The New 24-Inch iMac: A Bold, Colorful Return to Form

Hey everyone! Mike here, aka DetroitBORG, and today I’m diving into Apple’s stunning new 24-inch iMac, a complete reinvention of one of the most iconic desktop computers in history. This isn’t just a spec bump — it’s a full-blown redesign, the first since 2012. And with that comes a lot to unpack — from design, to performance, to accessories — so let’s jump right in.

A Successor 10 Years in the Making

This 24-inch iMac replaces the 21.5-inch Intel-based 4K iMac, and does so in style. It’s the first iMac to fully embrace Apple Silicon, with the powerful M1 chip at its heart. The move to Apple’s own silicon architecture means a much more compact internal design, freeing up space and allowing Apple to shrink the body while increasing screen size.

This iMac also revives some of the charm of the original iMac G3, with a fun, color-rich aesthetic and an eye for detail.

The Unboxing Experience

Unboxing this iMac feels entirely new. Apple redesigned the packaging with eco-friendly, biodegradable materials. You’ll want to open the box flat on a table — not upright — or the iMac will come out upside-down. Arrows on the side of the box guide you to pull apart the box flaps, revealing a neatly cradled iMac and all the included accessories beneath it.

Depending on your configuration, the accessories vary. I went all in and got:

  • Magic Keyboard (with numeric keypad and new rounded design)

  • Touch ID sensor (replaces the eject key — looks like it's straight from an iPad)

  • Magic Trackpad (redesigned with rounded corners)

  • Magic Mouse 2 (same design, now in matching color)

Even the lightning cables are braided and color-coordinated, right down to the internals of the connectors. The Apple stickers? Yep, color-matched too — with a two-tone finish to mirror the iMac itself.

External Power Supply — With a Twist

For the first time ever, the iMac has an external power supply. That’s a big shift, and a smart one. It keeps heat outside the chassis and makes repairs easier if the PSU fails. The upgraded version even has Gigabit Ethernet built directly into the power brick — and yes, even the connector’s inner ring matches your iMac’s color. Oh, and the MagSafe-style power connector? Magnetic, color-matched, and super easy to attach.

A Design Built for Today

Once you peel away the many layers of protective wrap, you’ll find a sleek and modern iMac with a familiar-but-fresh design:

  • Two-tone color scheme: Soft pastel up front, bold and glossy in back.

  • White bezels: A callback to early Apple designs, chosen specifically to reduce screen reflections.

  • Extremely thin profile: So thin, in fact, that the headphone jack now lives on the side instead of the back.

  • Stand design: Similar to the Pro Display XDR, with color-matched aluminum and rubber feet for grip.

Just keep in mind — if you want a VESA mount, you’ll need to order it with the iMac. It’s not user-removable.

A Bigger, Better Display

The display is where things really shine — literally:

  • 24-inch 4.5K Retina Display

  • 218 PPI for ultra-sharp resolution

  • Wide color (P3) and True Tone support

  • 500 nits brightness

  • Reduced glare, thanks in part to the white bezel

Technically, it’s a 23.5-inch display rounded up to 24", and it uses a 16:9 aspect ratio instead of the older 16:10.

Apple also color-matched the wallpapers and screensavers to your iMac’s color — a small but delightful touch.

Cameras, Mics, and Speakers — Huge Upgrades

This is the first iMac with a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, and the quality leap is massive thanks to the M1’s image signal processor. The microphone setup is equally impressive:

  • Three-mic array, with directional beamforming

  • Apple calls them “studio-grade” — and while that’s a stretch, they’re genuinely solid

The speaker system is equally advanced:

  • Six speakers

  • Force-canceling subwoofers to eliminate distortion

  • Support for Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio

The result? A rich, immersive audio experience that rivals much larger systems — though not quite at the level of the iMac Pro.

The M1 Chip Inside

All models of the 24-inch iMac come with Apple’s powerful M1 chip. The base model has a 7-core GPU, while the mid and top configurations get the 8-core GPU version.

Specs:

  • 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM standard

  • Upgradable to 2TB SSD and 16GB RAM

  • Same chip found in the MacBook Air, Pro, Mac mini, and iPad Pro

  • Capable of editing 4K video, 100MP photos, and even driving 6K displays

Performance is almost identical to the Mac mini, with possibly slightly better single-core results — placing it at the top of the M1 Mac lineup in some benchmarks.

Limited Ports, but Great Connectivity

In terms of I/O:

  • Base model: 2 Thunderbolt/USB4 ports

  • Higher model: Adds 2 more USB-C (10Gbps) ports

  • 3.5mm headphone jack (side-mounted)

  • Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0

Sadly, there’s no SD card slot, USB-A, or HDMI, so you’ll need dongles. That’s one of the few drawbacks for power users.

Touch ID Keyboard — Wireless and Secure

This is the first iMac with Touch ID, built into the new Magic Keyboard. And it’s wireless, thanks to a dedicated secure chip that encrypts and transmits fingerprint data directly to the iMac.

You can tap to:

  • Unlock your Mac

  • Use Apple Pay

  • Lock your screen

It’s fast, reliable, and a welcome addition.

Pricing and Final Thoughts

The 24-inch iMac starts at $1,299. I recommend stepping up to the $1,499 model, which gives you:

  • More ports

  • Better GPU

  • Color-matching accessories

  • Touch ID Keyboard

  • Ethernet in the power brick

Fully specced out, you’re looking at around $2,600.

And honestly? This machine is powerful enough to replace my iMac Pro for most tasks. It’s deceptively powerful and incredibly well-designed — both inside and out.

Final Verdict

The 24-inch iMac is not just for families or casual users. It's a serious tool that looks fun but means business. With the M1 chip, bold new design, and Apple’s hallmark attention to detail, this iMac feels like a bold return to the glory days of colorful, capable, and beautifully-crafted desktop computing.

Can’t wait to see what Apple does with the larger iMacs next!

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Enjoyed this breakdown? Let me know what you think in the comments, and stay tuned for more Apple reviews soon!

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