Speaker 1: This is the new 20 23 24 inch Apple iMac, although you really can’t tell that just by looking at it because it’s identical to the 2021 iMac, which is great because it’s overall a fantastic design. But what is different about the 2023 model is what’s inside. This is the second generation of IMAX to have Apple’s M Series chips inside. The 2021 model [00:00:30] had an M one and Apple jumped right over the M two and went to its new M three chips for 2023. And while I’ve only been able to test it for a couple of days, the performance is impressive. But before I get more into that, let’s break down what this updated iMac is all about. So just like the 2021 model, it’s nice and compact, and of course it comes in seven two tone color combinations. This is the green model with a lighter mint green under the display and [00:01:00] for the stand and the large Apple logo on back.
Speaker 1: And as you can see, the back is more a dark forest green. The white screen bezel kind of takes away from the look, but it’s also reminiscent of the original fruit and jewel colored imax. The base 2023 iMac is only available in blue, green, pink, and silver, and it loses a couple of USBC ports on the back here on our higher end model, there are two thunderbolt ports and two [00:01:30] USBC 3.0 ports. Apple drops, those USB 3.0 ports from the base iMac. One of my favorite features on this iMac design is still the power cable. It magnetically pops right in, so there is zero struggle connecting it and it holds on tight. Because this iMac is so compact in lightweight, it’s very easy to move this around your home and being able to detach and attach the power cord just adds to that. One thing I wish it had is an SSD card [00:02:00] slot, and I’m hoping next time around Apple adds one so you can take advantage of the IMAX increased graphics performance for video and photo editing.
Speaker 1: Before I move on to performance though, let’s talk about pricing. So the base model is $1,299 with an eight core CPU and eight core GPU eight gigs of unified memory and a 256 gig SSD for storage. It also includes a color matched magic mouse and magic keyboard, and there are upgrades available [00:02:30] for memory and storage at $200 a piece. So if you want 16 gigs of memory, that’s $200. If you want 24 gigs of memory, that’s $400. Then there are the accessories. Adding a gigabit ethernet port to the power supplies, another $30 swapping the mouse for a magic track pad, that’s another $50. Or you can get both for $129. And if you want touch ID built into the keyboard, which I
Speaker 2: Do recommend, [00:03:00] that’s another $50 or $80 if you want a keyboard with a number pad. Anyway, it all adds up. So while that $1,299 price is attractive, the $1,499 mid-range configuration is the better starting point you get a better M three chip, better accessories, and two additional USB three ports. That middle configuration is the one I’m testing with 24 gigs of memory and a one terabyte SSD, which brings the total [00:03:30] up to $2,300. Many people should be fine with eight gigs of memory, but if content creation or gaming is in your future or you’re just a heavy multitasker step up to at least 16 gigs. Again, I’ve only been using it for a couple of days, but it’s been zipping right along with everything I’ve done, although that’s really an understatement for what this iMac is likely capable of after seeing just some of the benchmark test results.
Speaker 2: For example, for the [00:04:00] multi-core test in Geek Bench five, the M three iMac handily beats the M one by more than 3000 points, and it also topped the $4,500 27 inch iMac with a 10th gen Intel core I nine. We tested back in 2020. And along with that, apple talked up gaming on the iMac when it was announced. And after playing some Balder Skate three and Disney Dream Light Valley, I can see where this could be an option for kicking back and playing some games [00:04:30] on its beautiful 24 inch display. The audio quality is fantastic too and gives you a more immersive experience. So to sum up, here are some things I like and don’t like about the new M three iMac. Overall, I like the design, both its looks and the size, especially for anyone who wants a family computer or wants something other than a laptop to easily move around the house to the kitchen or a guest room or a home office.
Speaker 2: Also, the display and sound [00:05:00] are great, so it really is a complete package when it comes to a computer that’s fantastic for work and entertainment, whether that’s streaming music and video or casual gaming. And of course the performance is a huge plus for everything from basic home office and school tests to content creation. This M three iMac is remarkable so far. However, I’m not a fan of how Apple’s laid out the pricing for the iMac. It seems unnecessarily tricky for people who might not quite understand [00:05:30] the differences and options between the configurations and accessories Also, and these are more wishes for next time. It would be great to see an SSD card slot added back just as Apple did with the MacBook Pro models. And I’d also appreciate it if the display were height adjustable. But again, that’s more of a wish you could read more about the new iMac and Apple’s new MacBook Pros with the M three chips on cnet.com. I’m Josh Goldman. Thanks for watching, and you’ll see me when you see me.
