The 2024 refresh of the iMac with Apple M4 silicon has officially arrived. There are three big takeaways. First is the M4 chip itself which brings more power and efficiency inside an otherwise familiar-looking sleek and portable all-in-one chassis. The RAM or unified memory as Apple calls it, is now 16GB at the very least, up from 8GB in the last generation. The port selection has been bumped up, too, to include all Thunderbolt/USB 4 doing away with the older USB 3 standard. A good thing is that despite the upgrades, the price hasn’t gone up, as you can still get the iMac at a starting price of Rs 1,34,900 same as 2023 version.
If you’re wondering whether the new iMac is worth adding to your tech collection, here’s a quick 11-point breakdown to get you up to speed.
1. iMac 2024: What’s the price in India?
The iMac has a starting price of Rs 1,34,900. This is for an M4 variant with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of unified memory, and 256GB of SSD storage. This variant has two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and ships with a Magic mouse and keyboard in the box. It is also available in a higher-end configuration with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU with prices starting at Rs 1,54,900 with 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of SSD storage. Here you get four Thunderbolt 4 ports and Gigabit ethernet in addition to a Magic mouse and Magic keyboard with Touch ID inside the box.
2. iMac 2024: How much will the all specced-out variant cost in India?
If you’re planning to go all-in, here’s how much you’ll end up paying for the new iMac:
Base iMac (all specced-out): Rs 2,10,900
- Apple M4 chip with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine
- Standard glass
- 24GB unified memory
- 1TB SSD storage
- Two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports
- Gigabit Ethernet
- Magic Trackpad
- Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad
Higher-end iMac (all specced-out): Rs 3,02,900
- Apple M4 chip with 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine
- Nano-texture glass (polishing cloth in box)
- 32GB unified memory
- 2TB SSD storage
- Four Thunderbolt 4 ports
- Gigabit Ethernet
- Magic Trackpad
- Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad
3. iMac 2024: How to pre-order?
Head over to Apple’s official website or visit Apple Store locations and Apple Authorised Resellers. The pre-orders are now live, so you can secure your iMac right away. It will go on sale from November 8.
4. iMac 2024: How powerful is M4 chip?
The M4 chip makes the new iMac up to 1.7x faster for daily tasks and 2.1x faster for heavy-duty processes like photo editing and gaming, Apple says, although this is compared to the M1-based model from 2021. The integrated 16-core Neural Engine enhances AI-powered workflows and with 16GB of unified memory by default across the entire line-up, the desktop is built from ground-up for Apple Intelligence. That said, the older M1 iMac and M3 iMac will also support Apple Intelligence much like this one.
5. iMac 2024: Does it have more RAM?
Yes, compared to the previous generation, the new iMac 2024 refresh comes with 16GB of unified memory by default. The ceiling has been raised as well. While the 2023 model capped out at 24GB, the M4 iMac can go up to 32GB.
6. iMac 2024: What about storage?
The storage starts at 256GB and can go up to 2TB.
7. iMac 2024: Is there any display upgrade?
The iMac boasts a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display same as its predecessor, but you get a nano-texture glass option this time for glare reduction. The nano-texture glass option is only available with higher-end (10-core CPU/GPU) models for an additional Rs 20,000.
8. iMac 2024: Any new colours and design tweaks?
The overall design remains unchanged although the colour scheme is more vibrant than before. The new iMac comes in seven colours—green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. Each iMac also comes with matching accessories, including a Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse (or optional Magic Trackpad), now featuring USB-C connectivity. Before you ask, the mouse still charges from the bottom.
