Apple introduces a new iMac powered by M4 and Apple Intelligence

[Daniel Sims]

In brief: Apple has opened pre-orders for the 2024 iMac, kicking off the first of several Mac computers to sport the M4 SoC. Customers can expect modest performance improvements compared to the M3 iMac, but the company has positioned Apple Intelligence to be the iMac's primary selling point.

The new iMac is the first desktop computer to sport Apple's M4 processor, having launched the M4 iPad Pro in May. It marks the first of multiple Mac machines the company will introduce this week. It roughly doubles the performance of the M1 iMac, but the hardware enhancements are relatively minor compared to last year's M3 edition. Cupertino is playing up Apple Intelligence as the star of the M4 iMac show and its answer to the generative AI race.

Like the previous Apple Silicon iMacs, the new variant comes in builds with two or four extension ports that support Thunderbolt and USB 4. The two-port M4 iMac's technical specs closely resemble the four-port M3 model, with up to 24GB of RAM, a 16-core neural engine, and an eight-core CPU. Following recent complaints concerning insufficient RAM in Macs, Apple no longer offers an 8GB variant.

Meanwhile, the four-port M4 iMac is configurable with up to 32GB of RAM and features a 10-core CPU with two additional efficiency cores. All four of its ports support Thunderbolt 4, allowing users to connect up to two external 6K displays.

Both M4 iMac configurations have a 12-megapixel front camera that supports Apple's Center Stage and Desk View functions, something the M3 iMac lacked. However, the 24-inch 4.5K retina display remains unchanged from previous models. Apple hasn't announced plans to resurrect the 27-inch monitor last seen on the final Intel iMac four years ago.

The Cupertino giant claims the M4 handles daily productivity tasks like spreadsheets 1.7 times faster than the M1, while image editing and gaming workloads run up to 2.1 times faster. Apple will reveal two more Mac products this week that should see similar hardware boosts from the M4. Previous rumors indicated the MacBook Pro and the Mac mini are getting m4 upgrades. Meanwhile, M4 variants of the MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro are expected to emerge in 2025.

Apple rolled out the M4 SoC with a speedy turnaround from its predecessor, likely in response to the intensifying race to release processors capable of running generative AI applications locally. The M4's 38 TOPs neural performance closely competes with Intel Core Ultra 200 and AMD Ryzen AI 300 chips.

Beginning today, customers can pre-order M4 iMacs starting at $1,299. Orders ship on November 8.

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Apple introduces a new iMac powered by M4 and Apple Intelligence

 

[HeeeF]

Byline is incorrect, it's a minimum of 16GB RAM, not 24.

 

[VitalyT]

It could have made a good product, if it weren't for the tiny 24" screen, by today standards. It should be a 32" 5K/6K monitor to be attractive. I work a lot with Macbook Pro, connected to a 32" 4K monitor, and cannot consider smaller screens now for productivity.

Apple was selling iMac-s with 27" 10 years ago, and iPhone-s with 5" screens. Now iPhones have 7", and iMac-s are 24"? Are they trying to match iMac screens and iPhone ones soon?

 

[Mr Majestyk]

LOL 16GB, I haven't used that little memory since about 2008. 32GB would now be my bare minimum and I currently use 64GB and wouldn't mind 128GB if the hit to clocks and latency wasn't so high.

Even worse this is just the crappy iMAc, the Mac Book (non)-Pro will also just start with 16GB when that definitely should start at 32GB or is it 36GB due to their architecture?

 

[Shaitan]

The screen size is laughable and the fact that you need to have a non upgradeable RAM and a non replaceable SSD are a no go.
I'm curious of how well they these manufacturers will do in 2027 when they HAVE to have user replaceable batteries, SSDs, RAM and so on, in order to sell in EU.

 

[Rudyduu]

The iMac just isn't a computer Apple takes seriously anymore. It's the entry point into the ecosystem and the profits they make from this cut cornered computer must be massive especially on storeage. 256GB of storage in a $1300 all-in-one? $200 for an additional 256GB of storage? I can buy a professional 2TB NVME drive for $170 and 4TB for $300. Apple can go eff itself.

 

[Lew Zealand]

It could have made a good product, if it weren't for the tiny 24" screen, by today standards. It should be a 32" 5K/6K monitor to be attractive. I work a lot with Macbook Pro, connected to a 32" 4K monitor, and cannot consider smaller screens now for productivity.

Apple was selling iMac-s with 27" 10 years ago, and iPhone-s with 5" screens. Now iPhones have 7", and iMac-s are 24"? Are they trying to match iMac screens and iPhone ones soon?

iMacs aren't workstations any more, they've reverted to their original status as a low-end easy AIO home computer.

And that's how it should be. The number of fantastic 2880p 5K monitors we've had to toss out because the rest of the iMac is dead or obsolete is a damn crime. Great monitors unable to be reused just wasted thanks to the AIO nature of the thing.

No effing way you waste a 6K monitor like that, buy a Mac Studio and whatever monitor you like.