Quite literally an iPad Pro on a stand, running macOS and without a touchscreen.
The older 2012 era iMacs had a three microphone array, which they removed a couple of years later. They re-added it in the 2020 27" Intel iMac as if it was new, when it wasn't, and apparently are touting it as new, again, here.
A bit disappointed that they only have the M1 in these, since that's the ultra low power laptop version (whose single core performance has apparently been overtaken by AMD now), and it comes with just 8GB RAM and is limited to 16GB still. It also has no Ethernet port at all on the base model, nor does it have Touch ID either, and even the "better" version still has just 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM. Even more insultingly, the top end model still has just 8GB RAM. Great the M1 is blazingly fast, but Cook is again nickel and diming to force people to fork out more for enough RAM and SSD space to make the machine more future proofed and useable.
I agree with others that the chin looks weird, especially without the Apple logo on, as does the non matching white bezel.
This is pretty much what was expected -- an M1-based replacement for the low-end iMac (formerly 21").
It's not for me, but neither was the 21" (I'm a 27" iMac kind of guy).
It's pretty amazing that essentially one chip is used for MBA, MBP13, Mac mini, and the low-end iMac. How many different Intel chips models and GPU combos used to span those devices? And they're using the M1 in the iPad Pro. Economies of scale FTW.
And it seems only 8GB memory across the board with no upgrade to 16GB. WTF Apple?
Get ready for this to be the new standard. The new iMac 24” is for the 90% of Mac users who use their computer for email, browsing, music, streaming, amateur photo and video editing. This machine is for the masses like the 21.5 iMac was. Later this year I expect to see a new iMac ‘Pro’ to replace the 27”. Hopefully it will have more storage and memory options.
Not to be nit-picky but an all black option would have been nice.... or at least space grey perhaps. Also - whats with the power brick - not a fan of separate power supply modules. I know likely why the did it, but in my view just one more brick to sit in my cable management system...
Headphone jack is located on the side on the desktop computer???? Who wants speaker cable dangling from the side all the time going to external powered speakers, instead of neatly tucked behind the screen and out of sight?
Only neanderthal luddites use headphone jacks.
And yet Apple included the jack. Seems they know something you don't, smart guy.
Same CPU as debuted half a year ago in the Air and Pro?
That’s a shame, thought it’d be an M1X at least!
I was thinking the same thing, with this and the iPad Pro. Maybe there will still be an iMac Pro? Or perhaps Apple isn't as immune to the worldwide chip shortage as we have been led to believe.
This version of the iMac seems perfectly targeted for a wide range of consumers. Bringing back the colors makes a lot of sense. I vastly prefer the headphone jack on the side versus in the back. Specs are okay for the customers they are going after, especially those upgrading from the 21" iMac. There is simply no way dev & designer folks are going to fall in line to buy these new iMacs.
That said, I fully expect we'll see a larger "Pro" version announced around WWDC that will have a larger screen, substantially better specs, more memory, more cores, more GPU, more storage, and only come in silver and space gray. They won't go up to the $5000 starting point levels of an iMac Pro this time unless they want to alienate a boatload of developer and designer types who are using the current 27" 5K iMacs with higher end specs that still come in much lower out of pocket than the now discontinued iMac Pro.
These new iMacs fill a key customer segment for Apple very nicely while leaving another customer segment with a gaping hole.
Ok, also, this section highlighted below is some bullshit:
Seriously Apple? You take away Gigabit Ethernet, only give two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports, and no Touch ID on the keyboard? These are the sorts of compromises you'd expect on the el cheapo version built for K-12, not for a consumer desktop.
Looks like it will be a while before I consider trading in the 27".
That entry level one is what I'd expect for education and to be priced at $1099 or maybe $999. The $1299 one should not only have the 2 USB 3 ports and gigabit Ethernet, but 512GB of storage. The $1499 one should have 16GB of RAM and 512GB and the $1699 one should have 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.
I fail to understand the hate people have towards the iMac's "chin". It really comes across as petty and that chin I think is what differentiates the iMac instead of making it look like some large, generic monitor. Get over it people.
I actually glad there's some kind of chin there, especially with the new color options, it allows some of that color to come to the front of the unit as well. Good job Apple.
I do with the specs for the iMac were more beefy. I used an M1-based MacBook and while I was absolutely floored by the performance, I expected Apple would give the desktop Macs with ASi chips made for desktop-class machines. I just hope that whatever Apple has in store for the larger 27"+ iMac, it better include more RAM, and much higher spec ASi chips.
