My obsession with Apple started in high school when my mom bought me a Performa 637 CD. It was my first personal computer and I was immediately hooked on the icon-driven System 7, which was the name Apple used before making the switch to Mac OS.

Sure, there were more powerful PCs at the time — and most of my friends were using Windows — but my Mac never crashed and it was powerful enough to run my favorite first-person shooter: the Apple exclusive Bungie Marathon (1994). So I took pride in being part of the Apple minority.

Fast forward to 2026 and I'm still a loyal Mac user primarily working on an M4 Pro-based Mac mini. Throughout the years I've also owned iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and iMacs. Yes, I've dabbled with Windows machines and Android smartphones, but there's something about Apple's closed ecosystem that just makes my life easier and well worth the price of admission.

My wallet, however, may disagree. Apple devices are renown for being pricier than their Windows and Android based counterparts. Fortunately, there are many ways to save on Apple gear. In fact, I always make it a point to avoid paying full price for my Apple kit and below I'm sharing my favorite tips and tricks.

Trade-in that old Mac

Trading in old devices is hands-down my favorite way to save on new Apple purchases. Whether it's an old iPhone or a gently-used MacBook, if you're willing to part with it —the Apple Store will give you an instant store credit for your device. You can trade-in iPhones, Apple Watches, iPads, Macs, and even Android smartphones. You can trade-in your device in person at your local Apple Store or online.

Just head over to the Apple Trade-In website to start the process. I also recommend the Best Buy Trade-In program, which is pretty straightforward and provides quotes on the spot. My only advice is that you shop around for the best offer. For example, sometimes you might get a juicier offer from an Authorized Apple reseller than the Apple Store.

Don't buy current-gen

I get it. Nothing beats owning a flagship device. The speedier performance, the thinner design, the brighter display — it's enough to make you want to upgrade each time. However, these days you don't need to. My four-year old Apple Watch 8 still runs like new and if my iMac 5K supported the latest macOS updates, I'd still be using it.

One of the easiest ways to save on Mac purchases is by opting for a previous-generation device. It can easily save you $100 if not more. It's worth noting that the Apple Store doesn't always carry previous-gen tech, so when shopping for older generations I tend to rely on retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. They won't always have stock, but with a little digging around you'll be able to find a cheaper version of Apple's current flagship.

Go big on your purchase

Apple devices are renown for lasting a long time. (I tend to get at least 5 years from mine). So when it comes time to purchasing a new device, I always recommended spending a little more for the upgraded model. This is more important that ever because today's Macs are no longer user upgradeable.

So if you want to squeeze the most life out of your device, I recommend buying big. For example, when I purchased my Mac mini, I splurged on the M4 Pro CPU and upgraded both my RAM and SSD. My iMac 5K lasted me nearly a decade before I upgraded, so I'm hoping to get the same or similar lifespan from my current machine.

Take advantage of student discounts

Apple's Education Store discount is available year-round. Depending on what you're buying, you can save as much as $100 if you can verify your student status. In the past, I've actually recommended people avoid it because you can usually find better dollar-off discounts at authorized retailers like Amazon or Best Buy. However, since Apple's summer price hike, Apple deals have been a little harder to come by.

Additionally, the Apple Back to School Sale is underway through August 27, so in addition to that student discount you'll also get from a $100 to $150 Apple gift card on select purchases. That sweetens the deal even more. For example, the Apple Education Store has the MacBook Air M5 on sale for $1,199. That's $100 off and you also get a free $100 Apple gift card. Sure, Amazon offers the same price, but there's no freebie gift card. Likewise, the Apple Education Store has the MacBook Neo on sale for $599, which is $100 off. There's no gift card included with this offer, but I can guarantee you that no retailer is taking $100 off the MacBook Neo anytime soon.

Don't be afraid of refurbished

As a germophobe, I used to cringe at the idea of buying used tech. However, buying refurbished Apple gear is a great way to help your bank account and the planet. Apple restores and/or replaces everything during the refurbishing process, so my unfounded fear of getting a device with a random hair or grease stain on it is baseless.

In fact, the Apple Store is known for the excellent condition of its refurbished products and everything is backed by a 1-year Apple warranty. (That's the same warranty you'd get if you were to purchase a new Apple device). At the time of this writing, you can find MacBook Airs from $1,019 and MacBook Neos from $599.

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Apple’s Mac lineup will get a major overhaul starting later this year. That’s according to Bloomberg reporter and Apple tipster Mark Gurman, whose sources gave him a rundown of the upcoming Macs.

Things will kick off with a refreshed entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro featuring the new M6 chip, along with a new iMac that will also sport the yet-to-be-announced processor. Development of these Macs is reportedly complete, but they aren’t likely to ship until the fall.

The next biggest release should be higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBooks with OLED panels and a new design. These brand-new editions to the MacBook line will have M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Apple will reportedly release these MacBooks in late 2026 or early 2027.

New MacBook Air models are expected early in 2027. These 13- and 15-inch laptops will apparently resemble the current models, though Apple is reportedly developing an OLED model for 2028. There will be another MacBook Pro with a new design and packing an M7 chip sometime in 2027.

Additionally, Apple is working on a refreshed MacBook Neo. This model reportedly runs on the updated A19 Pro chip and more RAM. The report doesn’t say anything about pricing or when this laptop will launch.

Gurman’s report also says that a new iMac with an OLED screen is in the works, but won’t be released until later. Apple is also planning new Mac mini and Mac Studio models with refreshed chips. This includes the M5 Pro and M6 for the Mac mini, and the M5 Max and M5 Ultra for the Mac Studio.

Outlook

As always, take this report with a grain of salt, as Apple hasn’t made any official announcements about these Mac models. There’s certainly a lot to look forward to if all of this is accurate, though with the ongoing RAM crisis, it’s anyone’s guess when these computers will actually release and how much they’ll cost. As always, stay tuned for more as we hear further reports.

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The macOS Golden Gate public beta is now live, giving you a chance to check out all the new features coming to the best MacBooks.

Expected to launch this Fall, macOS Golden Gate primarily focuses on updating Apple Intelligence and Siri, with the latter now officially called Siri AI. You don’t get many new features, but improvements to Liquid Glass’s readability, easier customization, and smoother performance make for an overall better experience.

While Apple’s public betas are generally more stable than the developer builds, it might still be buggy and could cause issues for your Mac. I’ve never experienced serious issues using any of these betas over the years, but it’s worth being cautious. With that said, here’s how to download the macOS Golden Gate public beta.

How to download the macOS Golden Gate developer beta

Downloading the macOS Golden Gate public beta is pretty simple. First, enroll your Apple ID in Apple's Beta Program and make sure your Mac is compatible. Here's the full list of Macs that can install and run macOS Golden Gate:

• MacBook Neo (2026)
• MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
• MacBook Pro with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
• iMac with Apple silicon (2021 and later)
• Mac mini with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
• Mac Studio with Apple silicon (2022 and later)
• Mac Pro with Apple silicon (2023 and later)

That’s all that’s required to download the macOS Golden Gate public beta. Your Mac will restart once the download finishes. After that, you can start trying out all the new features. Depending on your connection speed, the download might take a few minutes, so be patient.

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Besides the iMac, there’s never been an Apple desktop quite like the Mac mini. It’s small yet powerful while still being whisper-quiet on your desk — and with the M4 model, you finally get front-facing ports.

Still, just like they often do with other Apple products, accessory makers were quick to try and fix its biggest flaws: an inaccessible power button and the lack of full-sized ports. While Cupertino wanted you to leave your new machine running full-time and toss out all your USB-A cables, many people like myself just weren’t ready to be that drastic.

That’s why the first accessory I added to my new desktop was a USB hub that doubled as a stand. I had one on my older M2 model for the same reason, so when Satechi released an upgraded version for this new completely redesigned Apple mini PC, I was ecstatic.

After using Satechi’s M4 Hub & Stand for months, I eventually swapped it out for a similar accessory from Orico that transformed my Mac mini into a miniature Mac Pro. Both devices worked well, but recently, I decided to give one more dock a chance, and I’m glad I did.

I didn’t expect to like this add-on from a company best known for its chargers and NAS devices, but Ugreen just might have made the most useful one yet. Here’s why.

Docked and fully loaded

At first glance, I wouldn’t blame you for mistaking Ugreen’s Mac mini M4 dock for Satechi’s. Both have a similar design and a matching silver finish, but Ugreen trades a third USB-A port up front for a full-sized SD card reader sitting next to a microSD one. It’s also slightly taller, measuring at just over an inch versus Satechi's sleeker, sub-inch height.

The one thing that really surprised me about Ugreen’s dock, though, is that it isn’t made from aluminum like Satechi’s. Instead, it’s entirely made from plastic with a very convincing paint job. Although this might sound like a downgrade at first, by opting for plastic over anodized aluminum, Ugreen solved one of the biggest issues docks like this have when sitting under your Mac mini: signal interference. From Wi-Fi to Bluetooth, having a big block of metal underneath one of the best mini PCs can significantly hamper your connections.

When you flip Ugreen’s dock over, you can easily add more storage to your Mac mini without having to pay the Apple Tax. Unlike Satechi’s hub, which caps out at 4TB, you can add up to an 8TB drive here. Now, I know that’s easier said than done, as we’re currently living through RAMageddon which has also greatly affected storage prices. However, it’s nice to have the option to add all that extra room, and who knows — maybe once the AI boom dies down, you just might be able to.

Besides that extra storage potential, it’s the rear ports that convinced me to give Ugreen’s dock a try in the first place. While Satechi keeps all of its connectivity up front and leaves the back bare, Ugreen did the complete opposite. You still get the hardwired USB-C cable that plugs into your Mac mini to get things started, but the back expands into even more ports than you do on the best MacBooks, including three more USB-A ports and two USB-C ones.

Interestingly, Ugreen also included another USB-C port on the back. Instead of using it to connect more accessories, it’s designed to plug directly into a power adapter, as the “IN 5V” label underneath it suggests. You see, with an 11-in-1 hub like this one, there’s no way you’d be able to reliably run all of those rear connections, the front card readers, and a high-speed SSD off the Mac mini’s bus power alone. By plugging Ugreen’s dock into a power strip underneath your desk, you completely avoid slow data transfer speeds, disconnected peripherals, and worst of all, random SSD disconnects that could corrupt your data.

If all those rear ports and extra power weren’t enough, Ugreen’s Mac mini M4 dock has one more trick up its sleeve that completely took me by surprise.

Power with a twist

As I’m currently in the process of reviewing MSI’s new Pro Max QD-OLED Mac monitor, I decided to set up my Mac mini M4 with Ugreen’s dock next to it. However, as this is one of the rare Mac monitors you can also play PC games on — unlike Apple’s new Studio Display XDR — I also have the Khadas Mind 2S with the company’s Mind Graphics 2 eGPU next to it.

In my testing, Ugreen’s dock for the Mac mini M4 worked in a similar way to Satechi’s. It gave me quick access to full-sized ports and an SD card reader without having to use a bulky dongle. One thing I prefer about it, though, is that with Ugreen’s dock, I can hide the 2.4GHz USB dongles for my keyboard and trackball mouse at the rear instead of having them front and center like with Satechi’s dock. Likewise, if you need to run cables from the back of your Mac mini behind your desk, this dock is the better option hands down.

I didn’t think to test and compare the Wi-Fi speeds on my Mac mini when using these two docks. However, with Ugreen’s, I didn’t notice any interference at all, nor did my speeds dip down. If you want me to put both docks through a Wi-Fi speed showdown, let me know in the comments below.

Even though I’ve come to terms with the Mac mini’s awkward power button placement after leaving it on for over a month, it’s still nice to be able to easily reach it. While Satechi has a standard cutout to make it more accessible, Ugreen took things a step further.

At the top left corner of Ugreen’s dock, there’s a physical plastic pass-through lever that makes pressing the Mac mini’s power button almost effortless. A simple press up and your Mac mini magically springs to life, while holding it down while the device is on brings up Apple’s shutdown menu. It’s a small detail, but in my day-to-day use, it made a noticeable difference.

Now, if you’re thinking about adding this dock underneath your own Mac mini, you do need to be careful. You see, Ugreen actually makes two docks for this mini PC, not just a single one. The $89 base version doesn’t have an SSD slot on the bottom, nor does it have this lever. Instead, it uses a basic cutout just like Satechi’s.

For $10 more, though, you can get the dock I have here which supports up to an 8TB SSD. Because it houses that drive, it’s slightly taller, hence the inclusion of that ingenious power button lever at the back.

A final docking place

There are only so many times you can redo your Mac mini M4 setup, and after years of experimentation, I think I’ve finally found my forever dock.

While I love how Satechi’s standard dock is an exact match to the design and materials Apple used, its lack of rear ports and smaller SSD capacity hold it back. Alternatively, you could pair your Mac mini with Satechi’s Thunderbolt 5 CubeDock if you want even more power, much higher data bandwidth and support for up to an 8TB SSD. Then again, that professional powerhouse costs $399 on its own, whereas all of these other docks sit comfortably under $100.

Orico’s dock, on the other hand, is as much of an enclosure for Apple’s mini PC as it is a dock. I’ll admit, it did look really cool on my desk. However, it forces your Mac mini into an awkward sideways position, meaning you lose out on seeing the beauty and compactness of Apple’s redesign. It does support up to an 8TB SSD, but you are ultimately left with fewer ports overall.

Having tried all three of these options for extended periods, Ugreen’s is my favorite yet, and for good reason. Those extra ports and having them hidden at the back really make a massive difference. At the same time, since it can be independently powered, I know that all of my connected devices won’t be constantly fighting for wattage.

You really can’t go wrong with any of these docks, but the right one for you will depend entirely on your specific workflow. If you just managed to pick up a new Mac mini or you’re looking to give your current setup a serious upgrade, at least you have plenty of great options.

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Today (April 20), Apple announced that CEO Tim Cook is stepping aside to become the executive chairman of the firm's board of directors. John Ternus, senior vice president of hardware engineering, will become the next steward of Cupertino starting September 1, 2026.

Cook will help transition Ternus this summer and will likely host WWDC 2026, which kicks off in June.

“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company. I love Apple with all of my being" Cook said in a press release.

Tim Cook has led Apple for the past 14 years since Steve Jobs resigned in 2011. In total, Cook has worked at Apple over 25 years.

Ternus joined Apple in 2001 as part of the company's product design team and became the VP of hardware engineering in 2013.

"Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I have been lucky to have worked under Steve Jobs and to have had Tim Cook as my mentor," Ternus said. "I am filled with optimism about what we can achieve in the years to come."

Who is John Ternus?

John Ternus has been a front runner to take over the head seat for awhile now, and currently is the youngest top executive at the company at 50 years old. Assuming things go well, he could have an equally long tenure.

The rise of Ternus suggests the company is looking for a more hardware and engineering focused future.

Ternus joined the executive team in 2021 when he became the the senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. He has overseen the production and introduction of a number of product lines including the iPad, AirPods and several generations of the iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch.

He unveiled the M1 chip, Apple's first in-house designed CPU in 2020, and the iPhone Air last year.

Ternus' most recent impact was with the MacBook Neo, Apple's take on a budget-friendly laptop that quickly made an imprint on that category and has sold out so quickly

"“We’re always focused on ‘how do we make a given product better,’” said Ternus in an interview with Tom's Guide. “We’re always pushing. And we never think like, ‘well, what impact if we did something here would have on a product over here?’”

What's next for Apple?

Ternus will take over at an interesting, and somewhat fraught time for Apple and tech as a whole.

Tim Cook has already been navigating the tariff situation, and now the ongoing Iran War. There's also the RAM crisis which isn't expected to abate until 2028, at the earliest. Apple has seemingly been on top of things but reports have shown that even Apple is eating costs associated with sky high memory prices.

Meanwhile, the 20th anniversary of the iPhone is coming next year and rumors suggest it will be a huge change. Plus, Apple is expected to debut its first pair of smart glasses later this year and the first foldable iPhone this September.

Both devices are new categories for Apple that come at a time when price hikes, memory shortages, and AI are the talk of tech.

It'll be interesting to see how Ternus navigates these choppy waters while trying to bring new enthusiasm to the company.

Johny Srouji named Apple's Chief Hardware Officer

As Ternus transitions to CEO, Apple also announced a new head of hardware in Johny Srouji.

“Johny has been an incredible partner on the executive team, and is going to be an extraordinary chief hardware officer,” said incoming Apple CEO John Ternus in a press release. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with him in our new roles.”

Srouji joined Apple in 2008 and led development of the A4 chip, Apple's first in-house iPhone silicon. Since then he has been in charge of hardware engineering teams from silicon and batteries to cameras and sensors.

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Although you certainly can leave your Mac on for days at a time without any issues, a newly discovered macOS bug will certainly make you think twice about doing so.

As reported by Tom’s Hardware, the AI infrastructure and developer tools startup Photon recently discovered a “ticking time bomb” that affects every Mac. Fortunately, though, this isn’t a security bug that can be exploited by hackers. Instead, it’s the kind of bug that could leave you scratching your head if you use one of the best MacBooks and leave your laptop on for over a month at a time.

According to a blog post from Photon, “every Mac has a hidden expiration date.” No, your Mac won’t become unusable, and you won’t have to upgrade to a new machine. However, “after exactly 49 days, 17 hours, 2 minutes and 47 seconds of continuous uptime,” macOS experiences an “integer overflow” that “freezes the internal TCP timestamp clock.”

But what does this mean for the average Mac user? Well, once your machine has been running for exactly this long, existing TCP network connections won’t expire as they normally should. Essentially, this means that your Mac won’t be able to connect to the internet, which is why many of us get a computer in the first place.

Photon likely let Apple know once it discovered this issue, and the firm is currently working on its own solution. However, there’s an easy fix that won’t require an update or bringing your Mac to an Apple Store.

A simple workaround

If you’re worried about your Mac losing internet connectivity, don’t be. The issue itself stems from integer overflow, where your Mac’s TCP timestamp clock keeps counting until it reaches a max value of 4,294,967,295 seconds or 49.7 days.

To get around this, all you have to do is reboot your Mac before the 49-day mark, and everything will be fine. Just like on one of the best iPhones, you should reboot your Mac every week. To make things easier, you can even schedule your Mac to turn off and on.

Besides fixing this specific macOS bug, a reboot also flushes memory leaks, clears system caches and temp files, cools down the machine and resets peripheral controllers, which can help rectify other odd glitches with Bluetooth and USB-C docks.

Apple isn’t alone here either, as Windows 98 also crashed after 49.7 days of uptime. Likewise, when it comes to running out of digits while counting, this same issue is why we were all so worried about Y2K back in 1999, and it’s also why the year 2038 could lead to similar concerns when Unix is no longer able to measure time for the same reason. But that’s a problem for another day.

I’m sure that Apple is aware of this issue and is taking steps to address it, hopefully in the next big macOS update. In the meantime, though, just remember to give your Mac a reboot every seven days, and you’ll be perfectly fine.

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If you have an Apple ecosystem at home, you probably already know the rarity of finding a good deal from the iPhone maker. With the most affordable Apple products still costing upwards of AU$800, it's safe to say that an Apple purchase is a certified investment.

