How much would you be willing to pay for a new family computer? PC and Mac sales have declined since the pandemic, making your answer to this question crucial. At least for Apple, whose new iMac with M3 chip has everything to offer except the price.
You only need to use the word “inflation” somewhere in the conversation to remember that the average family today no longer has the same purchasing power as it did a year ago. When going to a concert in the city costs about as much as a month’s rent, compromises have to be made. Is a new $2000 computer necessary?
Apple has enjoyed great commercial success with its iPhone over the past three years by gradually increasing the selling price of its popular phone. The Californian manufacturer chooses a different strategy for its iMac. The selling price has only changed due to the change in exchange rate between the US dollar and the Canadian dollar.
Macintosh storage
Apple’s new all-in-one Mac is almost twice as powerful as its predecessor and costs $100 more at its base price of $1,700. The most attractive version costs around $2,000. Everything else remains unchanged. The newcomer features the same ultra-thin form factor, 24-inch display and wireless peripherals as before. These require a Lightning cable to charge. Luckily it’s all in the box.
Practical detail: The keyboard sold with the iMac has a fingerprint reader for security reasons. The device recognizes users and automatically opens the account of the person who places their finger on the sensor.
By the way, the iMac is the most direct descendant of the original Macintosh. In terms of design, it does not disappoint, as its footprint on the desk is really minimal: the monitor is raised and the USB-C ports (compatible with the Thunderbolt 4 standard) are on the back.
Its Retina display is significantly better than that of the oldest iMacs with an Intel processor. Its six-speaker sound system produces rich and powerful sound, suitable as a sound system for large rooms. The Full HD camera can focus on the subject’s face during a video call, which is convenient.
One thing the iMac can do that the good old Macintosh never could is access audiovisual content from Apple’s online services and others. At 24 inches, we’re not talking about a home theater, but the iMac can easily replace a television.
The device is powerful enough to appeal to creative minds who need professional software to bring their fantasies to life. The iMovie video editor is available for free and exports videos in just a few minutes, whereas older Macs took a few dozen minutes. Even the advanced Final Cut Pro editor works smoothly, offering real-time previews of effects and filters applied to the final cut.
Ultimately, Apple hopes video game enthusiasts will adopt its iMac. For this it will be necessary to expand somewhat the catalog of titles available on the Mac…
Intel in the crosshairs
Obviously, no one would be crazy enough to change their Mac just two years after purchasing it. Especially since the M1 processor still has a few good years of performance ahead of it. The M3 processor is also said to be quite durable. However, while both use the same ARM architecture, the M3 is manufactured using a more advanced process that reduces the size of its printed circuits to 3 nanometers, rather than the M1’s 5 nanometers.
Apple is looking for owners of an Intel-based iMac or an old desktop PC who want to modernize their hardware. These will see the performance gain.
Apple also takes back old Macs from its new buyers, paying up to $460 for an old iMac. Is that enough to make the newcomer more attractive? Yes, compared to other all-in-one PCs, as their average selling price is between $1,600 and $2,000. And if time has proven one thing, it’s that Macs generally live longer than PCs.
The iMac with the M3 chip is more powerful and shows this when you turn it on. Would a slightly less efficient Mac at a lower price have been more appropriate? Good question. If you definitely don’t need the highest performance and have a not-too-old monitor on hand, you can still save valuable money by looking at the Mac mini with an M2 processor, which costs half the price of an iMac.