Apple’s new M4 iMac models delight and disappoint in equal measure
The M4 processor and 16GB of system memory will make a difference long-term, but… that’s about it really
KOSTAS FARKONAS
PublishED: October 28, 2024
Surprising absolutely no one – again – Apple formally announced its updated iMac models as part of the company’s transition to its latest line of processors. These new M4 iMac all-in-one computers will become available on November 8th starting at $1299 and they come with 16GB of RAM as standard for the first time (upgradable to 24GB or 32GB). They look exactly the same as their predecessors, but they offer a small number of changes and improvements worth mentioning.
Along the ones hardly making a difference – such as new colors or the nanotexture glass option for the 24-inch screen – is the upgraded 12 Megapixel webcam supporting Center Stage and Desk View, as well as the USB-C connectivity of all matching accessories, i.e. the Magic Keyboard/Trackpad/Mouse (the latter’s port is still at the bottom because… Apple). The most important upgrade is obviously the M4 processor, which is way more capable than the M2 found in the previous iMac models for just about everything, including modern games featuring. This one is also expected to perform somewhat better than the already impressive M4 inside the new, spectacular iPad Pro models, which is more than enough for typical, mainstream, everyday tasks the 24-inch iMac is built for.
Disappointingly, storage remains at just 256GB for the most affordable new iMac models: this, the same amount of default storage on an iPhone 15 Pro or 16 Pro, just isn’t enough for a personal computer in 2025 terms… yet here we are. Consumers can order a new iMac sporting 512GB, 1TB or even 2TB of storage, but at a cost most people would consider too high even by Apple standards. The entry-level iMac also offers just two Thunderbolt 4 ports (instead of the four such ports offered by all other new iMacs), seriously limiting what this model will be able to do long-term.
The most important win for consumers when it comes to these new iMac models is none other than the 16GB of system memory they finally ship with, which is pretty much in line with what a modern computer should offer at minimum these days. Apple was practically forced to upgrade the amount of RAM all M4-based Macs will depend on because of Apple Intelligence (the company’s AI functionality that needs at a lot of system memory to work well) but these new iMacs will be much more capable at any other task as a result, AI-related or not, so there.
Apple has already confirmed that this will be a week of Mac-related announcements, so it makes sense to start with the iMac, the arguably less exciting update of the three expected for months now. The Mac Mini will also be updated to the M4/M4 Pro, but it will be sporting a new design and port configuration, while the MacBook Pro line of laptops will sport the same design as before but will also offer considerably more powerful configurations to professionals and demanding consumers alike. Here’s hope that Apple will not be offering just 256GB of basic storage to that crowd.