Rumor has it that Apple will launch a new model of its 24-inch iMac, with an anticipated M3 processor, at its “Scary Fast” event on Oct. 30. When Apple redesigned it for its May 2021 debut, it was desperately in need of a complete overhaul: aesthetic modernization, new components, a bigger screen on the entry-level model, an upgraded webcam, port rejiggering and more. We got a lot of those, but it’s been a while and it’s time for a new round of updates, including upgraded components — which we’re likely to see — and some design tweaks, like the port rejiggering that never happened.
Right now, there are two versions of the iMac, a stripped-down model with the seven-core GPU, two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports and optional Ethernet, which starts at $1,299; and a version with the eight-core GPU, two more USB-C connections and included Ethernet, which starts at $1,499. As much as I’d like to see Apple defragment the line for simplicity, it makes sense to keep it this way for Apple.
But it would be loooovely if Apple instead kept the base M1 in the line and dropped the price so that it had a more aggressive entry point. That could potentially mean keeping the M1 chip in production just for the one iMac model, though, which doesn’t seem feasible.
I think the most notable upgrade I’d like to see is a new screen. In a perfect world, it would be a 27-inch addition to the line, but the 24-inch needs to support HDR (which means it would need to be brighter) and a faster refresh rate of 120Hz or better — excuse me, ProMotion — if only to keep up with the rest of its kin.
It’s too expensive to not offer what by now are common features on Windows. However, we’d have heard by now if there was going to be a new panel. Sad trombone. Smaller screen bezels would not come amiss, either.