That said, any discounts that undercut Apple devices by 10% or more are worth cheering for, and these killer prices I've just found are no exception.

Now celebrating its fiftieth year, Apple has cheekily discounted a range of its best-sellers on Amazon. With up to 40% off Apple Watches, MacBooks, iPhones, iPads, and accompanying accessories, Apple's Amazon storefront has a complete list of discounted items.

To get you started on finding your next Apple product, I've handpicked my favourite nine deals below. With hot prices across the latest Apple Watch 11, AirPods 4 and iPhone Air, these discounts aren't exclusive to older products, which is a big win in my book.

You'll need to act fast to secure an Apple bargain, though — these Amazon prices won't stick around too long!

Apple has discontinued the infamous cheese grater Mac Pro and its $700 wheels. As of March 26, the iconic Apple Mac Pro is no longer on the Apple website; instead, would-be shoppers are redirected to other Mac computers.

Apple confirmed to 9to5Mac that it will no longer be offering the Mac Pro, and that there are no plans to develop new models.

With this week's discontinuation that drops Apple's desktop lineup to three devices:

• 24-inch iMac M4
• Mac mini M4 or M4 Pro
• Mac Studio with M4 Max or M3 Ultra

Plus the three laptops; MacBook Neo, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro.

A short history

The cheese greater Mac Pro debuted in 2019 alongside the Pro Display XDR (also recently discontinued). The original version was powered by an Intel Xeon W chipset, featuring 32GB of ram and 256GB SSD. A $52,000 version had a 28 core Intel Xeon W chip with 1.5TB of RAM and a 4TB SSD.

The last update it got was in 2023, when Apple refreshed the model with the M2 Ultra chip, and priced it at $6,999. As recently as June 2025 it was rumored that a new M5-powered Mac Pro would arrive this year and a low-end Mac Pro. With a lack of significant updates, the writing has been on the wall for the Mac Pro for a couple of years now.

Perhaps wait on a Mac Studio

If you're looking for a high-end Apple desktop, all we have left is the Mac Studio, but you may want to wait on upgrading. Currently, Apple offers the Studio in mismatched M4 Max and M3 Ultra CPU options.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has claimed that an M5 Ultra-powered Mac Studio is coming this year. Though, he hedged that it will arrive after Apple announced the M5 Ultra and Max chipsets.

At the beginning of March, Apple revealed the new MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max, but has yet to announce the M5 Ultra. In previous years, Apple launched its M ultra chips in March for the M1 and M3, with the M2 Ultra debuting in June.

It's possible that Apple could reveal the M5 Ultra at WWDC 2026, which takes place June 8 - 12.

If that's the case, Apple may debut the Mac Studio M5 Ultra this October when it typically reveals its new MacBooks and MacBook Pro laptops. This year's versions have been rumored to feature an M6 chip and OLED display.

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Whether you’re thinking about upgrading from a Chromebook or ditching Windows for good, there’s never been a better time to switch to Mac, especially with the release of the new MacBook Neo. Starting at $599 (or $499 for education), this is Apple’s most affordable MacBook yet and a great way to get started with macOS. However, it’s not your only option at this price point.

Released back in 2024, the Mac mini M4 also starts at $599 (with that same education discount available). Sure, you will need a separate monitor along with a keyboard and mouse but chances are, you probably already have a display and your existing peripherals will likely work with macOS. While the MacBook Neo is arguably the best budget laptop you can get right now, the Mac mini M4 is one of the best mini PCs overall.

If you don’t plan on bringing the Neo with you and will mostly be using it at home, then the Mac mini M4 becomes a much more compelling option. Then it just comes down to whether or not you prefer to be anchored to a desk or sitting on the couch when using your computer. Although you’re paying $599 for either machine, one comes equipped with a mobile chip while the other uses a full-blow desktop chip that’s significantly more powerful.

Now that we’ve tested and reviewed the MacBook Neo, we can see how it stacks up against Apple’s smallest Mac mini yet. If you only have $599 to spend on a new Mac, read this first before you rush out and buy the Neo as the Mac mini M4 is an equally impressive machine.

MacBook Neo vs Mac mini M4: Specs

MacBook Neo vs Mac mini M4: Design

The design of these two Macs couldn’t be more different. While the MacBook Neo is a 13-inch laptop, the Mac mini M4 is a compact mini PC that Apple redesigned in 2024 to be its smallest Mac ever.

Despite being the most affordable MacBook yet, the Neo borrows quite a lot from the aesthetic of the MacBook Air. It sports a fanless design, an ultra-thin chassis made from aluminum and comes with rounded corners for a more modern look.

In addition to Silver, the Neo is also available in three vibrant shades: Blush (pink), Indigo (deep blue), and Citrus (yellow). Meanwhile, like other desktop Macs, the Mac mini M4 only comes in Silver.

At 2.7 pounds, the Neo is very light and extremely portable which makes it easy to slip into a backpack. On the other hand, the Mac mini M4 is technically lighter at just 1.5 pounds. However, since you’ll need a monitor along with a keyboard and mouse, it’s not nearly as easy to bring with you.

On the MacBook Neo, you get two USB-C ports and a headphone jack on the left side of the laptop with no ports on the right side at all.

Unlike with the previous model, Apple decided to add ports to the front of the Mac mini M4 and just like on the Neo, there are two USB-C ports as well as a headphone jack. Around back though, the Mac mini M4 comes equipped with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, a gigabit Ethernet port and a power port.

When it comes to power, the Mac mini M4 can only be powered using the AC port at the back and the included power cable. The Neo comes with a compact 20W charger and is capped at a slower charging speed so you can’t use a higher-wattage one to quickly charge it.

You can use either of the Neo’s USB-C ports for charging. However, the front one is the better option for charging as it’s a slower USB 2.0 port while the one at the rear is USB 3 and can be used to connect to an external display or for an external SSD.

The keyboard on the Neo feels great to type on with 1mm of travel but it isn’t backlit. On the base model, you also don’t get Touch ID like on more expensive MacBooks.

If you want to use your fingerprint to login or for authentication instead of entering your password, then you’re going to need to spend an extra $100 on a Neo with this functionality and extra storage. Likewise, the Neo has a mechanical trackpad instead of a Force Touch one like on the MacBook Air.

MacBook Neo vs Mac mini M4: Performance

Performance varies greatly between the MacBook Neo and the Mac mini M4, as they’re powered by entirely different classes of silicon. While the Mac mini uses the desktop-grade M4 chip, Apple brought the Neo’s price down to $599 by using the A18 Pro — the same mobile processor that powered the iPhone 16 Pro back in 2024.

In our lab tests, both chips showed comparable single-core performance. This means for 'burst' tasks like opening apps or loading a heavy webpage, both Macs will feel equally snappy. However, the Mac mini M4 pulls ahead in multi-core workloads, making it the superior choice for video editing or heavy multitasking.

The biggest performance divider isn't just the chip, but the memory. The $599 Mac mini M4 ships with 16GB of RAM as standard, whereas the Neo is stuck with 8GB and there’s no way to upgrade. In our real-world stress test, the Neo began to struggle once we hit 20 open browser tabs, leading to sluggishness and tab reloads. The Mac mini, with double the memory, handled twice that load without breaking a sweat.

Thermals also play a big role when it comes to performance. The Neo’s fanless design makes it completely silent, but it will eventually throttle or slow down during long 4K video exports or heavy gaming sessions to stay cool. The Mac mini M4 features an internal fan that, while near-silent, allows it to maintain peak performance indefinitely.

MacBook Neo vs Mac mini M4: Display

The MacBook Neo has a 13-inch LED-backlit panel with a 2408 x 1506 resolution at 219 pixels per inch (ppi). As such, it meets Apple’s “Retina” standard and it’s also quite bright at 500 nits. Still, even with this extra brightness, you’re better off using it indoors since it has a glossy finish and you can’t upgrade to Apple’s Nano-Texture glass option like you can with more expensive MacBooks.

With only one high-speed USB-C port, you’re limited to connecting the Neo to a single external display. Likewise, you’re also stuck at 60Hz which means you won’t be able to take full advantage of high refresh rate monitors that go up to 120Hz — like Apple’s new Studio Display XDR — or even higher.

You don’t get a display with the Mac mini but thanks to the power of the M4 chip driving it, you can connect up to three external displays at the same time. When it comes to their resolution, you can run two displays at 6K at 60Hz and a third at 5K at 60Hz over Thunderbolt 4. There’s also an HDMI port around back that can output at 4K at 60Hz. Likewise, if you only want to run a single monitor, the Mac mini M4 can actually drive an 8K display at 60Hz or a 4K display at 240Hz.

Using the Neo with a single, large external display will likely be enough for most people. However, if you want to run a dual or even a triple-monitor setup for maximum productivity, then the Mac mini M4 is the better option.

MacBook Neo vs Mac mini M4: Graphics

Both the MacBook Neo and the Mac mini M4 are surprisingly capable gaming machines for $599, thanks to their support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading. However, while the Neo often relies on MetalFX upscaling to hit playable framerates, the Mac mini M4 has the raw horsepower to push higher settings natively.

Since the Neo uses the A18 Pro, it handles AAA titles that have been ported to iOS remarkably well. In our testing, Resident Evil 4 and the long-awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong played surprisingly well on the Neo's 13-inch screen. You can also tap into the entire Apple Arcade library, including the newly released Oceanhorn 3: Legend of the Shadow Sea, which looks beautiful on the Neo's glossy Retina display.

However, Cyberpunk 2077 pushed this budget MacBook to its absolute limits. Since the Neo is fanless, it began to thermally throttle after about 20 minutes of gameplay, causing the framerate to dip into the low 20s. The 8GB of RAM also led to occasional stutters in open-world sections.

The Mac mini M4 is a much better option for extended play sessions. With 10 GPU cores and 16GB of RAM as standard, it didn’t slow down at all during our hour-long Cyberpunk stress test. Its internal fan kept the temperature stable, allowing the M4 to maintain its clock speeds indefinitely. If you’re a casual gamer who wants to play indie hits or mobile ports on the go, the Neo is a delight. However, if you want a machine that can actually act as a budget gaming PC at your desk, the Mac mini M4 is the clear winner.

MacBook Neo vs Mac mini M4: Outlook

Switching to Mac has never been easier with two excellent options for the same $599 price. However, choosing between the two isn’t necessarily about which one is better, but rather where you plan on working.

The MacBook Neo is the most affordable MacBook yet and as such, it’s the perfect laptop for students, writers and travelers that need a machine they can go from a backpack to open on a table in seconds. You are giving up raw power for portability but in return, you’re getting a beautifully designed laptop with a 13-inch retina display that blows most budget Windows laptops and especially Chromebooks out of the water.

Now if you want a desktop workstation on a budget and already have a monitor and the necessary peripherals, then the Mac mini M4 is a more powerful though stationary computer. With double the RAM and a desktop-class chip, it’s ideal for multitasking and more demanding workloads. Plus, thanks to its internal fan, it won’t throttle under pressure.

Ultimately, the choice between the newer MacBook Neo or the slightly older Mac mini M4 comes down to whether you value portability or power more. If you need a computer you can bring with you or even move from room to room easily, then the Neo is the better choice. However, if you don’t mind working at a desk and paying a bit more for a monitor and peripherals (if you don’t have them already), then the Mac mini M4 is still an excellent option.

More from Tom's Guide

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• I hated the Mac mini M4’s power button until I accidentally proved Apple was right
• I played 5 games on the MacBook Neo — here's my report card

Whenever Apple announces new devices it means that some older ones get discontinued. Last week, Apple revealed a slew of new products including the intriguing MacBook Neo, budget-friendly iPhone 17e and more powerful MacBook Pro M5 Pro/Max laptops.

As part of streamlining the devices it sells, the company discontinued 15 existing devices. Surprisingly, not every device is years old. The oldest was released in 2019, while the most recent only debuted six months ago.

Here's the list of 15 discontinued products:

• iPhone 16e with A18 (2025)
• 11-inch iPad Air with M3 (2025)
• 13-inch iPad Air with M3 (2025)
• 13-inch MacBook Air with M4 (2025)
• 15-inch MacBook Air with M4 (2025)
• 13-inch MacBook Pro with M5 and 512GB storage (2025)
• 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro (2024)
• 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro (2024)
• 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max (2024)
• 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max (2024)
• Mac Studio with M3 Ultra and 512GB memory (2025)
• Studio Display with A13 Bionic (2022)
• Pro Display XDR (2019)
• Pro Stand for Pro Display XDR (2019)
• Pro Display XDR VESA Mount Adapter (2019)

For the most part, the Apple is just swapping one product for its updated version. The iPhone 16e gets the boot for the 17e. The M3 iPad Air has been replaced by the M4 version, the same for the M4 MacBook Air models which have been replaced with M5 MacBook Airs.

The surprising discontinuation is the 512GB MacBook Pro M5, which was announced in October 2025 for $1,599. Instead, the new base model features 1TB of internal storage, and costs $1,699.

It's unclear if this related to the ongoing memory crisis that is reducing storage and RAM options for many companies.

Finally, we have the two oldest devices: the original Studio Display from 2022 and the Pro Display XDR (released in 2019), which were replaced by the new Studio Display XDR and an updated base version.

What does discontinued mean for your devices?

Unlike Apple's vintage or obsolete devices, discontinuation just means the company no longer sells these products through official channels. However, they are still eligible for software updates, repairs and support for at least five to seven years after their initial release date.

Apple typically places devices on its vintage list around five years after the company stops selling them. At that point, they're unlikely to get software updates, and repairs will only be available as long as parts are available. So if you own any of these discontinued products, you still have some time before you need to consider an upgrade.

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As the rest of the tech world seemingly falls apart thanks to the ongoing RAM crisis, Apple is slated to have a busy start to 2026 with a slew new devices expected to launch in the next six months.

From the refreshed iPhone 17e to new iPads, we expect to see a variety of devices, including a new budget-friendly MacBook to take on Chromebooks and cheaper Windows notebooks. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman confirmed a number of new devices in his PowerOn newsletter, many of which we've covered. Here's what Apple should release soon — and what's on the horizon.

iPhones: iPhone 17e

Apple's e-series is going to be an annual spring release with the second version launching this year in the iPhone 17e. Most of the changes with this model will reportedly be internal with new chips and the addition of MagSafe charging.

It should get the A19 chip from the iPhone 17 plus the Apple-developed C1 modem and N1 wireless chip. This means the iPhone 17e should support Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread - the smart home low-power mesh.

Unfortunately, the iPhone 17e may retain the $599 of the 16e, which makes it not quite as budget-friendly as you'd like a downgraded iPhone to be.

As my colleague Tom Pritchard noted, "It may be a cheap iPhone, but we've seen cheaper, and I'm wondering whether buying a used flagship iPhone is a better use of your money."

Later this fall, we expect to see the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max and the iPhone Fold launch in September.

iPads: Entry-level, Air, Mini

Gurman claims that at least three refreshed iPad models are coming this year, including a new base model, iPad Air and an updated iPad mini.

Like the 17e, the biggest upgrades will all be internal. All three are expected to get the new in-house Apple wireless and modem chips. Additionally, they should get faster processors. Gurman claimed they would get the A18 chip, but an earlier report based on leaked internal documents indicated that the iPads would get the newer A19 chipset or the M4 chip.

The base model will get the A19, while the iPad Air will get the M4 set.

Finally, at the end of 2025, it was rumored that the iPad mini 8 will get an OLED upgrade, and it might feature the A20 Pro CPU that will feature in the iPhone 18 Pro later this year. The upgraded iPad mini isn't expected to launch until later this year after the iPhone 18 Pro launch.

MacBooks: Budget, M5 Air, and new Pro models

Apple launched its MacBook Pro M5 in October last year but was missing the M5 Pro and M5 Max/Ultra models. The most current rumors have set the high-end Pro models to launch as early as the week of March 2. We expect the MacBook Air M5 to launch around this time as well.

The more interesting potential release is the rumored cheap MacBook meant to take on low-cost Windows laptops and Google Chromebooks. Rumors have slated this budget MacBook to cost around $599, likely as a way for Apple to kneecap the refurbished market for deals like the M1 MacBook Air from Walmart.

The laptop should have a 12-inch to 13-inch display and run on the A18 Pro chipset, though that is speculation. I haven't seen a release date in the rumor mill, but I would put a couple bucks on it launching alongside the iPhone 17e, creating a "budget ecosystem" for Apple. Possibly, it could debut as part of a week of MacBooks with the Pro models.

Finally, on the computing front, Apple could finally release an updated Studio Display and Mac Studio desktops. Allegedly, new Mac minis, likely with the M5 chip, are on the docket as well. It's not clear when these devices will launch. Plus, an OLED MacBook Pro M6 is rumored to launch at some point this year, likely in October, its usual window.

iOS 26.4: Siri 2.0, iOS 27

One of our complaints about the 16e was the high price point and the lack of actual Apple Intelligence, thanks to Apple's struggles with AI and creating a true Siri 2.0.

That version should finally launch with iOS 26.4, likely in March, which will include upgrades to Siri. The real upgrade probably won't launch until WWDC 2026 in June when we'll learn more about iOS 27 and the Google Gemini partnership to bolster Apple Intelligence.

All in all, it's a busy season for the tech giant, and Tom's Guide will be there to cover all the new devices and help you decide if it's time to upgrade.

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I was over the moon at the idea of a completely redesigned Mac mini in a much smaller case with a more powerful M4 chip. That was until Apple finally showed off its new design, revealing that, this time around, the power button on the Mac mini M4 would be on the bottom instead of on the back of the device.

The Apple Magic Mouse with its oddly placed charging port immediately sprung to mind. At least with a wireless mouse though, you don’t have to plug it in all that often. Now with one of the best mini PCs, a power button is integral to their daily use. Apple on the other hand saw things quite differently.

Shortly after the Mac mini M4’s launch, Apple’s SVP of Worldwide Marketing Greg Joswiak and SVP of Hardware Engineering John Ternus explained in an interview with IThome that the underside of the Mac mini M4 was the “optimal spot” for its power button due to the redesign. At the same time, they also noted that most Mac users never actually turn their devices off.

Although I used a Mac growing up and while in college, back when I reviewed the Mac mini M4, I had mostly been using Windows-based mini PCs. As such, I initially scoffed at the idea of never shutting down my computer and how Apple had practically made the device’s power button unreachable.

Now though, after using the Mac mini M4 for over a year I realized Apple just might have been right.

A non-optional accessory

Just like when I spent a week testing out the Mac mini M2 ahead of the release of this updated model, the first accessory I added to the Mac mini M4 was a USB-C powered dock and stand.

I know most people are fine using Bluetooth accessories these days but since I’m constantly switching between computers, I actually prefer one of the best mechanical keyboards and a trackball mouse with 2.4 GHz USB receivers. With three USB-A ports on the front, I even have one left over to plug in a flash drive. Likewise, with an SD card reader on the left, it’s easy to quickly take photos off my camera.

The Satechi Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub also has another trick up its sleeve. When you flip it over, there’s a free slot where you can install up to a 4TB M.2 SSD. Doing so lets you get around paying the Apple Tax for extra storage. Also, thanks to the fact that the Mac mini M4 comes with 16GB of RAM as the new standard, you likely won’t have to jump up to an upgraded model since this accessory easily lets you add more storage space.

