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.
![]() iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) in orange | |
| Developer | Apple Inc. |
|---|---|
| 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]
Specifications
| Model | 24-inch, M1, 2021 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Announced | April 20, 2021 | ||
| Released | May 21, 2021 | ||
| Discontinued | In production | ||
| Unsupported | Supported | ||
| Part number | MGTF3 (Silver), MJV83 (Green), MJV93 (Blue), MJVA3 (Pink) | MGPC3 (Silver, 256 GB), MGPD3 (Silver, 512 GB), MGPJ3 (Green 512 GB), MGPK3 (Blue 256 GB), MGPL3 (Blue 512 GB), MGPM3 (Green 256 GB), MGPN3 (Pink 512 GB) | MGPF3 (Yellow 256 GB), MGPR3 (Orange 256 GB), MGPP3 (Purple 256 GB), MGPG3xx/A, MGPH3xx/A, MGPQ3xx/A, MGPT3xx/A[13] |
| Model number | A2439[14] | A2438[15] | A2449[16] |
| Model identifier | iMac21,2[13] | iMac21,1 | |
| EMC no. | 3664[14] | 3663 | 3579[16] |
| Display | 23.5 in (600 mm) | ||
| 4480×2520 500 nits brightness Wide color (P3) True Tone technology | |||
| System on a chip | Apple M1 | ||
| Processor | 5 nm, 3.2 GHz octa-core ARMv8-A processor; 4x Firestorm performance cores + 4x Icestorm efficiency cores (big.LITTLE) | ||
| Memory | 8 GB Optional: 16 GB at time of purchase only Unified in-package LPDDR4X-4266 memory | ||
| Graphics | 7-core GPU | 8-core GPU | |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD Optional: 512 GB, 1 TB SSD at time of purchase only |
256 GB, 512 GB SSD Optional: 1 TB, 2 TB SSD 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 | Stereo speakers 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 | |
| Colors | |||
| Initial Release Operating System | macOS 11 Big Sur | ||
| Latest Release Operating System | macOS 13 Ventura | ||
Timeline of iMac models
| Timeline of iMac and eMac models |
|---|
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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.
- "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.

