Not much has happened since I last set up my iMac. While Apple remains fairly conservative with the current generation of its all-in-one PCs, the truth is that it updates hardware faster than Intel’s now-defunct models. Big changes occurred precisely with the abandonment of Intel. In both design and format, the current generation of iMac has been with us since 2021, and in a repeat of last year’s move, the company has once again refined its most iconic model, adding some exciting new features and all-new M4 chips.

And since its presentation with the M1, it seems that Apple He pressed the correct key on his desktop computer. An outstanding team, the only thing that can be criticized for is a certain conservatism in its numbers, rather than in its play. This, of course, is the only reproach that can be addressed to this model with the M4. 24″ will become scarce in mid-2024 (they already were in 2021), especially when the company sells excellent quality monitors in the sweetest 27 inches. Nothing changes in that regard with this update, although Apple makes up for the lack of new features with some interesting hardware improvements that make it much more complete.

On the one hand, Apple has (finally) improved the iMac’s built-in camera. dto move to 12 megapixelsand although this information does not tell us much, in terms of quality and, above all, in terms of light, it is night and day. It also includes all the options available on the iPhone, including face tracking, a background and filter system, and even the ability to take photos from above. It’s a more than welcome improvement, one that goes unnoticed because it’s obvious, but it adds points to a package that continues to be the best in the market, both from Apple and any other competitive segment we aim for. search.

Minor changes to an already established team

The rest of the improvements in this new version of the Mac can be boiled down to three: a nano-texture screen option that we’ve already seen in other company hardware such as the Studio Display. up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports (and, as a result, support for external 6K monitors) and is already ubiquitous in almost the entire Apple Silicon M4 line.

There is little to say about the first of them. Nano-textured shielding is a key option to avoid reflections, but it increases the cost of the equipment, regardless of its configuration. Our review unit has it, and in a work environment it’s a pleasure to use compared to the screen. glossyincluding from Apple. However, this is still a random option and will largely depend on the user’s needs. It also somewhat detracts from the brilliance of the Mac’s design, but the latter is a purely personal and aesthetic experience. In terms of practicality, the truth is that the proposal of a nano-textured screen, no matter how delicate it is to clean and maintain, This is a very positive thing for the work environment.and the absence of any reflections makes using the iMac much more comfortable and easier on the eyes.

And regarding the ports, users who want to get this device should keep in mind that 4 ports are not available in the basic version (perhaps the most recommended right now as it starts with 16GB RAM), since it is limited to both. The power adapter does not have Ethernet built in, for which you will have to pay an additional 30 euros. Are two ports enough for you? For the vast majority the answer is definitely yes, but this will depend on each individual.

It would be great to include some Thunderbot 5, as if it included a high-end MacBook Pro in the future, but in reality, Thunderbot 4’s throughput is sufficient even for bandwidth-intensive tasks. And considering that this is a team aimed at the non-professional market, this too includes Wi-Fi 6EThis is a fairly forgivable shortcoming, considering that even a user with quite a few devices, as in my case, only needed two of the four ports included in our review unit.

M4: Ready for Apple Intelligence

Let’s talk about performance. The big news about this 2024 iMac is the move to the Apple M4. Unlike the rest of the company’s equipment, including the Mac mini, there is no option to buy equipment with Apple Pro (or Max) chips. In this model, we can choose the M4 with an 8-core CPU and GPU (base model) or a 10-core CPU and GPU and expand (or not) the unified memory. Frankly, Apple chips are at a technological and performance level that When it comes to the average user’s user experience, there are hardly any big leaps between generations. It makes sense that the big differences in processors are geared more towards being taken advantage of by professional users running software that uses extra resources, but for the average consumer you won’t notice much of a difference.

For those interested in the numbers, the M4 chip with 10-core CPU and GPU in this iMac outperforms the GPU of the M1 Max, but still lags far behind the M1 Ultra in almost every aspect of Cinebench’s other tests. , and always in comparison with equipment with similar characteristics:

If you look at the Geekbench numbers, the data is more or less similar, it is above the 10-core M1 Max in both single-core and multi-core tests, but below the Ultra in the latter. And regarding the previous M3: interesting increase in powerbut as they say, but not very significant from the point of view of user experience.

Perhaps the most important change is the increase in unified memory, which now starts at 16 GB and which undoubtedly represents both a qualitative and quantitative leap in terms of performance and user experience.


Is the iMac M4 worth the money?

With this update to Apple’s all-in-one, it’s a much more interesting option if possible. Both the base 8-core model and 10-core variants come with 16GB of unified memory (finally). therefore, they make it one of the most interesting Apple devices in terms of quality and price.. Plus, the iMac still features one of Apple’s best displays in both brightness and resolution, which combined with nano-texturing makes it ideal for work environments. We’d love to see Apple make the jump to 27 inches with this update, but you can’t have everything, at least for now.

If you’re looking for a complete desktop computer that includes all the accessories (and finally USB-C) with enough power for any task, at a more than interesting price in terms of performance/cost ratio and ready for the future of Apple. Intelligence, The iMac M4 is the smartest buy on the market with a built-in screen. Packed with an outstanding camera, a sound system that’s years ahead of any integrated alternative, an all-around stunning screen, and enough power to future-proof it, it’s all you need to know to decide if this is the Mac for you. . or not.

The hardest part will be choosing a color.

Source: Hiper Textual

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I'm Ben Stock, a highly experienced and passionate journalist with a career in the news industry spanning more than 10 years. I specialize in writing content for websites, including researching and interviewing sources to produce engaging articles. My current role is as an author at Gadget Onus, where I mainly cover the mobile section.

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