The other big problem the Satechi Stand & Hub solves is that you can now easily reach the Mac mini M4’s power button. Without it, you’d have to awkwardly tilt the device over on your desk anytime you wanted to power it back on after a shutdown.

Although I haven’t stopped using this accessory with my Mac mini M4 for over a year now, the cutout at the back isn’t the killer feature I initially thought it would be.

Powered on and forgotten

Even though I still think the Mac mini M4 is the best mini PC for most people and especially for Apple users, I’ve been using it less lately so that I can spend my time testing and reviewing other, Windows-based mini PCs.

When OpenAI rolled out its ChatGPT Atlas browser back in October of last year though, I was tasked with installing it and doing a hands-on. Since it was Mac-only at that time, I got it up and running on my Mac mini M4. Now if I had one of the best MacBooks on hand, it would have been a lot easier taking pictures of this new AI-powered browser running on a Mac. Instead, I ended up putting a new desk setup together just to do so.

To Apple’s credit, when I was done, I didn’t shut down the Mac mini M4. Instead, I let it go into sleep mode and that was that. Much to my surprise though, when I returned from CES 2026 last week, I saw its status light was still on. After a few taps on my keyboard, it instantly sprung back to life, completely oblivious to the fact that I had left it powered on for almost three months.

It was at that moment that it dawned on me, maybe Apple was right. With a new puppy in our game room sleeping where I previously worked, I’ve found myself working from the Mac mini M4 in the next room and letting it fall asleep on its own each night for the past week.

I think what surprised me the most though is that besides that small white indicator light, I wouldn’t have known Apple’s mini PC was sleeping as it’s completely quiet when doing so and it isn't a light sleeper like some of the Windows-based mini PCs I’ve tested and reviewed. It doesn’t “wake up” for updates or from overly sensitive peripherals.

Even when my son would bump into my desk when running over to check on the puppy, the Mac mini M4 never stirred. That was until I started typing on the keyboard in front of it.

From hidden to essential

Now that I fully understand Apple’s reasoning with the Mac mini M4’s power button placement, I’d still like to see some changes with the Mac mini M5 or whatever comes next. Instead of tucking it away on the underside of the device, what if Apple actually made it useful?

After reviewing the MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG and loving the fingerprint scanner integrated into its power button, I’d love to see Apple do something similar with the next Mac mini. Right now, if you want to use Touch ID to do things like log in, use Apple Pay, install new software or buy apps from the Mac App Store, your only option is to purchase a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID separately. But imagine how much more useful this functionality would be if it was built right into your Mac?

Even if Apple doesn’t want to give up the biggest selling point of its most expensive keyboard, there are other ways the Mac mini’s power button could be useful. Given that we’re getting an upgraded and more intelligent Siri soon, imagine if a short press of the power button could bring that up while a long press could be used to shutdown your computer. The possibilities are really almost endless once you bring short, long and even double presses into the mix.

It might have taken me over a year, but now, I finally understand why Apple compromised with the placement of the Mac mini M4’s power button. I’d say I was going to shut down my computer now but given that it’s been on for months, I guess I’ll just step away from my keyboard and let it drift off to sleep.

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There's been no shortage of rumors regarding Apple's next iMac. Shortly after a leak suggested that Apple would launch an all-in-one desktop with an M5 Max processor, a new leak has emerged suggesting that Apple will switch to an OLED panel for the upcoming iMac.

Korean publisher The Elec reports that Apple is planning an OLED iMac, which would be a significant departure from the IPS LCD panels currently used in iMac devices. Though if you've ever used the latest iMac, you know that Apple has made the most of that screen tech to create a solid-looking display, and I expect the company will do the same with its first OLED iMac.

What we know about the new iMac OLED

Apple is apparently asking Samsung and LG, companies it typically partners with to make displays for its devices, for information on meeting the specs Apple has put forth.

Presumably, the display makers will be able to handle what Apple wants, and then it'll be a matter of Apple getting quotes to determine which company can meet the demands for a better price.

And what are those specs? Fortunately, the leak from The Elec contains the specs Apple has requested: "The iMac OLED specifications recently requested by Apple are known to be 24 inches, 600 nits of brightness, and 218PPI (Pixels Per Inch) in pixels," reads the request reported by the Korean publication.

If the iMac with an OLED display comes out, it would improve the all-in-one computer's brightness. In fact, based on the specs Apple is looking for in the report, the screen could be up to 20% brighter than the existing 24-inch iMac.

Before you get too excited, the report also suggests that because this is in the early stages, Apple won't finish the OLED iMac until 2027 or 2028, with a release window sometime after that.

The other bit of bad news is the 24-inch size mentioned in the specs. Apparently, Apple isn't looking into larger OLED displays for the iMac, as the OLED tech it's considering doesn’t support panels larger than 30 inches. If you've been holding out for a large iMac with an OLED, you might need to keep the hope burning for a while longer.

MacBook Pro OLED up first

Apple has gradually started switching its devices to OLED, but it hasn't gone all-in yet. First, the Apple Watch got the newer screen technology. From there, Apple started adding OLED to its beloved iPhone and iPad models.

On the back of its smartphones, the Cupertino company is expected to put OLED screens on the MacBook Pro M6. And it could also be the first MacBook with a touch screen display.

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This week, a massive code leak revealed more than 30 Apple devices could debut in the next couple of years. Surprisingly, though, a separate code leak emerged shortly afterwards, revealing at least one more Apple product on the horizon.

Apple is reportedly developing a new iMac Pro featuring its M5 Max chipset, according to leaked internal software seen by MacRumors. The massive leak was the result of a prototype of iOS 26 that was accidentally sold, which contained a “ kernel debug kit” used by Apple’s engineers.

Typically, these systems label unreleased Apple devices using codenames or platform names. Sometimes they also include secondary references to chipsets or marketing names.

According to MacRumors, the software references an iMac codenamed J833c running platform H17C. H17C is a label associated with Sotra C, an alleged codename for the M5 Max chip. This line suggests that Apple is actively testing an iMac featuring the M5 Max.

There are other devices in the code like iPad minis running tvOS that are probably just used for internal Apple testing. However, the J833c codename appeared earlier this year in a different leak.

That July leak revealed every Mac product that could launch in 2026, including a variety of MacBooks and Mac Studios. However, that leak only showed the iMac featuring a standard M5 chip.

The M5 Pro and Max chips are expected to debut in 2026, and there have been rumors of Apple developing a high-end “Pro” iMac going all the way back to 2022. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported a few times that Apple is working on an iMac with a bigger screen.

Other Macs

Apparently, the leaked kit also confirmed a few other Mac devices that were highlighted in the July leak. It lists 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pros with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, a 14-inch MacBook Pro featuring an M6 chip, and 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M6 Pro and M6 Max chips.

Additionally, it also lists 13 and 15-inch M5 MacBook Air models, an M5 and M5 Pro Mac mini, and new Mac Studio models, which could feature the M5 Ultra chip. The rumored budget-friendly MacBook featuring an A18 Pro chip is also listed.

We’ll have to wait until next year to find out if some of these leaked Macs turn out to be real products, but for now, take all this info with a grain of salt. If you’re planning to upgrade to one of the best MacBooks, though, it might be worth waiting until next year if you want a new laptop with a more powerful M5 Max or Ultra chip inside.

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Apple's ongoing vintage and obsoletes products list got a recent update, and the latest update adds some unique Apple products, including the infamous "trash can" 2013 Mac Pro, considered retro 12 years after it's introduction.

In general, products added to the list are actually more recent than the trash can desktop, but Apple sold that version of the Mac Pro for years. To be added to the vintage list a device has to be five years is produced and distributed for sale.

Apple sold the trash can Mac Pro until December of 2019 when it was replaced with the equally unique "cheesegrater" Mac Pro, a design that has largely stuck around since then.

At the time, the Mac Pro's cylindrical design was smaller than than the previous tower Mac Pro. However, the design was flawed with a lack of space to upgrade components like GPUs and RAM.

As MacRumors reported in 2017, even Apple had to admit that the design was a failure when it came to updating the system, even for Apple engineers.

"I think we designed ourselves into a bit of a thermal corner, if you will," said Craig Federighi said, who was then software engineering chief.

Beyond the turbine-looking Mac Pro, a few other Apple devices are now vintage:

• 2019 13-inch MacBook Air
• 2019 iMac
• 2018 11-inch iPad Pro
• 2018 third-generation 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌
• iPhone 8 128GB

Additionally, a number of devices are now considered obsolete. The transition occurs when a product has been considered vintage for two years. More accurately, devices are obsolete seven years after Apple discontinued them.

Most of this list includes Apple's long-dead AirPort routers.

• AirPort Express second generation, 2TB and 3TB
• AirPort Time Capsule 2TB
• AirPort Time Capsule 3TB
• 802.11ac AirPort Extreme

Apple will support vintage products with repairs if parts are available. However, once parts supplies are gone, repairs will no longer be offered. Obsolete devices won't be repaired by Apple Stores or Apple Authorized Service Providers.

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If your Mac mini has decided it won't power up anymore, you're not alone. Apple just launched a new repair program for the M2 Mac mini (2023) as a "very small percentage" may no longer power on.

The problem affects devices manufactured between June 16, 2024 to November 23, 2024, but that's not an easy way to work out if yours is included. Instead, head over to Apple's Mac mini Service Program page and enter your serial number.

If your Apple Mac mini M2 (2023) has the problem that leads to a lot of nothing going on, then you'll be offered a free repair either with Apple direct or an authorized service partner — just fill in your details and go to an Apple Store or partner repair store.

Given the type of repair needed, it's likely that you'll be without your Mac mini for at least a couple of days, so it might be a good idea to keep a cheap laptop handy. Even if it's a Windows machine, you can still access a lot of your Apple data on iCloud.com.

What happened to the Mac mini M2 (2023)?

According to Apple's service program, the hardware issue was only introduced to the Mac mini M2 a year ago, with models manufactured between June and November 2024. So it's only just getting an 'official' problem status now.

However, Reddit user hkfan451 took to r/macmini in October 2024 to report that their brand new Mac mini M2 had a power issue and Apple wouldn't allow them to mail it in for repair (although you can now that the official service program is in operation).

It's not clear if that is the same issue that Apple has now acknowledged, but the timeline would match up. Though, some Mac minis have run into power issues that are unrelated to this manufacturing issue.

In late 2023, there were discussions on the Apple Community forums about Mac mini M2 units losing power. And it's a tricky one to troubleshoot since you don't have a built-in display, so you also need to check that the unit doesn't just appear dead, but actually isn't powering on at all.

If there doesn't seem to be any activity from the Mac mini at all — so no beeps, and the status indicator light on the front stays off instead of turning white — then it's time for a service.

Fortunately, some power-related issues may also be covered under warranty.

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Apple is reportedly "ramping up" production on its new Studio Display, with rumors indicating it will boast a Mini-LED upgrade — and it's set to arrive as soon as next year.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (via MacRumors), the next Apple Studio Display "should arrive by 2026," offering a similar 27-inch display size and design of the current model. Interestingly, it's set to arrive alongside MacBook Pro and iPad Pro models with M5 chips.

While no further details are mentioned, display analyst Ross Young believes the upcoming Studio Display will feature Mini-LED backlighting. If accurate, this means we could see and improved overall brightness of the display, along with better contrast and black levels, compared the 2022 Apple Studio Display.

We've seen Apple use Mini-LEDs before, most notably in the $4,999 Apple Pro Display XDR. We noted that this display is bigger, brighter and better optimized for professional content creators, but it comes with a steep price tag. With Mini-LED technology in a more affordable Studio Display ($1,499), Mac users can look forward to a far better screen for cheaper.

Upgraded resolution, too?

Paired with an upgraded Mac mini M4, which comes with a Thunderbolt 4 port and support for up to three external displays, the Apple Studio Display makes for a fine display for Mac users. However, considering Apple's latest mini PC can run two 6K displays at a 60Hz refresh rate, it could be a sign of what's to come.

The current Apple Studio Display offers 5K (5,120 x 2,880) resolution in a 27-inch screen, with bright, gorgeous colors. Now, with the Mac mini M4, and a possible M5 model coming down the pipeline since the next-gen chip is slated to come late this year or in 2026, Apple could match this resolution with a 6K monitor in the new Studio Display.

There's still a lot to learn about a new Apple Studio Display, but we're looking forward to seeing it in Mini-LED backlighting glory if rumors are to be believed. We've noted that full-array LEDs on TVs are on their way out in favor of Mini-LEDs, so we could be seeing the same for monitors.

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Mini LED backlighting is coming to Apple's next 27-inch Studio Displays, according to well-regarded display analyst Ross Young (via MacRumors).

These new displays would be next iteration of the Studio Display that hasn't been updated since Apple introduced the 27-inch monitor back in 2022. According to Young's subscribers-only post, the upcoming version will stay the same size but feature Mini LED backlighting, which could improve the contrast, black levels, and the overall brightness of the display.

Young's report says that the display will use Mini LEDs from Epistar, while LG Display will supply the panels. Together, these new display specs should hopefully make the Studio Display far less glossy or susceptible to glare. But it's worth noting that this wouldn't be a first for Apple – Mini LED tech in the Pro Display XDR, but that hasn't seen an upgrade since 2020.

The currently-available 2022 version features a 5K LED panel and starts at $1,499. Although we don't know yet if switching to Mini LED technology will reflect in the cost of a next-generation version, there are other ways Apple could improve the Studio Display. For example, we're hoping the company upgrades the terrible webcam in the display, and potentially upgrading the speakers would be a good improvement as well.

On a personal level, making the power cable removable would be very welcome. Similarly, Tom's Guide security editor, Anthony Spadafora, longs for more ports as it currently only has one Thunderbolt port and three USB-C ones.

Several other currently available Apple devices already use Mini LED or have switched over to OLED like the MacBook Pro M4 and the iPad Pro M4, respectively.

It's not clear when this upgrade Studio Display would arrive though MacRumors suggests 2026 or late 2025.

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• iPhone 17 Pro Max just tipped for very welcome design upgrade

After testing out the Mac mini M2 for a few weeks last year, it was clear that Apple’s mini PC was in need of an upgrade. While it did well enough with web browsing and basic tasks, it was easier than I thought to utilize all 8GB of RAM on the base model.

Fortunately, back in November of last year, Apple unveiled the new Mac mini M4 which unlike its predecessor, came with 16GB of RAM instead of 8GB on the base model. Alongside Cupertino’s more powerful M4 chip, this extra memory made a huge difference when it came to multitasking and with heavier workloads like video editing.

There was only one small problem for me, instead of two USB-A ports and two Thunderbolt 4 ports, the Mac mini M4 doesn’t have any full-size USB ports. Instead, it has two USB-C ports on the front and three Thunderbolt 4 ports on the back. If you’re using Apple’s Magic Keyboard alongside a Magic Mouse or even a Magic Trackpad, this likely won’t be a problem since all of the company’s accessories are wireless and connect to your Mac via Bluetooth.

Personally, I’m not quite ready to completely move to USB-C as I still have some older devices with USB-A ports. Likewise, while Apple upped the Mac mini M4’s RAM from 8GB to 16GB, the same can’t be said for the device’s storage as moving up from 256GB to 512GB or even a 1TB of internal storage still carries a premium.

This is where accessories like Satechi’s new Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure can be quite useful. Not only do you get more ports, but you also get the option to outfit your Mac Mini M4 with additional storage without having to pay the Apple Tax.

On the front, there are two USB-A 3.2 ports, a single USB-A 2.0 port and an SD card reader. Meanwhile, on the back, there’s a single, hard-wired USB-C cable that you plug into one of the rear ports on your Mac mini M4.

Just like with Satechi’s similar stand and hub for the Mac mini M2, this one also allows you to add your own M.2 SSD for additional storage space. In fact, the company says you can add up to 4TB of NVMe storage. You just have to make sure that your M.2 SSD is the right size to fit inside this new accessory.

If you think about it, giving up one Thunderbolt 4 connection at the back of the Mac mini M4 is totally worth it for all of these extra USB-A ports along with the option to upgrade your computer’s storage even after you purchased it from Apple. The Satechi Mac mini M4 Stand and Hub has one more trick up its sleeve though.

Pressed for power

Back when the Mac mini M4 was first revealed, myself and many others were shocked by Apple’s decision to move the device’s power button from the back side to underneath its new computer. Sure, the cooling fan at the bottom does raise up its chassis slightly, but this isn’t nearly enough space to slide your finger underneath it to press the Mac mini M4’s power button.

Just like with the Magic Mouse which needs to be flipped over to charge, this design decision baffled both Apple’s fans and critics alike. Instead of justifying the decision, the company doubled down by explaining that the Mac mini M4 doesn't need to be turned off or restarted all that often. Surprisingly, most Mac mini users just let their computer go to sleep instead of turning it off each night.

During my time spent testing and reviewing the Mac mini M4, I did the exact same thing but it did take some getting used to. Letting one of the best mini PCs go to sleep instead of just shutting it down didn’t make any sense to me then and it still doesn’t either. Sometimes, you just want to turn off your computer and walk away, like when you’re done for the day or don’t plan on using it for a long period of time. On its own, the Mac mini M4 needs to be completely flipped over to press its power button.

In the picture above, you can see a cutout on Satechi’s stand and hub which makes it much easier to press the device’s power button. No more fumbling around, flipping your computer over or just leaving it in sleep mode so that you never have to push the power button again.

The Satechi Mac mini M4 Stand & Hub will be available to purchase in limited quantities for just $99 at the beginning of February. However, in March, the company plans to make it generally available to the wider public.

The right accessory can make all the difference and if you want even more ports, the ability to add extra storage and an easy way to reach the Mac mini M4’s power button, Satechi’s new hub is a great investment. Just keep in mind that you will need to provide your own M.2 SSD.

More from Tom's Guide

• I’ve waited years for Apple to give a damn about Mac gaming — and it’s finally happening
• Mac mini M4 — 4 reasons to buy and 3 reasons to skip
• This accessory fixes the biggest downside with the iMac M4 and Apple Studio Display

Whether you’re tired of having a bulky desktop on your desk or just don’t want to be bothered with plugging in your laptop each night, one of the best mini PCs could be the answer. If you prefer macOS to Windows, then the Mac mini M4 just might be the perfect little computer for you and thanks to Cyber Monday sales, you can still pick up this brand new mini PC at a discount.

That’s right, Amazon still has the Mac mini M4 for $559. That’s $40 off its normal price but which is still quite good for a brand new Apple device that launched back in October. If you want to save even more on a more powerful device, then you’re in luck as the Mac mini M4 Pro is $1,299 at B&H Photo right now. This is 100 off its normal price and a good discount on a faster device with double the storage.

After testing out the Mac mini M2 for a week ahead of the launch of this new model, I can easily say the Mac mini M4 is a huge upgrade as it fixes many of our gripes with its predecessor. For instance, you now get 16GB of RAM on the base model which is double what you got with the Mac mini M2. Likewise, the Mac mini M4 is a lot faster thanks to the inclusion of Apple’s M4 chip.

In my Mac mini M4 review, I loved its absolutely tiny design and all of the other changes Apple made to its chassis to make this mini PC even better. However, you’ll probably need one of the best external hard drives to go with it as you still get just 256GB of storage with the base model.

