And now, after years of watching from the sidelines, I finally decided to get my very first iMac. This is the new M3 iMac, and after using it for 2 months, here is my in-depth review.
Design & Build
So, going into this with the excitement of a first-time iMac user, I had high hopes with a little bit of a newbie eagerness – you know, that feeling when you are about to experience something that you always wanted? Well, that was me during my unboxing process of this new M3 iMac, which I did a first-time experience video 2 months ago.
Ever since then, whenever I walked into the studio looking at this, it gave me the sense of fulfillment that ah, finally, I have an iMac now.
The design, for me, was a blend of classic and a bit of a futuristic look at the same time. Being my first iMac, the aluminum and the glass fused into the iMac was something so elegant yet robust.
Since the peripherals were also in matching colors, that was immediately something that made me appreciate all of the peripherals a bit more compared to the usual mechanical keyboard and my mouse in my desk setup at home.
And yes, this peripheral still charges via Lightning cable, not USB-C yet, so hopefully soon.
Now, I initially leaned toward the purple iMac, mainly because I’m a massive fan of the Joker. Now, my home setup has a purple theme too.
Speaking of my home setup, check out that video if you guys haven’t done so: https://youtu.be/WgMHZtViZrE
However, the moment I saw this blue variant in the Apple Store, I knew that it was the one for me.
Coming from using the Apple Studio Display at home, even though the flexibility of the adjustment was not like the Apple Studio Display, as this only has a tilt adjustment, I’m happy to say that the hinges were very solid.
In terms of height, I surprisingly find myself not resorting to getting a desk shelf to elevate the monitor’s height even after a longer period of use.
Since the whole machine is within the display itself, I also found myself moving from desk to desk together with my iMac, which got me tempted to bring this down to a cafe too. Do you think I should?
Lastly, the magnetic power cord attachment to the iMac really stood out to me. It’s a small detail but really speaks volumes about the careful consideration that Apple puts into the aesthetics and the design of its products, which is just another tiny little feature but a really appreciated feature that made me really like the iMac.
Then, the two Thunderbolt ports were great for transferring files when connecting it to my external drives where the ports are nicely placed at the back.
However, the idea of putting the headphones jack at the side was a little questionable for me because if you’re connecting it to a desk speaker, it really protrudes out. So yeah, it is kind of hidden that even my teammate, Apit, initially thought that the monitor lacked a headphone port.
Then there’s some mixed reaction about the fact that the iMac could be a little slippery as the rubber base underneath is not thick enough. But for me, it hasn’t been such an issue because I just set it up and adjust it if I need to, and that’s it. I don’t keep touching it.
Display
The 24-inch 4.5K Retina Display was another revelation. As someone who’s stepping into the iMac for the first time, I was mesmerized by how vibrant everything looked on the screen, even after getting used to the 5K display on the Apple Studio Display.
Initially, I was skeptical about the whole white bezel since we are all so used to seeing black ones around our monitors. But rather than disliking them, I grew to appreciate them more as they did remind me of my very first white MacBook from 2006.
So whether or not I was editing photos, watching videos, or simply enjoying the crispiness of the text, the display quality consistently amazed me. And even with all the Aputure lighting here in the studio, there’s a total of one, two, three—the screen visibility was never compromised thanks to its 500 nits of brightness.
Then color accuracy was really nice on the iMac too. Hence, I was using this for photo editing, editing all my IG Reels either for me or for my client as well.
So yes, the display alone has made me even more grateful for my decision to join the iMac family. Despite it being an IPS panel, I really love it.
Performance
So the performance is where I was keen to see if the iMac lived up to its reputation, especially with the new M3 chip. And guess what? I wasn’t disappointed at all because it was like having a silent powerhouse at your fingertips.
Everything from everyday tasks to working with more intensive Blackmagic 6K video resolution files was smoothly done when I was working on Final Cut Pro.
For context, the exact variant that I got is the 8-core CPU and the 10-core GPU, 24GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage because my 6K resolution footage is huge in size.
And as for a storage point of view, I’ve got a lot of external SSDs with me, and I usually store everything in the cloud anyway. So the only thing that takes storage space is my Final Cut Pro projects, which I usually just copy them to the external SSD once I’m done with my projects.
However, this is still not my main editing machine when it comes to a bigger Final Cut Pro project, especially when it comes to heavier plugins on Final Cut Pro, specifically from FxFactory, which tends to stutter a bit.
The built-in sound system and webcam also deserve a special mention. The depth, the bass, and the clarity of the six-speaker setup really enhanced my iMac experience, improving everything from listening to music, watching videos, and also very great for video calls.
[Check out my YouTube video for the audio, webcam video quality and microphone test]
Now, another place that really surprised me, believe it or not, was the gaming performance and the experience on this iMac. And speaking of which, I did a dedicated gaming review of the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro, so do check that video out if you haven’t: https://youtu.be/qRL1bd8av3k
And compared to the MacBook Pro, gaming on the iMac offered a way better experience thanks to its larger screen and a bigger chassis which helped avoid any thermal throttling. Plus, the speakers really elevated the gaming experience as well.
Which Should You Get?
Next, let me share my thoughts on which iMac variant you should consider to get the best value for your money.
My recommendation is to start with the base model but consider two key upgrades. First, boost the RAM to at least 16GB or 24GB if you can. This will help to future-proof your iMac, ensuring that it can handle more demanding applications in the future.
Secondly, opt for 512GB of storage instead of springing up to 1TB upgrade because this price difference, about RM1,600 or USD335, can easily fund a few external SSDs for the additional storage where you’ll likely have some spare change too.
Now, unless you have a specific need for a wired connection, you should just skip the Gigabit Ethernet option because the built-in Wi-Fi 6E capabilities on the M3 iMac are really impressively fast and should suffice for most users. And here’s where you can save your money over here and invest in areas that enhance the performance and storage flexibility.
Who Is It For?
Finally, who is this iMac for? Well, the iMac is definitely for someone who wants a capable working computer that works exceptionally well. If you are someone who doesn’t want to waste time buying a desktop machine, a monitor, a webcam, or thinking of what kind of speakers to buy, then this should absolutely be your choice.
Because for me, reflecting on these two months, my first iMac has not only been a new gadget; it has been a journey – a journey of discovery, creativity, and I dare to say a bit of self-realization. What self-realization? That I wish that I had gotten the iMac sooner!
