iMac (Apple silicon)
The iMac M1 is an all-in-one desktop Mac made by Apple Inc. It is the first iMac with Apple silicon, and sports a new, more colorful design, a 24-inch screen, and an Apple M1 chip. It was released on May 21, 2021, replacing the 21-inch and 27-inch Intel iMacs.
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![]() iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) in orange | |
Developer | Apple Inc. |
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Type | All-in-one PC |
Release date | May 21, 2021[1] |
Operating system | macOS |
System on a chip | Apple M1 |
CPU | 3.2 GHz octa-core – 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores ARMv8-A (current release) |
Memory | 8 GB or 16 GB |
Storage | 256, 512 GB, 1 or 2 TB SSD |
Graphics | Apple-designed 7- or 8-core GPU (current release) |
Predecessor | iMac (Intel-based) |
Related | Mac Mini, Mac Pro |
Website | www.apple.com/imac-24 |
Overview
On June 22, 2020, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the Mac would shift from Intel processors to Apple's own in-house designed processors that use the ARM64 architecture, branded as Apple silicon. On April 20, 2021, Apple announced a 24-inch iMac based on the Apple M1 system on a chip.[2]
The iMac with M1 features a 4480-by-2520 (4.5K) built-in display, 1080p FaceTime camera with an improved image signal processor and three-microphone array, and a six-driver stereo speaker system with a pair of force-canceling woofers and a tweeter per side, that supports Dolby Atmos and spatial audio. It also adds support for Wi-Fi 6, USB4/Thunderbolt 3, and 6K output to run the Pro Display XDR. External display support is reduced to one display over USB-C/Thunderbolt; the previous 21.5-inch Intel-based model could drive two 4K displays over USB-C/Thunderbolt.[3] The models also include a magnetic power plug and external power supply that can be configured with a Gigabit Ethernet port.[4] On previous iMac models, the power brick was internal to the iMac. The M1 iMac's power cable is braided, and color-matched with the iMac.[5]
The iMac with M1 ships with a Magic Mouse 2 or Magic Trackpad 2 with a color-matching aluminum underside. It can be configured with one of three updated Magic Keyboards with rounded corners: a standard version, a version with a Touch ID sensor, and an extended layout version with a numeric keypad and Touch ID. The Magic Keyboards with Touch ID are compatible with other Mac computers with Apple silicon but only ship with the iMac.[6]
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was planning to skip making an iMac M2, and instead release an iMac M3 in the second half of 2023.[7]
Design
The iMac with M1 is the first iMac with a major redesign since 2012, with slimmer bezels, a flat back and seven color options; they are the same colors used in Apple's first official logo.[8] It is the first iMac available in multiple colors since the iMac G3.[9] Jony Ive contributed to its design.[10]
Reception
CNET's Katie Collins said the design was a statement piece that served as a "symbol of hope" while working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic; and also considered this to be part of an anti-minimalism trend, an end to "austerity" in product design.[8] Technology blogger John Gruber called it elegant and cheerful, and complimented its display, speaker quality, performance, and the addition of Touch ID to the keyboard.[11] The Verge's Monica Chin called the M1 iMac "simple, attractive, and very functional", concluding that it has "arguably the most widespread consumer appeal of any [recent] iMac"; she also found that the machine achieved higher single-core Geekbench performance scores "than any Mac we’ve ever seen before — even the iMac Pro".[12]
The M1 iMac has a low repairability score of just 2 out of 10.[13]
Specifications
Model | 24-inch, M1, 2021 | |||||
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Timetable | Announced | April 20, 2021 | ||||
Released | May 21, 2021 | |||||
Discontinued | In production | |||||
Unsupported | Supported | |||||
Model | Model identifier | iMac21,2[14] | iMac21,1 | |||
Model number | A2439[15] | A2438[16] | A2449[17] | |||
EMC no. | 3664[15] | 3663 | 3579[17] | |||
Part number | MGTF3 (Silver), MJV83 (Green), MJV93 (Blue), MJVA3 (Pink) | MGPC3 (Silver), MGPM3 (Green), MGPK3 (Blue), MGPH3 (Pink) | MGPD3 (Silver), MGPJ3 (Green), MGPL3 (Blue), MGPN3 (Pink) | MGPF3 (Yellow), MGPR3 (Orange), MGPP3 (Purple) | MGPG3, MGPQ3, MGPT3 (Yellow, Orange, or Purple build-to-order)[14] | |
Colors | ||||||
Display | Size | 23.5 in (600 mm) | ||||
Dimenions and details | 4480×2520 500 nits brightness Wide color (P3) True Tone technology | |||||
Performance | System on a chip | Apple M1 | ||||
