Apple iMac Refreshed With M4 CPU, 16GB RAM Minimum, New Colours

Apple has introduced its first Mac computer with an M4-series processor. The all-in-one iMac has been refreshed with a few minor but significant hardware and design changes, with M4 processors across the lineup. The big news is compatibility with Apple Intelligence thanks to a bump up in the minimum amount of RAM, from 8GB to 16GB. Apple Intelligence was also just released with the macOS Sequoia 15.1 update, alongside iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1. Apple has also slightly changed the colours that the iMac will be available in.

The new iMac (2024) is already available for pre-order in India, with sales and deliveries set to begin on November 8.

Prices start at ₹1,34,900 in India for a model with an M4 chip with 8 CPU cores and 8 GPU cores, plus a 256GB SSD. All variants above this feature 10 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores. Prices start at ₹1,54900 for 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM. These are the same prices as Apple's previous-gen iMacs in India.

Apple offers various configuration options, including a matte “nano-texture” glass display for the first time on the iMac. This will cost ₹20,000 extra but is not available if you choose the base variant. Going from 16GB of 24GB or 32GB of RAM will cost ₹20,000 or ₹40,000 respectively. Similarly, stepping up from 256GB of storage to 512GB will cost ₹20,000 while the 1TB and 2TB options are priced at ₹40,000 and ₹80,000 respectively. 

The base variant cannot be configured with more than 24GB of RAM. It also has two Thunderbolt 4 ports and no Ethernet port, while the other options all have four Thunderbolt 4 ports. External display support is therefore limited to one 6K 60Hz monitor on the base variant, whereas the others can drive two such monitors or a single 8K 120Hz panel. The base variant also comes with a keyboard that lacks a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, while this is included with all the others. 

Both M4 processor variants have the same 16-core “Neural Engine” for on-device AI acceleration, plus the same support for hardware ray tracing and video encode/decode acceleration, including ProRes and AV1 formats. 

All variants have an updated 12-megapixel front camera with support for Centre Stage, which automatically reframes subjects. There’s also Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and a 3.5mm audio socket. 

The iMac weighs 4.42kg. In addition to silver, it is available in blue, green, purple, orange, pink, and yellow. The colours are slightly different than what Apple has offered ever since completely redesigning the iMac in 2021 when it switched over to its own Apple Silicon chips. 

Apple has also introduced new versions of its Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad with USB Type-C connectors for charging rather than the proprietary Lightning port standard which is being phased out. There are no design changes, including the controversial placement of the port on the bottom of the Magic Mouse, preventing it from being used when charging. A colour-matched keyboard and mouse or trackpad are available with each iMac purchase, but Apple only sells standalone units in silver.

The Magic Mouse is priced at ₹7,500 while the Magic Trackpad will cost ₹12,500. Both are available with either white or black surfaces. Apple offers the basic Magic Keyboard for ₹9,500, the Magic Keyboard With Touch ID for ₹14,500 and the Magic Keyboard With Touch ID and Numeric Keypad for ₹17,500. Only the latter is listed with white or black keys, while the smaller two are available only with white keys.