Along with its newest MacBook Pros and processors, Apple recently announced its newest iMac desktop computer, which features the company’s new M3-series processor alongside some much-welcome improvements in terms of hardware. Priced at £1,399 for the base model with an 8-core GPU and £1,599 for the 10-core GPU model, Apple hopes that potential buyers will be tempted enough to get the new iMac, but what do you get with this new desktop model?
Internal Hardware
As mentioned, Apple has packed its latest M3 chip inside the iMac, which features an 8-core CPU, up to a 10-core GPU, and support for up to 24GB of unified memory. Apple claims that it’s twice as fast, and even comes with support for hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing for more accurate lighting, reflections, and shadows for immersive gaming experiences. It also comes with a 16-core Neural Engine and the latest media engine for improved machine learning and video performance.
For connectivity, the iMac now comes with faster Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, allowing connectivity with a wider range of different Bluetooth devices. It also comes with up to four USB‑C ports, including two Thunderbolt ports for data transfers, and support for Gigabit Ethernet standard on select models.
External Design
The new M3 iMac comes with a 24-inch, 4.5K Retina display (with an option to go 6K) with 11.3 million pixels, alongside a P3 wide colour gamut, and up to 500 nits of brightness, which should be more than suitable for most users, whether they’re scrolling away on their social media pages or working through the night while editing videos. This display is wrapped in a design that comes in several colour options including green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver.
Apple says that the entire design only measures at just 11.5mm, making it one of the slimmest machines on the market right now. The iMac also comes with a 1080p front-facing camera, in addition to built-in microphones for video calls and such. For audio, the computer features a six-speaker sound system, that also supports Spatial Audio that’s compatible with Dolby Atmos content.
Accessories, iOS Support
In keeping with a consistent design, Apple also bundles in a colour-matched keyboard, mouse, and trackpad with each iMac. Besides the standard Magic Keyboard, buyers can opt to go for a variant with built-in Touch ID for unlocking, Apple Pay, and app downloads. Touch ID also supports Fast User Switching, meaning that users can swap between different profiles instantly.
As with other Apple computer models, the new iMac supports Continuity, providing a seamless user experience for folks who also use an iPhone and other Apple devices. This means that users can send messages and answer calls via the iMac, import documents via the iPhone and open it on their computer, as well as additional features like Universal Clipboard which lets you copy text from an iPhone, and subsequently paste it on your iMac.
Given all the new hardware, Apple loyalists looking to upgrade their desktop setup will no doubt find a lot to love with the M3 iMac, and it might even be enough to convince Windows users to switch over, especially with all the raw power involved (you know, as long as they don’t game much). As for availability, buyers can pre-order the new M3 iMac today, with sales beginning on November 7.
