Apple announced the redesigned iMac with a 24-inch Retina display at its ‘Spring Loaded’ event. The new iMac is a major departure from the existing 21.5-inch iMac. If you are looking to buy the new 24-inch iMac, here are its top features that you should be aware of.
Apple has redone the new iMac entirely around its new M1 chip, bringing about a major leap in performance and efficiency. The new iMac is nothing like the Intel-based models it replaces. Below are the top features of the new 24-inch iMac.
24-inch 4.5K Retina iMac: Top New Features
1. Slimmer Design, Bold New Colors
Since the new iMac is built around the new M1 chip, Apple has been able to drastically reduce its chassis size. The new iMac is just 11.5mm thin, and its overall volume is down by 50% compared to the 21.5-inch Intel iMac.
To go along with the slimmer new design, Apple is also offering the new 24-inch 4.5K Retina iMac in seven old new colors: green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. The bold new colors are only visible from the rear as the front makes use of softer colors so that you can focus on the task at hand.
The base 24-inch iMac is only available in four colors: blue, green, pink, and silver.
2. Bigger 24-inch Retina Display
The new iMac also features a bigger 24-inch 4.5K Retina Display with 11.3 million pixels to go along with the redesigned chassis. It features P3 wide color gamut and an anti-reflective coating for improved readability.
This iMac is meant to replace the 21.5-inch Intel iMac. Thanks to the reduced bezels, the 24-inch iMac is just slightly wider than the 21.5-inch model. The thinner design more than makes up for the increase in dimensions as the new iMac is 50% smaller in volume.
3. M1 Chip
The new 24-inch iMac has been made around the new M1 chip from Apple. The new M1 chip allows Apple to push the boundary in terms of performance and efficiency on the new iMac.
Thanks to the power-efficient nature of the new M1 chip, Apple was able to dramatically reduce the logic board and internal components of the new iMac. The entire cooling system has been replaced with two small fans, which are more than enough to cool the new iMac without making any noise.
Apple claims the new M1 chip brings 85% faster CPU performance and 2x faster GPU performance than the 21.5-inch iMac. You will be able to edit up to five 4K streams simultaneously, or one 8K stream in Final Cut Pro. Machine Learning apps will also be up to 3x faster thanks to the 16-core Neural Engine in the M1 chip.
Do note that the base iMac features a 7-core GPU, while the mid-range variant features an 8-core GPU.
4. Best Camera, Mics, and Speakers in a Mac
Apple proudly claims the new 24-inch iMac features the best camera, microphones, and speakers in a Mac. The 1080p FaceTime HD camera has a bigger sensor and is further aided by the ISP of the M1 chip, which improves its overall image quality and dynamic range.
There’s also a new three-microphone array with directional beamforming support so they can easily suppress background noise while on a video call.
The new iMac features a six-speaker sound system featuring two pairs of force-canceling woofers. This allows it to produce strong bass and offer a massive soundstage.
5. Magnetic Power Cable
The new 24-inch Retina iMac features a magnetic power cable that automatically snaps at the rear of the machine. The cable itself is about 2 meters in length. This magnetic design makes it better than the solution adopted by Apple on its Intel-based iMacs.
6. Ethernet Port in Power Brick
Interestingly, the new iMac features a power brick similar to what one would get with a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. What’s impressive is that this power brick features a gigabit Ethernet port, so you can plug your Ethernet cable into it for wired connectivity to your iMac.
This power brick is only bundled with the mid-range and higher models of the 24-inch iMac.
7. Four USB-C Ports
The new iMac features four USB-C ports, with two of them featuring Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. This means you can plug in as many accessories as you want on your new iMac without any issues.
Do note that only the 8-core mid-range or higher-end models of the 24-inch iMac feature four USB-C ports. The base model only comes with two USB-C ports.
8. External Display Support
Thanks to the power of the M1 chip, the new 24-inch 4.5K iMac supports external monitors with up to 6K resolution. This means you can connect a Pro Display XDR to your 24-inch iMac as well.
Like other M1 Macs, though, the 24-inch iMac also only supports one additional external monitor.
9. Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
Apple is bundling a new Magic Keyboard with Touch ID with the new 24-inch iMac. The keyboard features a security component that can wirelessly talk to the Secure Enclave chip on the M1 for Touch ID authentication purposes. Fast User Switching using Touch ID on the Magic Keyboard will also be available for new iMac users.
The new Magic Keyboard also features dedicated keys to enable Do Not Disturb and bring up Spotlight search. The base 24-inch iMac ships with a Magic Keyboard sans Touch ID.
Apple is also offering the Touch ID with a numeric keyboard. In total, Apple will be selling the new Magic Keyboard in three different colors to go along with the new colors of the iMac. Additionally, it will offer the Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad in seven new matching colors.
10. VESA Mount Support
You can configure the 24-inch iMac and buy it with a VESA mount. This way, you can mount the machine on your existing VESA stand. There’s no price difference if you opt for the VESA mount instead of the stand with your new iMac.
What are your thoughts on the new 24-inch iMac with an M1 chip? Do you like its slim new design and bold colors? Drop a comment and let us know!