A tiny powerhouse

The biggest and most significant change besides its smaller size is the fact that Apple finally put front ports on the Mac mini M4. Up until now, only the Mac Studio came equipped with front ports but with this new Mac mini, you get two USB-C ports and a headphone jack up front where you can actually reach them.

Personally, I have my Mac mini M4 review unit tucked under a desk shelf with the Studio Display on top. If I need to charge one of my devices or move some files off of one of them, these two USB-ports really come in handy. The same goes for that 3.5mm audio jack which is great when your wireless headphones run out of battery.

Even though it’s much smaller, you can actually power even more displays using the Mac mini M4. While the base model of the Mac mini M2 limited you to two, this one can drive three displays simultaneously which is great for multitasking.

While I have Apple’s Studio Display as my main display, I also have a touchscreen portable monitor underneath it which I use to stay on top of what’s going on in our work chat. To truly push the Mac mini M4 to the limit though, I added a dual-screen portable monitor next to it. After downloading a driver, I now have four instead of three external displays hooked up to and powered by just the Mac mini M4.

If you’re using an older Mac mini or even if you’re thinking about finally ditching Windows for macOS, the Mac mini M4 is one of the best mini PCs I’ve tested yet and it’s a great computer for both work and play.

It doesn't feel like Black Friday until the crazy Apple deals start rolling in. And it's time to save when the brand new Apple products go on sale.

We already saw a $100 discount on the M4 Mac mini hit Amazon, and now the M4 iMac is discounted by $150 on Amazon with an early Black Friday deal. You need to clip the coupon to save the full amount, so don't forget that important step.

If you're in the market for an all-in-one computer with a high-end processor, don't wait on this deal because these could sell out.

We gave the M4 iMac a 4-star rating in our review, with our Senior Computing Editor Alex Wawro saying, "A faster chip and a better camera make this a good iMac upgrade."

Not only is the laptop powerful with the M4 chip, but it also comes with a 4.5K display that looks stunning. "Apple's iMac M4 is dominated by its 24-inch (4480 x 2520 pixels) display, so it's a good thing that it's so nice to look at," reads our review.

The discounted model comes with 16GB of unified memory and a 512GB SSD, which should be more than enough to get you through any multitasking or other work you want to accomplish. You also get full support for Apple Intelligence features. With Apple pushing further into gaming on Mac, you can run graphically intense games, too.

With this deal, all of the M4 iMac colors are on sale, so you can get the one that best fits your office.

The Mac mini M4 is one of the best mini PCs I’ve tested yet thanks to the inclusion of Apple’s powerful M4 chips and the fact that the base model is no longer saddled with a measly 8GB of RAM. Not only are you getting 16GB of RAM as the new standard and a faster chip, this new model is the smallest Mac yet which makes it perfect for any desk setup or even for traveling.

Even though the Mac mini M4 just launched earlier this month, thanks to Black Friday deals you can already pick up the latest and greatest tiny desktop from Apple for a steep discount. Right now, you can get the Mac mini M4 for just $499 at Amazon. That’s $100 off its normal price but the Mac mini M4 Pro is also $100 off if you need even more power and storage space. Make sure to click the on-page digital coupon for each Mac to get these prices.

In my Mac mini M4 review, not only was I impressed by the performance of Apple’s M4 chip in a desktop form factor but I also loved the new redesign. At just 5 x 5 x 2 inches, this is Cupertino’s smallest Mac yet but it also features some other notable upgrades. For instance, it’s the first Mac mini to feature front ports and now, you have two USB-C ports and a headphone jack right where you’ll actually use them.

Unlike with the Mac mini M2 and Mac mini M2 Pro, both of these new M4 models have the same rear ports. You get three Thunderbolt ports (Thunderbolt 4 on the base model, Thunderbolt 5 on the pro model), an HDMI port and a gigabit Ethernet port which can be upgraded to a 10 gigabit one if you have one of the best Wi-Fi 7 routers and a fast internet connection.

One thing I really like about the Mac mini M4 compared to the other mini PCs I’ve reviewed is that it has an internal power supply. This means that you won’t have to lug around a bulky power adapter with you and incorporating this mini PC into your desk setup is easier too.

The Mac mini M4 is a fantastic little computer and one that I wholeheartedly recommend but if you’re still on the fence, check out my reasons to buy or skip. Likewise, if you’re in the market for a new mini PC but don’t want to switch to macOS, I’ve rounded up the best Black Friday mini PC deals.

Apple's newest Mac mini M4 is a tiny powerhouse that is nearly flawless save for a few annoying shortcomings. One is the awkward placement of the power button, which has been controversial. It's one reason we suggested you skip the Mac mini M4.

Designers at Apple managed to make the latest mini desktop computer half the size of the previous model while giving the device more accessible ports. You can see where engineers would be challenged in laying out external features on the casing.

Two Apple executives were interviewed by the Bilibili channel "Movie Hurricane" (via IThome), and they broke down why the power button is on the bottom of the computer. Bilibili is China's version of YouTube.

Greg Joswiak, Apple's Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing, and John Ternus, the Senior VP of Hardware Engineering, made sure to emphasize that the button is easily accessible by "tucking" a finger under the mini to press it.

In the interview, they claim that because the Mac Mini M4 is much more compact, the new placement is "the optimal spot for a power button."

Previous iterations featured the button on the device's rear next to the ports.

"Honestly, most people almost never use the power button on a Mac," one of the execs added.

We couldn't find any hard numbers, though some smaller surveys suggested that most people don't turn off their computers or put them in sleep mode at the end of the day. So, for most, hitting the power button isn't going to be a daily or weekly moment.

Still, it's inconvenient, and if you have to put the mini in a tight space, it could be hard to access.

This hasn't stopped people from 3D-printing clever hacks. A personal favorite is one created by Jerrod H on Maker World (via PC Gamer) that looks like an old PowerMac G5. Others have created simple extensions that you can tap without lifting the mini.

Despite the awkward placement of the power button, the Mac mini M4 is a great computer and easily one of the best mini PCs. In our review, we said, "The Mac mini M4 is an excellent mini PC, and besides being the smallest, it’s also the most powerful one Apple has released yet."

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple Black Friday deals live — I've found the best sales on iPhones, MacBooks, iPads and more
• Apple AirPods could start monitoring your health from 2026 — what we know
• iOS 18.2 beta 3 is here — here’s the new upgrades for your iPhone

The M4 Mac mini models launched last Friday — as you can probably tell by our reviews, we love them. From the clean aesthetic of this tiny redesign to the port array and pure performance of M4, each of these pack a whole lot of power and capability into beautiful hardware.

We very much expected Apple to keep these at full price through to the end of the year, but it looks as if the Cupertino crew did not get the memo. That’s because right now, you can get up to $50 off the M4 Mac mini at Amazon. And yes, this even includes the M4 Pro model too.

As my colleague Anthony Spadafora wrote in his review of the M4 Mac mini, this is a “beautifully designed mini PC” that will make for a welcome addition on most desks. Apple has kept a lot of the DNA that made the previous minis so good — a diverse array of ports for connectivity and a sleek construction to be hidden into any setup.

However this time, with a 5x5-inch square build, that compact-ness has been taken to a whole new level — especially when you consider what is in here. The M4 chip is a mighty performance option for your day to day and even prosumer tasks. Meanwhile, if you need a true face-melter, the M4 Pro can handle AAA gaming impressively and rip through the more intense multi-layered 4K edits without breaking a sweat.

It’s not all perfect, though, as that power button placement is a little annoying. On top of that, repairability and upgradeability are next-to impossible. I say next-to because some people have figured it out, but you will need a heat gun to melt the SSD NAND chips off the silicon and add your own… Definitely not something I’d recommend you try.

But make no mistake about it — this is arguably the best mini PC you can buy today, and it’s now $50 off just days after its launch. You’d be mad to miss out!

The Apple iMac M4 ($1,299 to start) has arrived, and it looks an awful lot like its predecessors.

Don't be fooled by the tried-and-true exterior though: inside this Apple all-in-one is a brand-new Apple M4 chip that takes this iMac to new performance heights while supporting all of the new Apple Intelligence features.

And there are other small but welcome improvements over the old iMac M3, including a doubling of the starting RAM, a better webcam and an upgrade to USB-C for accessories.

After spending some time testing and reviewing our own iMac M4 review unit running a developer beta of macOS Sequoia, I think these upgrades are great and help make an already great PC even better, cementing its place among the best all-in-ones and making it one of the best computers you can buy for families.

But I have to admit that I'm a little underwhelmed by how much of an upgrade this offers over the iMac M3. While anyone who wants a new Mac desktop will be well-served by this machine, I think folks on the fence about upgrading from an older iMac should read my iMac M4 review before pulling the trigger on a new one.

Apple iMac M4 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? Apple's all-in-one PC, updated for 2024 with a few small upgrades and a new M4 chip inside.
• What does it cost? The 2024 iMac M4 is available for purchase from Apple's website at a starting price of $1,299, and you can pay more for additional RAM, storage or extras like a Magic Touchpad or nano-texture glass on the display.
• Who is it for? Families, students and anyone who needs a capable desktop PC for getting things done, browsing the web and watching videos.
• What do we like? The elegant design, the lovely 4.5K display, its speakers and the built-in webcam. Plus, the power of M4 helps this machine speed through basic tasks and affords it full access to incoming Apple Intelligence features.
• What don’t we like? No HDR support, no touchscreen option and no height adjustment option on the stand feel criminal given the price and luxurious design of this desktop.

Apple iMac M4 review: Specs

Apple iMac M4 review: The ups

The iMac has been one of my favorite Macs for some time, and the 2024 M4 model has a few strengths that continue to impress me. While it's a good all-in-one in general, these strengths really set the iMac M4 apart from the pack.

Lovely 4.5K display

Apple's iMac M4 is dominated by its 24-inch (4480 x 2520 pixels) display, so it's a good thing that it's so nice to look at.

While I wish it offered HDR support or (dare to dream) came in a touchscreen or OLED option, I can't complain about the brightness or image quality of the iMac M4's display.

One of the reasons I feel good recommending this PC to families is how attractive the display is and how wide its viewing angles are. During my review I watched some of my favorite shows and movies on this screen, and the colors and details on even streaming versions of older content appeared sharp and vivid.

When we got the iMac into our testing lab and pointed our colorimeter at it, we discovered that the display performs nearly identically to its predecessor. As you can see from the chart above, the iMac M4 achieved a peak brightness of 513 nits, which is better than Apple's promised 500 nits and better than the iMac M3's 508 nits.

The iMac M4 also appears to be slightly more colorful than its predecessor, based on the fact that it achieves slightly better coverage of the sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts.

However, the iMac M4's screen is actually slightly dimmer, on average, than its predecessor once you average everything out. It's not something you'd notice just looking at the two side-by-side, but in the rarified conditions of our testing lab the truth comes out.

Not that it matters, really — the iMac M4's display looks lovely, and as you can see from our test results it gets nearly as bright and colorful as the Apple Studio Display, a fancier screen that costs more than the entire iMac M4 ($1,599 vs $1,299).

New to the iMac M4 is the option to order one with nano-texture glass coating on the display for an additional $200 fee. Apple sent us a review unit with the new nano-texture coating, and it does indeed seem to throw off less glare (from nearby windows and our photography lights) than most displays I review. If you click on the photo above to zoom in, for example, you can clearly see a bit of glare in the top-right corner of the display that's visible on the dark areas of the screen but doesn't appear to obscure the image.

M4-powered performance

Apple's iMacs have felt speedy and fast to react ever since they started coming with Apple silicon onboard, and the iMac M4 is the fastest yet.

As you can see from our charted test results below, the iMac M4 speeds past its predecessors in our performance tests. In Geekbench 6, which scores how effectively the computer's CPU performs in tests of single-core and multi-core performance, the iMac M4 handily improves on its M3- and M1-equipped predecessors.

That's not a huge surprise given that we saw similarly strong Geekbench 6 performance from the iPad Pro 2024, which was the first Apple device to ship with the M4 chip. In fact, the iMac M4 scored within 200 points of the iPad Pro M4 on both tests, beating the iPad in multi-core performance but falling a few points behind the iPad in single-core performance.

So in short, this iMac has as much power as an iPad Pro—and these days, that's more than enough for basic tasks, homework, office work and even some light gaming.

It's also capable of supporting all the current and upcoming features of Apple Intelligence, including Writing Tools that help you summarize or rewrite text, image generation via Image Playground, Genmoji custom emoji and more. However, during our review period I couldn't access most of these, so I can't tell you much about how well they work on the iMac M4.

I can say that the upgraded Siri with optional ChatGPT integration is a welcome improvement over the old version, which is well in line with the story of the iMac M4 in general: more of the same, but better than ever.

It's a similar story when it comes to speed-related tasks. In our testing, the iMac M4 was able to edit videos faster than its predecessors, completing our Handbrake video editing test (which times how long it takes the PC to transcode a 4K video file down to 1080p) nearly two minutes faster than the iMac M3.

However, the older iMac M3 turned out to perform slightly faster in the BlackMagic disk speed tests, which rate how quickly a Mac's SSD reads and writes data. Again, not a big discrepancy that almost anyone would notice when upgrading from an iMac M3 to iMac M4, but it's worth noting.

Finally, gaming is a little better on the iMac M4 than on its predecessors, but a gaming PC this ain't.

As you can see from our game tests, the iMac M4 delivers slightly better performance in games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Total War: Warhammer 3. And in my own experience, you can have a good amount of fun playing Mac-optimized games (like No Man's Sky or Resident Evil 8) at decent framerates.

If you care about games and performance you'll almost certainly be frustrated, because even with the 10-core GPU model of M4 chip and 24GB of RAM, our iMac M4 review unit struggled to hit 60 frames per second in any major game released in the last decade.

As you can see from our test results, even when you knock a 5-year-old game like Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm down to 1080p the iMac M4 struggles to run it well at 60 FPS. Games like Baldur's Gate 3 can run and play decently well (I saw 20-30 frames per second when playing BG3 on our review unit), but you'll often have to seriously downgrade the resolution and knock the graphical settings down to get buttery-smooth performance.

That's about the level of gaming performance you'd expect from an all-in-one, so I can't really fault Apple on this count. But it was a low point in my review process, and with the marketing hype around Apple silicon and the power of M4 it would be nice to see that pay off in significantly better gaming performance.

Great speakers

The iMac has a reputation for better-than-expected sound quality from a desktop, and the iMac M4 upholds that reputation with ease. I've had a blast listening to my favorite tracks on this all-in-one, and that's not something I say very often.

The six speakers built into the iMac do a great job of enrobing you in sound when you're sitting in front of it, doubly so when you're listening to anything with Dolby Atmos or Spatial Audio support. I have to say I buy into the gimmick of Spatial Audio, and when listening to supported tracks in front of the iMac, I did really feel like some of the sound was playing around and behind me instead of just in front of me.

While these noisemakers likely won't impress audiophiles or outperform a nice set of the best computer speakers, they're great for movies or music and one of the high points of the iMac M4.

Upgraded camera is nice to have

Apple swapped out the 1080p camera that crowned the iMac M3 for a 12MP shooter on the M4 model, and the upgrade is a welcome one.

The iMac M4's webcam does a great job of capturing little details during video calls, and when FaceTiming it supports Desk View. This is a new mode you can enable which lets you transmit a video feed of what's on the desk in front of the iMac, and while it takes some fine-tuning to get working well it's a neat feature to have.

It works by showing you a view of what the ultrawide camera sees and giving you a slider you can drag to control how much of the shot is included in your Desk View.

While testing this feature I found it neat, but ultimately not very useful because I had to push the bottom lip of the iMac as far back as possible in order to get the webcam into a position where it could clearly capture what was directly in front of the iMac on the desk. If I used Desk View when I had the iMac tilted in a way that was comfortable for me to use, it couldn't see my desk at all and instead was pointed squarely at my groin.

Others may not have as much of an issue, but for me that's a problem because my height forces me to angle the iMac as far back as it will go in order to minimize neck strain. That effectively means I can't use Desk View and have my face on camera at the same time, because angling the iMac to see my desk means it can't see my face.

However, I did find one useful workaround: using my iPhone as the Desk View camera. This feature takes advantage of Apple's Continuity Camera tech to let you use your iPhone instead of the iMac's webcam, and it means you can angle and reposition the camera as needed in order to get the best shot of whatever's on your desk.

Since I own an iPhone 13 that supports this feature, the iMac M4's Desk View feature is actually useful. If I didn't, it wouldn't be. Bear that in mind when considering whether this feature is worth upgrading for.

Apple iMac M4 review: The downs

The iMac M4 is the best iMac yet, in my opinion, but there's still some things I don't like about it.

No adjustable height sucks

Is it just me, or is there often one weird design choice that throws you through a loop on most Apple products?

Whether it's the charging port on the bottom of the Magic Mouse, the power button on the bottom of the mac Mini M4 or the lack of options for height adjustment on the iMac, there's usually one aspect of these oh-so-carefully-over-designed products that seems like no designer noticed or cared.

For me, the painful one is the lack of height adjustment on the iMac. I've been griping about this since I reviewed the iMac M1 back in 2021 because I'm 6'4", and whether sitting or standing the iMac is just too short for me to comfortably use.

Sure, you could shell out more money for a stand to put your iMac on, or just live like me and pile books beneath the stand to get it closer to a healthy, ergonomic height. But that looks ridiculous and leaves my $1,300+ Apple computer awkwardly teetering on my desk, just waiting for one over-ambitious cheek rub from the cat to send it clattering to the floor.

I appreciate many aspects of the iMac's clever design, from the cutout hole in the stand for easy power cable routing to the Thunderbolt 4 ports resting in an easy-to-find-without-looking row on the back rear left corner of the display. That's why it's so frustrating to have to unbox new models of this computer and, every year, be disappointed again to find that Apple didn't think someone shaped like me should feel comfortable in front of this PC.

Lack of touchscreen option hurts

I know it's bad form to complain about something not being what it isn't, so I'm not going to waste too much time telling you how this $1,299 all-in-one sucks because it doesn't have a touchscreen or an OLED display option.

What I do want to say is that the move to Apple silicon has really made me feel the lack of a touchscreen option on the iMac because of how well it supports iOS and iPadOS apps. I love how the fact that you're running an M-series chip means you get to natively run all your iOS and iPadOS apps on your Mac, and now that macOS Sequoia brought us iPhone Mirroring you can even control and interact with your phone right on your Mac desktop.

That's why it's so frustrating that you have to use a mouse and keyboard to do it. It's great that Apple lets you run mobile apps on your Mac, but those apps were built for touch input, and having them running on this big, beautiful 24-inch screen makes it so painful to have to reach down and try to click and type my way through them.

I want to be able to reach out and tap on the Dock to launch apps. I want to be able to swipe my way through my iPhone notifications and play my iPad games on my Mac without feeling like it's the worst place to play them.

Apple has yet to ship a PC with a touchscreen, and it feels so silly when competitors like Dell and HP sell touchscreen-equipped all-in-ones for a fraction of the iMac's price. The iMac M4 is fundamentally an iPad Pro M4 with more RAM and storage inside a 24-inch display, and it would be a significantly better computer if you could get it with a touchscreen, but you can't.

