Apple M4 iMac Announced: Faster, Smarter and More Vibrant
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In a seemingly busy week for Apple, the company announced a new iMac on Monday. While the new all-in-one desktop looks identical to last year's iMac, Apple equipped it with a more powerful M4 chip and support for external monitors up to 8K resolution and up to a 120 Hz refresh rate.
What's new in the M4 iMac?
As with past Mac launches, Apple touted how fast the new chipset in the 2024 iMac is compared to the older iMac generation. According to Apple, the M4 iMac should deliver "1.7 times" faster overall performance for daily use and about 2.1 times more power in handling gaming and graphics-intensive operations like photo editing compared to the M1 iMac.
The M4 iMac will arrive in two configurations: one with an 8-core CPU and an 8-core GPU, 16 GB unified memory, and configurable 256 GB onboard storage. There is a 10-core version that features 32 GB RAM and supports 8K and 120 Hz output for a connected external monitor while the base model can connect up to two 6K monitors at 60 Hz.
Apple also highlighted the 16-core neural engine in the silicon, which is supposedly six times faster at running machine learning tasks. Likewise, the M4 iMac is set to receive a suite of AI features via Apple Intelligence, which is already rolling out via macOS Sequoia 15.1 alongside its iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 counterparts.
Externally, the M4 iMac remains unchanged from the M3 iMac, but you'll be getting new and more vibrant finishes this time, including yellow, pink, orange, blue, silver, green, and purple. It features the same 24-inch 4.5K Retina display as last year's M3 iMac, but users can now opt for a nano-texture glass panel with reduced glare and reflection.
It also gets an upgraded 12 MP Center Stage camera with Desk View mode. In addition, there are up to 4 USB-C Thunderbolt ports, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivty. The built-in speaker setup is carried over from last year with a 6-speaker stereo sound system.
Apple's M4 iMac pricing and availability
Prices start from $1,299 with Apple opening pre-orders for the M4 iMac. Shipment is scheduled to begin on November 8.
Alongside the new Mac, Apple refreshed its Magic accessories with an updated Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, and Magic Trackpad—all utilizing USB-C ports. These cost $99, $199, and $149, respectively.
Besides the M4 iMac and a wave of new accessories, Apple has confirmed to schedule two more Mac announcements this week. Among the possible debutants in the pipeline are the 14-inch and 16-inch M4 MacBook Pros — the successor to the M3 MacBook Pro (review), and a redesigned Mac Mini.
Are you upgrading to the M4 iMac this year? Tell us your plans in the comments.
Source: Apple
