Apple iMac (24-inch, M1) — Editorial Review

Apple iMac (24-inch, M1) — Editorial Review

The 24-inch M1 iMac reinvented Apple's all-in-one — an impossibly thin, colorful desktop that pairs a gorgeous 4.5K Retina display with the efficient punch of Apple Silicon.

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4.5K Retina, M1 power, strikingly thin

DPReview and Tom's Guide note the 4.5K Retina panel is crisp and bright (~500 nits) with full P3 color and True Tone, making it well-suited to color-accurate photo and video work. The M1 chip delivers excellent everyday and creative performance in an 11.4mm-thin chassis, backed by a surprisingly good six-speaker system and a sharp 1080p webcam enhanced by the M1's image pipeline. In DetroitBORG's review — featured above — it's shown as a standout starter Mac.

Honest cons

• Fans audible under load. Sustained heavy tasks like video exports spin the fans up.
• Limited ports. Rear-only, hard-to-reach ports, no USB-A and no SD card slot.
• Base accessories. The entry keyboard lacks Touch ID and a backlight.
• Not upgradeable. RAM and storage are fixed at purchase, and the white bezel divides opinion.

Where this iMac fits

• Home and creative users who want a beautiful color-accurate all-in-one.
• Photo and light video editors leveraging the P3 4.5K display and M1.
• Tidy-desk buyers who value one cable and a striking design.
• Not port-heavy workflows, upgrade-later builders, or sustained heavy-render professionals.

Sources & Citations

1. DPReview, "2021 Apple M1 iMac (24-inch) Review," dpreview.com (accessed 2026-05-27)
2. Tom's Guide, "Apple iMac 2021 review (24-inch)," tomsguide.com (accessed 2026-05-27)

Last verified: 2026-05-27