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iMac 24-inch 4.5K (2021 M1) Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

Article ID = 278
Article Title = iMac 24-inch 4.5K (2021 M1) Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
Article Author(s) = Graham Needham (BH)
Article Created On = 21st April 2021
Article Last Updated = 22nd April 2021
Article URL = https://www.macstrategy.com/article.php?278

Article Brief Description:
Frequently Asked Questions about the iMac 24-inch 4.5K (2021 M1 Apple Silicon model)
Q. What is the iMac 24-inch 4.5K (2021 M1 model)?
A. It is a major hardware update to Apple's popular iMac computer. It is one of the first Apple computers to ship with Apple's own silicon.
Q. When will the iMac 24-inch 4.5K (2021 M1 model) be available to buy?
A. The iMac 24-inch 4.5K (2021 M1 model) was announced on the 20th April 2021 with pre-orders starting on 30th April 2021 and it will start shipping in late May 2021.
Q. How much will the iMac 24-inch 4.5K (2021 M1 model) cost?
A. It will start at £1249 but you will have various RAM, internal storage, USB ports and Gigabit Ethernet options to choose from, some of which will, obviously, dramatically increase the price.
Q. What's different about this iMac compared to the previous model(s)?
A. The following:
  • Apple Silicon M1 Processor + GPU + Neural Engine
  • 1080p FaceTime HD camera with M1 image signal processor (ISP)
  • 802.11ax Wi-Fi v6
  • Colours
  • High-fidelity six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers + support for spatial audio when playing video with Dolby Atmos
  • Maximum RAM configuration is 16GB
  • Maximum internal storage configuration is 2TB
  • NO SDXC card slot
  • NO USB-A ports
  • Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (in the same colour as the iMac)
Q. What are the processor options?
A. As it has Apple's own silicon there is currently only two processor options available which include the following specifications:
  • M1 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
  • M1 7-core GPU or 8-core GPU
  • M1 16-core Neural Engine
Q. Is the iMac 24-inch 4.5K (2021 M1 model) available in different colours?
A. Yes - Blue, Green, Pink, Silver, Yellow, Orange, and Purple. However, the Yellow, Orange, and Purple colours are only available for the higher end model with 8-core GPU + additional USB-C ports.
Q. What are the RAM options?
A. It can be configured at purchase with either 8GB or 16GB.
Q. Is the RAM "user" upgradeable?
A. No. Maximum RAM is 16GB. RAM is configured at time of purchase - it cannot be upgraded at a later date.
Q. What are the storage options?
A. 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB internal PCIe-based SSD.
Q. Can the internal storage be upgraded at a later date?
A. No.
Q. What are the graphics options?
A. The graphics processing unit (GPU) is included in Apple's M1 chip and is available as a 7-core GPU or 8-core GPU.
Q. Does the iMac 24-inch 4.5K (2021 M1 model) support an additional, external monitor?
A. Yes. It supports Thunderbolt 3 digital video output + native DisplayPort output over USB-C. It can drive one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz.
Q. What are the other configurable options?
A. All models come with two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports. The lower end model can be configured with Gigabit Ethernet. The higher end model comes with Gigabit Ethernet plus an additional two USB-C ports.
Q. Are the ports still on the back?
A. All ports except the 3.5mm headphone jack and (optional) Ethernet are still on the back.
Q. Does the iMac 24-inch 4.5K (2021 M1 model) still come with a 3.5mm headphone jack?
A. Yes. It is on the left hand side of the screen as you face it.
Q. Where's the Ethernet port then?
A. It's actually on the power supply brick.
Q. Does this mean if I buy the basic model without Ethernet and want it at a later date I could still add Ethernet?
A. If Apple make the power supply brick available to buy separately then, yes, you could add Ethernet at a later date. But then you could easily do that anyway by adding a Thunderbolt / USB-C hub with Ethernet on it.
Q. Is the iMac 24-inch 4.5K (2021 M1 model) VESA mount compatible?
A. Yes, as long as you configure this as an option at the time of purchase.
Q. Does the iMac 24-inch 4.5K (2021 M1 model) have a fully adjustable stand?
A. No. As before, it only has tilt adjustment.
Q. I prefere a keyboard with a numeric keypad - is there a coloured Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and numeric keypad available?
A. Yes. But at the moment, you must configure this as an option at the time of purchase - Magic Keyboards with Touch ID are not currently available to buy separately.
Q. Is the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID available separately?
A. No. It's possible that a standard, non-coloured version might become available at a later date. And if it did, it might only be compatible with M1 based Macs.
Q. What version of macOS does the iMac 24-inch 4.5K (2021 M1 model) come with?
A. It comes with macOS 11 Big Sur or later.
Q. I don't want macOS 11 Big Sur. Can I install/run an earlier version of macOS on it?
A. As the Apple Silicon M1 chip requires macOS 11 Big Sur, no you can't.

Article Keywords: Macintosh iMac 24-inch 4.5K 2021 M1 Apple Silicon model

This article is © MacStrategy » a trading name of Burning Helix. As an Amazon Associate, employees of MacStrategy's holding company (Burning Helix sro) may earn from qualifying purchases. Apple, the Apple logo, and Mac are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

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