# The New M1 iMac - Any thoughts?



## dflood (Apr 20, 2021)

Major redesign. Still 16 GB max. Thoughts?









iMac 24-inch - Technical Specifications


24-inch iMac. 4.5k Retina display. 8-core Apple M1 chip. Up to 16GB memory and 2TB of storage. See all technical specifications.



www.apple.com


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## Alex Fraser (Apr 20, 2021)

Absolutely perfect for what it’s designed for. I imagine it’ll be the mainstay of 1000’s of new home offices, tellingly with a much better camera. Colour options a smart move for the market.

No doubt it’ll have the usual great M1 performance too, but that 16gb...

(Also, is there anything Apple won’t slam an M1 into? iToaster next?)


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## BassClef (Apr 20, 2021)

Why bother? Just get the new MacBook M1 Pro or Mini and get a larger monitor of your choice. I'll still wait on the 27" iMac replacement.


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## rnb_2 (Apr 20, 2021)

This isn't the iMac you're looking for (if the M1 mini didn't scratch that itch).

That said, absolutely gorgeous.


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## Manaberry (Apr 20, 2021)

Still that ugly and tasteless chin design. They took no advantage of their new PCB design to get rid of the margin. It's just... thinner... Which is a better argument for portable devices.

See you in 2022 for pro's stuff.


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## nightjar (Apr 20, 2021)

Manaberry said:


> Still that ugly and tasteless bottom design. They took no advantage of their new PCB design to get rid of the margin. It's just... thinner... Which is a better argument for portable devices.
> 
> See you in 2022 for pro's stuff.


They used this bottom space to put some good speaker technology within. Totally great design in my book. The Wide Angle front camera used for CenterStage is brilliant too.


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## rnb_2 (Apr 20, 2021)

Manaberry said:


> Still that ugly and tasteless bottom design. They took no advantage of their new PCB design to get rid of the margin. It's just... thinner... Which is a better argument for portable devices.
> 
> See you in 2022 for pro's stuff.


I was surprised to see the "chin" still present, but they basically put all of the "computer" plus what could be pretty good speakers in there, with everything behind the screen (I assume) just supporting the display. It appears that they came up with a minimum thickness they needed to support everything they wanted to do, figured out the best way to arrange everything, and decided that keeping the chin would allow them to do the smallest uniform thickness. There's so little to the actual computer portion, it would lead a lot of empty volume if they did a uniform thickness and put the PCB/fans/sound system behind the display somewhere.


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## charlieclouser (Apr 20, 2021)

As much as I dislike the look of the "chin" on all iMacs, I understand why they do it even from a cosmetic and branding standpoint. It visibly differentiates the iMac from a normal computer display, and I wouldn't be surprised if that was a conscious decision apart from whether or not they could have fit the logic board behind the screen with no chin.


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## Manaberry (Apr 20, 2021)

Don't get me wrong, I salute their efforts and what they have done so far 
I just don't like it :D


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## TracksInTheBox (Apr 20, 2021)

16 GB RAM max. It's a no from me.


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## mscp (Apr 20, 2021)

Still waiting to hear from someone who has used an M1 alongside a PC slave to tell me a story that makes the M1 Mini a very attractive choice. I'm OS agnostic


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## Nick Batzdorf (Apr 20, 2021)

Perfect for my wife, whose previous iMac bit the dust and who isn't happy working on her 14" MacBook Air all the time.

A Mac Mini plus a monitor plus a keyboard plus a mouse is pretty much the same price as the entry-level iMac. The chin doesn't bother me as much as the picture on the Apple site of a tech bro hipster sitting at a tech bro hipster desk in a tech bro hipster office looking lecherously at his yellow iMac.


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## gzapper (Apr 20, 2021)

I'd just get a mini, same processor/ports except you don't need to upgrade your monitor at the same time.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Apr 20, 2021)

gzapper said:


> I'd just get a mini, same processor/ports except you don't need to upgrade your monitor at the same time.



I agree, but my wife will be really excited about getting a purple computer.

Seriously, she will! I'm just about to tell her.


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## M_Helder (Apr 20, 2021)

Damn, only 16 Gb of RAM :(

I was really looking forward to upgrading my current iMac, but that RAM limit puts a serious damper on things.


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## Pixelpoet1985 (Apr 20, 2021)

Really like the new design, and the prices are great. Don't have a problem with the "chin", the logic board has to be somewhere. Clever idea with the network connector integrated in the power supply. Curious that there is no Apple logo at the front.

But 16 GB aren't great. Really hope that the bigger (32 inch) version will support more RAM.


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## rnb_2 (Apr 20, 2021)

Pixelpoet1985 said:


> But 16 GB aren't great. Really hope that the bigger (32 inch) version will support more RAM.


I think it's a pretty safe bet that just about anything released in the future will support more RAM - just about everything else in the line would be considered a "Pro" machine (with the possible exception of the 13-14" MacBook Pro, but they've already released the low end version of that) and will have higher specs. The big question now is when do we start to see those machines - I'd guess that the laptops are coming at WWDC, with the higher end iMacs and Mac Pro to follow late this year and/or next year.


