Apple cuts prices by more than 9pc on new ‘faster’ iMac

The tech giant has cut the price of the new iMac, while fitting it with a souped-up chip that it says is up to 2.1 times faster for ‘demanding workflows’ like photo editing and gaming.

Apple's new range of iMacs come in new colours.

Apple has cut the price of the new iMac, its all-in-one desktop computer, shaving off more than 9 per cent from its entry model while fitting it with a souped-up chip that it says is up to 2.1 times faster for “demanding workflows” like photo editing and gaming.

The new iMac features an M4 chip – the same processor that was unveiled in its new iPad Pros earlier this year – allowing it to become “supercharged by Apple Intelligence”.

Apple Intelligence – the company’s much-hyped response to the AI boom – was launched in the US on Tuesday and will become widely available in Australia in December. Chief executive Tim Cook said Apple Intelligence introduces a “new era for iPhone, iPad, and Mac”.

This includes new writing tools to “refine words” and summarise text, an image wand to transform rough sketches into polished images and a redesigned voice assistant Siri.

“(Apple Intelligence is) delivering brand-new experiences and tools that will transform what our users can accomplish,” Mr Cook said.

“Apple’s generative models (are now) at the core of our devices, giving our users a personal intelligence system that is easy to use — all while protecting their privacy. Apple Intelligence is generative AI in a way that only Apple can deliver, and we’re incredibly excited about its ability to enrich our users’ lives.”

Apple says its new iMac is up to 2.1 times faster than its M1 iMac.

It comes five months after Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella unveiled a new class of Windows-based personal computers, dubbed Copilot+ PCs, that have been optimised to perform a range of power-hungry artificial intelligence tasks.

Microsoft took aim at Apple when launching its new computers at its headquarters in Redmond, Seattle in May, saying they were 58 per cent faster than the M3 MacBook Air.

But Microsoft was also playing catch-up. Apple started making its own chips four years ago, delivering longer battery life and quieter and cooler running, while having the firepower that creatives demand.

The new iMac starts at $1999 for its 8-core CPU model. This is $100 less than the previous M3 model released last year, which was priced from $2199. It’s 10-core CPU model has also had $100 wiped off the price, starting at $2399.

Apple has frozen its prices or lowered them despite the Reserve Bank of Australia saying inflation remains to high. Last month, the tech giant paused hikes across its new Apple Watch Series 10 and AirPod’s range, while cutting the price of its flagship iPhone 16 Pro by $50 compared with last year’s model, while its standard iPhone 16 was $100 cheaper.

The new iMac features a powerful M4 chip.

The new iMac features a new 12MP centre stage camera – which allows the camera to adjust to the user's movements – an nano-texture display option and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, while coming in a host of new colours.

Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering John Ternus said the new iMac is up to 1.7 times faster for daily productivity, and up to 2.1 times speedier for demanding workflows like photo editing and gaming, compared to M1 iMac – the first to feature Apple’s in-house chips.

Apple CEO Tim Cook says Apple Intelligence builds on ‘years of innovation’ on AI and machine learning.

“With the incredible features of Apple Intelligence and the powerful performance of Apple silicon, the new iMac changes the game once again,” Mr Ternus said.

“With M4 and Apple Intelligence, gorgeous new colours that pop in any space, an advanced 12MP Center Stage camera, and a new nano-texture glass display option, it’s a whole new era for iMac.”

The nano-texture option on the 24-inch display is designed to reduce reflections and glare, while maintaining “outstanding image quality”. “With nano-texture glass, users can place iMac in even more spaces, such as a sun-drenched living room or bright storefront,” Apple said.

The advanced connectivity includes four USB-C ports, which support Thunderbolt 4 for fast data transfers and up to two 6K external displays. It also supports both Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

The new iMac comes in seven colours: green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and blue, alongside silver. Apple said the back of iMac features “bold colours designed to stand out” while the front expresses “subtle shades of the new palette, so users can focus on doing their best work”.

It can be pre-ordered from Tuesday, with general availability from November 8.

Originally published as Apple cuts prices by more than 9pc on new ‘faster’ iMac