Apple launched an upgraded iMac with an M4 chip and support for Apple Intelligence on Monday, calling it “the world’s best all-in-one for AI.” The new computer looks like the old iMac it replaces but packs major internal upgrades. Thanks to the M4 system-on-a-chip, the 2024 iMac brings a notable leap in performance over previous iMacs.
“With the incredible features of Apple Intelligence, and the powerful performance of Apple silicon, the new iMac changes the game once again,” said iMac product manager Sree Panuganty in a launch video released Monday.
M4 iMac ships with 16GB RAM as standard
Back in 2021, Apple refreshed the iMac with a sleek new design. The machine packed a 24-inch Retina display inside an 11.5mm thick form factor. The M4 iMac retains the same design but delivers significantly better performance.
Apple says the M4 iMac is up to 1.7x faster than the M1 iMac, all thanks to the “world’s fastest CPU core.” The company says this speed boost will be visible in everyday tasks like browsing the web in Safari, running multiple apps at once, etc.
An upgraded GPU ensures the M4 iMac can run games up to 2.1x faster than the 2021 iMac. The Neural Engine is also 3x faster than the M1 iMac, making machine learning and AI tasks noticeably faster.
Besides the speed boost, the M4 iMac ships with 16GB of unified memory as standard. It is also possible to configure the machine with up to 32GB of memory.
New features include upgraded Center Stage camera with Desk View support
Image: Apple
The other notable upgrade is the 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support. In Monday’s press release announcing the new M4 iMac, Apple says Desk View uses the “wide-angle lens to simultaneously show the user and a top-down view of their desk, which is useful for educators presenting a lesson to students, or creators showing off their latest DIY project.”
For the first time, Apple also will let you configure the 24-inch iMac’s display with nano-texture glass to reduce reflections and glare.
New M4 iMac color options
To distinguish the M4 iMac from previous iMacs, Apple offers it in seven color options: green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue and silver.
“It comes in a parade of new and playful colors that are more beautiful than ever,” Panuganty said. “And it’s so much fun to pick the color that matches your vibe and add a pop of personality to your home or workspace.”
Unlike before, all seven color options are also available on the base model.
The M4 iMac’s base model, which ships with an 8-core M4 chip and two USB4 ports, costs $1,299. The 10-core CPU and GPU variant with four USB4 ports is available for $1,499. You can preorder the machine today, and retail availability is scheduled for November 8.
Like before, all M4 iMacs will come with a color-matched Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse. These accessories now feature a USB-C port, so you can finally ditch your Lightning cables for good.
Source: Apple
