Apple’s new colorful iMacs have a sleeker design and M1 chip

The Apple M1 chip is finally heading to the iMacs, along with a number of other long-awaited upgrades. The latest batch of iMacs is finally bringing color back to the company’s desktop computers with a series of pastel covers. I start with a 24-inch model, which Apple says is only slightly larger than the previous 21.5-inch computer. The new sleek design has much thinner frames on their 4.5K retina displays, as well as a completely flat back housing. Say goodbye to the iMac hump and say hello to a much more modern all-in-one PC.

As for other upgrades, the new iMacs offer updated 1080p FaceTime cameras with larger image sensors. They will be able to work with the M1 processor to manage white balance, noise reduction and exposure settings. There are also three microphones that can use beam formation to reduce background noise, as well as a larger speaker configuration, including two bass units and a small tweeter.

These iMacs are definitely a solid over-the-top design update, which hasn’t changed much since the 2012 unibody revival. But it’s a little disappointing that Apple hasn’t pushed those screen frames even further. The “chin” under the screen, in particular, seems unsightly in 2021.

Of course, the real reason you want these new iMacs is the M1 chip. As we saw in the M1 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro reviews, Apple’s silicone offered a significant increase in performance over Intel x86 hardware. It will be interesting to see how well the M1 works in a much larger car, where you don’t have to worry about power consumption. Another benefit: much less heat and noise. Apple says the new iMacs are 50% quieter than the latest models, thanks to a smaller pair of fans.

Of course, Apple also offers new colorful Magic keyboards to go along with its new computers. They look similar to the company’s previous keyboards, except that there is now optional TouchID support for state-of-the-art iMacs. This is a premiere for Apple’s all-in-one range.

The new 24-inch iMac is available to order on April 20, starting at $ 1,299 with a 7-core GPU (educational customers can purchase it for $ 1,249). The more powerful 8-core GPU starts at $ 1,499 (or $ 1,399 for education). This more expensive model also includes three USB 3 ports, in addition to the two Thunderbolt ports of the base model and an Ethernet jack.

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