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## Jeremy Spencer (Apr 20, 2021)

M_Helder said:


> Damn, only 16 Gb of RAM :(
> 
> I was really looking forward to upgrading my current iMac, but that RAM limit puts a serious damper on things.


If you really need an upgrade (like I did), grab a 2020 10th gen i7 iMac. I didn't feel like waiting another several months for a "pro" M1, and I doubt there will be anything until 2022. Honestly, I couldn't be happier with it!


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## dflood (Apr 20, 2021)

TracksInTheBox said:


> 16 GB RAM max. It's a no from me.


Ya, I guess I’ll be sticking with my 2013 iMac for another year or so. I don’t upgrade often (obviously), so I’m going to try to hold out for more RAM and a larger screen. Still, I bet these things will sell like crazy. At least it should provide Apple with plenty of cash to develop their M1 ‘pro’ chips.


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## Bear Market (Apr 20, 2021)

dflood said:


> At least it should provide Apple with plenty of cash to develop their M1 ‘pro’ chips.


Yes, god knows Apple really could use some cash... :D


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## Wunderhorn (Apr 20, 2021)

*Absolutely pointless* to waste a single breath over this if you are working with sample libraries. 16GB in 2021 is trying to talk you into buying a GameBoy for music production.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Apr 20, 2021)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> ech bro hipster sitting at a tech bro hipster desk in a tech bro hipster office looking lecherously at his yellow iMac



I mean this guy. You know he's talking about how they can fire a bunch of people and save money (leaving aside that the desk is pretty cool!).


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## SyMTiK (Apr 20, 2021)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> I mean this guy. You know he's talking about how they can fire a bunch of people and save money (leaving aside that the desk is pretty cool!).


Legs are a $1000 option apparently, classic Apple!


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## Nick Batzdorf (Apr 20, 2021)

SyMTiK said:


> Legs are a $1000 option apparently, classic Apple!


I understand that three of them are included free.


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## Alex Fraser (Apr 20, 2021)

Interesting that it’s positioned as “the” iMac rather than a prelude to something bigger/better.

So what else? A bigger 27 inch version seems kind of redundant.


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## jbuhler (Apr 20, 2021)

Alex Fraser said:


> Interesting that it’s positioned as “the” iMac rather than a prelude to something bigger/better.
> 
> So what else? A bigger 27 inch version seems kind of redundant.


Isn’t the talk that they are moving to 32” for the large iMac?


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## Antkn33 (Apr 20, 2021)

I’m still really skeptical of the 16gb limit. How does it handle loading sample libraries?


dflood said:


> Major redesign. Still 16 GB max. Thoughts?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## colony nofi (Apr 20, 2021)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> I mean this guy. You know he's talking about how they can fire a bunch of people and save money (leaving aside that the desk is pretty cool!).


Ha! Thats an ikea desk. I use the same trestles for my workstation.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Apr 20, 2021)

Alex Fraser said:


> Interesting that it’s positioned as “the” iMac


That's Apple's marketing.

They say "iPhone," not "the iPhone" like everyone else does.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Apr 20, 2021)

colony nofi said:


> Ha! Thats an ikea desk. I use the same trestles for my workstation.


And the guy is probably not a tech bro hipster. 

But that doesn't stop me from having fun.


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## colony nofi (Apr 20, 2021)

Antkn33 said:


> I’m still really skeptical of the 16gb limit. How does it handle loading sample libraries?


This is not a computer to do tonnes of VI / Sample based composing on. I mean, you'll be able to do some, but its nothing like working on a big workstation.

Its not designed for the type of thing many of us do here.

As expected, the SKU's are exactly the same as the M1 Mac Mini's... its the same computer in a different form factor. 

Pro stuff is coming later. There's more to be sorted out for Pro's. Tonnes more. Ram will come. Different storage subsystems will come. Different CPU's are coming. Different GPU's too.

Makes for a great office / home computer like many have said. We just ordered a new mini m1 with 10GbE for our producer. We have a bloody nice monitor for her already. (Productivity on 21:9 34" screens is EXCELLENT!)


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## Alex Fraser (Apr 21, 2021)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> That's Apple's marketing.
> 
> They say "iPhone," not "the iPhone" like everyone else does.


Oh, absolutely.

Where I was really going is that whilst previous base range iMacs have traditionally been long in-the-tooth with the tech (the smaller iMac was still sporting a slow platter when everything else was moving to SSD) these new models have Apple's best work stuffed inside. It's a key repositioning and makes whatever "pro" model iMac Apple have in the works all the more interesting.


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## el-bo (Apr 21, 2021)

SyMTiK said:


> Legs are a $1000 option apparently, classic Apple!


His legs?


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## Alex Fraser (Apr 21, 2021)

colony nofi said:


> This is not a computer to do tonnes of VI / Sample based composing on. I mean, you'll be able to do some, but its nothing like working on a big workstation.


I agree with this, but I think some of the knee jerk "only 16gb" replies need quantifying.

I use a 16gb MbP and I ship music on it daily. I use the usual suspects and the ram limit is rarely a problem in Logic.

