REVIEW: M4 iMAC THIS MIGHT BE THE BEST iMAC EVER

A FASTER CHIP, MORE RAM, A BETTER CAMERA, AND A CHANGE IN PORTS MAKE THE M4 iMAC THE BEST BUY IT'S EVER BEEN.

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The 2023 M3 iMac (fave.co/3sOuRai) was one helluva Mac. Its performance was stellar for the general consumer. Its design, while a couple of years old, was still relevant, attractive, and functional. And its price was pretty decent, too.

Could Apple do anything to make the iMac an even better deal? Yes, it could. It didn't reinvent the wheel with the November release of the M4 iMac, but numerous small changes make Apple's all-in-one even better at the same price. The chip is even faster, the rear port configuration is smarter, it makes you look even better on video calls, and it supports more external displays. The iMac marches on as an icon for the company, and it has the features to back up its lofty status—and raise it.

This review is structured based on how the major updates will influence your buying decision. We first look at the M4 chip and its performance, followed by the screen and camera, the Thunderbolt ports, and other factors.

First, here are the details of our review unit.

OUR MODEL'S SPECIFICATIONS

Apple offers three different standard configurations of the iMac. We reviewed the high-end model with several customizations that increase the price to $2,379/£2,379. Our review unit has the following specifications:

CPU: M4 with 10 cores (4 performance cores, 6 efficiency cores), 16-core Neural Engine

GPU: 10 core

Memory: 24GB unified memory (120GBps memory bandwidth)

Storage: 1TB SSD

Display: 23.5-inch Retina; 4480×2520 native resolution at 218 pixels per inch; 500 nits brightness, 1 billion colors; P3 color gamut; True Tone; Nano-texture glass

Ports: 4 Thunderbolt 4/USB-C; 3.5mm audio; gigabit ethernet