iMac: M1 Chip and Bright Colors, Should You Buy Now?

Apple in April 2021 unveiled the new 24-inch M1 iMac, a redesigned desktop machine that comes in a range of fun colors. The iMac now features an Apple-designed “M1” Arm-based chip, replacing the prior Intel chips, to bring significant speed and efficiency improvements.

The M1 chip is Apple’s first System on a Chip for the Mac, integrating the CPU, GPU, RAM, and more. The M1 has an 8-core CPU with four high-efficiency cores and four high-performance cores along with an integrated GPU that has up to 8 cores, and it is the same M1 chip that was first used in the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini.

According to Apple, compared to the previous generation 21.5-inch model, the M1 iMac offers up to 85 faster CPU performance, up to 2x faster GPU performance, and up to 3x faster machine learning. As with the prior entry-level 21.5-inch iMac models, RAM maxes out at 16GB.

The M1 chip enables the thinner design introduced with the 24-inch iMac. The logic board and thermals have been dramatically consolidated and reduced in size, so the iMac takes up less space and fits more easily in different places. It is also considerably quieter than the previous version thanks to the thermals of the M1 chip and the new cooling system.

There are major external design changes with the M1 iMac. The design is extremely thin and compact compared to prior models, and the machine measures in at just 11.5 millimeters thick. The iMac comes with a redesigned slim stand that allows the angle of the display to be adjusted.

Apple is selling the iMac in a range of bright colors, including green, blue, pink, silver, orange, yellow, and purple. At the front of the iMac, there are softer, pastel colors, but the back of the iMac features much brighter and bolder colors. Powering the iMac is a magnetic power connector with a color-matched woven cable.

The 24-inch 4.5K display features a resolution of 4480-by-2520, with 11.3 million pixels, 500 nits brightness, P3 wide color, more than a billion colors, and True Tone to match the color temperature of the display to the ambient lighting for a more natural viewing experience.

Apple’s M1 iMac includes a 1080p FaceTime HD camera with a new image signal processor for improved performance in low light, and the Neural Engine in the M1 chip allows for better noise reduction, greater dynamic range, and improved auto exposure and white balance.

The iMac also offers studio-quality microphones and a six-speaker sound system with strong bass and clear mids and highs, along with support for Dolby Atmos and spatial audio.

There are two Thunderbolt 3/USB-4 ports at the back of the iMac, along with four total USB-C ports for some models. The iMac supports up to a 6K external display, and offers a headphone jack on its side. A 1Gb/s Ethernet port is available in the power adapter for the higher-end model, allowing for a less cluttered cable setup.

The iMac has Wi-Fi 6 support for the fastest possible Wi-Fi performance and can be customized with up to 2TB of SSD storage.

The iMac comes alongside color-matched accessories with custom colors for the keyboard, Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, power cord, and Lightning to USB-C cable. Apple sells the iMac with a matching Magic Keyboard, with or without a number pad, and some models feature Touch ID built directly into the keyboard.

The Magic Keyboard features the first wireless Touch ID implementation, using a dedicated security component on the keyboard that communicates directly with the Secure Enclave in the M1 for seamless unlocking or making Apple Pay purchases.

The entry-level M1 iMac is available for $1,299, while an upgraded model is priced starting at $1,499. Apple used to sell the 24-inch iMac alongside an Intel-based 27-inch iMac, but the 27-inch iMac was discontinued in March 2022 when the Mac Studio was released. Apple now suggests the Mac Studio and an accompanying display as a more powerful alternative to the 24-inch iMac.

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