Apple’s new iMac is here. The 2024 model hasn’t changed much on the outside (except for a new colorway), but it’s now updated with the latest Apple silicon.
The new model has the same display and color design as the previous model, though it has a new nano-textured glass screen option that reduces glare and reflections. The M4 chip inside gives it speed and a more powerful neural engine for new Apple intelligence features in macOS Sequoia.
Apple says the M4 inside the new iMac makes the computer up to 1.7 times faster for everyday productivity and 2.1 times faster for more demanding tasks (like gaming and photo editing) than the M1-powered model. The latest iMac now starts with 16GB of RAM — up from the 8GB base RAM in the previous iMac.
This can be expanded to 24GB or 32GB. Storage options are also stable: the base model has 256GB, with 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB options available.
The M4 iMac has the same aluminum unibody design and 24-inch 4.5K Retina display found in every iMac for the past three years. However, there are also fun new colors to choose from. The new iMac is available in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and blue, as well as silver. The colors are bolder on the back, but more muted on the front, so they’re less distracting.
Apple has brought a new 12MP Center Stage camera that includes support for Apple’s Desk View feature. There’s Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support once again.
There are a few key configuration differences worth noting. The base model still only has two Thunderbolt USB-C ports. For the first time, all four USB-C ports on the pricier options (with the 10-core CPU and GPU) are Thunderbolt 4-compatible.
Also, you will only be able to upgrade to 32GB of RAM if you have a more powerful chipset and at least 512GB of storage. The nano-texture display is not available on the base model, which will support one external display, while the higher-end versions can handle two.
On the sustainability front, the iMac’s packaging is entirely fibre-based. This is part of Apple’s planned roadmap to eliminate plastic from its packaging by next year.
With the new iMac, Apple finally updated its desktop accessories to drop the old Lightning standard. The company has switched to USB-C, with the new Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse. These are available in colours that match the look of the iMac.
The M4 iMac will be available on November 8, with the same price starting at $1,299 as its predecessor. The base model has an eight-core CPU, eight-core GPU, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. It comes with a Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad. More expensive configurations include a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. Pre-orders begin today.
Last week, Apple told Engadget it was working on an update to notification summaries. “Apple Intelligence features are in beta and we’re constantly making improvements with the help of user feedback,” Apple said. “A software update in the coming weeks will make it clear that the text being displayed is a summary provided by Apple Intelligence. We encourage users to report concerns if they see an unexpected notification summary.”
Notification summaries are one of the features that came with the initial release of Apple Intelligence with iOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1. Shortly after being rolled out to regular users, they led to bad press for Apple.
Notably, the BBC published several reports accusing the company of spreading misinformation. One particularly nasty example included a summary claiming that Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had shot himself.