Apple iMac review: Brand brings back iconic bright colour computers

It was the height of technology and style in 1998 – and now, the iconic Apple iMac has been given a very slick new look.

REVIEW

Apple has done it again and released an iconic desktop computer unlike anything we’ve ever seen.

The iMac has returned to its roots with joyful colour options and a reinvented design.

It’s possible they are a nod to the original iMac, which was released in 1998, 23 years ago.

They too were a bold all-in-one design originally released in an unforgettable blue translucent plastic body (with bountiful colour options that followed).

This was a design that came after Steve Jobs returned to Apple to reinvigorate the company’s product lines and image – arguably a foundational reason for Apple’s incredible success today.

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Steve Jobs with the iconic iMac in 1998. Picture: AFP Photo/Eric Cabanis

The iMac computer on display at the MacWorld Expo '98 in New York.

iMac Colours

The new iMac, which will be arriving on customers’ doorsteps beginning Friday May 21, is available in seven different colours – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, silver – and is an all-in-one computer that is only 11.5mm slim.

I would be lying if I didn’t say I was absolutely in awe when I unboxed the iMac in person.

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Elly Awesome chose the orange colour for her new iMac.

Included iMac accessories

Inside the box you will find a Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad – all rechargeable devices and colour-matched to your iMac of choice.

The mid tier and top tier iMacs have Touch ID included on the Magic Keyboard (which allows you to unlock your iMac with your fingerprint) or you can upgrade your iMac’s keyboard, on Apple’s website, to include Touch ID for $70.

There is also a Lightning to USB-C colour-matched woven charging and syncing cable.

Lastly, a coloured power cable that snaps magnetically (and securely) into the back of your iMac which plugs into a small power adaptor before plugging into the wall.

Elly Awesome unboxing the iMac.

The iMac comes with a keyboard and mouse or trackpad.

Features

The iMac has a 24” 4.5K screen which is 4480 by 2520 resolution at 218 pixels per inch. This is a beautiful display, which I tested by watching some high res feature films and YouTube videos.

But it’s the built-in speakers (of which there are six) that impressed me most. The iMac has two pairs of force-cancelling woofers and each pair is balanced with a high-performance tweeter. The loudness and quality, even “movement” of the sound around the screen, honestly seems unfathomable with a computer so thin.

The iMac even supports spatial audio when playing videos with Dolby Atmos. It’s fantastic.

The iMac is super thin.

The sound seems unfathomable from such a sleek design.

Performance

Most of the performance and thin design hinges on Apple’s remarkable M1 chip. For example, the new 1080p FaceTime HD camera has a larger and more efficient sensor but also, thanks to the advanced image signal processor (ISP) of M1, the ISP can enhance your video quality intelligently by working with the Neural Engine in M1.

With features such as clever intelligent exposure and white balance adjustments, you’ll look better than ever on your video calls.

The iMac also features an 8-core CPU, up to 8-core GPU, a 16-core Neural Engine and up to 16GB unified memory. With all of these specs combined and the iMac powered by M1 the computer runs editing software like Final Cut Pro, and graphics programs like Photoshop ridiculously well. So, it almost goes without saying that web browsing even with 20+ tabs open, the Mac won’t even break a sweat.

Where this computer really shines though is working together with other products in the Apple ecosystem. If you have an iPhone and you’re checking out a web page on your phone but you’d like to see it on the big screen, you can seamlessly bring it across to open in your iMac’s Safari browser with just a tap. iMessage, as usual, can be used on your iMac too so you can message back and forth without picking up your phone.

There are even universal apps so you can run your favourite iPhone and iPad apps directly on your Mac.

If you already have Apple products the iMac will complement them.

Pricing

The baseline iMac with an 8-core CPU, 7-Core GPU, 256GB of storage 8GB of unified memory starts from $1899 with four colours to choose from.

I’d recommend going for at least the mid-tier model where you can choose from all seven colours, have the Touch ID keyboard included, an 8-core GPU, along with Gigabit Ethernet and two extra USB-C ports for $2,199.

The top-tier model comes in at $2499 but unified memory and storage can also be upgraded on all models.

Worth it?

Hardcore PC fans will say what they want about the iMac but you have to give credit where credit’s due. Apple has fit their entire computer into a form factor that’s thinner than your average computer monitor while still offering incredible performance.

It’s the perfect computer for a family to share or to be used as a personal desktop computer. There are even accessibility settings built-in that you can set up from the get-go.

If you are in the Apple ecosystem you will no doubt love this computer. And if not, I wouldn’t blame you if you’re considering joining the bright side.

Elly Awesome is an Aussie tech and lifestyle vlogger | @ellyawwesome | YouTube