Apple iMac M4 review: Verdict

While I wish Apple had done more to make the iMac M4 the ideal family PC I know it can be, it's hard to complain about an updated version of one of the best all-in-ones on the market.

The upgrade to an M4 chip doesn't hugely improve the iMac M4 over the old M3 model or change what it's capable of, but it does deliver great performance. The bump up to 16GB RAM minimum is a good one for customers, as 8GB just doesn't cut it for most work in 2024.

And while you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the 12MP webcam on this model and the 1080p webcam on the old iMac M3, it's nice to get access to the Desk View feature.

Ultimately, I can't help feeling like Apple didn't go far enough when improving the iMac for 2024. I'm grateful for the under-the-hood upgrades and the improved camera, but overall it feels like a shuffling half step forward when I was hoping for a giant leap.

An unnamed source reached out to a popular Upgrade podcast (overheard by 9to5Mac), hosted by Myke Hurley and Jason Snell, claiming that Apple is working on a 90Hz display that might show up on future M3-powered iPad Air, the 24-inch iMac and Studio Display models.

The current Apple iMac M3, 13-inch iPad Air 2024, and 5K Studio Displays are locked at 60Hz refresh rates on the available displays. According to the source, the first 90Hz display will be on a future M3-powered iPad Air. From there, it will move to the 24-inch iMac and Studio Display.

This would match recent outputs from Apple, were the newest iPad gets upgraded first, and the Apple desktops or laptops see upgrades later.

The anonymous source told Upgrade, "I have news on screen improvements for the next generation of the M3 iPad Air. Apple is working on a higher refresh rate LCD display with a new liquid motion panel fixed at around 90Hz. They’re also working on expanding it to other models or products like a 24-inch iMac and a next-gen studio display."

Apple just announced a new M4-powered iMac at the end of October, launching on November 8. That device appears to feature a locked 60Hz refresh rate but is more powerful. Check back with Tom's Guide for our full review of the iMac M4 later this week.

An upgraded Studio Display hasn't seen many rumors, and with the new iMac launching this month, we probably won't see the next-generation monitor until late 2025, when Apple is expected to launch M5-powered MacBooks.

Meanwhile, it has been dinged by device purists because their devices haven't caught up to the variable 120Hz rate available on Android and PCs available now. That said, next year's iPhone 17 series will reportedly feature a "ProMotion" display that supports 120Hz refresh rates.

The full Upgrade episode can be found here.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple Intelligence is the most staggered launch in Apple's history — is that a good thing?
• iOS 18.2 has a big Find My upgrade — and we can't believe Apple didn't think of this before
• Tubi just added 'Reservoir Dogs' for free — stream Quentin Tarantino's best movie now

Now it’s time for Apple’s big guns, and by “big” we mean incredibly tiny. The rumors were true on a redesigned M4 Mac mini, and the size is shocking — announced during Apple's Mac Week. A 5-inch square packs either M4 or M4 Pro power, and makes one of my personal favorite mini PCs even smaller and better than ever.

Now, Apple is quick to tell you just how this system compares to M1 and Intel Mac minis, or to “AI PCs” (read: Snapdragon X Elite, AMD and Intel-based Copilot+ PCs). But if you have the M2 Mac Mini already, is this worth the upgrade? I think this is worth a closer look. Here's all the biggest differences you need to know between the M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini.

M4

M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini: Price and availability

Just like iMac M4, the pricing is staying the same. The standard M4 Mac mini will set you back $599, whereas the M4 Pro variant will come in at a starting price of $1,399. Pre-orders are available now, with a launch date of November 8.

Now, when we get into Pro chip territory, I like to play a game called “how many times will I have to remortgage the house to afford the maxed out spec.” This year, it’s a doozy. If I was to get the M4 Pro Mac mini with 14-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 64GB of Unified Memory (RAM), an 8TB SSD and 10 Gigabit Ethernet, you’re looking at a bill of $4,699.

M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini: Design

I’ll be honest. I saw the rumors on the Mac mini, but I still didn’t expect the new Mac mini to be this small.

In terms of aesthetics, the Mac mini M4 is still that solid block of aluminum adorned with ports on the front and rear. But, as you can see, it’s smaller and impressively lighter — in fact, that means it is Apple’s first ever carbon neutral Mac. Manufacturing, transporting and using this machine emits over 80% less greenhouse gases than before.

However, there is one point of potential frustration that I’d like to bring up with the M4 Mac mini. If you’ve seen me write about the iMac already, you’ll know that I’m more than a little annoyed that Apple has continued to put the USB-C port on the underside of the Magic Mouse. Hiding important things on the underside of devices just seems a bit silly to me.

So why oh why is the power button on the bottom of the Mac mini? I get the clean aesthetic, but we’re talking about probably the most important part of any desktop computer — the power switch — and that’s now in an awkward position!

M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini: Performance

This is where it gets juicy. The new Mac mini comes either with the M4 or M4 Pro chipsets, which both collectively deliver some bonkers performance potential through their 3-nanometer transistors.

As we’ve already seen from M4 iPad Pro benchmarks, the standard M4 is capable of some zippy performance — packing 1.8x faster CPU performance and 2.2x faster GPU performance than the M1 Mac mini.

But the real intrigue (and the one I’m more curious to sink my teeth into) is M4 Pro. The Neural Engine is now 2x faster than the previous generation chip; the GPU’s improved architecture is capable of 2x faster ray-tracing; and Apple is touting the industry’s best single-threaded performance in its performance cores.

Not only that, but M4 Pro gives you Thunderbolt 5 support for super fast data transfer speeds, and the memory bandwidth for its RAM runs at a spicy 273 GB/s. That’s ludicrous bandwidth for loading and running apps fast under heaving multitasking — twice as much as any AI PC chip according to Apple.

And this will all contribute to some breakneck speeds in AI workloads, alongside lightning quick Apple Intelligence.

M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini: Should you upgrade?

With the M4 iMac, the answer to this was simple. If you already have the M3 iMac, the spec bump may not be worth it. But with this being a drastic redesign, the answer is a little unclear.

• For those with an Intel or M1 Mac mini: Absolutely yes! What are you still doing looking at this? Go and pre-order one!
• For those with an M2 Mac mini: If you can wait just a while longer for M4 Mac mini review, then I definitely would. However, I don’t think you’d feel any buyer’s remorse in pre-ordering this new mini monster.

And what a mini monster it is. Apple has truly upped its game here and we can’t wait to get our hands on one to review. Stay tuned!

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Kicking off the week of big M4 Mac announcements, Apple has just debuted the M4 iMac with some tasty upgrades to the design and its performance. It may look identical (with the exception of the new colors), but there’s a lot more going on when you take a closer look at the updated best all-in-one computer.

And that’s why I’m here — to break down every single difference here, and help you figure out whether the M4 iMac is the one for you. As you’ll see (spoiler alert) the updates in performance are kind of a minor spec bump, which is why Apple was careful to compare this to the M1 and Intel iMacs for that shock value.

But there will still be some reasons why an upgrade so soon could be worth it to certain power users. Let me explain, and show you how the iMac M4 vs iMac M3 stack up against one another.

iMac M4 vs iMac M3: Specs

iMac M4 vs iMac M3: Price and availability

Pricing is staying the same — you can pre-order the iMac M4 for $1,299 with prices going up to $2,899 if you go for the fully maxed out spec. The big launch date is set for November 8.

That base configuration, though, comes with one important upgrade over the M3. Instead of 8GB RAM being the base option, you now get 16GB. That’s going to be critical for Apple Intelligence and multitasking.

iMac M4 vs iMac M3: Design

The more things change, the more they stay the same. The all-in-one construction of the 24-inch iMac remains the same with its flat rectangular chassis that comes in at an impressively thin 0.45 inches. 

On top of that, the stand’s hinge continues to give you a roughly 40-degree angle of tilt, with a hole in the back for cable management. Thunderbolt 4 ports remain on the bottom right corner of the system, and the option Ethernet can be found on the power brick you connect the iMac to.

One new thing (make that seven) is the new vibrant colors you can pick this up in: green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue and silver. The power cord and accessories are color-matched to the system for a tasteful all-in-one match up.

Oh, and the webcam has been vastly improved too from a 1080p cam to a full-blown 12MP Center Stage snapper. This is sure to guarantee a vastly improved picture quality on FaceTime.

iMac M4 vs iMac M3: Display

This is one of the bigger differences and upgrades — depending on how you feel about display technology. You see, you are still getting that same gorgeous 24-inch 4.5K Retina Display. But now, you can opt for an optional $200 nano-texture glass option.

With this alternative glass cover atop your display, reflections and glare should be drastically reduced. So if you have this next to a window with sunlight pouring in, you shouldn’t face any issues.

Plus, display support has now seen a drastic improvement too, with up to two external displays at 6K 60Hz, or a single 8K 120Hz panel.

iMac M4 vs iMac M3: Performance

Now for the internal components — Apple is finally taking the M4 found in iPad Pro and stuffing it into the iMac. As for speed boosts, this means 2.1x faster photo and video editing performance than M1, and up to 6x faster general performance than the most popular Intel-based iMac.

You‘ll notice that Apple’s been particular in choosing to compare the M4 iMac to older models. However, we can take M4 iPad Pro numbers and compare them to the M3 iMac, to get a general idea of what we can get.

As you can see, the performance differences here are a lot smaller. But you should still see a noticeable improvement in gaming performance (particularly with faster hardware-accelerated ray tracing) and Apple Intelligence capabilities with a vastly larger Neural Engine.

iMac M4 vs iMac M3: Keyboard and mouse

USB-C. That’s it. That’s the update. In one way, this makes me rather happy — these were the final accessories to cling onto the Lightning port, and it’s great to see Apple kill this socket once and for all.

The included Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse do feel good to use, with plenty of depth on the chiclet keys and a smooth multi-touch surface atop the mouse. For an extra $80, you can grab a keyboard with a number pad too, and an additional $50 will get you the Magic Trackpad.

But the Cupertino crew had one job: move that port from underneath the Magic Mouse to the side, so you don’t have to just outright stop using it. Unfortunately, Apple has not done that, and one of the more annoying design decisions we’ve seen continues for yet another year.

iMac M4 vs iMac M3: Should you upgrade?

Much like last year, the M4 iMac is a spec bump with the same aesthetics. So when asking the question about if you should upgrade, there are multiple answers:

• For those with an Intel or M1 iMac: This is a definite “yes.” The performance gains are similar to those users felt when first seeing M1 chips in late 2020!
• For those with an M3 iMac: I’d wait for our review to see how significant that change is in the iMac realm.

There are certain situations where I anticipate that M4 performance will be appreciated over M3, such as faster video editing and high-end gaming. But stay tuned for our full review for a fuller understanding of what the new iMac brings in terms of performance and value. 

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Apple promised a week of Mac announcements starting today, and the company has just now unveiled the new iMac. Featuring the M4 chip, Apple’s all-in-one computer sports seven colors, a new 12MP Center Stage camera, a new nano-texture glass option, up to four USB-C ports and starts with 16GB of RAM. As with all recent Apple devices, Apple Intelligence is another prominent feature.

In a blog post, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, said: “It’s a whole new era for iMac.” For those keeping track, the iMac is the first Apple computer to sport an M4 chip, which debuted in the latest iPad Pro. Apple claims the new iMac is up to 1.7x faster than the M1 iMac, and that the processor is more capable of handling advanced graphics and intense workloads. The chip’s Neural Engine (for AI) is also over 3x faster than on iMac M1, says Apple.

The new iMac retains the same svelte design of predecessors like the iMac M3 we reviewed. However, it packs some new features such as the aforementioned 12MP front camera either two or four USB-C ports. New colors include green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue and silver. The iMac also comes with a color-matched Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse — all of which now feature a USB-C port for charging.

iMac M4: Specs

You can now configure the iMac’s 24-inch display with a new nano-texture glass option meant to reduce reflections and glare without sacrificing image quality. This should make it easier to use the new iMac in areas of your home (or business) that receive a lot of sunlight.

The iMac M4 comes with macOS Sequoia out of the box, so you can try features like iPhone mirroring and the updated Safari. Apple Intelligence is also another prominent macOS Sequoia feature. You’ll get access to features like Writing Tools, which acts as a personal editor by rewriting, proofreading and summarizing text on almost any app you use for writing. Speaking with the updated Siri will also feel more natural. Apple Intelligence could become even more useful when ChatGPT is integrated into both Siri and Writing Tools in December.

The new iMac M4 is now available to pre-order from Apple’s website with a starting price of $1,299 and begins shipping on November 8. This model is available in the aforementioned colors, and packs an M4 chip with an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage—with the latter two configurable up to 24GB and up to 1TB, respectively.

You can also get an iMac with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU starting at $1,499. This model also starts with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but you can upgrade to up to 32GB and 2TB, respectively. All configurations come with a color-matching Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad.

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We’ve heard rumors that Apple may have an upgraded M4 Mac mini on the way, which may be announced at a special Apple event next month. But it seems Apple may have accidentally leaked the new machine a little early, and this one may come with five USB-C ports.

The machine was seemingly revealed thanks to a change of code in Apple software (likely macOS Sequoia) — as spotted by Aaron Rogers at MacRumors. This snippet reveals that the Mac mini will run on Apple Silicon (probably M4), and will pack five USB-C ports.   

The last model we saw, the Mac Mini M2, had two USB-C ports and an extra two USB-A ports. Alongside HDMI, a headphone jack and Gigabit ethernet. Five USB-C ports seems like a major upgrade , but rumor has it that Apple will be removing the USB-A ports. That means you'll be unable to use your existing USB-A accessories without some sort of adapter. 

It’s unclear what’s going to happen about the additional ports. Apple of the past might have tried to roll them into USB-C, as it did with MacBook Pro, but that proved to be very unpopular. So much so that basic ports like HDMI and card readers were reintroduced on MacBook Pros a few years ago.

Mark Gurman at Bloomberg also believes that the Mac mini will be getting a major redesign this year — something that hasn’t happened since 2010. Apparently this new model could be as small as an Apple TV, with M4 and M4 Pro chip options. Meaning the Mac mini has completely skipped over the M3 series.

We’ll no doubt find out more next month at the final Apple event of the year. The Mac mini is expected to be joined by the M4 MacBooks, a new iMac, as well as the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. 

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When I reviewed the Apple Mac mini M2 I was taken aback by how much power is packed inside this pint-sized PC. It's a great desktop PC for folks who need a capable Mac because it packs so much power and value into a tiny box you can easily fit on your desk. 

The upgraded M2 Pro version is even more powerful, and right now is a great time to get one because the Mac mini M2 Pro is $1,149 @ Amazon, which is $150 off the usual $1,299 asking price. (Click the on-page digital coupon to get this final price at checkout). It's one of the best Labor Day sales we've seen so far.

You need to cash in the optional $50 off coupon on Amazon to get the full discount, and while it's not the biggest price cut it's one of the best Apple deals I've seen this month—and definitely worth it if you're in the market for a powerful desktop that doesn't take up much space.

This specific model if Mac mini M2 Pro is almost identical to the model I reviewed, and if you read my Mac mini M2 reviewT you can see how much I enjoyed using this pint-sized PC despite not being a regular Mac user.

If you're in the same boat, trust me: macOS is easier than ever to get to grips with, and when you do you'll be impressed at how speedy and quiet this little Mac mini can be. Browsing the web and running applications feels lightning-quick, and even demanding work like photo/video editing doesn't faze this little PC thanks to the power of the Apple M2 Pro chip inside.

You can see what I mean by looking at the chart of our CPU benchmark test results above, where you can see that the Mac mini M2 Pro is comparable in raw CPU speeds to a maxed-out MacBook Pro with the more powerful Apple M2 Max chip. 

Game fans should know that while the Mac mini M2 Pro isn't optimized for gaming, I still had lots of fun playing games like like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Metro Exodus. I was able to get both running at 4K on the Mac mini M2 Pro, and while Metro definitely struggles to hit 30 frames per second, it's playable and enjoyable. Older games like Rise of the Tomb Raider or Sid Meier's Civilization VI run even better, as do Mac-optimized games like Resident Evil 8, so you can have lots of fun with this pint-sized PC.

And since it measures roughly 7.7 x 7.7 x 1.4 inches and weighs about 3 pounds, the Mac mini M2 is easy to fit into your existing desk or entertainment center. You get plenty of ports (2x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB-A, HDMI out, Ethernet, 3.5mm) and support for up to three external displays on this model, too, which is great for multi-taskers. 

For these reasons and more I think the Mac mini M2 is one of the best mini PCs you can get right now. So if you could use new desktop Mac with plenty of power and not much in the way of drawbacks, I recommend taking advantage of this deal and snagging the Mac mini M2 Pro while it's on sale! Make sure to click the button on Amazon to take advantage of the $50 off coupon as well, to get the full $150 savings!

Apple hasn't sold a 27-inch iMac for just about two years, but a new rumor suggests that Cupertino hasn't abandoned the larger iMac variant. The rumor comes to us courtesy of Apple-whisperer Mark Gurman in his most recent Power On newsletter for Bloomberg. 

In his post, Gurman alleges that a larger display iMac "remains something Apple is exploring." However, he does note that it is "unclear" whether or not this potential iMac will feature the M4 chip or if perhaps Apple is waiting for next year's M5 chip.

Apple is already preparing to launch M4-powered MacBooks and potentially an M4 iMac, though that is most likely a refreshed version of the current 24-inch iMac.

The 27-inch version was officially killed off by Apple in 2023, though it had been retired since March of 2022. However, it wasn't a priority even before its retirement as Apple hadn't made a new version since the 2020 iteration.

While we haven't seen the 27-inch iMac in some time, the rumors surrounding a larger iMac haven't died down. Last year, it was rumored that Apple was working on a 32-inch version with Pro and Max processors. Perhaps that gigantic iMac is what Gurman is hinting that Apple is developing.

Of course, when Apple killed off the 27-inch iMac the company turned around and launched a 27-inch Studio Display, a monitor our review called fantastic. Paired with a new M2-powered Mac Studio and you've essentially replaced the iMac, though at a much higher price.

Some kind of M4 laptop and desktop computer is coming later this fall, but it might not be an improved Studio Display or Mac Studio. Apple has had a staggered rollout of the M4 chip with the new iPad Pro but it's not clear how that powerful chip will filter into its computers or if Apple Intelligence is altering Apple's plans. 

We could also be waiting for next year's M5 chip to really take Apple's next lineup of MacBooks, iMacs and Mac Minis to the next level.

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Word out of Apple is that the next Mac mini will be the smallest and most powerful yet—and it's due out at the end of 2024.

According to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman's report, Apple is planning a major redesign for the new Mac mini M4 that will arrive on store shelves later this year. 

If that's true, it's notable because Apple hasn't significantly changed the design of the Mac mini in over a decade. Any change now would be a big one, but according to Gurman, Apple's working to make its smallest Mac even smaller. 

He claims that while the new Mac mini M4 may end up slightly taller than the current Mac mini M2, Apple's working to make it significantly smaller overall — closer to the size of an Apple TV box.

