Apple’s “Scary Fast” event brought a Halloween treat for enthusiasts of Mac desktops. As anticipated, the 24-inch iMac is receiving a significant performance boost, thanks to Apple’s latest innovation, the M3 chipset. According to the event presentation, this new model promises to be up to twice as fast as its predecessor, which featured the M1 chipset. For users transitioning from an Intel-based iMac, the speed leap is even more remarkable, with the new model offering up to 2.5 times the performance of some of the most popular 27-inch iMac models.
The M3 chipset packs a punch with an eight-core CPU and a robust 10-core GPU. Graphics enthusiasts will appreciate the support for hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray-tracing. Furthermore, this powerhouse boasts a 16-core Neural Engine and the ability to handle up to 24GB of unified memory.
In practical terms, compared to the M1 iMac from 2021, the M3-powered version offers a 30 percent speed boost in applications like Safari and productivity tools such as Microsoft Excel. Gamers will enjoy improved frame rates, with games running up to 50 percent faster. Creative professionals will find this machine capable of editing and playing back up to 12 4K video streams, three times the previous capability. Apple also highlights the efficiency of image processing in applications like Adobe Photoshop and the seamless handling of video projects in Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro, both of which are up to twice as fast.
While there aren’t extensive changes in the new iMac’s display – it still features a 4.5K Retina display – there are noteworthy improvements in connectivity. The latest iMac supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, a step up from the Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 found in the M1 iMac.
Orders for the M3 iMac have already opened, with shipping scheduled for November 7. The base model includes an eight-core GPU, two Thunderbolt ports, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Mouse. However, it starts with a modest 256GB of SSD storage and 8GB of unified memory, priced at $1,299 ($1,249 for education). Color options include green, pink, blue, and silver.
For those seeking more power with a 10-core GPU, the M3 iMac starts at $1,499 ($1,399 for education). This model offers additional upgrades, including two extra USB 3 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. Despite these enhancements, storage and RAM remain at 256GB and 8GB, respectively. Color choices expand to include green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver.
