The best all-in-one gets a lot faster

The 2024 iMac looks the same as ever, but there’s an update that promises to dramatically change the lineup. It’s not an M4 processor, although that’s nice. No, I’m talking about the main memory boost that finally bumped the entry-level models up from a pathetic 8GB to 16GB. This, along with the new chips, promises to finally make it $1,299 iMac affordable price for most buyers.

Additionally, there are a few other tweaks like a nano-coated display, an updated 12-megapixel webcam, and a new color range. Otherwise, everything is pretty much the same as last year, which might make you wonder if it’s worth the upgrade. After testing one for content creation, gaming, and productivity, I can tell you the answer is definitely yes.

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Apple’s 2024 iMac model comes with a powerful M4 chip and starts with 16GB of RAM, making it a better value than past models.

Pros

• Powerful M4 processors
• 16 GB of RAM comes as standard
• Much improved webcam
• Nano textured screen option

Cons

• Upgrades are still very expensive
• Need more screen size options
• There is no vertical height adjustment

$1,204 on Amazon

What’s new with the latest iMac?

side by side 2023 and 2024 iMacs look about the same. The 24-inch 4.5K 500-nit display and the computer itself are housed in the same slim 0.43-inch (11.5 mm) thick frame. It still sits on a sleek stand that tilts but lacks adjustable height. While tilt-only is a common setup on all-in-one PCs, at this point it would be nice to see Apple introduce a simplified height adjustment like it does on the Studio Display. Elsewhere, there are two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the base model and four on the more expensive versions, a magnetic power connector and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the left – all the same as before.

What does new is a high-quality 12MP webcam, a big leap from past models. Finally, it delivers sharp and color-accurate video worthy of the rest of the computer to help you look your best on FaceTime or Zoom. It supports Apple’s Center Stage feature, which automatically centers the subject during video calls, even if you’re moving. The new webcam also works with a new Desk View feature that lets you display objects below your screen.

You can now get the iMac with optional nano-textured display glass, which blocks glare, even when light is shining directly on it. Although it reduces the sharpness a bit, I would recommend it if you can pay the extra $200. Otherwise, it’s the same clear and colorful display as before, with 500 nits of brightness, wide P3 gamut, and 4,480 x 2,250 resolution. The 24-inch size may be too small for some, but I found it sufficient for most work, and I’m used to dual 32-inch screens. Still, given that the iMac is Apple’s only desktop model with an integrated display, it would be nice to see a 27- or even 32-inch option in future models, even if it makes it less compact and portable.

The iMac M4’s color palette has also received a minor update. It still comes in the same seven colors as before, but now in slightly paler shades that Apple calls “fresh.” Indeed, the model I tested is a very light green, so subtle that it’s hard to see even in low light. I’m a fan of the muted shades, but anyone hoping for a bright shot may be disappointed.

Accessories have also been updated. Both the new Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard (with optional Touch ID) now charge via USB-C rather than Lightning like the iMac M3, negating a major complaint in our previous review. As always, all accessories, including cables, match the color of the iMac – a lovely touch.

Since I’m not a mechanical keyboard person, I love the feel of the Apple keyboard for fast typing. The Magic Mouse is an acquired taste, but the slightly firm click pressure and precision is to my taste, and I love the ability to scroll side to side as well as up and down. Yes, the charging port is on the bottom, which is a bit of an unfortunate design, but you can go a month between charges – and you only need to plug it in for a few minutes to get enough power for a working day.

The main updates are inside the M4 processor, which is available in two variants. The $1,299 base model comes with an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports. All other versions have a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and four Thunderbolt ports, starting at $1,499 with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There is no M4 Pro option, and therefore no Thunderbolt 5 port on any 2024 iMac. Every version except the base model also has gigabit ethernet (on the power brick) and Touch ID on the Magic Keyboard.

The model I tested shows that Apple’s upgrades are still too expensive. It has a 10-core M4, 24GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and four Thunderbolt 4 ports along with a nanotextured display. Those three options (an additional 8GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and an upgraded display) take the $1,299 to $2,299. The good news is that if you don’t buy them, you won’t be left with an unacceptable amount of memory like before.

In use: Superior performance and user-friendly features

Desktop computers don’t get much more practical than the iMac M4. Installation is as easy as placing it on a surface and plugging it in, then it goes through a relatively quick setup. With everything integrated into the display, you can mount it on your desk, in a child’s bedroom, or anywhere else with a small footprint. It’s also easy to move around, as there are no cables other than power, and it weighs just 9.74 pounds.

Performance was a pleasant surprise, better than I expected in tasks ranging from video editing to gaming. Key benchmarks show significant gains over the iMac M3 in processing, graphics performance and artificial intelligence, from 20 percent in CPU-only tests to more than 30 percent on the GPU side.

The iMac M4 is actually a touch faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4, but it’s more powerful than the 16-inch model with the M4 Pro chip, especially when it comes to graphics. In fact, it is significantly lower compared to GPU performance Mac Mini and even MacBook Pro M3 Pro models. Still, the integrated graphics are much more powerful than before, and the iMac M4 outperforms most competing Windows PCs in this regard, including the Surface with its Snapdragon X Elite chip. However, it sits well below PCs with discrete graphics from NVIDIA and AMD.

The game shows the iMac’s GPU shortcomings, with resolution limited to a maximum of 1080p for titles like this. Resident Evil 7 Biohazard and Baldur’s Gate 3 Having playable frame rates above 30 fps. Still, it’s not a bad gaming machine for an AIO designed primarily for managing Excel spreadsheets or making Zoom calls.

It’s also surprisingly robust for content creation. This is helped by fast memory speeds (2.94/5.14 GB/s read/write), integrated video decoding and a faster processor. For example, I don’t expect many iMac users to edit 8K 24p clips in Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve, but you absolutely can. It also handled Premiere Pro, Photoshop and Lightroom Classic projects well. The only place it stuttered was RAW 8K video playback a lot A big ask for an all-in-one. My 16-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro can handle it thanks to the extra cores, but it costs about $1,000 more.

With this bright, sharp display, the iMac M4 is also great for entertainment. It can play 4K HDR content and supports Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio thanks to its six-speaker setup with two power-cancelling woofers. Of course, it’s better to use high-quality headphones, but the sound directly from the speakers is better than any AIO I’ve used before. While watching movies and series on Netflix and Prime Video (Diplomat and Don’t Look Up), the iMac M4 delivered a colorful, immersive viewing experience.

Finally, AI was a big selling point of the M4 Macs an unofficial Mac Week event. The iMac M4 did well in this regard with a Geekbench 6 quantized AI score of 51,421, closely matching the results of the M4 Pro and M4 Max (all M4 CPUs have 16 “Neural Engine” AI cores). As a more practical test, I transcribed a 69-minute Engadget podcast episode using Whisper Transcription, which took three minutes and four seconds. It was the same as the MacBook Pro M4, but a minute slower than the M4 Pro model.

Should you buy an iMac M4?

With an unchanged design, there is no reason to buy or upgrade to an iMac M4. For one reason, I disagree: Apple’s switch to 16GB of base storage lets you do more than ever before on an entry-level iMac, including taxing activities like 4K video editing and AAA games. In fact, I’d only consider buying an M3 or older model with 16GB of RAM if it’s cheaper than an iMac M4.

I’d still avoid the base model if possible. The sweet spot for me is the $1,499 option that comes with 256GB of storage, four Thunderbolt 4 ports (for easily adding additional storage), and a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. It’s still not cheap, but it gives you a very capable and expandable machine for $400 less than our minimum price. recommended last year.