According to the report, Apple has people working on a base M4 version of this slimmed-down Mac mini and a version packing an M4 Pro chip, which (if true) would be our first word about M4 Pro's existence. 

We've as yet only been introduced to the Apple M4 chip in the new iPad Pro 2024, so it's perhaps not surprising that this new Mac mini M4 would be described by Gurman as "essentially an iPad Pro in a small box," according to people involved in its development.

Gurman reports that the base M4 version of the new Mac mini should be available later this year; perhaps the more powerful M4 Pro model is expected to arrive in October 2024.

Outlook

While reports of a new Mac mini M4 are exciting, they aren't the first we've heard about Apple's plans for an M4 2024. We already knew Apple's tipped to launch the M4 MacBook Pro, iMac and Mac mini this year, which means this could be the first year in which you can get Apple's hottest chip in all its major computers.

But this is the first I've heard about a Mac mini redesign, and it's hard to know how much of a difference it could make for customers. The Mac mini is already one of the best mini PCs on the market precisely because it's so small, powerful and capable for such an affordable price.

Upgrading it with M4 power is certainly a good thing, but I'm not sure making it smaller would make a big difference. It would be lovely to have an even tinier powerhouse of a PC that you could slip into an entertainment center or family desk PC, but if the size decrease comes at a higher price, it might end up not worth the upgrade.

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The launch of the M4 iPad Pro is a big deal for Apple. The launch of a new chip is exciting enough, but the M4 promises to revolutionize the way Apple products work. Not only does the chip offer incredible performance and unbelievable battery life, it also represents Apple’s biggest push into AI processing so far.

Naturally, some of you will be waiting for these chips to appear in Macs, rather than iPads. While we expect that select devices will get the M4 chip later this year, like the MacBook Pro or Mac mini, you may not want to hold your breath for an M4 version of the Mac Studio or Mac Pro.

According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple isn’t likely to release a new version of either desktop machine this year. We may see them from mid-2025, assuming everything goes according to plan, but no earlier than that. That means that the M2-powered machines, which debuted at WWDC in 2023, will be going at least two years without a refresh, 

The good news is that Gurman believes that the only other Mac that won’t get an M4 upgrade this year is the MacBook Air. That's no huge surprise since the MacBook Air M3 has only been available for a few months, and plenty of people would be upset if Apple upgraded it too quickly.

But this does mean means the likes of the MacBook Pro, Mac Mini and possibly even the iMac may be available with an M4 chip before the end of the year. When they’ll be released isn’t clear, but Gurman added that we shouldn’t see any new Mac hardware at WWDC 2024.

That isn’t hugely surprising, seeing as how WWDC is a software-centric event for developers. While there have been hardware announcements during the keynote in the past, they’re typically quite rare. This year should be no exception and at most we should expect that hardware talk will be focused on the Apple Vision Pro headset. Any appearance would presumably hype up the rumored international release, as opposed to new hardware announcements.

The rest of the conference will be focused on the upcoming upgrades for Apple devices. iOS 18 will be the biggest announcement given Apple's focus on AI, and we'll also hear about iPadOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11 and visionOS 2. We'll bring you all the biggest news during the WWDC 2024 keynote address on June 10.

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Apple has launched a new suite of Macs sporting the M4 chip — continuing its expansion beyond powering just the iPad Pro.

Over the past few days, we’ve seen the M4 iMac, a redesigned M4 Mac mini and a turbo-boosted M4 MacBook Pro. As for the M4 MacBook Air, you’ll have to wait until early 2025 for that, with the Mac Studio and Mac Pro reportedly approaching at the end of next year.

But let’s focus on the here and now. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite, Intel Core Ultra 200 series and AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 may have ruled the roost in the AI PC space for a little while there, but Apple’s fighting back hard.

Here’s what we know about the M4 chip so far. And for the specific hardware announcements, check out our hub of everything Apple announced this week.

Apple M4 chip: Release date and price

November 8 is a great date for Apple. All the M4 Macs will drop at this time, and pre-orders are open.

Right now, you can pre-order the M4 iMac from $1,299, the M4 Mac Mini from $599, the M4 Pro Mac Mini from $1,399, and the M4 MacBook Pro from $1,599.

Apple M4 chip: Different chip models

We’ve seen the M4 chip in three flavors: the standard M4 with either 8 or 10 CPU cores, the M4 Pro with up to 20 GPU cores and the M4 Max. All of these bring significant gains to graphics performance with up to 2x faster ray tracing performance, and a massively beefed-up Neural Engine (or NPU to those who are used to the Copilot+ PC lingo).

In the M4 MacBook Pro leaks, we got a look at some benchmarks, and the results are clearly rather impressive!

Two other key things we’re seeing about M4 in these Mac announcements is the support for multiple displays on standard M4, and the Pro variant getting Thunderbolt 5 capabilities. That is seriously turbo boosting data transfer speeds, which alongside the RAM packing 273GB/s of memory bandwidth (twice as much as any AI PC chip), this is going to be a multitasking monster.

Only one that is left for us to find out about is the M4 Ultra. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when Apple stitches two M4 Maxes together in a new Mac Studio.

Apple M4: AI features

Apple Intelligence has launched in iPadOS 18.1 and MacOS Sequoia 15.1 — albeit in a bit of a restricted sense. This phased roll-out means users can currently use it to Rewrite and Proofread text, transcribe and summarize audio recordings, search for pics in Photos with natural language, and make use of a more intelligent, conversational Siri.

With version 18.2 and 15.2 respectively in December, you can expect more features like Visual Intelligence, ChatGPT integration, and creating Genmoji.

Apple M4 chip: Outlook

With new hardware, M4 is really starting to hit its stride. The speeds are impressive, and the big AI upgrades unlock a lot of performant Apple Intelligence operation.

We’ll update this post with all the M4-related news we come across, so stay tuned for more!

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As deals editor-in-chief at Tom's Guide, I closely track the best Apple deals every day. As an Apple user, I'm also constantly looking for the best Apple bargains for myself and right now is an excellent time to upgrade your Mac. I'm seeing amazing deals on both previous-gen and current-gen Apple gear. 

The best deal right now is the current-gen MacBook Air 13-inch M3 on sale for just $999 at Amazon. That's $100 off and the lowest price ever for this newly released machine. (Note that it's selling out fast, so be sure to check all colors for this price). Additionally, you can get the iMac 24-inch (M3/256GB) on sale for $1,199 at B&H Photo. That's $100 off and the lowest price I've seen on Apple's new Mac. The Amazon page says it's out of stock, but you can still place your order at this price and Amazon will deliver it when stock is replenished. 

That's not the only amazing deal though. Below are the best Apple sales right now, along with a deal on the MacBook I purchased last year. Also don't miss this Apple Vision Pro deal.

Quick links

• MacBook Air 13 (M1/256GB): was $999 now $699 @ B&H Photo
• MacBook Air 13 (M2/256GB): was $1,099 now $849 @ B&H Photo
• Apple iMac (M1/256GB): was $1,299 now $849 @ Best Buy
• MacBook Air M3: was $1,099 now $999 @ Amazon 
• MacBook Air 15 (M2/256GB): was $1,299 now $999 @ Best Buy
• MacBook Air 15 (M2/16GB/1TB): was $1,899 now $1,499 @ Best Buy
• Apple iMac (M3/256GB): was $1,299 now $1,199 @ B&H Photo

Best Apple deals

Best Buy is giving the Amazon Big Spring Sale a run for its money with this amazing iMac sale. Apple's all-in-one desktop computer is on sale for up to $600 off for a limited time — hurry if you want this deal, as I expect stock to go fast.

Right now the 24-inch iMac (M1/256GB) is $849 at Best Buy. It's now $400 off and one of the lowest prices I've seen for an iMac, period. This model comes with Apple's M1 Chip, a 7-core CPU and 256GB storage. If you want faster performance and more storage, the 24-inch iMac (M1/512GB) is $1,049 at Best Buy. This model has the M1 Chip, an 8-core CPU and 512GB storage. It's on sale for a huge $600 discount.

It's worth noting that the iMac M3 has since released, and it offers faster performance due to it having Apple's M3 Chip. Still, the iMac M1 handles most everyday computing tasks with ease, and it's extremely rare to see an iMac go for under $900. It's one of the best Apple deals I've seen in ages.

The iMac M1 is a couple of years old now, but check out our iMac M1 review and you'll see it's still a great choice for an all-in-one computer. The M1 Chip speeds through everyday tasks like browsing the web and streaming videos, and the 24-inch 4.5K Retina display makes doing so a joy. We were able to open dozens of tabs and multiple applications in our tests without seeing any slowdown.

Plus, the iMac is a great device for entertainment. The previously mentioned Retina display makes movies look gorgeous, and the iMac's speaker setup consisting of two pairs of low-frequency woofers and one pair of high-frequency tweeters produce powerful sound. And while you probably won't want to use the iMac M1 as your main gaming machine, simple games like Stardew Valley and Sid Meier’s Civilization 6 ran well on this all-in-one.

Editing photos and videos on the iMac M1 also ran smoothly. If you're a career photo or video editor, though, it's probably worth investing in the newer iMac M3 or MacBook Pro M3 Max. They're more expensive, but also offer a significant performance boost that will aid your productivity.

This is one of the best iMac deals I've ever seen, so make sure to grab one before it sells out. Also, don't miss the rest of our Amazon Big Spring Sale coverage.

My trustworthy iMac 5K is staring to show signs of aging. If you're in the same boat as I am, you'll want to listen up. 

Right now you can get the 2023 iMac 24-inch (M3/256GB) on sale for $1,199 at Amazon. That's $100 off and the lowest price I've seen on Apple's new Mac. It's also one of the best Apple deals you can get. 

The new M3-based iMac is the best all-in-one computer on the market. In our iMac M3 review we called it the best iMac yet and the best all-in-one for families. The new Apple M3 chip makes this iMac more capable of multi-tasking, gaming and getting things done than any iMac before it. 

In our testing, we never felt limited or bogged down by the system's lack of resources, and we were able to seamlessly go from task to task while keeping 20+ tabs open in Chrome and streaming music from iTunes with absolutely zero slowdown. In our Geekbench 5 (single-core) test, the new iMac hit a 2,235 score. By comparison, the HP Envy 34 (2022) scored 1,621 and the iMac M1 scored 1,739. 

If you're deciding between the Mac mini M2 ($499 at Amazon) or the iMac M3, it's worth mentioning that the performance differences are small in a few areas. While the M3 chip outperforms the M2 in basically every test, the difference was pretty meager in terms of raw CPU performance and disk read/write speeds. 

Even in our video editing test, which times how long it takes a PC to transcode a 4K video file down to 1080p using Handbrake, the M2 Mac mini is just as fast as the new iMac M3 and capable of converting our test file in 6 minutes and 46 seconds. Likewise, if you have an iMac M1, there's no massive performance upgrade in the new iMac M3, despite the fact that it skips over the M2 processor. 

That's not to say you shouldn't get the iMac M3. It's a solid machine and rarely on sale. 

So far, Apple’s M3 chipset has only appeared in the iMac and MacBook Pro. With the latter, you can configure a model with M3 Pro or M3 Max if you wish, but these won’t be the fastest Apple chips for too much longer if a new report from TrendForce is to be believed.

Referencing the Chinese outlet ICsmart, which in turn cites “a Korean agency,” the report suggests that the M3 Ultra “might make its debut in the upgraded Mac Studio around mid-year.”

If that’s correct, then reading between the lines, that’s almost certain to be WWDC 2024. Apple’s developer-focused annual event has previously seen hardware launches including the HomePod, first iPhone SE and, crucially, the M2 Ultra Mac Studio last year. While it could be scheduled for any point in 2024, it hasn’t fallen outside of June since 2006.

The chips will apparently be the first to be made via the more cost-effective N3E process. But for the consumer, the main thing to note is that these are set to be seriously powerful. How powerful? Back in November, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman crunched the numbers, floating the idea of an “outrageous” amount of speed. 

“If the company continues to double both the CPU and graphics configurations with the Ultra, we’re looking at a Mac chip that tops out at an outrageous 32 CPU cores and 80 graphics cores,” he wrote. “And as Apple steps up the memory, you could imagine an option with 256 gigabytes.”

To put that in perspective, the most powerful configuration of M3 Max MacBook Pro you can buy has 16 CPU cores and 40 graphics cores with 128GB of RAM. Of course, that would set you back at least $4,999 (and more if you wanted to add to the 1TB of storage included by default). 

While both TrendForce and ICsmart’s reports are light on details, one interesting omission from both is any mention of the Mac Pro, the other Apple desktop currently configurable with M2 Ultra chips. 

That could be an oversight, or it could be a sign that Apple is losing interest in its priciest desktop. After all, before it got the M2 Ultra chip last year, it hadn’t been updated since 2019 and was the only computer Apple sold that still used Intel CPUs. It’s possible Apple won’t update it for a bit longer — or maybe at all if the Mac Studio works well enough for power users and the company decides to phase it out.

We should find out more in the next few months, as we expect pre-WWDC leaks to pick up steam. 

I need a new iMac. As much as I love my iMac 5K, it's slowly starting to show its age. If you're in the same boat as I am, you'll want to listen up. 

Right now you can get the 2023 iMac 24-inch (M3/256GB) on sale for $1,199 at B&H Photo. That's $100 off and the first price drop I've seen on Apple's new Mac. And trust me, I've been actively looking for deals on this iMac. 

The new M3-based iMac is the best all-in-one computer on the market. In our iMac M3 review we called it the best iMac yet and the best all-in-one for families. The new Apple M3 chip makes this iMac more capable of multi-tasking, gaming and getting things done than any iMac before it. 

In our testing, we never felt limited or bogged down by the system's lack of resources, and we were able to seamlessly go from task to task while keeping 20+ tabs open in Chrome and streaming music from iTunes with absolutely zero slowdown. In our Geekbench 5 (single-core) test, the new iMac hit a 2,235 score. By comparison, the HP Envy 34 (2022) scored 1,621 and the iMac M1 scored 1,739. 

If you're deciding between the Mac mini M2 or the iMac M3, it's worth mentioning that the performance differences are small in a few areas. While the M3 chip outperforms the M2 in basically every test, the difference was pretty meager in terms of raw CPU performance and disk read/write speeds. Even in our video editing test, which times how long it takes a PC to transcode a 4K video file down to 1080p using Handbrake, the M2 Mac mini is just as fast as the new iMac M3 able to convert the file in 6 minutes and 46 seconds. Likewise, if you have an iMac M1, there's no massive performance upgrade in the new iMac M3, despite that it skips over the M2 processor. 

Buy now or wait for Black Friday? iMac M3

The iMac M3 is an awesome machine and a solid buy if you want an all-in-one. Could it get cheaper on Black Friday proper? I doubt it. iMac deals are fairly hard to come by and not a single retailer is price matching B&H's deal right now. (I'm looking at you Amazon and Best Buy). Yes, the Apple Store will announce its annual Black Friday sale in a few days, but instead of a dollar-off discount, Apple will likely bundle an Apple gift card with your purchase. Additionally, because the iMac M3 is new, it's likely it won't even qualify for Apple's gift card deal. My advice — get this deal before it expires on November 18.

There have been rumors about a new 27-inch iMac for some time now, even the possibility that it may launch this year as the iMac Pro 2023. Unfortunately, it seems like this machine may never see the light of day, either powered by Apple Silicon or otherwise.

Apple has confirmed to The Verge that it has no plans to build a 27-inch iMac. Instead the company has said anyone holding out for such a larger-screened machine will have to pick up a Studio display with either a Mac Studio or Mac Mini. The Studio Display measures 27-inches and offers 5K resolution but also costs $1,599 by itself. 

There’s also the new 24-inch iMac M3, which starts at $1,299 and comes powered by the new M3 chip. It may be a smaller 4.5K screen, but it means you don’t need to buy a separate computer to get stuff done.

The last version 27-inch iMac was officially retired in March 2022, but despite rumors there has been no sign of an M series chip replacement. Which is strange, because the machine was one of Apple’s flagship products — popular with consumers and professionals alike. That happens when you combine a large hi-res screen with a solid set of speakers and powerful graphical and computational performance.

Take all that and run it on Apple Silicon, and you have the recipe for something truly great. But as all other Apple machines, including desktops and iPads, have gradually moved to M-series chips, the 27-inch iMac lies forgotten. Clearly Apple would like customers to opt for other things, like the Studio Display.

But as powerful as a Studio Display would be when paired with a Mac mini or Mac Studio, it doesn’t have the same neatness you’d get from one of the best all-in-one computers. As for the 24-inch iMac, well, it’s a great machine and by far the best iMac Apple has created. But the loss of the extra screen space isn’t going to do it any favors.

Maybe we’ll see a larger iMac, possibly even an iMac Pro, at some point in the future. But for now, it looks like you’ll all have to give up waiting and pick up a different product in Apple’s lineup.

More from Tom's Guide

• MacBook Pro M3 and M3 Max battery life tested — here’s how long they last
• MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max, 2023) review: The most powerful MacBook ever
• Black Friday MacBook deals 2023 — best early sales now

The new Apple iMac M3 ($1,299 to start) looks an awful lot like its 2021 predecessor, but under the hood this all-in-one is powered by the all-new Apple M3 chip.

That cutting-edge slice of Apple silicon gives the 24-inch iMac a much-needed shot in the arm, since the previous model was powered by 2020's Apple M1 chip. That model's still fine for basic work, but the M3 upgrade gives the 2023 iMac more power and more features than before, including upgraded wireless connectivity, better image processing and support for modern graphics tech like hardware-accelerated ray tracing. 

From looks alone you'd be hard-pressed to tell the two models apart. Apple's new iMac M3 comes in the same seven colors as its predecessor, has basically the same price and the same flaws as the 2021 model — which despite its foibles was one of the best computers of the year. 

Does this all-new M3 edition of Apple's all-in-one still deserve to make that list in 2023? I think it does, and in this iMac M3 review, I'll walk you through why.

Apple iMac M3 review: Specs

Apple iMac M3 review: Price and availability

• $1,299 to start, $1,499 minimum to get all 7 colors and full port array
• Tops out at close to $3k for a fully maxed-out iMac M3

The new M3-powered 24-inch iMac is available to order on Apple’s website at a starting price of $1,299, with units slated to start arriving to customers and stores Tuesday, November 7. If you'd like one with a VESA mount adapter on the back for mounting it to a wall or monitor arm, you have to buy a iMac M3 with a VESA adapter instead of a stand.

The entry-level $1,299 iMac M3 comes  with 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports, 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, and an Apple M3 chip with an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU. That's a more powerful chip with an extra GPU core than you got for the same price on the 2021 iMac, which is nice to see. 

However, these entry-level iMacs once again ship with a Magic Keyboard that doesn’t support Touch ID, and they still only come in 4 colors rather than the 7 available on higher-end iMacs. I hated this sales strategy when Apple employed it on the 2021 iMac, so it's once again distressing and confusing to see that customers are basically strong-armed into paying more for the more expensive models of iMac if they want one in orange, yellow or purple. Are these colors somehow incompatible with the entry-level iMac?