So glad the chin is still there. The post-its have to be close, without covering the screen. Moving the 3.5mm TRS jack to the side is helpful when changing your monitoring options. Looks good so far. I'm holding off for the 30" version...
I like how the branding is absent (it demonstrates Apple's brand confidence), the <0.5" thickness of the display, the keyboard, trackpad, but I wish it had the iPad's center stage feature. The chin doesn't bother me that much, overall one of the best iMac announcements in a looooong time. The Pro version in tow.
The chin is ugly, the grey outline is a huge head scratch for a company who is trying to embrace entertainment the way Apple is, the lack of ports on the low end (and lack of touch id on the keyboard) is kind of ridiculous. I was ready to pull the trigger on a new iMac for work, but now I guess I wait for WWDC and hope they're smart enough to not make the same mistakes on an iMac pro.
That said, this thing is going to sell like hotcakes to the masses.
Quite literally an iPad Pro on a stand, running macOS and without a touchscreen.
The older 2012 era iMacs had a three microphone array, which they removed a couple of years later. They re-added it in the 2020 27" Intel iMac as if it was new, when it wasn't, and apparently are touting it as new, again, here.
A bit disappointed that they only have the M1 in these, since that's the ultra low power laptop version (whose single core performance has apparently been overtaken by AMD now), and it comes with just 8GB RAM and is limited to 16GB still. It also has no Ethernet port at all on the base model, nor does it have Touch ID either, and even the "better" version still has just 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM. Even more insultingly, the top end model still has just 8GB RAM. Great the M1 is blazingly fast, but Cook is again nickel and diming to force people to fork out more for enough RAM and SSD space to make the machine more future proofed and useable.
I agree with others that the chin looks weird, especially without the Apple logo on, as does the non matching white bezel.
Not really enamoured with it, if I'm honest.
Well, now you've got a place to stick those stickers that come with everything they sell.
Headphone jack is located on the side on the desktop computer???? Who wants speaker cable dangling from the side all the time going to external powered speakers, instead of neatly tucked behind the screen and out of sight?
Only neanderthal luddites use headphone jacks.
And yet Apple included the jack. Seems they know something you don't, smart guy.
Surely FaceID would have been more sensible than Touch ID? No need to look down at the keyboard and explicitly move your finger to the TouchID key for that. Would have been really seamless.
Comments
The older 2012 era iMacs had a three microphone array, which they removed a couple of years later. They re-added it in the 2020 27" Intel iMac as if it was new, when it wasn't, and apparently are touting it as new, again, here.
A bit disappointed that they only have the M1 in these, since that's the ultra low power laptop version (whose single core performance has apparently been overtaken by AMD now), and it comes with just 8GB RAM and is limited to 16GB still. It also has no Ethernet port at all on the base model, nor does it have Touch ID either, and even the "better" version still has just 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM. Even more insultingly, the top end model still has just 8GB RAM. Great the M1 is blazingly fast, but Cook is again nickel and diming to force people to fork out more for enough RAM and SSD space to make the machine more future proofed and useable.
I agree with others that the chin looks weird, especially without the Apple logo on, as does the non matching white bezel.
Not really enamoured with it, if I'm honest.
It's not for me, but neither was the 21" (I'm a 27" iMac kind of guy).
It's pretty amazing that essentially one chip is used for MBA, MBP13, Mac mini, and the low-end iMac. How many different Intel chips models and GPU combos used to span those devices? And they're using the M1 in the iPad Pro. Economies of scale FTW.
Get ready for this to be the new standard. The new iMac 24” is for the 90% of Mac users who use their computer for email, browsing, music, streaming, amateur photo and video editing. This machine is for the masses like the 21.5 iMac was. Later this year I expect to see a new iMac ‘Pro’ to replace the 27”. Hopefully it will have more storage and memory options.
Seriously Apple? You take away Gigabit Ethernet, only give two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports, and no Touch ID on the keyboard? These are the sorts of compromises you'd expect on the el cheapo version built for K-12, not for a consumer desktop.
Sorry, but this is just ridiculous.
Moving the 3.5mm TRS jack to the side is helpful when changing your monitoring options.
Looks good so far. I'm holding off for the 30" version...
That said, this thing is going to sell like hotcakes to the masses.
The specs say the base model has Ethernet as a configurable option. It's probably as simple as swapping the power supply!
Having a matching monitor on an iMac for the dual screen set up would be nice.
Pairing one or two with an M1 Mac mini could be nice too, and allow replacement/trade-in of the mini if upgrade desired.
Or pair with a MBP or MBA for the mobile+desktop option. A monitor with integrated "hub" for I/O expansion would be super cool for this scenario.