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The New M1 iMac: Everything You Need to Know

Everything you need to know about Apple’s new M1 iMac – including specs, new updates, configurations, and its I/O – before you decide to buy one…


Quick Links: PRICE | SCREEN | COLORS | M1 CHIP | DIMENSIONS | CAMERA | SPEAKERS | KEYBOARD | PROS & CONS


The iMac has maintained a pretty similar design and look since 2009. Finally, Apple has remodeled the iMac with the new elegant design, borrowing from the colorful designs of iPad Air and previous iMac models.

Although I knew a new iMac model would come, I didn’t know it would come as an entire refresh and redesign of the iMac series.

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The new M1 iMac model features lots of new and upgraded features, including seven vibrant colors and a larger 24in 4.5K display than the 21.5in iMac model it is replacing.

In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about the new M1 iMac.

How Much Does The New M1 iMac Cost?

The M1 iMac got available for purchase from April 30th, 2021. However, the device will not be available for shipping until the end of May. The new iMac models available for sale include;

  • $1,299 for 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 256GB Storage model. This M1 iMac mode is only available in green, blue, and silver, and red. Also, the standard Magic Keyboard has no TouchID, has two Thunderbolts ports instead of additional two USB C ports, and does not support an Ethernet cable.
  • $1,499 for standard 8-Core CPU, 8-Core GPU, 256GB Storage model. This 24in iMac comes in all seven colors, Magic Keyboard with TouchID, Four USB C ports, and supports an Ethernet cable.
  • The standard M1 iMac features 512GB of storage, going for $1,699. The model is identical to the standard $1,499 model but comes with twice the storage space.

M1 iMac New Features

The new iMac comes with lots of new and upgraded features. For those who want to know all the details about the newly announced model, here it is.

New iMac Screen

One of the significant updates in the stunning redesign is the change to the iMac display. The new iMac comes with a 24in iMac screen that is large enough for everyone without being a monster like the previous 27 inch iMac generation.

This said, if you are a videographer, designer, or you just love an excellent display, you will love what Apple did with the new 24in iMac.

The New M1 iMac: Everything You Need to KnowPin

The new display features a 4.5K Retina Display with 4480 by 2520 pixels and a wide-ranging P3 color gamut that can display more than a billion colors.

The previous 21.5” screen model has a 4K Retina display with 4096 by 2304 pixels; hence it is a significant improvement.

The new M1 iMac also has about 500 nits of brightness and supports the True Tone feature that matches the warmth of your display to your environment, which makes it easier on your eyes. This display is an excellent and welcome update.

New iMac Colors

As indicated earlier, the new iMac comes in seven new colors; red, green, blue, orange, purple, yellow, and silver.

These all colors are bold and bright, perfect for making a statement on any desk.

The colors remind me of when Apple released a complete set of colors on the original iMac. Now give us similar color choices on the new MacBook Pro.

New M1 Chip

Talks regarding the new M1 iMac can’t happen without the mention of M1 chip. The chip is taking the industry by storm and has put Apple firmly at the top.

The MI chip is why Apple was able to manufacture an iMac this thin. It incorporates all the GPU and CPU processing power into a small and efficient space which lays everything flat.

They have also been able to cool the system with only two small fans, which is essential in making the 24in iMac very thin.

Because the M1 iMac operates on the M1 chip that uses the same ARM architecture as Apple’s mobile devices, iPad and iPhone applications can now run on the iMac, so we have no complaints.

New iMac Dimensions

The new M1 iMac comes with a slim, more compact design thanks to the on-chip system architecture and power efficiency. It has a width of 21.5 inches, a length of 18.1 inches, and is 11.5mm thin. The computer stand is 5.8 inches.

With the previous 21.5” iMac weighing 12.1 pounds, the 24in iMac features a lighter and more portable model with a sleeker design. The 24in iMac base model weighs 9.83 pounds, and the upgraded model weighs 9.88 pounds.

Upgraded Front-Facing Camera

If you follow iMac updates, you have probably noted how Apple has given less attention to the fore camera on iMac over the years.

The camera has been of poor quality, with dull and noisy videos being the default, and users have raised their concerns for years. Fortunately, this has changed with the new iMac, so you don’t need to upgrade your iMac’s webcam with this model.

The device now comes with a new HD 1080P camera that should make most of us very happy. It features double the resolution of previous versions and has a bigger sensor that captures more light.

Even more, it now features an image signal processor which is supported by the M1 chip. This makes it have a minimal difference when it comes to FaceTiming on iPhone and iMac.

The new 24in iMac uses noise reduction algorithms, machine learning, tone mapping, and more to offer you a highly enhanced camera experience.

Upgraded Speakers and Microphones

You are probably wondering how great the speakers on the new M1 iMac are. If you don’t operate with audio, you almost certainly like your iMac speakers.

On the other hand, if you operate with audio, you most probably use studio headphones. Relax as Apple has not removed the headphone jack from the iMac.

In the new iMac, Apple has made an effort to install better speakers. It comes with two pairs of force-canceling woofers. This enables the M1 iMac to give a deep bass sound without causing vibrations to its display.

The New M1 iMac: Everything You Need to KnowPin

Also, the speakers feature a high-performance tweeter that combines with the woofers to provide a rich audio spectrum.

Additionally, Apple updated the mics on the M1 iMac. According to Apple, the upgraded arrays can block background noise far better than before, so you can make video calls without picking up the background noise.

This makes it great for a work-from-home lifestyle. In general, video calling on iMac will not suck anymore.