Apple sure seems to think so, because for $1,499 you can get an upgraded iMac M3 with an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and your choice of seven colors: blue, green, pink, silver, yellow, orange or purple. On this model and all of the more expensive models, you also get a Gigabit Ethernet port and two additional USB-C ports on the back, for a total of two Thunderbolt 4 ports and two USB-C ports.

You can't upgrade the M3 chip in the iMac M3 past an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, but you can pay more to upgrade the RAM and storage if you want more memory. You can get a maxed-out iMac M3 with as much as 24GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD storage — that model will cost you $2,699.

And while every iMac M3 comes with an Apple Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard included (though again, the $1,299 models come with keyboards lacking Touch ID support unless you pay $50 to upgrade), you'll need to pay an extra $50 if you want a Magic Trackpad. I have hand and wrist issues and find the Magic Mouse basically unusable, so I'm grateful Apple included a Trackpad with our review unit.

The pink iMac M3 Apple sent us for review purposes arrived with a fully upgraded M3 chip (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU), 24GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD storage, as well as a full complement of Magic Keyboard, Trackpad and Mouse. To buy the same package directly from Apple would cost you upgrades worth $2,700.

Apple iMac M3 review: Design

• Same design as the preceding iMac M1, but it still looks great
• The lack of height adjustment is still a crime against the tall

The new iMac M3 is effectively identical to its predecessor in terms of design, which isn't the worst thing since I quite liked the look of the 24-inch iMac M1. 

It hasn't been that long since every iMac sported the same "big monitor wrapped in silver aluminum" aesthetic, so it's still a novel, welcome experience to walk into my living room in the morning and see a colorful pink computer sitting on my desk. And just like its predecessor, I'm a little surprised at how the paint job on the iMac M3 looks in person. The front of our review unit is quite a pale and understated pink, while the rear is so saturated it may as well be red. 

And the rear is where you'll find everything you'll need to interact with the iMac M3. The power button and ports are all mounted on the back of the display within (relatively) easy reach, and while you will have to blindly grope around to find a port if you don't want to spin the display around, the fact that you're limited to just a few Thunderbolt/USB-C ports helps cut down on that frustration since all the ports are basically the same and lined up together in one row along the rear left side.

Unfortunately, the iMac M3 is still supported by the same aluminum stand that frustrated me on its predecessor. I find it frustrating because while there is a mechanism that lets you tilt the screen backward or forward by a slight amount, you can't adjust the height or rotation at all.

Having the ability to rotate the display a bit would have been a nice touch, but the lack of height adjustment just seems cruel to people outside a certain limited height range. 

Okay, maybe "cruel" is a strong word for industrial design but look, I'm 6'4" and there's no way I could ever use the 24-inch iMac comfortably if I placed it on a desk with the mouse and keyboard in front of me. To use this Mac effectively I basically have to either construct an improvised tiered desk arrangement with the iMac balanced precariously on the thickest, sturdiest books I can find, or buy one with a VESA mount adapter and mount it on an arm or wall instead.

By comparison, the $400 1080p Dell touchscreen monitor I'm testing at the moment has both adjustable height and tilt. In fact, most monitors I've reviewed here at Tom's Guide offer some amount of height adjustment and rotation adjustment, so it kind of feels hurtful for Apple to not include an ergonomic feature that's so common.

Apple iMac M3 review: Display

• 4.5K display looks nice and bright, and our testing backs up Apple's claims
• Lack of HDR support is starting to feel painful in 2023

The 24-inch 4.5K (4,480 x 2,520 pixels) Retina display dominates the iMac M3, and it's just as eye-catching and attractive as it was on the 2021 model. I enjoyed my time playing games and streaming movies and TV shows on the iMac M3 because it's bright and colorful, and I never once noticed any graphical performance issues or screen problems.

However, the iMac's screen still doesn't support HDR (high dynamic range) or associated technologies like Dolby Vision, which is a little disappointing since it's now 2023 and those are becoming more common in movies, shows and games. 

That's not to say the quality of those experiences is lacking on the iMac M3—far from it. I really enjoyed the way even streaming versions of films like The Green Knight looked on our review unit, and the viewing angles are so wide I feel like you could be watching this thing from the far corner of a living room and still see (and hear) what's happening on-screen.

Games also look great on it, and I wasn't stressing too much about HDR levels while playing through a few levels of Hades, though I did think some of the colors of space looked strangely sharp and bright while playing No Man's Sky. 

Apple claims the display can achieve brightness levels of up to 500 nits, and a few rounds of testing in our lab proved the company isn't lying. When we pointed our Klein K10-A colorimeter at the screen, we found our iMac M3 review unit achieved an average brightness of 479 nits that peaked at 508 nits right smack dab in the center of the screen.

That's quite bright for a monitor, and right in line with Apple's marketing. The iMac M3's display is also pretty color-accurate, achieving 108.2% of the sRGB color gamut and 78.6% of the more demanding DCI-P3 color gamut with a Delta-E score of 0.2 (a score of 0 is best). 

Regrettably, due to time constraints on the review, we didn't test the iMac 2021 as thoroughly as we've tested this 2023 M3 model, so I can't say for sure how much better or worse it is than the iMac M1's display. What I can tell you, though, is that this iMac M3 you can get for as little as $1,299 is brighter and more color-accurate than the HP Envy 34 all-in-one we tested last year, though the HP PC gets nearly as bright and can display more of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

I can also tell you that the new iMac is nearly as bright and color-accurate as the 27-inch Apple Studio Display ($1,599), which is worth knowing if you're thinking about how to buy the best desktop Mac setup for your needs. While Apple's standalone 5K display is still brighter and more vivid than the cheaper iMac M3, the gulf isn't huge.

Apple iMac M3 review: Ports and connectivity

• Still lacking in ports, especially on the $1,299 entry-level model
• Added support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 is nice to have

As noted earlier, the port array on the iMac M3 is effectively identical to its predecessor. When I reviewed the iMac M1 in 2021 I said "the port selection is pretty anemic," and that remains true on the entry-level iMac M3, which sports just a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports on the rear plus a headphone jack on the left-hand edge of the display.

Pay $200 or more to upgrade from the entry-level model and you'll get an additional pair of USB 3.0 Type-C added to the rear next to the Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 ports, as well as a Gigabit Ethernet port on the power adapter.

If you prefer to connect to the web wirelessly, you should know that the iMac M3 also supports up to Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, an upgrade over the Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 support available on the old iMac M1s from 2021.

While I wish the entry-level iMac offered a bit more for your money, I can't get too upset about the simplicity of the ports you get. While even the expanded four-port array you get on the more expensive models feels a bit lacking for power users, this is an all-in-one computer designed to sit on a desk—so you can make up for anything you really miss (like USB-A ports or an SD card reader) pretty easily by just buying an adapter, dongle or hub to also sit on said desk.

Apple iMac M3 review: Performance

• M3 chip is plenty fast for basic tasks, work and some light gaming
• Not as much of an improvement over the M2 as you might expect

The iMac has never been a beastly performance machine, and the addition of the new M3 chip hasn't changed that. But what it has done is improve an already speedy all-in-one, making it more capable of multi-tasking, gaming and getting things done than any iMac before it.

That said, let me set your expectations accordingly for what you get from this new iMac. In my time with our review unit and its maxed-out M3 chip (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB RAM), I never felt limited or bogged down by the system's lack of resources, and I was able to seamlessly flit from task to task while keeping 20+ tabs open in Chrome and streaming music from iTunes with absolutely zero slowdown. 

I had a pretty good time streaming movies and playing games, too, including modern releases like Lies of P and Total War: Warhammer III as well as classics like No Man's Sky. But while I enjoyed my time with those games well enough, they didn't look nearly as good on the iMac M3 as they do on the best gaming PCs.

Partly that's because the iMac doesn't support a lot of advanced graphics technologies, like variable refresh rate and HDR, that are commonly supported by modern game consoles and gaming PCs. Partly it's because the vanilla M3 chip just doesn't have the power to run many games well at the iMac's native 4.5K resolution. 

So while the iMac M3 is clearly faster and more capable than its predecessor thanks to the newfound power and capabilities of the M3 chip, it's still not a PC I could recommend to someone who loves games and wants to enjoy them.

But as an all-purpose all-in-one, it's easy to recommend this iMac for families and students, because it's more than capable of handling tasks like browsing the web, doing homework, basic coding or photo/video editing, and light gaming. 

I'm basing that not just on my own experience using the iMac M3 but also on the results of our performance testing. Since we had a bit more time with this iMac than with the M1 model I reviewed in 2021, we were able to run the new version through our performance testing lab and bring you a fuller report on how well this Mac performs under pressure.

And since I ran a few of these tests on the old 2021 iMac M1 myself, I can also tell you that this new 2023 iMac M3 definitely blows its predecessor out of the water in terms of performance. The M3 chip in our iMac 2023 review unit helped it earn 10,745 in the Geekbench 5 multi-core CPU benchmark, a solid score that's significantly higher than what the iMac M1 (7,684) was able to achieve. 

It's also better than what the HP Envy 34 all-in-one ($1,999 to start, $2,639 as reviewed) we tested last year earned, though that Windows 11 PC had an older 11th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU compared to the newer 12th Gen Intel Alder Lake chips it now comes with.

But you know what's interesting? According to our testing, this iMac M3 scored very close to the Mac mini M2 Apple released at the start of the year. I'm not talking about the amped-up M2 Pro model we tested for our Mac mini M2 review, either—I'm saying that the $799 Mac mini M2 we also tested earlier this year, with its vanilla M2 chip, performed nearly as well in many of our tests as the newer and more expensive iMac M3 did.

To show you what I mean, here's a breakdown of some key performance tests we ran on the last three generations of desktop Macs packing Apple silicon.

As you can see from the results it's a story of slow and steady increases from M1 to M3, but the leap from the Mac mini M2 to iMac M3 is small in a few areas. Notably, while the M3 chip in our iMac M3 review unit does outperform the M2 in basically every test, the difference was pretty meager in terms of raw CPU performance and disk read/write speeds. Heck, in our video editing test, which times how long it takes a PC to transcode a 4K video file down to 1080p using Handbrake, the M2 Mac mini is just as fast as the new iMac M3.

I also had time to run a few gaming benchmarks on the iMac M3 during the review process, and the results back up my hands-on experience of this all-in-one as a Mac that's capable of playing games but not great at it.

Unfortunately, it's challenging for us to fully compare Mac gaming performance vs. the gaming performance of competing Windows machines because many of the games we use don't run natively on macOS. And since we haven't typically run many game tests on Mac desktops (as few can run them) I don't have a lot of old data to compare against the results of our iMac M3 game tests.

Still, I hope what I can share is of some use to you. As you can see, even when you knock a game down to 1080p (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) instead of playing it at the iMac's native 4.5K resolution, Apple's machine still has a hard time running modern games at decent framerates. 

We were able to achieve a peak framerate of 35.9 frames per second when running Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm graphical benchmark at 1080p, for example, but if you play the same game at native resolution the result drops down to 20 FPS.

That's a bit disappointing because in my experience you need at least a solid 30 frames per second to feel good playing a game, and the iMac M3 struggles to achieve that in most games unless you knock the game settings way down. Heck, as you can see from the chart of results above, the new iMac actually ran Civ VI worse than the older, weaker Mac mini M2 we tested at the start of the year.

However, I would be remiss not to point out that the older M2 chip doesn't support the advanced gaming features the M3 does, like hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh caching. But if you really want a Mac for playing games, you might be better off investing in one of the new MacBook Pro M3 laptops with their beefier M3 Pro and M3 Max chips.

Apple iMac M3 review: Audio

• Six-speaker setup gets loud and sounds good, with decent bass
• Support for Dolby Atmos/Spatial Audio is nice

The six-speaker sound system (4 woofers, 2 tweeters) on the iMac M3 sounds great, delivering remarkably clear sound quality and some decent bass for your buck. The speakers also support Dolby Atmos and Apple's Spatial Audio tech, which uses directional filters and other tricks to make it seem like sound coming from the iMac is actually happening in 3D space around you. To my humble ears, it sounds like a louder, lusher, deeper soundscape, and I appreciated the extra bit of aural oomph on tracks from the likes of Huey Lewis & The News, Megan Thee Stallion and Rage Against the Machine.

But even when listening to music and movies without Spatial Audio or Dolby Atmos support things sound clear and crisp. I'm too cheap to pay for the really high-quality stuff, but my favorite Spotify playlists also sounded great coming through the iMac's speakers. They get plenty loud, too, so you'll want to take care when leaning on the volume up key if you've got neighbors.

You can get better sound quality from a separate set of speakers or home speaker system, but sound this good from speakers built into an all-in-one is a rare treat. While there are some all-in-one PCs out there that do come with decent built-in speakers, like the HP Envy 34, few can match the sound quality of the iMac.

Apple iMac M3 review: Camera

• 1080p FaceTime camera works well
• Great sound quality on calls

The 1080p FaceTime camera mounted in the center of the top bezel on the iMac M3 is great for selfies and video calls, so you should have no trouble looking your best on Facetime, Zoom and other videoconferencing apps.

The triple-mic array built into the iMac seems to work quite well, and while I don't know that I'd recommend using it for tasks where audio quality really matters (like recording a podcast), it's more than good enough for basic tasks like FaceTiming with family, as I had no complaints about sound quality while doing just that.

The M3 chip also does all the same tricks as the old M1 did with even more power behind it, so in addition to the work it does to improve audio and picture quality you can count on access to features like the gesture-triggered video reactions which debuted with macOS Sonoma. (Here's how to use reactions in video calls on macOS Sonoma if you haven't yet.) 

Apple iMac M3 review: Verdict

The 2023 iMac M3 is a great all-in-one PC that's easy to recommend if you're in the market for a new Mac, but less so if you're an iMac M1 owner looking to upgrade.

The 2023 model offers all the same benefits of its predecessor, from the elegant, colorful design to the eye-catching, remarkably thin display and great speakers. It was easy for me to recommend the 2021 M1 iMac to families, students, teachers and anyone who wanted a deskbound Mac for basic work and play because it offers so much in one compact package.

The iMac M3 is an even better deal because it still starts at $1,299 and now you're getting the extra features and added power of the M3 chip. That pays off in better performance when doing things like gaming or editing video, as well as better video quality on calls. If you're in the market for a new desktop Mac and you like the idea of an all-in-one, the iMac M3 is easy to recommend because you get decent performance at pretty much everything but serious gaming and creative work in a package that costs under $2,000. 

That's a better deal than paying over $2,000 to pair a Mac mini M2 ($799) with an Apple Studio Display ($1,599), which would be another way to build a desktop Mac setup that, as you can see from our testing, would deliver similar performance to the iMac M3.  

And that's why it's hard to heartily recommend existing iMac M1 users upgrade to this new M3 model: It's not that much faster or better, and it still has all the same weaknesses. It's disappointing that there's so little room to move the display on the stand, especially when so many competing Windows all-in-ones come with VESA mount brackets built in and offer more options to adjust display height, angle and tilt. And it just feels silly that you effectively have to pay Apple a $200 upcharge if you want one in purple.

But the extra ports and other amenities that come with it are worth it, and you do get what you pay for: a speedy Mac all-in-one that looks and sounds great, making it one of the best all-in-one computers of the year.

After missing the Apple M2 party, the iMac is finally getting updated with the latest Apple silicon — in this case, the new Apple M3 chip. 

While it looks identical to the iMac 2021 (24-inch) on the outside, the new processor on the inside should make it one of the best all-in-one computers. But is that enough to justify upgrading?

With iMac M3 pre-orders now live, we wanted to do an early comparison of the two iMacs to help you decide whether to upgrade. This is an interesting face-off considering how the only major difference is the devices’ respective internals. If you’ve thought about getting an iMac, the new model is an easy choice. However, if you’re content with the Apple M1 model from 2021, you might not need the new one.

We’ll update this story once we’ve reviewed the iMac M3, though you can check out our iMac M3 2023 hands-on impressions to hear our initial thoughts about the new all-in-one. For now, here’s how the iMac M3 and iMac M1 stack up against one another. Should you upgrade? Read on to find out.

iMac M3 vs iMac M1: Specs

iMac M3 vs iMac M1: Price and availability 

The iMac M3 is now available to pre-order for $1,299 from the online Apple Store. For those keeping track, this price is identical to the iMac M1 when it launched. Shipments for the iMac M3 begin on November 7.

The base configuration of the iMac M3 sports a 24-inch 4.5K display, an 8-core GPU, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. An upgraded model with a 10-core GPU, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD will also be available for $1,499. For $1,599, you can upgrade to a 512GB SSD. There are a generous selection of 7 color options to choose from.

iMac M3 vs iMac M1: Design 

The new 24-inch iMac looks the same as its predecessor. As before, this all-in-one comes in 7 color options: Blue, Green, Pink, Silver, Yellow, Orange, Purple, though the latter three colors aren't available on the entry-level model. You can get color-matched accessories as well.

The flat rectangular chassis measures 0.45 inches thin and 14.75 inches tall from top edge to bottom lip. The iMac 2023 stands 18.1 inches tall with a hinge that lets you tilt the display slightly backward. There’s a hole in the stand to route the power cable through.

Unfortunately, there is no vertical height adjustment. This won’t be an issue if you’re short like me. If you’re tall, you might have to place the iMac M3 on top of something to get it to ergonomic eye level. You were able to purchase the previous iMac with a built-in VESA mount adapter instead of a stand. At time of writing, we couldn’t find this option in the Apple store.

As before, the new iMac’s ports are almost all located along the bottom right-hand corner on the back of the display. Sure, this design choice keeps your cables hidden from view, but it might force you to turn the computer over to access the ports — unless you’re able to do so by touch alone.

The entry-level iMac only has two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a headphone jack, but higher-end models pack two Thunderbolt 4 ports and two USB 3 ports on the back, along with a headphone jack along the lower-left edge of the display and a Gigabit Ethernet port built into the power adapter.

iMac M3 vs iMac M1: Display 

If you guessed that the new iMac’s display was identical to the old model’s, you’d be correct.

The iMac M3’s 24-inch display delivers a sharp 4,480 x 2,520 resolution with 218 pixels per inch. It also supports the P3 wide color space and TrueTone — which adjusts the display’s color temperature based on the quality of ambient light.

A light gray bezel less than 0.75 inches thick surrounds the screen, along with a thicker 2.38-inch lip along the bottom that matches the iMac’s color. The display features the same anti-reflective coating applied to Apple’s Pro Display XDR monitor.

I got to check out the iMac M3 and found its display bright and colorful. Of course, we’ll need to run lab tests on Apple’s all-in-one to get objective metrics of what its display can do. That said, I don’t expect any major changes (or any at all) in our test results.

iMac M3 vs iMac M1: Performance 

Now let’s get to what’s different: internal components — namely the new M3 chip. Since we’ve yet to conduct our tests, we have to go by Apple’s numbers. But if what the company says about its latest M-series processor is accurate, there should be a noticeable difference between the iMac M3 and iMac M1 in terms of performance.

The iMac packs the same base M3 chip as the new MacBook Pro 14-inch M3. Apple says the performance cores are up to 30% faster than on M1, while efficiency cores are up to 50% faster. The M3 line will have the same multi-core performance as M1 but use as little as half the power — up to 35% more performance at peak power, according to Apple.

