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.
Featured Video Review
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
- DPReview, "2021 Apple M1 iMac (24-inch) Review," dpreview.com (accessed 2026-05-27)
- Tom's Guide, "Apple iMac 2021 review (24-inch)," tomsguide.com (accessed 2026-05-27)
Last verified: 2026-05-27