New Magic Keyboard and Matching Accessories

Another enhanced feature to announce with the new M1 iMac is the new magic keyboard and updated accessories.

For each of the color options of the new iMac, Apple is now providing a new Magic Keyboard, Magic trackpad, and new Magic Mouse.

If you order an orange iMac, you can get orange accessories for it. From what I can perceive, the new colorful Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse are the same as they have been, just in new colors.

However, the new Magic Keyboard is pretty different.

The keyboard corners and corner keys are more rounded than before, which gives the keyboard a softer appearance.

Even more significantly, the new keyboard features a TouchID built-in which is its first time to be featured on iMac. You can now do things like Apple Pay, and password-free unlocks on the M1 iMac.

The only shortcoming is that you cannot use TouchID on iMac without this magic keyboard, but this should not affect you.

Other New Essential iMac Specs

I would also like to go through some other important updates that don’t fall into any other category.

For instance, the new M1 iMac standard model now features four USB C ports, two of which as Thunderbolt ports. Also important to note is that Apple has added an Ethernet port on the power adapter so you can still connect your iMac to the Ethernet cable.

It is only that it is on the power cable rather than the M1 iMac itself.


However, if you prefer the low-priced 7-core, it only has two Thunderbolt ports and does not support connection with an Ethernet.

Another exciting aspect of the M1 iMac is that it occupies fifty percent less volume than the previous version. Apple also claims that it can operate at less than ten decibels, making it so quiet that you can hardly detect it.

When it comes to the power cable, Apple is using the MagSafe innovation. The new power cable connects through magnets, making it safer and easier to plug into your M1 iMac.

New M1 iMac Pros

  • Colors – I really love the new M1 iMac colors. I would recommend Apple to bring the same colors to the MacBook line.
  • New magic keyboard with Touch ID – This is one of the significant upgrades on the new iMac model in terms of elegance and improved efficiency.
  • M1 chip – it is not easy to put into words how great the M1 is. You just require to use an Intel Pro and M1 Pro together to observe how much better the M1 is. The chip does not get hot, so you will never have a noisy fan. The chip gives it a lightning-quick performance in almost all tasks compared to Intel models.
  • Updated screen display – M1 iMac comes with a new screen that looks excellent and sleek.
  • Enhanced FaceTime Camera – unlike the previous versions, the new M1 iMac has improved properties, and video calls will not be a struggle any longer. This is also the case with the long-overdue speakers and microphone update.
  • Upgraded Bluetooth and WI-Fi – Apple upgraded the wife from 802.11ac to 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6. Bluetooth was also upgraded from 4.2 to Bluetooth 5.0 wireless.
  • Supports ‘Hey Siri’ – you can activate the new M1 iMac using your voice via the ‘Hey Siri’ app.

New M1 iMac Cons

  • Chin – one thing that I don’t love about the new M1 iMac is that it maintains the lower chin part of the case on the previous versions. I was hoping that Apple would make the case thicker and remove the lower chin. A design like the previous 27” Thunderbolt monitor would be great for most users.
  • Missing Apple Logo on the front – now that the new M1 iMac model comes with a chin, they would have considered putting the Apple logo on it. The computer front looks very strange without the logo. The Apple logo has been featured on the front of all iMac versions since 2004.
  • Proprietary Power Brick – another problem that I noted with the new M1 iMac is that the case is so thin that the power supply cannot fit. After the 2009 Mac Mini, Apple was done with external desktop power supplies. The worst thing is the cable is now exclusive. You can no longer just grab a 3 prong power plug to use the new M1 iMac.
  • Omitted SD Card Slot and USB-A – how can Apple omit an SD Card reader and USB-A ports in the new iMac? Lots of people will use the M1 iMac for a camera and video editing station in many cases. How can they leave out a simple port that would help in creative design? If Apple included USB-A in the new M1 Mac Mini, why leave it out on the new iMac?

M1 iMac Comparison with Older Intel models

Apple claims that the new M1 iMac will outperform its Intel-based Macs, and we hope the claims will pay off. Apple indicates that the M1 iMac is 3.5 times faster than the previous Intel MacBook Air.

More so, the new M1 iMac SSD storage speeds will be two times faster than those contained in the Intel-based MacBook. The M1 MacBook Pro has 3.3 GBps, and the MI Mac mini has 3.4 GBps that will see faster speeds.

Conclusion

There you go. Now you know everything there is about the new M1 iMac. It is a fantastic refresh with a great new design and performance. If I am yet to come clear, I love the new M1 iMac, particularly seeing the colors come back to Apple.

My only minor complaint is the changes made to the cheaper 7-core M1 iMac.

I love the idea of Apple providing the M1 iMac at a lower price, but I don’t like the changes made on the device to get to the price point.

I think a lower resolution or smaller screen would be a better alteration than eliminating two USB C ports, an Ethernet cable connection, and TouchID. Reducing the M1 chip to 7-core GPU from 8-core is also not a good move.

Anyway, with all the new upgrades I have reviewed, the new M1 iMac model is shaping up to be a great Mac desktop. Just maybe don’t get the cheap one, as it is really doesn’t cut the mustard with respect to I/O…

Also, be sure to learn How To Check If Your M1 Mac Is Running Intel Apps!

Richard Goodwin

Richard Goodwin has been working as a tech journalist for over 10 years. He has written for Den of Geek, Fortean Times, IT PRO, PC Pro, ALPHR, and many other technology sites. He is the editor and owner of KnowYourMobile.

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