Apple iMac (M4, 2024) review: An icon gets a power boost

Apple’s iMac has always been a special computer to me. I’ve loved it since I was 10 when my dad came home with a turquoise iMac G4 – and I’ve admired all its iterations since. I won’t tell you how old I am now but that’s about a quarter of a century of love (you can do the maths). In that time, the iMac’s design has changed quite significantly, but for the last three years, it’s remained the same.

We’re now on the third model of the Apple Silicon iMac in the iMac with M4 chip, and we’re at the dawn of Apple Intelligence on the Mac. If you’ve been considering buying an Apple desktop computer, is now the time? Or if you have an old iMac, is this the model you should considering upgrading to? I’ve had the pink iMac (M4) model brightening up my office for the last week and this is what you need to know about the new iMac.

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The Disconnekt Downlow

The Apple iMac (M4, 2024) is a lovely looking desktop computer. The coloured back is iconic and offers plenty of pop, while the premium build makes it perfect for showboating in your home. The screen is on the small side, the white bezels are dated and you don’t get the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID on the base model. But the display has punch and great detail, the Nano-Texture finish is super and the performance is as slick and smooth as you would expect. There’s very little reason to upgrade from the iMac with M1 chip or iMac with M3 chip, especially as both support macOS Sequoia and Apple Intelligence. But if you’re new to the world of iMac, or you’re upgrading from an older Intel iMac, then the iMac M4 is a solid option that will light up your home for years to come.

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The reasons you should choose Apple iMac (M4, 2024)

The Apple iMac has long been a statement desktop computer and that remains true of the 2024 model. The design is the same as the iMac with the M1 chip that was announced in 2021 but I’m not complaining – it’s a lovely design and from the back it really is gorgeous. It adds character to any room you put it in, and the only downside of the coloured aluminium slab is that you have to pick between the colours. 

Speaking of colours, they have been updated for the 2024 model, with more vibrancy and pop than last year’s iMac. I had the pink model in for review and honestly, I’m obsessed with the colour – it’s got plenty of punch and it looks like a dream in my office against the Farrow & Ball Inchyra Blue walls. 

My review unit has the Nano-Texture display option too, and I’m all for it. The finish initially launched on the iPad Pro (M4) and it’s also an option on the new MacBook Pro models. The idea of it is to reduce reflections, which apart from making the iMac (M4) significantly easier to photograph, it does a superb job at. My office has a wall of glass at the front and I took photos of it with the display facing that glass, but you’d never know. It’s not just windows it’s helpful for though, it’s lights too. 

The Nano-Texture adds a sort of matte finish and it’s a viewing experience I’ve grown to significantly prefer. So much so that I’m not looking forward to going back to standard glass when these review models go back. 

Performance is buttery smooth on the iMac (M4, 2024) too, though I’m not convinced those with an M3 iMac, or even the M1 iMac would notice a huge difference in everyday tasks. Image editing on Photoshop was quick and responsive, and general day-to-day use was everything you would expect from a desktop with this much power. Do you need to upgrade if you already have an Apple Silicon iMac? Probably not. But for those considering iMac for the first time, the performance won’t disappoint and this model will feel like an upgrade over Intel iMacs (I’d know, I have a 27-inch one).

The camera has also been upgraded for the iMac (M4, 2024), offering features like Centre Stage and support for Desktop View, where you can show a top-down look at what is on your workspace during a video call. I thought the camera on the iMac (M3) was more than capable but you do get more detail in this model, which is good for those family or work video calls. Last thing I will mention here is the switch to USB-C for the iMac’s accessories – the Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse. I still have some qualms about the accessories, but I love that they remain colour matched to the iMac and that they have moved to USB-C.

What the iMac (M4, 2024) could do better

I might as well stay on the subject of accessories because this is one of the areas the iMac (M4, 2024) could do better. The charging port on the Magic Mouse remains one of the most questionable design decisions Apple has ever made and unfortunately the switch to USB-C hasn’t rectified that. Sure, you can get around it by charging it overnight when you’re not using your iMac, but it’s still a silly place to put a charging port.

The base iMac also doesn’t come with Touch ID on the Magic Keyboard which is a little mean. I wouldn’t be without Touch ID on my Mac’s keyboard now as it’s something I have become so used to on my MacBook, so it’s an upgrade I would need to do and that means extra cash. 

I also think the white bezels surrounding the iMac’s display look a little dated now. As I said, from the rear, I love the iMac’s design, but from the front, I would prefer black bezels around the screen like the Studio Display and older iMacs. The bezels could be narrower too, which would allow for a larger display within the same footprint because 24-inches is rather small. The display is sharp, detailed and offers great contrast but I’d love Apple to at least bring back the option of a 27-incher.

The last thing I will have a little moan about is that the iMac (M4, 2024) isn’t all that different to the iMac (M3, 2023), or indeed the iMac (M1, 2021), unless you consider the performance enhancements. Those older models also support macOS Sequoia and Apple Intelligence, which I will get to in a second – so if you have either, there is little reason to upgrade.

Apple Intelligence on the iMac and macOS Sequoia

The iMac (M4, 2024) runs on macOS Sequoia out of the box and with that software comes with a number of great features. With the update to macOS Sequoia 15.1 (which you should do as soon as you set your iMac up), there’s also Apple Intelligence. If you’re in the UK, you’ll need to set your iMac to US English to access the Apple Intelligence features for now, but even without them, macOS Sequoia has plenty to keep you entertained.

My favourite macOS Sequoia feature is iPhone Mirroring, which allows you to control your iPhone on your iMac. I found it kept me focused when working as I wasn’t constantly picking up my iPhone to check it or doom scroll through social media. It takes a bit of time to get used to closing down and switching between apps and there are a couple of restrictions – like replying to specific messages on WhatsApp – but overall, it’s a great experience. 

I’m probably one of AirDrop’s biggest fans, but iPhone Mirroring makes that a little easier too (as if it really needed to be), enabling you to drag and drop between your iPhone and iMac, and you also get iPhone notifications on your iMac in the top right, which is great for those baked into the Apple system. Window tiling is better on iMac now too with macOS Sequoia and there are some good enhancements to apps like Messages and Notes. 

For Apple Intelligence, the priority inbox in Mail is something I have found useful, more so than the Writing Tools, which will help you summarise, proofread and rewrite text. Being a writer, I still find the suggestions quite robotic, not just from Apple Intelligence, but Google’s Gemini and Samsung’s AI. Even on a bad day, I feel like I could inject more personality than artificial intelligence manages to, but I realise for some, writing is a much harder task so I can see the use. 

Being able to type to ask Siri is also something I think is handy. Siri is also smarter now too, with richer language understanding, but there is still some work and support coming here so I think it’s a case of watching this space when it comes to Siri for now.

Should you buy the Apple iMac (M4, 2024)?

The Apple iMac (M4, 2024) is a lovely looking desktop computer, that much is very clear. The coloured back is iconic, premium and it offers plenty of pop that makes it stand out in whatever room you place it in. The screen is on the small side, the white bezels make it look a little dated from the front and it’s a shame you don’t get the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID on the base model. 

That said, the display has punch and great detail, I love the Nano-Texture finish, and the performance is as slick and smooth as you would expect from Apple’s latest chip. There’s very little reason to upgrade from the iMac with M1 chip or iMac with M3 chip, especially as both support macOS Sequoia and Apple Intelligence. But if you’re new to the world of iMac, or you’re upgrading from an older model than the iMac with M1, then the iMac M4 is a solid option and it will light up your living room, office or bedroom for years to come.

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