The key problem areas for low ram counts are big "load it all in" templates and heavy orchestral arrangements with multiple-mics (i.e the main areas of VIC interest) but everything else is fair game and quite doable, so I expect these new machines will sing along quite nicely for general music production.

I'd never try to argue that more ram isn't better though, and look forward (albeit with trepidation) to seeing where Apple eventually lands on the unified ram/pro machines conundrum.


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## ridgero (Apr 21, 2021)

It’s an outstanding Computer for many out there, but it’s not meant for us :D

The lack of the grey/black colour hints an upcoming iMac Pro with the M1X, which will suits our needs. End of 2021?


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## wayne_rowley (Apr 21, 2021)

Alex Fraser said:


> Interesting that it’s positioned as “the” iMac rather than a prelude to something bigger/better.
> 
> So what else? A bigger 27 inch version seems kind of redundant


A new iMac Pro will likely replace the current 27 inch Intel iMac line when ready.

32" 6K display
M1X/M2 chip
Dedicated AS graphics
More ports
Higher ram/storage etc.

Wayne


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## Alex Fraser (Apr 21, 2021)

wayne_rowley said:


> A new iMac Pro will likely replace the current 27 inch Intel iMac line when ready.
> 
> 32" 6K display
> M1X/M2 chip
> ...


Yes please!


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## berto (Apr 21, 2021)

yes but how cool the camera follows me when i am composing music!!!! And i can load all my amazing iPhone apps in it while i am making music. Or i can transfer all my notes, or my audio recordings from my iPad... while i am doing music.... or i can see all my pictures taken with my iPhone...while i am doing music..... with my older iMAC 27"


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## Alex Fraser (Apr 21, 2021)

berto said:


> yes but how cool the camera follows me when i am composing music!!!! And i can load all my amazing iPhone apps in it while i am making music. Or i can transfer all my notes, or my audio recordings from my iPad... while i am doing music.... or i can see all my pictures taken with my iPhone...while i am doing music..... with my older iMAC 27"


But is it pink?


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## IFM (Apr 21, 2021)

I'm probably going to get one for the exact reason it was made...an office iMac. I have a 2017 i5 for it now but for also doing my video editing, photos, and all the other business stuff it will be perfect.


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## el-bo (Apr 21, 2021)

IFM said:


> I'm probably going to get one for the exact reason it was made...an office iMac.


That a certain type of VI composer i.e one who needs multiple mics, picking up multiple articulations, across multiple virtual orchestras (And for some, across multiple machines) doesn't mean it was made as an office computer


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## Jacob Cadmus (Apr 21, 2021)

Spec-wise it’s pretty impressive for the entry-level, considering the abysmal value of the old Intel model that it’s replacing. I actually quite like the visual design; it’s like a mix of the original G3 and the white plastic model before the black/silver aluminum redesign. I do wish that the front had the bold colors like in the back, and hopefully they might give us a black bezel option in the future (maybe on the upcoming pro iMacs?).

My biggest issue with this design is the lack of ports. Only two TB ports on the base model and 2 additional USB-C ports for extra cost... c’mon Apple, I thought we were past this! Thank goodness they kept the headphone jack at least. *sigh* Also, ethernet capabilities are an add-on, but on the -external- power brick... Just so many form-over-function compromises just to “make the computer disappear.” I feel like there’s no reason for this base model to exist when the M1 Mini is a much better value.


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## Getsumen (Apr 21, 2021)

Low ram, low storage, low number of ports.

They should just add an option to just sell the chip alone


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## el-bo (Apr 21, 2021)

Jacob Cadmus said:


> Spec-wise it’s pretty impressive for the entry-level, considering the abysmal value of the old Intel model that it’s replacing. I actually quite like the visual design; it’s like a mix of the original G3 and the white plastic model before the black/silver aluminum redesign. I do wish that the front had the bold colors like in the back, and hopefully they might give us a black bezel option in the future (maybe on the upcoming pro iMacs?).
> 
> My biggest issue with this design is the lack of ports. Only two TB ports on the base model and 2 additional USB-C ports for extra cost... c’mon Apple, I thought we were past this! Thank goodness they kept the headphone jack at least. *sigh* Also, ethernet capabilities are an add-on, but on the -external- power brick... Just so many form-over-function compromises just to “make the computer disappear.” I feel like there’s no reason for this base model to exist when the M1 Mini is a much better value.


Yeah! It's lame how they managed to make two different models, with nothing but a few ports between them.


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## Tronam (Apr 21, 2021)

I don't mind the new design, but these new iMacs scream general purpose consumer computer. The more limited I/O, lack of a gray color option or even one with black bezels seems like pretty clear messaging from Apple: "Pro users, this isn't for you. Stay away. We'll have something better later in the year."


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## DoFuzz (Apr 22, 2021)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> I mean this guy. You know he's talking about how they can fire a bunch of people and save money (leaving aside that the desk is pretty cool!).


Hi, well I do think that they missed out on one very important essential item (just watch all Zoom/Skype interviews)... an acoustic guitar.

I do hope Apple will release these iMacs with the possibility for more RAM.
Cheers,
M


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