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The 24-inch iMac has been upgraded with the M4, but more than a simple chip update was revealed on Monday. Here’s what you might have missed.
Apple revealed a straightforward spec upgrade to the 24-inch iMac, which has received the M4 chip previously used only in the iPad Pro.
While the new iMac has no visible differences compared to its M3-powered predecessor, the computer did receive meaningful hardware enhancements. Some of Apple’s accessories also received a minor update.
The new M4-powered iMac supports 8K 120 Hz display output
Higher-end 10-Core GPU configurations of the new-and-improved iMac support 8K display output at 120Hz for a single external display, which has never been possible on any Mac up to this point.
Alternatively, with the new iMac, users also have the option of connecting two 6K displays with a refresh rate of 60 Hz instead of a single 8K 120 Hz display. A significant upgrade versus previous external display limitations for base M-series chipsets.
Entry-level Mac computers such as the Apple Silicon equipped iMac and MacBook Air have typically supported only one external display unless a DisplayLink adapter is used. The only outliers in this regard are the M3-equipped MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, which can use two external displays, albeit only when the device lid is closed.
Future Macs with similar hardware configurations will also likely support the same types of display output, as Apple is expected to unveil more M4-powered computers during its week of announcements.
The Mac Pro now comes with USB-C accessories
While the main focus of Monday’s announcements was undoubtedly the iMac, Apple also introduced minor upgrades to its existing accessories — the Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Mouse.
The updated Magic accessories are included with the purchase of a new iMac with the M4 chip, or the existing Mac Pro. While the Mac Pro did not receive a hardware upgrade like the iMac, it did get the upgraded peripherals.
The Magic Mouse charging port is still on the bottom.
The new accessories now charge via USB-C, while the previous versions featured a Lightning port. The Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Mouse can also be purchased separately.
The USB-C charging port for the updated Magic Mouse is still located on the bottom of the device, though, which has proven unpopular with users.
More Mac-related announcements are scheduled for the remainder of the week, as the MacBook Pro and Mac mini are both expected to receive the M4 chip. Also on Monday, Apple released iOS 18.1, which finally makes select Apple Intelligence features available to the general public.
