Apple introduced the redesigned iMac with a new colorful design and M1 chip at the Spring Loaded event back in April 2021. As we approach the two-year anniversary of the new-look iMac, we expect Apple to update it in 2023 with a new chip.
Apple is well on its way to launching the second generation of Apple silicon, with the M2 coming in June 2022 and the M2 Pro and M2 Max coming in January. That makes the 24-inch iMac one of the few remaining M1 Macs. Can we expect Apple to introduce an M2 variant of the iMac soon? Read on to find out.
New 24-inch iMac: Release date
Apple introduced the M2 chip in the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro back in the summer of 2022, so it makes sense that Apple will soon update the iMac with the M2 chip. However, the latest rumors suggest that may not be the case. However, Apple may skip the M2 chip and move straight to the M3 later in 2023.
In a January 2023 newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claimed that the new M3-powered Macs will arrive at the end of this year or in early 2024.
However, Gurman brought this date forward, referring to the iMac as “in an advanced stage of development” in a March newsletter. Not that he expected any future launch. He suggested that the iMac “is not expected to go into mass production for at least three months” and indicated that it “won’t ship until the second half of the year at the earliest.” that is earlier than early 2024.
Gurman even suggested that Apple could unveil the M3 chips–expected to be inside the new iMacs–at WWDC in June (one year after the M2’s arrival), though it seems that there a long wait for the launch of that engine.
One date that sticks out to us here at Macworld is August 15. The reason we want to see Apple launch an M3 iMac on that date is that it will be exactly 25 years after Apple introduced the original G3 iMac. It’s Tuesday.
New 24-inch iMac: Price
Apple introduced new pricing for the iMac in 2021, with the entry-level model costing $1,299. Unless there’s a major redesign like the MacBook Air–which isn’t expected–we expect the next model to cost about the same.
However, when Apple adds the M2 Pro and M2 Max processors to the MacBook Pro and Mac mini in January 2023, it also breaks the price for existing iMacs in countries outside the US For example, in the UK, each iMac model now costs £150 more. . Since Apple adjusts prices according to exchange rate fluctuations we do not expect prices to increase again.
Foundry
New 24-inch iMac: Design
When Apple introduced the new-look iMac in 2021, it elevated the all-in-one design with a collection of duo-color options and a larger 24-inch screen. thinner than before at 11.5mm (0.45 inches).
While there are features that we would like to see, such as a high adjustable stand and a smaller mouth, we do not expect much to change about the design, with the possible exception of new color options.
In his March 5th newsletter Gurman suggested little change for the iMac’s exterior design. He stated that it will have the same screen size and the same colors as the current one.
However, Gurman suggested that there will be changes related to the interior design with some “internal components being moved and redesigned…
New 24-inch iMac: Display
The 24-inch iMac has a 4.5K Retina display with 500 nits of brightness, anti-reflective coating, and True Tone. Although the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro introduced a better screen with miniLED and ProMotion technology, we doubt that the iMac display will change in the second generation. We’d like to see ProMotion on the iMac, but it’s more of a high-end feature, so we’ll probably have to wait for the larger iMac or iMac Pro, if it happens.
New 24-inch iMac: Processor and specs
Gurman has repeatedly claimed that Apple will skip the M2 and go straight to the M3 chip for the next-generation 24-inch iMac. That chip should be a stronger update than the M2, with rumors claiming that the new chips will be built using a new 3nm manufacturing process that will improve performance and power efficiency. By skipping a generation, the next iMac will represent a significant departure from the current model.
The M1 iMac starts with 8GB of RAM with the option to upgrade to 16GB. Apple’s M2 Macs offer upgrades to 16GB or 24GB, so the iMac will likely support those higher memory options as well.
The iMac includes a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, but Apple has since introduced a 12MP Ultra Wide camera with a 122-degree field of view in the Studio Display. That’s likely going into the new iMac along with Center Stage, the feature that keeps you centered as you move. Apple has taken criticism for the quality of the Studio Display camera, so we thought it would correct the issues with the image signal processor in the M3 chip.
New 24-inch iMac: Ports
The entry level iMac has two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack built into the side, while higher-end models have two additional USB 3 ports. There’s also a Gigabit ethernet jack built into the power adapter on higher-end models, which costs an extra $30 on the entry level model. With such a thin frame, it is unlikely that we will get an HDMI or SDXC card slot like the MacBook Pros and Mac Studio.
The latest Macs all offer Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, which we hope will come to the iMac. In terms of audio, the iMac already has a six-speaker sound system that supports spatial audio, so we don’t expect an upgrade there, although it will gain dynamic head tracking when using AirPods (th 3 generation), AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max.