iMac M1 2021 Specifications and User Experience

An unprecedented design after a decade

This iMac has changed (and a lot) with respect to what Apple had us used to with its desktop computers. There will be those who have liked the change more or less, since in the end this is a tremendously subjective aspect. However, there are obvious changes worthy of review, as we will see in the following sections.

A colorful body with an astonishing thickness

The most striking thing about this iMac is the color. Accustomed to the always elegant silver, Apple recalled the classic iMac G3 with a computer that, emulating the phrase of Steve Jobs when he was introduced, makes you want to lick it. Metaphors and jokes aside, this computer is available in 7 colors: pink, yellow, blue, green, orange, purple and, of course, silver. However, it must be said that it does not have the same color in the back as in the front, finding more striking colors in the back and a more discreet and pastel color in the first. The change in some cases is prominent, such as the pink that you can see in the photos of this article and that from behind tends to look more passionate red. In fact, it has been difficult to show the exact color of this equipment in photos due to the variation it supposes with the camera lenses.

The light weight that this computer has compared to its predecessors is also worth mentioning. And yes, it is true that we are not going to transport it as much as if it were a laptop and in fact it is likely that it will not move from the same desk for years. However, this change is appreciated when it comes to moving it to clean, moving or if we want to temporarily change its stay.

Although what most catches our attention is undoubtedly its thickness. Seeing a monitor with such a thickness is not complicated, but it is not really common, so you can imagine what it means to see a complete computer with this fineness having included the plate inside. The thinness of this iMac is such that the headphone jack had to be added on the left side because if it were to do so on the back the connector would go through the screen.

The unibody appearance is also reminiscent of an iPad Pro, with completely flat edges that only round when reaching the corners. And yes, a completely flat back leaving behind the characteristic hump of the iMac of yesteryear. Although what Apple has not given up on that back is to add its characteristic large logo.

Higher quality screen and with chin (again)

The 21.5-inch models that preceded this iMac had 4K panels that have now evolved to a screen that reaches exactly 23.5 inches (although officially let’s say it’s 24) and is 4.5K quality . The size of the body in general is practically the same as the 21.5 that we mentioned above, however the screen was increased thanks to reduced bezels that, by the way, are white regardless of the main color chosen for the screen. computer.

At the bottom of the screen we find a chin that would be the only remaining redoubt of what were this range of computers. Of course, it is slightly smaller and no longer includes the Apple logo in the center. In the box we find stickers with that logo, but they are larger. Intended by Apple so that we wouldn’t try to emulate that iconic feature? In any case, it must be said that this chin has a really particular touch because it has a glass above the glass and that it occupies the entire front part.

iMac M1 hardware and user experience

What to say about the hardware of this device? If in the aesthetic field we observe relevant developments, in the internal components we find even more changes that completely change the experience of using the device. A new processor, new motherboard layout, camera up to the task …

Processor performance and RAM shortage?

In these times in which the demand that computers are asked is increasing, it is too shocking to find that the most basic version of RAM of this iMac is 8 GB and the maximum is 16 GB. However, this is a fact that in practice is somewhat misleading . This memory is integrated into the M1 chip instead of going apart on the board as it happened in the past, to which is added the fact that this chip is tremendously efficient. As it already happens in devices such as iPhone or iPad, Apple thrives on the competitive advantage of being the one who designs hardware and software, making both combine in a truly surprising way.

The version that we have tested is the 8 GB version, that is, the most basic of all. It is evident that for a certain demanding and daily use it is not the most recommended, but in our tests with 4K editing in Final Cut we were surprised by how tremendously fast the equipment has been and even having several more applications in most cases. open. You can see the benchmarks obtained in Cinebench.

And although it would not be entirely accurate for us to say this, in a way it could be said that the 8 GB of RAM in M1 is comparable to 16 GB in Intel and so on. We insist that this is not a real thing, since in the end they are different processors in terms of architecture, but in practice something very close to it can be experienced.

Obviously in much more everyday tasks in most users, it will be a perfect companion. There is no slowness or anything strange in the reproduction of contents, in the management of agenda or email, reviewing the photographic gallery or simply browsing the internet. Therefore, it is a very open device as far as the public niche is concerned, including even professionals who do not require even greater power when it comes to speeds.

A wonder of Mac controlling temperature

Another aspect where the M1 stands out and that we already knew from the previous models launched on the market is that of ventilation. This iMac, unlike its predecessor, has two small fans on both sides of the plate that are capable of perfectly managing the temperature even in highly demanding conditions. At specific times, if we touch the chin of the computer we can notice that it is hot, but it does not burn in any case.