Processor | 5 nm, 3.2 GHz 8-core ARMv8-A 4x "Firestorm" performance cores + 4x "Icestorm" efficiency cores (big.LITTLE) | |||||
Memory | 8 GB unified in-package LPDDR4X-4266 memory Optional: 16 GB at time of purchase only | |||||
Graphics | 7-core GPU | 8-core GPU | ||||
Storage (SSD) | Standard | 256 GB | 512 GB | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
Optional | 512 GB or 1 TB at time of purchase only | 1 TB or 2 TB at time of purchase only | ||||
Connectivity | Integrated Wi-Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax) Bluetooth 5.0 Gigabit Ethernet (integrated into external power supply, build-to-order) |
Integrated Wi-Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax) Bluetooth 5.0 Gigabit Ethernet (integrated into external power supply, standard) | ||||
Camera | 1080p FaceTime HD camera with M1 image signal processor | |||||
Video out | Supports one display up to 6K resolution at 60 Hz | |||||
Audio | Six speakers and two force-cancelling woofers audio system with Dolby Atmos compatibility. 3.5mm headphone jack | |||||
Peripherals | 2× Thunderbolt 3/USB-C 4.0 ports up to 40Gb/s (no support for eGPU) | 2× Thunderbolt 3/USB-C 4.0 ports up to 40Gb/s (no support for eGPU) Additional 2× USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 ports up to 10Gb/s | ||||
Operating system | Initial Release | macOS 11 Big Sur | ||||
Latest Release | macOS 14 Sonoma |
Timeline of iMac models
Timeline of iMac and eMac models (sorted by screen sizes) |
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References
- "iMac, iPad Pro, and Apple TV 4K in stores Friday". Apple Newsroom. Archived from the original on 2021-05-18. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
- "iMac features all-new design in vibrant colors, M1 chip, and 4.5K Retina display". Apple Newsroom. Archived from the original on 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
- Kastrenakes, Jacob (2021-04-20). "Apple announces thinner iMac with M1 chip and bright colors". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
- Gonzalez, Oscar. "New iMac comes with magnetic power plug that doubles as Ethernet cable". CNET. Archived from the original on 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
- Miller, Chance (2021-04-20). "New M1 iMacs come with color-matched braided USB-C to Lightning cable". 9to5Mac. Archived from the original on 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
- "Magic Keyboard With Touch ID Compatible With All M1 Macs, But Only Sold With iMac For Now". MacRumors. Archived from the original on 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
- Espósito, Filipe (2023-01-16). "With new Macs coming soon, will Apple update the iMac with the M2 chip?". 9to5Mac. Archived from the original on 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
- Collins, Katie. "How Apple's new iMacs color-matched today's home fashion trends". CNET. Archived from the original on 2021-05-01. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
- Nieva, Richard. "New iMac gets jolt of color in Apple's first redesign since 2012". CNET. Archived from the original on 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
- White, Jeremy. "The 2021 iMac is a great family computer, thanks to Jony Ive (again)". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Archived from the original on 2022-04-07. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
- "The 24-Inch M1 iMac". Daring Fireball. Archived from the original on 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
- Chin, Monica (2021-05-18). "Apple's new iMac is fun and functional". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2022-11-07. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
- Porter, Jon (2021-05-25). "See inside Apple's colorful new M1 iMac, thanks to iFixit's latest teardown". The Verge. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- "Identify your iMac model". Apple Support. Archived from the original on 2021-05-25. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
- "iMac 24-Inch "M1" 8-Core 3.2/7-Core GPU/2 USB Specs (iMac (24", M1 2021), MJV93LL/A*, iMac21,2, A2439, 3664): EveryMac.com". everymac.com. Archived from the original on 2021-05-27. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
- "iMac "M1" 8 CPU/8 GPU/4 Ports 24" Specs (iMac (24", M1 2021), MGPK3LL/A*, iMac21,1, A2438, 3663): EveryMac.com". everymac.com. Archived from the original on 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
- "iMac M1 24" Teardown". iFixit. 2021-05-24. Archived from the original on 2021-05-27. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
External links
- "iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) - Technical Specifications". support.apple.com. Retrieved 2023-03-15.