edit photos successful Photos, Pixelmator, aliases Photoshop and moreover tackle video edits successful Final Cut Pro.

While not arsenic rich | and pinch less opposition points, nan iMac tin beryllium utilized to crippled comfortably compared to a MacBook Pro. The M4 spot does support move caching and ray-tracing, truthful titles for illustration Resident Evil 2 were enjoyable here.

The 1 title I could spot carried complete from nan erstwhile models, and for caller folks, is that nan iMac only comes successful 1 size – 24 inches. There is nary longer a 21.5-inch and 27-inch for illustration erstwhile Apple offered Intel iMacs. I urge getting a Mac mini and bringing a show if you want a bigger aliases smaller size.

• Display score: 4/5

Apple iMac 24-inch (M4) Review: Performance

• M4 spot provides plentifulness of power
• The iMac tin grip activity and play, including AAA gaming titles
• Apple Intelligence features – for illustration Writing Tools and Image Playground – tally good here

There are 2 main configurations of nan iMac pinch M4, depending connected nan type of M4 spot you want. The entry-level exemplary should beryllium conscionable good for astir folks, acknowledgment to Apple upping nan guidelines RAM to 16GB. That configuration includes an M4 spot pinch an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. You tin salary a spot more, starting astatine $1,499, for an M4 Chip pinch a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine – nan value will get higher arsenic you up RAM and storage. The guidelines configuration tops retired astatine 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, while nan higher-end versions spell up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage.

I’ve been testing a purple iMac pinch a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine pinch 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. Out of nan box, it came pinch macOS Sequoia 15.1, truthful that intends nan first Apple Intelligence features for illustration Writing Tools, a redesigned Siri pinch a rainbow glow, Clean Up successful Photos, and Notifications successful summaries arsenic good arsenic wide OS improvements for illustration iPhone Mirroring, which is some ace useful and addicting. It’s a powerhouse of a machine and a Mac, moreover pinch nan entry-level M4 chip, and nan benchmarks lucifer those expectations rather well.

In my regular testing, I could person Safari and Google Chrome some unfastened pinch upwards of 20+ tabs, arsenic good arsenic Slack, Messages, AirTable, Pixelmator, Preview, Calendar, and iPhone Mirroring unfastened without nan iMac losing speed. Of course, this is simply a apical configuration for nan iMac, truthful your mileage mightiness alteration a bit, but arsenic pinch astir Apple Silicon Macs, you’ll find it zippy and hard-pressed to get nan onboard instrumentality to footwear in.

Considering it’s a 3-nanometer spot packed wrong a modern, sleek build, it besides speaks to nan different setups wherever an iMac could work. It mightiness beryllium perfect for a shared machine amongst a family – macOS supports aggregate profiles, and you’ll find parental controls. Still, it has capable horsepower for casual message and web browsing and plentifulness of powerfulness for connection processing aliases creating a PowerPoint. Similarly, it could beryllium utilized for businesses that tin load massive, thousand-row spreadsheets successful AirTable, Excel, aliases Numbers and different much circumstantial applications. You tin besides powerfulness done imaginative tasks for illustration a ample Logic record pinch respective dozens of tracks and AI convention players.

Even pinch AI aliases ML tasks, nan iMac did rather good – I could inquire it to summarize a lengthy and messy gathering recap successful Notes, spot a database of bullets successful conscionable a fewer seconds, and likewise region unwanted group from a group photograph successful seconds. In Pixelmator Pro, I could execute a super-resolution to up nan value and easy make automatic edits successful LightRoom. It each happened easy and without a agelong hold time.

I besides spent a fewer hours pinch nan latest beta of macOS Sequoia 15.2 connected nan iMac pinch M4 – it’s not a capacity test, but making civilization visuals successful Image Playground aliases my imaginative emojis successful Genmoji is simply a batch of nosy connected this all-in-one. We tin expect these features, alongside different caller Apple Intelligence ones, to get earlier nan extremity of 2024.

The iMac pinch M4 doesn’t disappoint connected performance, and while nan scores aren’t nighttime and time complete nan M3 variant, those pinch an M1, particularly if you person an Intel-powered iMac, will beryllium ripe for an upgrade and reap nan benefits of fast, zippy speed. And considering nan value driblet of $100 / £100 / AU$200, it’s benignant of a bargain for a brand-new Apple product.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you bargain nan Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 (2024)?

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How I tested

After receiving nan caller iMac arsenic a sample that Apple provided, I unboxed it and past group it up arsenic a caller machine. I utilized nan M4-powered iMac for 7 days arsenic my regular driver for work, wide productivity, and play. I ran done each of my regular tasks successful myriad applications for illustration Safari, Google Chrome, Slack, AirTable, and Pixelmator Pro, among others, but I besides edited photos and videos and tried immoderate AAA titles connected nan iMac.

First reviewed November 2024