The entry-level M3 chip features 25 billion transistors. This chip has a 10-core GPU that’s 65% faster than M1 for graphics performance, claims Apple. It also features an 8-core CPU (4 performance, 4 efficiency) that’s 35% faster than M1 for computing performance. The base M3 supports up to 24GB of unified memory.

Apple is boasting about the M3 lineup’s enhanced GPU which has a new feature called Dynamic Caching. This allocates the use of local memory in hardware in real time and only uses the exact amount of memory needed for specific tasks. According to Apple, this feature is an industry first and will increase the performance of demanding applications and video games.

Hardware-accelerated ray tracing makes its debut on Mac thanks to the new M3 chips. The new GPU also brings hardware-accelerated mesh shading to Mac. This should all result in higher-quality graphics with more accurate lighting and detailed environments. Apple says the M3 GPU delivers the same performance as M1 at half the power — up to 65% more performance at its peak.

I played Baldur’s Gate 3 on the iMac M3 and was impressed by the vibrant graphical detail — especially during cutscenes. Raytracing also made the fantastical environments appear realistic. I should also note that load times were reasonably fast. Games optimized for Apple silicon should run smoothly on the iMac M3.

In our iMac M1 review, we said the 24-inch all-in-one wasn’t built to deliver great performance in graphically demanding games. For example, Rise of the Tomb Raider, which was old even in 2021, ran at a pitiful 18.9 frames per second at 1080p and Very High settings on the iMac M1.

Again, we need to run the iMac M3 through our performance tests, but we expect a big leap from its M1 counterpart.

iMac M3 vs iMac M1: Keyboard and mouse 

Lastly, we have the keyboard and mouse which, surprise surprise, are no different than before. This could be a negative or a positive, depending on your feelings for these peripherals.

The 24-inch iMac ships with Apple’s Magic Keyboard and a Magic Mouse. You’ll have to pay $50 if you’d prefer a Magic Touchpad over the mouse, or pay $129 to get both. The iMac M3 also comes with a TouchID-less Magic Keyboard, but you can pay an extra $50 to get the keyboard with TouchID support. For $80, you’ll get a keyboard with TouchID support and a number pad.

Both devices work well enough, though if you have big hands like me, you might find the keyboard a tad too cramped to comfortably type on for long periods. And since this is the same Magic Mouse, you’ll have to flip it over to charge it — making it useless when plugged in. But I’m not the first to complain about this design choice, so I'll stop ranting.

iMac M3 vs iMac M1: Should you upgrade?

It’s good to see the iMac receive an M3 spec bump. Though it’s still effectively the same product aesthetically, the performance boost M3 promises should still make it very enticing for those looking for a dependable all-in-one computer. If you’re new to Macs or own a pre-2021 iMac, upgrading to the iMac M3 is a no-brainer.

But the question remains: should you upgrade to an iMac M3 if you already own an iMac M1? If you mostly use computers for work and watching streaming videos, then the iMac M1 is still a capable machine that will probably last you for a few more years. However, if you need a beefier machine for video editing or high-end gaming, the iMac M3 would be a smart upgrade.

Again, we’ll update this post after we’ve reviewed the iMac M3 to give you a fuller understanding of what each machine has to offer. Stay tuned!

More from Tom's Guide

• MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Pro, 2023) hands-on
• New MacBook Pro M3 unveiled — here's what you get for $1,599
• Don’t waste your money on M3 Pro — here’s why

You'd be hard-pressed to tell the new 24-inch iMac 2023 apart from its 2021 predecessor, but rest assured, there are some big improvements under the hood.

The iMac 2023, announced during Apple's Scary Fast October event, packs the next-generation Apple M3 chip. Compared to the previous iMac's M1 processor, the iMac with M3 promises up to twice the speed and better performance across a variety of tasks. Apple claims this new iMac M3 is the best yet for gaming, too.

That said, the machine comes in a familiar package. It's once again available in a rainbow of color options, and you'll still find all the ports on the back. The starting $1,299 / AUS $2,199 also still has its limitations, but overall, the iMac 2023 is already positioned to be one of the best all-in-one computers of the year. 

We'll need to conduct a full review before coming to our conclusions, so for now, here are our first impressions from going hands-on with the M3-powered iMac.

iMac M3 2023 specs

iMac M3 2023 price and availability

The iMac M3 2023 is available for pre-order now, with full availability on Tuesday, November 7. Here’s where you can buy it now.

You'll pay the same price as you did for the iMac with M1. For the $1,299 / AU$2,199 starting price, you'll get the base model with 8-core GPU, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. For $1,499 / AU$2,499, you can get the model with a 10-core GPU. You can pay an additional premium a machine with 512GB SSD, too. 

iMac M3 2023 design and display

Whereas the previous-gen iMac received a major redesign, this 24-inch iMac looks the same — it even comes with the same coats of paint. The machine comes in 7 color options: Blue, Green, Pink, Silver, Yellow, Orange, Purple, though once again the latter three colors aren't available on the entry-level model. You're still able to pick up color-matched accessories, too. 

The flat rectangular chassis measures about 0.45 inches thin and 14.75 inches tall from top edge to bottom lip. Lacking any vertical height adjustment, the iMac 2023 stands 18.1 inches tall with a hinge that lets you tilt the display slightly backwards if needed.

Speaking of the display, you'll find the same 24-inch 4.5K Retina panel with 500-nits of brightness. It also has the same 1080p FaceTime camera up top, the same port selection, and the same power cord that feeds through the machine's stand. Are you seeing the theme here?

iMac M3 2023 performance

While the iMac 2023 might not look like anything new, performance should feel entirely fresh thanks to the M3 chip and 8-core CPU/10-core GPU. Unlike the MacBook Pro family, the iMac skipped over the M2 chip. As a result, the iMac 2023 should feel plenty more powerful compared the machine powered by M1. In fact, Apple claims that the iMac with M3 is twice as fast as the iMac with M1.

Not only does Apple silicon promise a fulfilling macOS experience with integrations across Apple's product ecosystem, but it should improve use across a variety of needs. The 16-core Neural Engine built on the chip is apparently 60% faster than it was on M1, resulting in improved on-device AI processing. The M3 processor also has a new Media Engine that provides hardware acceleration for video codecs like H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAW, as well as support for AV1 decoding.

But what I'm perhaps most excited about is the gaming performance made possible by M3. Just like the A17 Pro found on the iPhone 15 Pro, the M3 supports accelerated ray tracing, letting games have more realistic lighting based on the environments. I demoed Stray on the new iMac, and thought the neon-lit alleys looked incredibly nuanced. With the M3, there's probably never been a better time to try out Mac gaming. 

iMac M3 2023 outlook

Although the iMac M3 2023 might not seem revolutionary at a glance, it refreshes a popular all-in-one computer with some impressive-sounding performance upgrades. The new M3 silicon seems to offer improvements for all kinds of users, whether they be students, small business owners and even gamers. 

What will almost certainly be Apple’s last event of 2024 has been and gone, but it left a lot of question marks.

Yes, the ‘Scary Fast’ event wasn’t short on announcements, given we got three different M3 chips powering three different computers. But despite this, it feels like there were a few big missed opportunities for Apple. 

Here are the five main things we missed, and the prospects of them coming in the next 12 months.

1. 32-inch iMac

It’s great that Apple hasn’t forgotten the iMac. The colorful 24-inch model was well overdue for a refresh, as it was still pootling along with its first-generation M1 chipset. The move to M3 will, Apple says, offer double the speed for buyers keen to make the upgrade.

But you know what’s even more overdue for an upgrade? The discontinued 27-inch iMac. For plenty of people, a 24-inch screen on an all-in-one computer simply doesn’t cut it, and they’re crying out for something bigger.

That will be coming in time, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Earlier this month he wrote that a 32-inch model is on Apple’s roadmap at some point after the 24-inch iMac refresh, so hopefully we’ll see a big-screen iMac land before 2024 is out. Though the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reckons we might be looking at 2025.

2. M3 Mac mini

One way Apple could have satisfied users who like a big-screen experience would be with a refreshed Mac mini. The dinky desktop doesn’t come with a screen, meaning you can plug it into anything via HDMI.

But it was a no-show. One appeared to be in testing back in August, so it’s something of a mystery as to why Apple didn’t think the time was right for it to make its debut. Perhaps the company didn’t want to overshadow the return of the iMac.

In any case, this will no doubt come before 2024 is out, which makes it tough to recommend buying the current M2 Mac mini for the moment, unless you see a phenomenally good deal.

3. iPad mini

Apple’s non-Pro iPads are supposedly nearly ready to emerge, but for some reason Apple has apparently pushed them into 2024.

To be clear, they were always a long shot for the ‘Scary Fast’ event, which Apple had made pretty clear was a Mac-focused affair. 

But with an iPad mini battery showing up in a Chinese regulatory listing alongside things that did end up appearing, fans of tiny tablets were hoping for a ‘one more thing’ style reveal that didn’t come.

4. USB-C accessories

With Apple’s (forced) decision to abandon Lightning cable in favor of USB-C on the iPhone 15, it seemed likely that the 24-inch M3 iMac would arrive with USB-C accessories to match. Indeed, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman predicted it.

It didn’t happen. Instead, the new Mac’s accessories will arrive with the same Lightning ports as before. 

That’s surprising, but there’s a very real time limit on this. The European Union has mandated USB-C as the standardized connector, with all new products requiring the port by the end of 2024. Yes, Apple could keep Lightning outside of Europe — but it won’t. It just doesn’t make sense financially to build different ports on the same device.

5. Magic Mouse with a sensibly placed charging port

Many people thought Apple would take advantage of the switch to USB-C to do away with one of its most baffling design decisions of all time: putting the Lightning port on the bottom of its Magic Mouse. 

As users have frequently pointed out, this placement may look neat, but it means you can’t use the mouse while it’s charging, which is just impractical.

No refreshed USB-C Magic Mouse means the port continues to live in its current position. If that’s disappointing to you, be sure to read our list of the best mice to find a quality alternative for your Mac.

In case you missed the recent Apple Event, a new iMac has been announced — and it's better than ever. Apple's latest all-in-one computer is already out for pre-orders, so make sure to snag yours now.

The new M3 iMac is set for release on Tuesday, November 7. According to Apple, it can perform up to 2x faster than the M1 iMac (2021) thanks to its more powerful M3 chip. The M3 iMac has also had a boost to its gaming capabilities — since the M3 chip has hardware accelerated ray tracing for AAA games.

The base configuration of the iMac sports a 24-inch 4.5K display, an 8-core GPU, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD and starts at $1,299. An upgraded model with a 10-core GPU, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD will also be available for $1,499. There are a generous selection of 7 color options to choose from.

The M3 iMac preorder is now up for grabs at the Apple Store. If you're interested in picking up some other Apple goodies, check out our Black Friday Apple sales coverage.

Where to buy M3 iMac (US)

Where to buy M3 iMac (UK)

When Apple launched its colorful range of 24-inch iMacs to replace the silver 21.5-inch version in April 2021, most people assumed that the 27-inch iMac would soon be getting the same stylish makeover and introduction of Apple Silicon.

Nearly 30 months later, and that still hasn’t happened. Apple has merely discontinued both the Intel-powered 27-inch iMacs and iMac Pros without offering a direct replacement, leaving big-screen fans despondent.

So there’s good and bad news in the latest Power On newsletter from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The good news is that Apple hasn’t forgotten about the big-screen iMac fans out there. The bad news is that there’s still quite a wait ahead of them.

“This larger model is still poised to follow the 24-inch one, coming in either late 2024 or 2025,” Gurman writes. “It will have a 32-inch display, making it the biggest iMac in Apple’s history.”

Yes, 32 inches — an 18.5% increase in screen real estate. But given the chunky bezels that adorned the 27-inch iMac, the actual footprint might not be all that different. After all, the 24-inch iMac isn’t all that different to its 21.5-inch predecessor, and considerably thinner: 18.1 x 21.5 x 5.8 inches (24-inch model) vs 17.7 x 20.8 x 6.9 inches (21.5-inch version). 

Assuming the basic design remains the same, you can expect a substantial chin on the screen, however, as the picture below shows.

Why the long wait?

By the time the new iMac rolls around, it could be more than four years since the colorful 24-inch version arrived, which begs one simple question: why such a long gap?

According to Gurman, that wasn’t the plan. “Apple had aimed to release a larger, pro-focused iMac soon after the 24-inch iMac launched,” he writes. “Under the original road map, you would have seen the M1 24-inch iMac, then an M2-based iMac Pro and, finally, a 24-inch iMac refresh.”

The iMac Pro didn’t arrive “due to cost concerns”, which is apparently why Apple introduced the Mac Studio and Studio Display to give high-end desktop users something to tide them over.

Gurman refers to this upcoming all-in-one computer as an iMac Pro rather than a larger iMac, and that might be reflected in the pricing, of course. While Apple’s last 27-inch iMac started at $1,799, the cheapest iMac Pro configuration came in at $4,999. For comparison, the cheapest Mac Studio and Studio Display bundle would set you back $3,598, so it’s possible we’ll split the difference.

Hopefully Apple will have configurations available for all its customers — from those who just want a cheap(ish) big-screen experience, to those who want a ludicrous number of cores. We’ll hopefully find out late next year.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple could be working on a 32-inch iMac — and I want one
• M3 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air tipped for 2024
• iPad mini 7 and iPad Air 6 could arrive this week

Rumors are hotting up that Apple is preparing to refresh its 24-inch iMac with M2 and M2 Pro chips. But anyone hoping for a speedy reveal of the new machines may have longer to wait than we originally thought. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, any refresh to the 24-inch iMac line will happen next year in 2024. So much for a 2023 refresh alongside hotly-tipped iPad mini 7 and iPad Air 6, then.

Kuo, a supply-chain analyst with a strong track record in predicting Apple’s movements, also believes Apple will release a higher-end 32-inch iMac with a mini LED display in 2025. Given Apple’s current 32-inch Pro Display XDR with mini LED costs $5k, this new iMac will surely be for those with deep pockets. We’re well past Apple Vision Pro territory here. 

Kuo’s prediction follows on from his correct analysis that Apple would refresh the Mac Pro and Mac mini this year. Earlier this week, it was reported that more powerful configurations of the current M1 iMac are facing delayed shipments. Customers ordering increased SSD and RAM are being forced until November to reveal their product. Which, some have speculated, could be a sign Apple is preparing for a hardware refresh.

Separately, other rumors have suggested Apple would skip the M2 chip for the iMac and would instead simply go with a new M3. Seeing as the M2 chip launched last summer alongside the MacBook Air M2, it would make sense for the M3 chip to debut in a new iMac 12 months later.

"I haven't seen anything to indicate there will be a new iMac until the M3 chip generation, which won't arrive until the tail end of this year at the earliest or next year," wrote Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, back in February 2023. "So if you want to stick with the iMac, you'll just have to sit tight."

We’ve covered all the latest updates on a possible M3 iMac in our hub page here, but for now it seems like Kuo has the inside track on a 24-inch revision with M2 and M2 Pro and we shouldn’t get our hopes up until the new year. 

As my colleague Tony Polanco put it, none of this information is official yet, so it’s best to take it with a pinch of salt. While it would make far more sense for Apple to wait and release an M2 iMac, the M2 and M2 Pro chips are still plenty powerful. So we’ll have to wait and see what ends up coming out of Cupertino in the months ahead.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple could be working on a 32-inch iMac — and I want one
• M3 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air tipped for 2024
• iPad mini 7 and iPad Air 6 could arrive this week

The all-in-one 24-inch iMac with an Apple M1 chip is one of the few Apple computers that hasn’t been upgraded with the latest M-series chips. We’ve heard rumors about the next iMac for some time, and it’s more than likely Apple will eventually upgrade this particular Mac. However, if a new rumor is accurate, the upcoming iMac will receive an update — but it’s not the one we expected.

According to Japanese Apple blog MacOtakara (via 9to5Mac), more powerful configurations of the existing M1 iMac are seeing delayed shipments — with those who’ve increased SSD and RAM being forced to wait until November to receive their computer. The blog, which 9to5Mac says is well-sourced when it comes to hardware rumors, believes these delayed shipments could signal that Apple is preparing for a hardware refresh.

Here’s where things get interesting. According to MacOtakara, Apple will apparently upgrade the iMac with Apple M2 and Apple M2 Pro models.

This hardware update would’ve made sense a year ago when the Apple M2 chip debuted, or even earlier this year when the M2 Pro and Apple M2 Max chips arrived. However, reports suggest that Apple M3 processors could launch as soon as the first half of 2024. If all these rumors are true, then an M2 iMac — while more powerful than its M1-driven predecessor — would have an older processor when Macs with the M3 chip launch.

Outlook 

To be fair, none of what we’ve reported above has been substantiated so it’s best to take it all with a dose of skepticism. It’s also important to note that delayed shipments don’t always indicate an imminent hardware refresh. As 9to5Mac points out, the current MacBook Pro 14-inch and MacBook Pro 16-inch have faced delays.

It’s unclear when Apple will update the iMac or what processor it plans to ship it with. Though the M2 and M2 Pro chips are plenty powerful, it’d make more sense for the company to release an M3 iMac seeing as how the (still powerful) M1 chip is aging out. But again, none of this is yet official so it’s best to wait and see until we get the definitive word from Apple.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple could be working on a 32-inch iMac — and I want one
• M3 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air tipped for 2024
• iPad mini 7 and iPad Air 6 could arrive this week

The final days of August are here and if you're shopping for a new Mac, I've just spotted two of the best Labor Day sales you can get right now.

If you're in need of a new laptop, Best Buy has the 13-inch MacBook Air (M2/256GB) on sale for just $899. Best Buy offered this price earlier in the month, but it required a My Best Buy Pro membership ($49/year). Today's deal is open to anyone and one of the best last-minute back to school sales I've seen. 

If you prefer a Mac desktop, B&H Photo has the Mac mini M2 on sale for $499. I've seen this price before, but it's a rare deal and it tends to sell out fast. It's one of the best I've seen. 

The 13-inch MacBook Air M2 is unbeatable at its full price and an even bigger value at $899. In fact, we think the MacBook Air M2 is the best laptop on the market right now for the majority of people. In our MacBook Air M2 review, we said the Editor's Choice laptop offers a winning combination of performance, design, and battery life.

It runs circles around most Windows laptops, and the MacBook Air M2 blazes through everyday tasks like browsing the web and streaming video. Granted, it's not as fast as the MacBook Pro M2, but for most people we're confident that the MacBook Air M2 will serve your needs well. The MacBook Air M2 also has incredible battery life — we got 14 hours and 6 minutes of battery life out of our unit.

Meanwhile, in our Mac mini M2 review, we had almost nothing but praise for this device. The M2 is Apple's latest edition of the Mac mini and it's definitely the best one yet. It's more powerful than the previous generation despite having a list price that's $100 cheaper.

This power boost is thanks to the new Apple M2 chip. It’s super fast for everyday tasks like browsing the web and streaming video, and it also blazes through tasks like editing photos or rendering 4K video. This version, unfortunately, doesn't come with the M2 Pro chip, which is even more powerful, but trust me when I say the normal M2 chip is plenty powerful for most people. I had no issues while working with it. 

Make sure to follow our Apple Labor Day sales coverage for more deals this week.