iMac M4 24"

The iMac M4 is the all-in-one Mac for buyers who want one beautiful object on the desk. At $1,999 starting in Australia with the M4 chip, 16GB RAM, and a 4.5K 24-inch Retina display, it is a genuinely lovely computer. The trade-off is paying $1,000 more than a Mac mini M4 plus a comparable 27-inch external monitor for the same compute, in exchange for clean cable management, a striking visual, and the unique experience of an all-in-one with no thinking about cables and dongles.

The 4.5K Retina display at 4,480 by 2,520 resolution is the actual reason to buy this. Full DCI-P3 wide colour, 500 nits typical brightness, and the same colour calibration that ships on the Studio Display. For photo work, video editing, and any role that values colour accuracy, this is a high-quality display. Buying a comparable standalone monitor (LG UltraFine 5K, Apple Studio Display, BenQ PD2725U) costs $1,400 to $2,000, which is most of the iMac premium.

The 11.5mm thickness is the under-rated feature. The iMac chassis hides the entire computer, the speakers, the FaceTime HD camera, the Wi-Fi antennas, the power supply, the cooling system, and the Thunderbolt ports. The visual effect is a 24-inch monitor floating on a stand, with one cable (power) running to the wall. For a clean home office, this matters in a way no Mac mini setup can match.

The seven colour options (Blue, Purple, Pink, Orange, Yellow, Green, Silver) are not gimmicks. Apple updated the iMac colour finishes with the M4 generation to slightly more saturated tones than the M1 launch colours. The matching keyboard and mouse colour-coordinate. For a kitchen, family room, or creative studio environment, the visual personality is meaningful in a way the silver Mac mini and beige Windows tower never are.

The trade-offs are real. When this iMac dies in 6 to 8 years, the display dies with it; on a Mac mini plus separate monitor setup, you can keep the monitor and upgrade the computer (or vice versa). The 256GB base SSD is too small for $1,999, with the $300 jump to 512GB essentially required. The chassis is sealed and unrepairable; iFixit scores 2 out of 10. AppleCare+ at $269 for 3 years becomes essentially required because if the display fails out of warranty, the repair is the cost of a new iMac.

The M5 iMac question. Apple's M5 generation iMac is expected late 2026 per supply-chain reports. Buyers asking whether to wait should consider: the M4 chip is plenty for the iMac's typical workload (office, web, light creative), the M5 will be 25 percent faster but you will not feel that, and the chassis design has not changed in three generations and is unlikely to change at M5. Buy now if you have the work to do; the M5 refresh will be incremental rather than transformative.

The Australian buyer context. JB Hi-Fi runs the iMac M4 at $1,899 to $1,999 routinely; Apple Education Store at $1,799 is the year-round price leader. The Good Guys, Officeworks, and Harvey Norman all track JB. Apple's interest-free instalment plans (12 months at zero interest via Apple Direct) are useful for buyers who want to spread the cost. AppleCare+ at $269 for 3 years is recommended.

The trade-off versus the Mac mini M4. The Mac mini M4 at $999 plus a 27-inch monitor at $400-600 plus a keyboard and mouse at $200-300 lands at $1,599 to $1,899 for similar compute and a larger display. The iMac wins only on aesthetic and cable management. For 80 percent of buyers, Mac mini M4 plus monitor is the right answer.

The trade-off versus a Mac Studio M4 Max. The Mac Studio at $2,999 is more powerful but requires a separate monitor; total setup is $4,000+. The iMac is for buyers who want simple. The Studio is for buyers who want power. Two different buyers, both legitimate.