Here's how the iMac lines up with a 24" Apple Cinema Display (left).
It’s anodised aluminium. It’s not glossy but the sheen of light on the metal.
I haven't stressed mine as much and haven't heard the fans at all. Was just doing some light work and the back of the case near the CPU felt only slightly warmer than the rest of the case. When I was still involved in setup and syncing up my iCloud documents and photos the low power cores were running about 40-60% load but the high power ones never got above 20%. I'm confident that my max workload is never going to tax this machine.
I was a little surprised how hot the iMac gets too, but I do appreciate the sustained performance and even going full out the M1 iMac only pulls 45 watts from the wall. In regular use the M1 is definitely warm to the touch but the fans are silent. The M1 iMac has the same clock speeds as the M1 in the laptops, but can sustain the performance at higher speeds for longer.
Don't be worried. *Any* modern CPU running any length of time at 100% will generate significant heat. The fact that it was blowing that much hot air means that it was doing a good job at removing the heat.
I had the 2017 21" version. Sold it & got a MBP, and while I love the MacBook, I also want a desktop computer. Years ago, before I got my iMac, my husband had the opportunity to bring a 27" home for me to check out; I hated it! It just felt too big; I had to search for everything I wanted. The 21" filled the space on my desk, and I could focus on the entire screen in one glance. (Of course, it was an absolute slug, which is why I sold it.) I can see that others might feel differently, but this one looks just right! I'm trying to be sensible, but it's really just a matter of time before I buy...
"Just to comment on the naysayers; considering that lots of people, especially those on the go, do a lot of serious work on MacBooks with 12-16 inch screens, it's comical to say that 24" is too small." I agree. I do a bit of architectural design on my 2020 MBP, with no problem at all. Sadly, the program won't work with the M1 - it'd be great on the 24" screen!Got mine last Friday and had some issues getting it set up because I decided on a clean install rather than a migration of all my old data. (Major housecleaning!) But that was my fault and I'm getting used to the reorganization.
Several days later now that the hard part is over I'm really enjoying using the new iMac. It replaces a 27" model from 2014 which I liked at first but eventually decided it was a desk hog and too big for my needs. With this new model it's easier to reach around back to connect a cable. (Still, I kinda wish there was one port on the edge for connecting things which are only temporary, like a backup drive or a phone.) The keyboard and trackpad are great. Having used a 12" MacBook keyboard and the one from my old 27" iMac for years, this keyboard has a much better feel. I haven't even unpacked the mouse yet. (Kinda wish I hadn't even bought the mouse now.) The system really flies. Apps launch instantly and I've seen no unexpected delays of any kind. The speakers sound fantastic from a close distance which is the only way I'll ever use them. I've yet to hear the fans come on. The Mac is almost too light because when connecting a cable to the back I nearly always unintentionally move it. But that's not a problem.
Just to comment on the naysayers; considering that lots of people, especially those on the go, do a lot of serious work on MacBooks with 12-16 inch screens, it's comical to say that 24" is too small. For the minuscule percentage who actually need giant displays, there are big options. As for some disliking the colors; who cares. I got green and I don't notice the color when using the computer. When the computer is off, the green looks very sharp and adds a little color to my otherwise dull room. My old gray iMac looks positively ancient and boring now. It'll be in a closet or on eBay soon.
Interesting video. I can't help but wonder how much of a difference it would have made if he got the mid-tier and 16 GB of RAM. A few hundred dollars more and it might have been even more comparable with his very expensive iMac Pro.
I thought the same thing. But the underlying point here is this really undermines all the detractors proclaiming the new iMac is not a serious computer for ”professionals.” The 24 is capable of doing a lot of “serious” work for a lot of people except a very few demanding individuals.
I have a 16/512 M1 mac mini connected to a 27" screen, so I'm quite familiar with the capabilities of the architecture. Yeah, it should be sufficient for just about anybody with very few exceptions. But I will still say that I want 27 or more inches to my screen. I'm currently working on fairly simple pieces of music in Logic, around 5-15 tracks. Even with my 16" scaled to show "most on screen", there is just not enough space and it gets really squinty. I tried Logic on my 27" screen on another desk and it was much better. Also, everybody at work here, from the video editors to social media to the accounting department, all have 27" screens as well. So yeah, I see plenty of use cases where bigger = better. It's good for you that 24" works well for you and for several others, though. That's why Apple has more than one size to choose from.
We know. We owned those previously as well. They were nice for the time, but a step down from the deign of the G4 iMac before it. They were entirely forgettable between better generations.