The fans are extremely quiet and in our use they have hardly had to be activated more than on certain occasions in which the equipment requirement was high, such as when we have rendered 4K videos. However, even in these highly demanding situations, we can reaffirm that they do not make an annoying noise or that it can be considered excessive. If we compare it with previous generations, the change has been more than remarkable.

1080py camera with software enhancement

On a technical level this is a Full HD resolution camera. Finally! Incomprehensibly, Apple had been opting for 720p (HD) cameras for several years and it had to be in this redesigned Mac that we finally find a lens more adapted to the times in which video calls are the bread and butter. Whether for work or school meetings, as well as to be in contact with friends and family, this camera is very pleasant.

And it is that beyond what this camera has on a technical level, we find an image improvement thanks to the M1 chip, which is capable of improving quality in real time . We have been able to test the camera in video calls at night, with unfavorable lighting circumstances, and yet the image we were showing was clear and without excessive graininess.

A superior and even professional audio system

This iMac is made up of a system of up to 6 hi-fi speakers, which are located at the bottom of the device and are capable of transmitting stereo sound with very good quality. Perhaps they are still not comparable to the most professional external audio systems, but for the reproduction of multimedia content and music it has nothing to envy them thanks to the force cancellation in the woofers or functionalities such as its compatibility with spatial audio with Dolby Atmos.

Regarding the audio capture we find three microphones on top of the equipment, which Apple says are studio quality. It is true that they are very good quality microphones and that they have a very high signal-to-noise ratio and that they even have directional beamforming technology, but they are far from what a professional microphone would be. Of course, there are many cases in which they can be more than enough and more so if you are in a room where there is not too much noise.

New Magic Keyboard and “new” Magic Mouse

The keyboard of this iMac is identical to that of previous generations in its most basic versions, with the only difference that on its sides and on the bottom of the keys it has the color chosen for the device as the color. Of course, it is allowed to choose a keyboard with Touch ID that, although it remains the same aesthetically, adds the fingerprint sensor in the upper right key to access multiple functions if we configure our fingerprint. From unlocking your device to being able to quickly fill in passwords or make payments using Apple Pay.

Where we do not find a difference beyond the secondary color is in the mouse and trackpad. These accessories eligible during the purchase are functionally the same as in previous years, although it is true that aesthetically they represent an interesting combination with the equipment. At the battery level, like the keyboard, they are recharged using their respective Lighting to USB-C cables included in the box.

Goodbye to many ports in favor of USB-C

It is not the first Apple Mac to incorporate USB-C and it is not the first in the iMac range to do so. However, it is the first of these to eliminate any other additional port with the exception of the 3.5 mm jack and Ethernet, which by the way can be added to the external power supply without taking up space in the body of the device. Goodbye to the SD card reader and USB type A.

What we find are 4 USB-C ports , only two of which are compatible with Thunderbolt 3. Precisely this standard will allow to obtain DisplayPort, VGA, HDMI, DVI and Thunderbolt 2 video output through adapters that must be purchased separately. Being these ports already known, we do not find too many appreciable novelties, beyond the fact that it is appreciated having the two Thunderbolts for their transfer speeds, much appreciated when transferring files to external drives or vice versa.

Regarding the power supply of the Mac itself, we find an interesting novelty and that is that it has a cable that is magnetically connected to the back of it. Far from what may seem at first, this is safe and even if the computer moves there is no risk of it being disconnected (unless excessively sudden movements are made). This cable then connects to the external power supply, from which the now classic adapter that connects to the current comes out.

No hitches when it comes to storage

Another aspect where we find evolution is that all capacities are in SSD , leaving behind the Fusion Drive options that combined storage of that type with the classic HDD hard drives. Perhaps its base capacity of 256GB may seem meager to many, although it can always be combined with cloud storage. Regarding the highest ones, if it would cost us more to find users who could miss a little more space, since it reaches 2 TB.

• 256 GB
• 512 GB
• 1 TB
• 2 TB

Lots of software, albeit with temporary “buts”

This iMac was released with macOS 11.3 as standard, one of the Big Sur versions. However, this computer is expected to continue to receive updates for years to come . Until when it is a mystery, but if we consider that there have been Macs with Intel that have updated almost a decade, with the M1 that this mounts we could expect even better times.

Do all apps work with this M1?

