Apple iMac 24-inch M1 review

The new iMac M1 is quite possibly the greatest generational leap forward in iMac history - it's simply superb

Apple iMac 24in (2021)
(Image: © Future)

Digital Camera World Verdict

Given the ground-breaking performance and efficiency gains of Apple’s M1 SoC in the MacBook and Mac Mini, it was always going to be a dead cert that any iMac powered by this hardware was going to be a stellar performer. The fact that Apple has also used the size and efficiency benefits of the M1 chip to enhance the exterior aesthetic of the 24-inch iMac adds even more appeal. While users who need seriously potent performance for hardcore image or video editing are still best advised to go for the Intel-based 27-inch iMac and its extra RAM capacity, the new 24-inch iMac packs enough power to satisfy the vast majority of image or video editing requirements. And it does so at a very fair price when you consider the stunning screen that you’re getting as part of the product.

Pros

  • +

    Gorgeous design

  • +

    Stunning performance

  • +

    Sublime screen

Cons

  • -

    Only 16GB RAM, but not a deal-breaker

  • -

    24 inches limiting for some editing

  • -

    M1 SoC locks out upgrade/repair

Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.

For the last few years a new iMac has meant little more than a few tweaks here and there, fine-tuning what has long been a supremely accomplished all-in-one computer. As such, it’s easy to recommend an iMac as one of the best desktop computers for image or video editing, but the competition doesn’t stand still, so Apple can’t afford to rest on its laurels.

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It should come as little surprise that the iMac M1's benchmark scores are virtually identical to those from the M1 MacBooks and Mac Mini
Header Cell - Column 0 24-inch iMac M1
GeekBench 5 Single-core CPU score1744
GeekBench 5 Multi-core CPU score7661
Cinebench R237798

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Ben Andrews

Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera bags, filters, memory cards, and all manner of camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.