Apple plans to refresh the 24-inch iMac as soon as 2024, potentially releasing a new model with an M4 chip by year’s end. The company aims to revamp the entire Mac lineup with AI-focused M4 chips, including the iMac.
This guide covers everything we know about Apple’s plans for the M4 iMac.
M4 Chip
The next-generation 24-inch iMac is expected to feature the M4 chip, the same chip used in the latest iPad Pro models. This will be an upgrade from the current M3 chip in iMacs.
The M4, built on the same 3-nanometer technology as the M3, is a second-generation chip with improvements in speed and efficiency. Geekbench benchmark tests show the M4 is up to 25 percent faster than the M3, with single-core scores of 3,695 and multi-core scores of 14,550, compared to the M3’s 3,087 and 11,702.
The M4 chip includes a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, featuring six efficiency cores and four performance cores. There is also a 9-core CPU variant used in the iPad Pro, but it is unlikely to be offered in the iMac.
While other Macs will receive M4 Pro, M4 Max, and M4 Ultra upgrades, the 24-inch iMac, being an entry-level product similar to the MacBook Air, will only feature the standard M4 chip.
Design
Apple last redesigned the iMac in 2021, and there are no indications of an upcoming change in appearance. The 2024 iMac refresh is expected to concentrate on internal updates rather than any external design changes.
The iMac is an all-in-one device that integrates a computer and a display. It features a slim profile, measuring just 11.5mm thick, making it an easy fit on a desktop. The iMac is available in a variety of vibrant colors, with a matching pastel-colored chin.
Currently, the only anticipated update for the iMac is the inclusion of the M4 chip.
Larger iMac?
There have been ongoing rumors about a larger-screened iMac with a display around 30 inches. However, as of mid-2023, this device was still in the early stages of development, and there is no information on when it might be released.
It’s possible that we might see the larger iMac in 2025, but it won’t be released in 2024. This year, Apple will continue with the 24-inch iMac, maintaining the lineup since discontinuing the 27-inch model in 2022.
Release Date
In April, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggested that the 24-inch iMac would likely receive an M4 chip update “around the end of the year.” Apple often holds events in October or November for new Mac releases, so the updated iMac could be unveiled during that period.
Additionally, Apple is expected to update the MacBook Pro models and the Mac mini before the end of the year. The iMac was last updated in October 2023, making an October 2024 launch a timely one-year anniversary update.