Apple announced to application developers in June 2020 that the first Macs with an ARM chip would arrive at the end of that year. Then a transition period began, which the company dates back to 2 years. However, when this iMac arrives, there are many developers who have already optimized their tools so that they work well in the Apple Silicon.

Are there any apps that don’t run natively on this iMac yet? Yes, but Apple also thought about it and they have integrated Rosetta 2 , a code translator that makes a good part of the applications that are only optimized for Intel architecture able to work on the M1. The difference in many occasions when using “emulated” apps with Rosetta 2 is almost negligible, since there is no noticeable inferior performance or slower loading times. In fact, you will not even be aware of it, since you will only have to allow Rosetta to act when you open the app for the first time and it will always be acting in the background.

Windows is still unavailable

There will be many who may classify the fact that a macOS user wants to install Windows on the same computer as treason. However, there are many professionals who require tools only available in the Microsoft operating system. In Macs that have Intel chips, this system can be installed in a partition, being able to start the computer in it and being fully functional. This installation is done through the well-known Boot Camp Assistant, which also appears on this iMac, although when it is opened it says that it is not available.

The fact that Apple integrates this assistant even knowing that it will not work may have its origin in the hope that they harbor that Microsoft will soon optimize their system to the ARM architecture. In fact, it is not only this company that requires it, since there are many PC manufacturers who want it. For now, the most that can be done is to virtualize Windows using apps like Parallels 2, although unfortunately they still do not work in all situations as one would like.

2021 iMac M1 price

We do not find a single price for this iMac, since depending on the configuration that is chosen we will find that its value is increasing. As standard Apple offers three versions at different prices, within which we can find specifications that allow (or not) to be expanded and thus increase the price. The most basic model will start from 1,449 euros, while the top-of-the-range model with all its advanced configurations would reach 3,513.98 euros.

From 1,449 euros

• M1 chip (8-core CPU, 7-core GPU)
• RAM:
  • 8 GB
  • 16 GB: +230 euros
• SSD storage:
  • 256 GB
  • 512 GB: +230 euros
  • 1 TB: +460 euros
• Ethernet:
  • None
  • Gigabit Ethernet: +26 euros
• Peripherals:
  • Magic Keyboard
  • Magic mouse
  • Magic Trackpad: +50 euros
  • Magic Mouse + Magic Trackpad: +135 euros
• Pre-installed software:
  • Logic Pro: +229 euros
  • Final Cut Pro: +329 euros

From 1,669 euros

• M1 chip (8-core CPU, 8-core GPU)
• RAM:
  • 8 GB
  • 16 GB: +230 euros
• SSD storage:
  • 256 GB
  • 512 GB: +230 euros
  • 1 TB: +460 euros
  • 2 TB: +920 euros
• Gigabit Ethernet
• Peripherals:
  • Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
  • Magic mouse
  • Magic Trackpad: +50 euros
  • Magic Mouse + Magic Trackpad: +135 euros
• Pre-installed software:
  • Logic Pro: +229 euros
  • Final Cut Pro: +329 euros

From 1,899 euros

• M1 chip (8-core CPU, 8-core GPU)
• RAM:
  • 8 GB
  • 16 GB: +230 euros
• SSD storage:
  • 512 GB
  • 1 TB: +230 euros
  • 2 TB: +690 euros
• Gigabit Ethernet
• Peripherals:
  • Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
  • Magic mouse
  • Magic Trackpad: +50 euros
  • Magic Mouse + Magic Trackpad: +135 euros
• Pre-installed software:
  • Logic Pro: +229 euros
  • Final Cut Pro: +329 euros

Conclusion: a necessary change that opens the way to the future

If we stick to the most trivial in terms of design, this is where we can say that there has been a major change. We continue to find certain coincidences with previous generations that can serve as a wink and follow a certain pattern that continues to differentiate an iMac from its competitors. However, the biggest change is in the interior and in a performance that until now was only achieved with very high processor versions and with RAM specifications that were on par.

There are really few things at the level of operation of the iMac M1 that have not already been commented on by some of its M1 brothers (Mac mini, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro). With any of the three, similar performance is obtained, so the purchase decision will depend on other personal factors that have more to do with the mobility that you want to obtain and even with the aesthetic preference that each one has.

If you are a basic user, this is your iMac. If you are a professional, maybe too. It is perhaps not the most recommended equipment for a film studio or for processing heavy data. However, there is a wide niche of users among the basic and more professional in which this iMac fits. Therefore, if this computer convinces you aesthetically and functionally, you will not regret your purchase. And although its price may seem high, if we compare it with comparable Intel versions we could even say that it is cheaper.