The iMac is more than a new design. Apple’s desktop has been thoroughly overhauled – these eight details are worth your while.
iMac 2021: Even small details are worthwhile
After the MacBook, the iMac is now also equipped with Apple’s M1 chip. To celebrate, Apple has given its desktop a colorful look, but there is more to it than that. These eight things are just as important if you’re curious about this newest member of the Mac family.
1.11.4mm ‘thick’, headphone jack on the side
Apple has made the iMac 2021 so narrow that the case is only 11.4 millimeters wide. The whole device weighs less than five kilos. That is so narrow that a headphone jack on the back is no longer possible.
Instead, there is now a headphone jack on the side of the desktop. So you can still connect classic wired headphones to the new iMac.
2. Connections and Ethernet
There are several connections on the back of the iMac. The cheaper model has two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports. The more expensive variant also has two USB 3 connections. Remarkable: there is no slot for SD cards. You will have to buy an adapter for that.
The iMac also supports gigabit ethernet, but handles this in an interesting way. This Ethernet connection is incorporated in the battery block instead of the desktop itself. This is included with the more expensive iMac and can be purchased optionally for the other edition.
3. Improved front camera
With massive video calling for over a year now, the iMac’s outdated front camera has become an eyesore. That has not gone unnoticed by Apple: the front camera of the iMac 2021 has improved considerably. With 1080p quality and a larger sensor to capture more light, the image quality is a lot better than before.
The M1 chip also makes a contribution. Without you having to fiddle with the settings, noise is removed from the image and colors are better attuned to each other. So, regardless of your workplace, you look your best.
4. Microphones and six speakers
It’s nice that the new front camera gives you a better picture, but making yourself understood is just as important. The new iMac is therefore equipped with a greatly improved microphone. Background noise is automatically filtered out and with three microphones Apple ensures that the sound is picked up quickly and efficiently.
There are also six speakers incorporated in the desktop, which can fill a large room with sound. This also supports ‘Spatial Audio’, so it seems like the sound is all around you.
5. Fabric magnetic cable in matching color
The cable you use to power the iMac has also been given a new look. This is made extra sturdy with a layer of fabric around it. With a magnet in the connector, you can click it firmly onto the iMac, so that it doesn’t just pop out. Handy, because you can tilt the screen, you run the risk of the cable suddenly popping out. The magnet prevents this.
6. Not all colors for the entry-level model
The iMac 2021 is available in two models and Apple wouldn’t be Apple if that also affected the available colors. Only the more expensive model from 1669 euros is for sale in all seven colors. The cheaper version does not consider the colors yellow, orange and purple and you can only buy it in blue, green, red and gray.
7. Apple continues to sell 27-inch iMac
Bad news for iMac enthusiasts who were hoping for an upgrade for the 27-inch iMac at least as big. For the time being, this new variant is only available with a 24-inch screen. Whether and when an update for the larger desktop will be released is not yet known.
For the time being, Apple will also continue to sell the 27-inch iMac for that reason. So this is an older model with a dated design. Especially now that it is in the shops next to the new edition.
iMac 2021 to be ordered April 30
The iMac 2021 can be ordered in the Netherlands from April 30. The first copies will be delivered ‘mid-May’. An exact date is therefore still uncertain, but as soon as we know more about this, you will of course read this immediately iPhone.
Depending on the amount of RAM and other configurations, the price can vary considerably. The entry-level model is available for 1,449 euros. See the image below for more information about the available colors and configurations.
